Writing HERstory: More’s Journey with the HighTechs

The anticipation for days spent in Lane Stadium is high, with football’s first game already behind us. All summer, Virginia Tech football has been preparing to play in front of 65,000-plus fans under the lights of Lane Stadium, but they are not the only ones gearing up to get on the field. As the Blacksburg leaves begin to change and the air gets its familiar chill, one group of talented Tech athletes is working alongside football to put on their show at Lane Stadium. 

The HighTechs are a Virginia Tech spirit squad that works tirelessly year-round to support Hokie Nation's needs. In addition to football, the HighTechs must prepare throughout the summer for Saturdays in Lane, perfecting routines and skills during the warm months of June and July. One member of the HighTechs, Katy More, is making her own impact on Virginia Tech and Hokie Nation.  

A Connecticut native, More began dancing at four years old, following in her older sister’s footsteps.   

“There's a couple of videos my mom has on an old camera of my sister in her ballet class, and you can see me in the background trying to crawl into the class, and that’s where it all started.” 

Shortly after More began dancing, she and her family moved to Waxhaw, North Carolina, where she would start competitively dancing at the local YMCA. 

She continued to dance throughout high school and was even voted to be her dance studio’s ambassador, where she helped lead the team and assist her coaches with necessary practices and events.   

“I led a couple of dance classes here and there. I did some summer camps with younger girls, just leading as an example for those growing up. I helped a lot around the studio for my teachers and was a leader for the younger girls.” 

Making the decision to attend Virginia Tech was an easy choice for her, as she grew up in the maroon and orange and frequently visited Blacksburg for football games throughout her upbringing. Her brother attended Virginia Tech and even competed on the wrestling team during his time as a Hokie.  

“Growing up, it was always so exciting to go to Virginia Tech, and it's so beautiful here. It was an easy decision. I knew I wanted to be an engineer, and I knew that I wanted to go to a big school, and I wanted to dance. My brother was a big inspiration for me coming here, especially pursuing my dreams of being an athlete. It was really exciting when I made the team because he was so proud of me.” 

A junior on the HighTechs, she is studying Biological Systems Engineering with a focus on biotechnology. Following graduation, More hopes to go into pharmaceuticals, getting her initial inspiration from a freshman engineering career fair. 

“I spoke to someone at the Biological Systems Engineering table and it just hit. There's just so many things that you can do within that field that people don't realize.” 

Balancing school and athletics are no easy feat, especially with the time commitment that comes with being an engineering student on top of the time commitment that comes with participating in collegiate dance.  

“What really helps me is my time management. Sometimes it helps to have a busier schedule, because it forces you to do your work beforehand. I love making lists, and so I feel like I stay on top of things when I have my calendar all set up, almost hour by hour, prioritizing what I need to get done." 

Along with the HighTechs and her rigorous course load, the junior is actively involved in the Next Level Leadership Academy, which is an organization through Athletics that works to foster the next generation of leaders.   

The HighTechs are a very unique organization, each member feeling a deep connection to not only the program, but to each person on the team. 

As she continues to grow as a leader on the HighTechs, Katy takes inspiration from her high school coaches who always taught her to be there for the people you love, no matter what.

“Things will happen in your life, but no matter what, be there for the people that you love, and you keep supporting everybody around you."

Katy and the HighTechs continue practicing day after day in preparation to perform in front of the thousands of Hokie fans at Lane Stadium and are anxiously anticipating the first Enter Sandman of the year.

The HighTechs are required to memorize anywhere from 50-60 routines in a given year and must be able to pick up any routine on the spot during a game, oftentimes being prompted by the Marching Virginians’ various songs they play throughout a game. Each team member must be comfortable in different positions in the dance line, forcing an added component of memorization.  

On top of the set 50-60 routines each athlete must memorize, the HighTechs also perform additional routines on the field with a minute-long time cap, showcasing more skills they possess. 

To get ready for the game, the HighTechs practice Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6–9:30 p.m., along with an hour of lift on Tuesday and Thursday. On football gamedays, the team is required to get to Lane Stadium hours ahead of kickoff for Hokie Walk, Hokie Village and March to Victory, making gameday an almost seven-hour endeavor for the team.  

Along with all of the amazing things that the HighTechs do for our sports programs, they also compete at Nationals each year during winter break against the highest level of competition in the Division 1A category. Nationals season requires additional practice and preparation, keeping the HighTechs in Blacksburg the majority of winter break. At Nationals, they must perform a Hip Hop and Jazz routine before a panel of judges. 

“We can practice anywhere from 40 to 50 hours a week during the national season, which is definitely taxing on our bodies." 

The time commitment and the toll that these routines have on someone’s body can weigh heavy on a person, but she has never questioned her commitment to the organization. 

“What gets me through is just being there with my best friends. I've met my best friends on the team. These are people who are going to be my bridesmaids later in life, they are my ride or dies. Just knowing that they are there for me, and we're all going through this together is my why."

For the first-year rookies, More strives to be a leader and someone to look up to for them. 

“I try and lead by example. Whether that be putting 110% into every single practice, showing up to events early, going to lift early, putting in your everything just to show them that this is how we do things on our team and being there for them outside of practice." 

More and the HighTechs are back in full swing and are showing Hokie Nation all they can do. This organization continues to compete at the highest level for dance and we are so grateful that we get to call them Hokies.  

Writing HERstory Campaign 
Tech Athletics launched a multi-platform brand campaign celebrating the incredible achievements of its female student-athletes, both past and present, while inspiring the next generation of women who aspire to achieve their dreams through athletics. In partnership with Truist, Tech will share stories of its past and current female student-athletes over the course of the calendar year. Ranging from podcast interviews to feature stories and more, the incredible moments and achievements by women over the years in Virginia Tech Athletics will be celebrated. To make an impact on female sports at Tech or to sign up for the monthly Writing HERstory newsletter.