On Tuesday morning, Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Whit Babcock announced contract extensions for four Hokies head coaches.
| Coach | Sport | Date Extended Through |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Brizendine | Men's Soccer | Feb. 9, 2028 |
| Chugger Adair | Women's Soccer | June 30, 2028 |
| Sergio Lopez Miro | Swimming and Diving | June 30, 2028 |
| Tony Robie | Wrestling | Dec. 31, 2028 |
“I firmly believe the best days in Blacksburg are ahead and these head coaches are a part of our optimism,” Babcock said in Virginia Tech’s press release. “Each of them has built successful programs, while being committed to providing a first-class experience for our student-athletes. We’re proud to call them Hokies and look forward to the continued success of their programs under their respective leadership.”
Mike Brizendine
Brizendine, who took over the men’s soccer program in 2009, has been extremely successful in Blacksburg. He took the Hokies to six straight NCAA tournaments from 2016-21, won nine games in the Big Dance and advanced past the first round each time. Only Indiana and Wake Forest can say the same over the same stretch.
Brizendine was an assistant under Oliver Weiss when the program made the College Cup in 2007. Since 2014, Brizendine has seen 14 of his former players be selected in the MLS SuperDraft, highlighted by midfielder Dani Pereira, the No. 1 pick in 2021 by Austin FC. Center back Sivert Haugli was selected in the 2022 draft by the Portland Timbers while two members of last year’s team – midfielder Danny Flores (Sporting KC) and goalkeeper Ben Martino (Nashville SC) – signed contracts with MLS clubs.
Brizendine’s overall record at Virginia Tech is 102-126-37 (.455). However, after posting losing seasons in the first six years of his tenure, the Hokies made the Elite Eight in 2016. They finished 3-14-1 in 2022, the first losing season in seven years. Yet, they finished the season on a high note, beating No. 11 Louisville in the ACC tournament.
Chugger Adair
At the helm of Virginia Tech women’s soccer since 2010, Adair is the program’s all-time wins leader. He holds an all-time record of 148-75-24 (.648).
Under his watch, Tech made the College Cup in 2013 and has four Sweet 16 appearances. Only twice in his 12 seasons did Tech win fewer than 10 games. The Hokies have made the NCAA tournament in four of the last five seasons, too. They won two games in 2018, beating No. 4 Texas and Arkansas, and rolled past Ohio State, 3-1, as a first round host in 2021.
In 2021, Emily Gray was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft. She was the third Hokie to be selected in the draft in program history, joining Jazmine Reeves (2014) and Mandy McGlynn (2020), two other players that were developed by Adair.
Sergio Lopez Miro
Hired in 2018, Lopez Miro has led the Hokies to new heights in the pool.
Virginia Tech men’s swimming finished 11th at the NCAA championships in 2021, a program-best. At the same time, the women’s squad finished 21st in D-I, the second-best mark at Tech. Recently, the Hokies were runner-ups at the ACC meet in 2023, the best placement since 2014.
Individually, Lopez Miro has seen 359 top-10 performances in five seasons and 43 new school records. Five swimmers earned All-American accolades in 2022, and he’s coached a few Olympians, including Youssef Ramadan, who swam in Tokyo in 2021 for Egypt. Ramadan was named the ACC’s Most Valuable Swimmer the last two seasons.
Tony Robie
Robie took over as the wrestling head coach in 2017 and the program has never been in a better place. The Hokies won back-to-back regular season ACC titles under his watch in 2017 and 2018, and the team clinched a share of the 2023 ACC championship on Friday against UVa.
A three-time ACC Coach of the Year, Robie brought five conference championships to Blacksburg. Tech had an undefeated regular season in 2020-21 and finished third in the nation, tying a program-high.
Arguably his greatest accomplishment, Robie helped Mekhi Lewis secure a national championship in 2019 at 165. He was the first non-track and field individual national champion.
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