Whit Babcock

Virginia Tech Athletics started a new era when Whit Babcock was formally named Virginia Tech’s director of athletics on Jan. 24, 2014. The native of Harrisonburg, Virginia, returned to the Commonwealth after making stops at Cincinnati, Missouri, West Virginia, Auburn and James Madison.
 
A decade into his tenure with the Hokies, Babcock continues to make his mark on all facets of the athletics department, from academic and athletic accomplishments to fan engagement, facilities improvements, fundraising, successful coaching hires and defining championships.
 
As recently as 2022 and 2023, Babcock has delivered Virginia Tech its first ACC championships in men’s and women’s basketball, manifesting the transformations led by two head coaches whom he installed under his leadership: Mike Young (2019) and Kenny Brooks (2016).
 
Tech’s 2022-23 athletics calendar was highlighted by the women’s basketball program making its first Final Four appearance (Dallas), where the top-seeded regional champions ultimately bowed out as national semifinalists with their 31-5 record. Led by All-American center Elizabeth Kitley – who was named ACC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season – the Hokies knocked off Chattanooga and South Dakota State in front of sellout home crowds at Cassell Coliseum before heading to Seattle to defeat tournament contenders No. 24 Tennessee and No. 12 Ohio State.
 
One year before its women’s basketball run, Virginia Tech men’s basketball had cut down the nets at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, winning four games in four days to secure the crown at the 2022 ACC Men’s Basketball Championship. The Hokies’ first conference title punched their fifth consecutive NCAA tournament ticket and second straight under Young, who during the previous season was named the 2020-21 ACC Coach of the Year.
 
On Nov. 30, 2021, Babcock welcomed Brent Pry, a former graduate assistant under legendary head coach Frank Beamer, back to Blacksburg as Virginia Tech’s head football coach. With Pry re-energizing the football fanbase at Lane Stadium, the Hokies entertained the third highest attendance figure among ACC programs during the 2022 season, which included Pry prevailing during his first career ACC game – a 27-10 victory against Boston College under the lights at Lane Stadium.
 
Beyond basketball and football, Babcock has established cultures of excellence in several Virginia Tech varsity programs, morphing the Hokies into a championship athletics brand.
 
During the 2022-23 season, Virginia Tech swept the outright ACC titles in men’s and women’s indoor track and field, marking the programs’ 12th and 13th combined indoor/outdoor titles. In the pool, men’s swimmer Youssef Ramadan celebrated the Hokies’ first national championship in the 100 butterfly, clocking the event’s second fastest time to date.
 
Virginia Tech’s 2022 diamond sports performed at near-identical historic levels as both the baseball and softball programs soared to No. 2 in the national rankings, clinched ACC regular season titles and hosted NCAA Regional and Super Regional action in Blacksburg. Babcock – who hired John Szefc (baseball) in 2017 and Pete D’Amour (softball) in 2018 – witnessed both programs draw record, sellout crowds during the postseason, especially during Virginia Tech’s first Super Regional appearance in baseball and softball’s first since 2008 (first held at home).
 
Considering the football program’s appearance in the 2021 Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium, Virginia Tech celebrated a feat no other FBS school achieved during the 2021-22 athletics year: qualifying for NCAA postseason appearances in baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, football, women’s golf, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and softball.
 
Babcock’s track record in head coaching success at Virginia Tech has correlated to a wealth of national and conference recognition. Under his watch, 10 head coaches have been presented with 28 ACC Coach of the Year honors, led by Dave Cianelli (11 combined track & field awards). Considering the 2021-22 season alone, Tech boasted one of its more decorated ACC Coach of the Year classes, featuring Dave Cianelli (men’s and women’s indoor track & field), Pete D’Amour (softball), Tony Robie (wrestling) and John Szefc (baseball).
 
On the mat, Babcock has overseen the continued success of the Virginia Tech wrestling program, which has posted back-to-back, top-10 national finishes (2022, 2023) under head coach Tony Robie. Since 2014, the Hokies have brought in seven team trophies in wrestling as well as cherished the performances of Mehki Lewis, who in 2019 won the Hokies’ first individual national championship in the 165-pound classification.
 
Babcock has maintained a consistent, winning climate in both men’s and women’s soccer, as marked by 12 combined NCAA tournament appearances during his department oversight. Under men’s head coach Mike Brizendine, the Hokies reached the 2016 national quarterfinals and produced the No. 1 overall MLS SuperDraft selection in midfielder Daniel Pereira (Austin FC). Parallel to the men’s team success, women’s head coach Chugger Adair has followed his team’s 2013 College Cup run by making third round appearances during 2014 and 2018 in addition to witnessing midfielder Emily Gray become the No. 3 overall pick during the 2022 NWSL Draft (North Carolina Courage).
 
Committed to academic success, Babcock has witnessed Virginia Tech student-athletes soar to record performances in the classroom, especially during recent years. Since the fall 2020 term, Tech student-athletes have held an active streak of six consecutive semesters sporting a department GPA of 3.15 or higher. The Hokies also exited the spring 2023 semester by setting program records in semester GPA (3.24), overall GPA (3.24), instances of perfect, 4.0 GPAs (55) and placements on the ACC Academic Honor Roll (389).
 
As Babcock leads the Virginia Tech athletic department forward, the future is bright in Blacksburg on several fronts.
 
