For the dads who made us Hokies

BLACKSBURG– There is something special about experiencing Lane Stadium with your dad. 

Maybe it's the anticipation before Enter Sandman. Maybe it's the deafening roar after a touchdown. Maybe it's the traditions passed from one generation to the next. 

Whatever it is, some of the most meaningful memories in Hokie Nation aren't just about football. They're about the people standing beside us when they happen. 

As Father's Day approaches, Hokie fans reflected on the dads and father figures who helped shape their love for Virginia Tech and the Lane Stadium moments they'll never forget. 

For Keshia, getting to Lane Stadium with her dad had always been a dream that life kept getting in the way of. Her father had been a Hokie fan his entire life, watching games from afar, always talking about going. In 2023, when his health took a turn, she decided the time was now. 

"Even though my dad could barely walk without getting tired, he was determined to walk to the stadium and get to his seat," she recalled. "He was so excited waiting to hear Enter Sandman that I think he filmed the whole thing. He was surprised you could feel the concrete move from all the jumping." 

What she saw that day was the greatest gift Lane Stadium could give her. "I got to see my dad again — happy, laughing, and full of life. We hadn't gotten to see him like that in a while. And to top it all off, the Hokies won the football game." 

Noah was 12 or 13 years old when he sat in the front row at Lane Stadium and watched Tyrod Taylor do something that didn't seem possible. Down against Nebraska with no time on the clock, Taylor scrambled endlessly, found his receiver for the go-ahead touchdown, and sent Lane Stadium into a frenzy. 

"It seemed like he was going back and forth from one side of the field to the other for ages before anybody could get to him," Noah said of Taylor's heroics. What followed was even more special: he and his dad and brother ran onto the field together after the final whistle. 

"Core memory of my childhood," he said simply. "Go Hokies always." 

Olivia was in the fifth grade when her dad took her to a Thursday night game against Florida State. It was just the two of them, and she even earned permission to skip school the next morning. She will never forget the excitement and the noise. 

"It was the first time I experienced the 'key plays' tradition, and I was embarrassed because I thought my dad was being too loud," she laughed. "But then I realized that it was normal to be loud in Lane, and ever since then I try my best to be the loudest in the stadium." 

Now as an adult, Olivia says that night game is still a core memory for her and her dad. 

Wilson was just eight years old in 1999 when he stood at Lane Stadium and watched the Hokies complete one of the greatest seasons in program history. With a win over Boston College, Virginia Tech finished the regular season undefeated and punched their ticket to the Sugar Bowl for a chance at a national championship. When the final whistle blew, fans began throwing sugar cubes onto the field, a nod to the Sugar Bowl that awaited, and the crowd poured onto the turf. 

"As an eight-year-old kid, my dad, grandfather, and I were part of the crowd that came down onto the field," Wilson recalled. "I can remember Frank Beamer giving a speech at midfield and the most stellar of sunsets as the night came to a close." 

He still has one of those sugar cubes tucked away in his collectibles. And a memory he will never let go of. 

For Caitlin, the return of fans to Lane Stadium after COVID meant something more personal than most. Her dad was about to move to England, and she knew their time to share a game together in Blacksburg was running out. 

"We had been going to games together for almost 18 years," she said. So when fans were finally allowed back, she made sure he was there with her, as not just a supporter in the stands, but as the father who had helped make her a Hokie in the first place. 

They watched Virginia Tech beat North Carolina 17-10. They got pizza at Benny's after. And everything was exactly right. 

"It was our first game together with me as a student and not just a fan," she said. "One of my favorite games with him." 

Celebrate the Hokie father figure in your life 

This Father’s Day, celebrate the father figure who helped shape your Hokie pride. Whether it was cheering together in Lane Stadium, road-tripping to games, or passing down the maroon and orange tradition from afar, now’s your chance to share a special thank-you. 

Send them a special Virginia Tech Father's Day e-card which includes an exclusive Fanatics offer.  

But don't stop there. 

The best Father's Day gift may be one that hasn't happened yet. When the Hokies return to Lane Stadium this fall, bring Dad back with you. Pick a game, save a seat beside you and create another memory you'll be talking about for years to come. From the opening notes of Enter Sandman to the final whistle, there's nothing quite like experiencing Virginia Tech football together.