After rumors about Mike Young being in negotiations with Virginia Tech emerged this afternoon, the Hokies made the news official that the Wofford head coach was hired to replace Buzz Williams in Blacksburg.
https://twitter.com/HokiesMBB/status/1115043627225497611
Mike Young has reportedly receive a five-year, $12 million contract to become the head coach at Virginia Tech. This isn't his first time in the New River Valley as he was born in Radford, Virginia and was an assistant at Radford early in his career.
During his 17-year tenure at Wofford, Young compiled a 299-249 record taking the program over in only their sixth year at Division I. Over the past decade, Young has led Wofford to 5 NCAA Tournament appearances, 4 Southern Conference regular season titles, 5 Southern Conference Tournament titles, and 6 20-win seasons. Young has also been named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year four times this decade and was the 2019 Sporting News Coach of the Year.
Young was born in Radford, Virginia and has heavy ties to the New River Valley, making this a homecoming of sorts for the veteran head coach. Additionally, Young attended Emory & Henry and was an assistant coach at E&H and Radford before heading to Wofford to start his long career as an assistant and head coach with the Terriers.
Mike Young had this to say about accepting the job at Virginia Tech (via VT's press release).
“On behalf of my entire family, we are humbled and honored to serve as the stewards of the men’s basketball program at Virginia Tech,” Mike Young said. “We are extremely grateful to President Sands and Whit for extending this opportunity to us that we will embrace with great fervor and enthusiasm. I’ve long admired Virginia Tech from afar for its principles, as well as for the ability of its athletic programs to consistently win with integrity. I can’t wait to meet our student-athletes, support staff and fans as we prepare to get to work in Blacksburg.”
Athletic director Whit Babcock had this to say about his decision to hire Mike Young as the next head coach at Virginia Tech (via VT's press release).
“Coach Young has earned tremendous respect and admiration across the nation for the integrity and winning tradition that were trademarks of his program at Wofford,” Whit Babcock said. “His track record of winning consistently on the basketball court combined with his ability to develop young men into leaders and help them fulfill their potential academically and athletically appealed to us at Virginia Tech. His propensity as a recruiter, a teacher and an innovative coach are all attributes that will serve him well at Tech."
“We are excited to welcome Coach Young and Margaret to the Virginia Tech community along with their daughter, Cooper, and their son, Davis,” Babcock continued. “I’m confident that Hokies everywhere will embrace them as we embark on the next chapter in the history of our basketball program. Owning ties to the New River Valley and longstanding relationships with coaches across the ACC region, we felt that Coach Young would be a natural fit to lead our program at Tech."
President Tim Sands also shared his own thoughts on Young's hiring (via VT's press release).
“We are fortunate to have been able to recruit Mike Young to Virginia Tech, not only because of his proven leadership and coaching ability, but because Coach Young is home in Southwest Virginia and leads his life in the true Hokie tradition of integrity and commitment to service,” Dr. Tim Sands said. “I look forward to the excitement and success we will enjoy as Coach Young and his student-athletes hit the court and compete to win. Laura and I are excited to welcome Coach Young and his family to Virginia Tech and Blacksburg. We look forward to sharing our campus and the many Hokie traditions that make this place home for all of us.”
Photo Credit: Dave Knachel/Virginia Tech Athletics
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