Built Before the Buzz

Before the national spotlight and crowded arenas, Virginia Tech women’s basketball was shaped by consistency, pride, and a tight-knit community. Jenny Root Price, who played for the Hokies from 1991–95, and Sarah Hicks who joined later from 1997–2002, played in an era when success was still being built for one season, one fan, and one memory at a time. 

Root Price, a standout forward, became one of the program’s most dominant post players. She finished her career, ranked among Virginia Tech’s top ten in scoring an average of 13.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game over her time at Virginia Tech and helped lead the Hokies to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1994. On Sept. 25, 2007, she became the fifth women’s basketball inductee into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame, honoring a career defined by strength and consistency. Root Price is now married to J.C. Price, Virginia Tech’s Associate Head Coach for football’s defensive line, and their daughter, Riley, is also a basketball player. Living in Blacksburg, she still stays closely connected to the program. 

Hicks followed several years later, carving out her own path as a versatile guard/forward. She earned All-Big East honors as a senior and graduated as the program’s third all-time leader in career three-pointers (157). Her impact was later recognized when she was named a 2020 ACC Women’s Basketball Legend, an annual honor for the conference awards to former student-athletes, coaches, and contributors who have made a significant and lasting impact on ACC women’s basketball. Hicks also excelled academically, earning Academic All-American honors in 2002. 

Today, they look back with gratitude and pride towards the foundation they helped create. Both women remember when Cassell was filled by just a few familiar faces, and the heart of the crowd made a community around them. 

“There were maybe 50 people in Cassell,” Price said. “You literally knew who was cheering. But as we got better, the crowd just kept getting bigger and bigger.”  

Root Price remembers what it was like when the stands inside Cassell Coliseum were nearly empty during her freshman year. There were no roaring crowds or camera flashes, just a handful of familiar faces cheering from the seats. But as the team improved, the environment shifted quickly, and the support grew with it. 

“Obviously, when you're winning, more and more people come out,” Price said, “but the core group has always been there, and they're still here now, from when we played, still supporting, still coming out. And it's just, it's they genuinely care about it.”  

By the time Hicks arrived, the fan base had transformed. The first-ever women's basketball sellout at Virginia Tech's Cassell Coliseum happened during the 1999 NCAA Tournament first round game where the Hokies defeated St. Peter’s, 73-48, a major milestone that ignited massive fan support. It led to another sellout for their next NCAA tournament match-up against Auburn. To Hicks, growth wasn’t just about winning; it was about connection. 

“We actually sold out my sophomore year when we hosted the first round of NCAA here; it was a sold-out crowd. And I remember even when I was being recruited, and I came through campus, and I left here, and I said to my family, I'm like, this feels like home, like it's like one of those things. Everybody is so supportive.” 

The style of play in the ‘90s reflected a different era of basketball, one marked by being slower, more physical, and heavily structured. Both players recall spending countless hours memorizing massive playbooks and executing set offenses built around post play rather than perimeter shooting. 

“We were very play-driven and very structured,” Hicks said. “There wasn’t much freelance basketball back then.” 

Some of their most vivid memories, however, came far from the scoreboard. Legendary pranks from longtime trainer Julie Felix, left athletes with memories they still laugh at to this day. Felix became part of team culture, from dye that turned players’ feet blue mid-practice to a chicken bouillon cube hidden in a hotel showerhead on the road. 

“I went in to take a shower, and I come out and I'm like, ‘Man, I don't get it, but like our shower smells like chicken, like it smells like chicken, right?’ So, you know, we told the story the next day, and Felix was just laughing hysterically. She had gotten into our room and unscrewed the shower head and put a chicken bouillon cube in there!” Hicks said, laughing. “Every trip, somebody was getting pranked, and those are the stories we still tell.” 

Now, as women’s basketball enjoys record-breaking attendance and national attention, Root Price and Hicks watch with pride. The game looks different, the crowds are louder, and the spotlight is brighter,but one thing that remains is the heart of the program. 

“I mean, it's, you know, you're a Hokie and you love the University, and then you pump that up even farther when you're an athlete, because you have given so much and just to be a part of it. I’m proud to have been part of it,” Hicks said. “Blessed, grateful — thankful to be part of the legacy.” 

Root Price and Hicks’ stories remind us that today’s energy was built on the dedication of generations before. The quiet years in Cassell, the disciplined style of play, and the relationships forged through hard work laid out the foundation for what the program has become.  

The upcoming 50 seasons celebration is not just about honoring wins and records; it’s about honoring the generations of Hokies who built this legacy, and the ones that continue it from the ground up, one practice, one game, and one loyal fan at a time. That legacy will be celebrated in unforgettable fashion on Feb. 1, when the Virginia Tech Hokies host their longtime rival, the Virginia Cavaliers, in a can’t-miss Smithfield Commonwealth Clash inside Cassell Coliseum.