Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Phase Two of Virginia Tech football’s offseason program is quickly coming to a close with the Spring Game, presented by PMSI on the horizon. To complete our preview of the spring ball roster, we delve into the specialists headlined by a group of returners. As many long-time fans know, special teams have been a staple of Hokies football, and special teams coordinator Stu Holt will have an even larger impact on player development with a full focus on specialist units.
Kickers
Starting with the position group that helps put points on the board, Holt brings back the same group from 2024, headlined by field goal specialist John Love. The redshirt junior enters the 2025 offseason with back-to-back All-ACC honorable mentions and tons of momentum. Love nailed four field goals over 50 yards last season, including a 57-yard bomb on the road against Miami at Hard Rock Stadium. The Spartanburg, South Carolina product also notched a new career high in another NFL stadium, converting a 60-yard field goal at Bank of America Stadium during the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Another starter coming back to the fold is graduate student Kyle Lowe. Playing in all 13 games last season, Lowe primarily handled kickoff duties while averaging 62.8 yards per kickoff. A native of Midlothian, Virginia, the 6-foot-3 kicker is a veteran presence on special teams, as he’s been the team’s primary kickoff specialist for the past three seasons. Redshirt freshmen Aiden Daugherty and Connor McLaughlin complete the group as long-term options in developmental phases of their collegiate careers.
Punters
Flipping field position is a huge part of the game, and with the departure of three-time team captain and an All-ACC Third Teamer last year, Peter Moore, redshirt senior Nick Veltsistas will finally get his long-awaited opportunity to handle in-game punting. The Fairfax, Virginia product has developed his punting skillset in the program behind Moore since his redshirt season in 2021. Veltsistas has big shoes to fill with the consistency presented in the previous two seasons and will play a huge role in establishing field position for the Hokies on gameday.
Long Snapper
Rounding out the group of specialists are redshirt junior Christian Epling and redshirt sophomore Tate Kendall. Epling played in all 13 games last season, handling snapping duties for punt and field goal units. The 6-foot-2, 219-pounder has 25 appearances under his belt and plays a vital role in the success Love experiences on field goal attempts. Kendall provides depth as he continues his development in Blacksburg after transferring from Massachusetts following the 2023 season.
Returners
Entering the 2025 season, the Hokies may have new and familiar faces returning kicks and punts. Redshirt sophomore Thomas Williams received opportunities last season to return kicks, averaging 19.2 yards per return on 13 chances. Wide receiver Tucker Holloway will look to bring back his dynamism as a punt returner after missing 2024 due to injury and ranking 7th in the nation for average punt return yardage in 2023. Redshirt sophomore Takye Heath and junior transfer Cameron Seldon are additional names that can work their way into the mix.