In conjunction with Virginia Tech President Dr. Tim Sands and campus officials, Virginia Tech Athletics launched the Reach for Excellence campaign in April 2021. This $400 million fundraising campaign sought to propel Tech Athletics to the forefront of the ACC, prepare generations of student-athletes for success in life and raise the university’s profile nationwide. The campaign surpassed its halfway mark of $200 million during the spring of 2022 and continues to progress at a promising rate toward achieving its ultimate goal.
 
Several major construction projects have been finalized under Babcock during recent years. Courtesy of a $15.2 million gift, Tech’s Student-Athlete Performance Center was completed during the 2020-21 athletics year and went online serving meals on a daily basis to student-athletes. This multi-purpose space permits Tech’s sports nutrition staff to provide a variety of menu options to athletes in all 22 varsity sports. The venue is also used for donor hospitality before basketball and football games, recruiting functions, VIP events and serves a myriad of other purposes.
 
Under Babcock, Virginia Tech has completed elite upgrades to its football facilities, elevating the Hokies’ recruiting advantage. He oversaw the $4.5 million renovation and expansion of the football strength and conditioning center, nearly doubling the functional workout space of the facility located in the Merryman Center and installing brand new, high-performance weight, strength and training gear. Through the generosity of Tech graduate Mehul Sanghani, the Hokies debuted the reimagined and fully-equipped Sanghani Player Lounge in January 2022. A $5 million lead gift from Tech alum Win Sheridan also helped kickstart a renovation of the football locker room, furthering Babcock’s commitment to improving the football facilities utilized daily by the program’s student-athletes.
 
With student-athlete experience at the forefront of his mind, Babcock played an integral role in securing 176 residence spaces for student-athletes with an interest in interdisciplinary creation and entrepreneurship in the Creativity and Innovation District Residence Hall, which opened in 2021. This $105.5 million project on the Virginia Tech campus encompasses 200,000 square feet and features a total of 596 beds, as well as academic, research and collaboration space.
 
Virginia Tech’s external operations unit was recognized for its creativity during a year filled with unprecedented challenges during the 2020-21 athletics year. Tech won Paciolan’s Star of the Year for Innovative Revenue Generation Programs, while the marketing squad was one of six finalists for NACMA’s Marketing Team of the Year. Meanwhile, Tech’s LEARFIELD/IMG Ticket Solutions division won NACMA’s Play of the Year for orchestrating a virtual sellout of Lane Stadium in 2020.
 
Babcock has received national recognition for his work at Virginia Tech. In June 2020, Stadium named him the No. 9 athletic director in the country. During the 2017-18 academic year, he was named one of four FBS recipients of the Under Armour Athletics Directors of the Year. He was also one of five finalists chosen for the 2016-17 Athletics Director of the Year award handed out by SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily.
 
In August 2019, the fruition of groundwork laid by Babcock and his team was pivotal in the launch of the ACC Network. Preparations at Virginia Tech included the completion of control rooms, engineering and office space in the south end zone of Lane Stadium. In addition to the approximately $10 million in infrastructure, the Hokies are also making significant investments in equipment and human resources to showcase Tech’s athletic programs, the campus and its people in the best possible light.
 
During the spring of 2018, the athletics department concluded its $18 million renovation of English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park – in large part due to a $3.5 million donation from Atlantic Union Bank secured by Babcock – and the conclusion of an $18 million project that resulted in the construction of a softball batting facility and conversion of Rector Field House into a home for the Hokies’ track and field programs. Major upgrades at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center have also been completed.
 
In December 2016, Babcock implemented the “Drive for 25” campaign designed to increase membership in the Hokie Club to the 25,000 threshold. He tabbed Hall of Fame football coach Frank Beamer to serve as spokesperson for the campaign, which helped raise the financial resources providing Virginia Tech student-athletes with opportunities to continue their success in the classroom, in competition and in the community. By June 2022, the initiative had increased the Hokie Club body from 9,000 to close to 26,000 members.
 
Babcock arrived in Blacksburg following two and a half years as the director of athletics at the University of Cincinnati and five years at the University of Missouri, where he served as the executive associate director of athletics. His background in fundraising, marketing, promotions, ticket sales, licensing and multimedia partnerships were key attributes in support of his hiring. In his introductory press conference at Virginia Tech, Babcock cited three guiding principles for his vision for the athletics department’s future: commitment to comprehensive excellence, centering the department’s focus on the student-athlete experience and engaging the community.
 
Among leadership roles he has held, Babcock served as a member of the NACDA Executive Committee during the 2020-21 academic year and previously served as a member of the NCAA Football Oversight Committee. He is also an active mentor as part of a project established by National Coalition for Minority Football Coaches, which pairs influential athletic directors with minority football coaches. Babcock is a past president of the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD), served as the President/Chairman of the ACC Athletic Directors during the 2019-20 academic year and continues to serve as an athletic director representative on the ACC Network Advisory Committee to ESPN.
 
A former student-athlete, Babcock was a four-year letterwinner at James Madison University, having captained the Dukes during his senior year. He earned his bachelor’s degree from JMU in 1992 while receiving his master’s degree in sports management from West Virginia University in 1996. He and his wife, Kelly, have three sons: Andrew, Brett and Eli.