Hokie ClubSaturday marked a new milestone in Virginia Tech softball's storied history, as the program earned its 1,000th win after defeating Louisville 11-1 (5 innings) in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Ulmer Stadium.
A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into those wins and we took some time to reflect with some key players that helped the Hokies get to 1K wins along the way.
The program was birthed in 1996, with the first win coming on March 15 over Maryland Eastern Shore behind Tina Diamond's quality start in the circle. She fanned eight batters and threw a three-hitter in five innings to propel the Hokies to a 9-1 victory. Though that seems like forever ago, she still can remember the joy that came that day and really that season.
"I just really remember how the team came together in such a short period of time," Diamond said. "It started with not knowing anyone, but formed into a team that really liked to work together. There were definitely lots of smiles and excitement to get that first win that day."
One of three seniors, Diamond was instrumental in laying down the foundation for when the program started. She played club softball her first few years on campus before being asked to play on the varsity team its inaugural year as a program.
She joked how big everyone's hair was back then, as she was going down memory lane ahead of the interview for this feature by looking at the 1996 Virginia Tech softball pamphlet.
One memory that stood out to her when recalling how it all began was when she saw head coach Scot Thomas walking around the back offices of Cassell Coliseum pushing a grocery cart full of papers before their first meeting together in his office.
Then they did tryouts and it was all walk-ons, with a good amount pulled from the club team at the time in the fall 1995.
Jenny Kallio, who was one class younger than Diamond and a fellow pitcher, came down together to the 2022 Super Regionals when Tech played host to Florida. They ended up staying at the home of another Virginia Tech softball player, though they never crossed paths at the same time playing together.
Also, during the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic – spring/summer of 2020 – a bunch of former players conducted a Zoom to catch up. Diamond mentioned how surreal it was getting the band back together that way. She couldn't get over how cool it was to see how the group has been able to parlay the things they learned together as a team into their professional careers, with them now being leaders in their companies and overseeing units at successful businesses while being great mothers.
As the program began building, it started recruiting players and utilizing scholarships. Enter Megan Evans, a highly-touted recruit who had offers up and down the East Coast, but just felt like there was something different about Virginia Tech.
"I just remember feeling on my visit a sense of home and family," Evans explained. "Everyone – the coaching staff, players, athletic trainer, etc. – really just gave you the sense that they were here to help you and they took pride in being a Hokie. That's really what sold me on Tech."
Evans would go on to be one of the best hitters in program history, making her mark on the program in the mid-2000s. She was appreciative of being a part of an important class and how that group really raised the standard – a class that got Tech to the postseason for the first time, despite the jump in competition from the BIG EAST to the ACC her senior year (2005).
A 2017 Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame inductee, she recalled an iconic moment that still sits with her to this day.
"We were playing in Salem against UVA and we went into extra innings," Evans explained. "But to get to extras, Theresa Walsh made an amazing-saving catch in center field to extend the game. Then in the bottom of the eighth, I had the chance to come up with the bases loaded and was able to hit one pretty square for a grand slam to mark our 300th win. It tasted pretty sweet doing it against UVA, too."
One of the most iconic pitchers college softball has ever seen, Angela Tincher still holds numerous records in the Tech record book that may never be broken. A dominant force in the circle, "Tinch" spoke on the success and relationship-building the team was able to have in the late 2000s.
She remembers vividly the 2007 team winning Tech's first-ever ACC title and the games that led up to that unforgettable moment, as well as the uniformity the team possessed. Those roots run deep and have led to lifelong friendships.
"Probably my best friend from the team today is Kelsey Hoffman, who was our catcher," Tincher said. "She called all of my pitches. So, we had that bond on the field. We were together for a while as roommates and we're still really close and our kids are close. So that's been fun keeping that connection with her, as well as other teammates still today."
Whitney Showalter [formerly Davis], a member of the 2007 and 2008 back-to-back ACC Championship teams who also competed in the 2008 Women's College World Series, attributes the team culture as a driving factor behind their success.
"We probably had more fun than we should have," Showalter laughed. "The relaxed feel of the team and independence that [head coach Scott Thomas] instilled in us was really beneficial to our growth. We won quite a bit, but it was always enjoyable and fun."
Her time was filled with unforgettable moments, including line dancing at Luke Bryan's private concert for teams competing in the 2008 Women's College World Series.
What stands out the most, however, was the program's development after the tragedy on April 16, 2007.
"April 16 happened the first year that we won an ACC championship, and a lot of people said that we were a source of healing for them," Showalter remembered. "Softball gave us a sense of purpose, a place of comfort and it became the driving force behind our winning season."
Gallery: (3-9-2024) SB: 2008 Women's College World Series
The Hokies rewrote history during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, securing the Regional Final in 2021 and marking a milestone by hosting their first-ever NCAA Super Regional in 2022. Two-time ACC Pitcher of the Year Keely Rochard was instrumental in both appearances.
According to Rochard, the team's and coaches' unwavering trust in each other fueled this historic drive. And it's only the beginning.
"Each class is leaving things better than they found them, and I think it's a testament to the culture that head coach Pete D'Amour has been building," Rochard said. "It's already great, and it's only going to get better."
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