So glad Evan is still doing these podcasts - even with his new responsibilities.

If you have 30 minutes, take the time to listen to this one - it will get you fired up for the upcoming season.

I tried to hit the highlights in my notes below, but I know I missed A LOT, so listen if you can. Of course, I also can't capture the tone and the excitement so it's worth a listen. It's especially nice to hear Coach D'Amour talk about his recent signing class. Sounds like he's added some more quality young ladies who will fit the Hokie program perfectly.

Here you go:

Fall Ball

Towards the end, Coach was really pleased with how it ended. There was a lot of offensive experimentation early, but towards the end they went back to the basics of the first year here and they simply smoked the softball.

Pitching was “off the charts this fall.” It came to a point where they couldn’t scrimmage as much as they wanted because the pitching was so good. The pitchers were striking out 13-14 per game and he didn’t want to hurt the hitters’ confidence. The pitchers were simply dominating. That’s the way the sport is going - you strikeout 13-14 and hit a couple of bombs, you could win – that’s what happened Game 2 at UCLA.

Pitching-wise, they all look great.

Hitting: "We peaked at the end. The first few fall games weren’t very good, but we peaked at the end. I think the last game we hit 9 home runs in 12 innings. Meredith Slaw was simply unconscious this fall. She just works and has a different focus about her. She just comes in here and means business. She looks really good."

"I think Cameron Fagan hit .600 this fall – you just couldn’t get her out. Brownie is doing her thing. Bennett, Bailey did well. Mackenzie Lawter had a really good fall – she was hitting the ball like she did her first year."

"Among the freshmen, Bre Peck had a great fall. Rachel Castine, Arianna Wright, Alison Carter – they’re a really talented class." Overall, coach felt they hit the ball really well at the end of the fall.

Keely

It’s very satisfying for Keely invited to the National Team Tryout. Coach is really proud of her. She puts the work in to get better. You can see her assent year-by-year. She’s gotten better each year. She’s going to go out there and represent us well.

Schedule

The schedule is going to be challenging. Considering where VT is as a program, "we need to go face the best teams to make us better towards the end of the year. Hopefully it will prepare us. We have the team that can do it. I believe in our team, I believe in our pitching, our hitting, our defense. Let’s go play and see what happens.”

Comments on the just signed Recruiting Class

“I am pleased with this recruiting class. Athletic, they have speed, they have power. I think they had 200 home runs in the class and two ladies who can throw upper 60s and touch 70 – that pretty darn good. They can come in and contribute right away. They’re good kids. They work hard, they are accountable, they fit the culture at Virginia Tech.”

Kylie Aldridge from Fayetteville North Carolina.

Kylie is really athletic I think if she wanted to, she could be a high level division one volleyball player. (Chip's note: Kyle just got named All-State). She’s tall - I think she’s close to 6 foot. Behind the plate, she can throw upper 60s. She can slap, she can hit form power - she’s a triple threat offensively. She’s a left-handed hitter. She’s just a competitive kid. She works hard. I’m glad she’s coming to Blacksburg.

Megan Furr is from Centreville, Virginia -Westfield High School. She's a left-handed power hitter. She had good numbers. She can play behind the plate, she can play outfield, she can play first base. She wanted to come, but Coach told her that “we’re kinda full,” but she nevertheless wanted the opportunity. She hit a bunch of home runs this fall and then she came to one of the VT prospect camps, where Coach was able to see her in person. In her first two at bats, she put two balls on Beamer away (she’s left-handed BTW).

You can just tell she’s got a savvy softball IQ about her. She has major power.

Lyndsey Grein from Lincoln-Way Central High School in Illinois.

Lyndsey is a pitcher who choose Virginia Tech over a bunch of top schools, including UCLA and Ohio State.

Coach D'Amour actually offered her a scholarship as a 7th grader (when the recruiting rules were different) when he was coaching at Kennesaw State. He remembers telling her that he knew she wasn’t coming to Kennesaw, but he offered her anyway. Apparently, that left an impression with her and “she still remembers that.”

“She throws hard, has a good rise ball, really competes. Can hit a ball a country mile. She’s really strong. She’s a really good athlete. When you look at a pitcher like that - one who hasn’t hit her potential yet...So if you’re throwing 65-66 and you’re that athletic, you’re ceiling is pretty high.” She’s attended a couple of camps and after working with Doug, “she’s throwing really well.” He thinks “man, she could be pretty good.”

Emma Jackson from Chincoteague, VA. Coach called her “Action Jackson” and says she “reminds him of Emma Ritter - she’s always on.” He hadn’t seen her live until she came to camp and parked some more balls on Beamer Way. Another All-State volleyball player and she also won a state track championship in the 100 meters. “She’s a really good athlete who plays hard. She’s one of those kids who’s uniform is always dirty.” 😂 “She just looks different.”

Payton List from Beaver, PA. Last high school season: 21-0 with a 0.64 ERA. Another volleyball player who’s around 5-11. She had come to camp prior to COVID and was hitting 65-66. That summer she hit 20 some homers. “She can mash.” She comes from an athletic family - dad played college football, mom played college softball. “Good athlete, very humble kid.” Fell in love with Virginia Tech during her visit. I’m excited about her.”

Trinity Martin from Halifax County High School. Remembers her from the first camp he did
In Richmond. “Tall left-handed hitter, good defender. Comes from Halifax where they know how to work.”

Teagan Theunk, Rated as the #1 In New Jersey. Unique recruiting process - referred to Coach by John Ballein who said Ryan Mallet knew her family and asked if he would simply take a look at her.

When Coach Pete called her, she told him she had been attending VT games since she was 10-11 years old and always wanted to go to school there. “She plays short, second, or anywhere in the infield. Very smooth. Tremendous bat speed. Works hard.”

This is the most nerve-wracking time of the year because the players are gone. He's confident the ladies will come back ready to play.

Good stuff.