How Pivotal Is This Offseason For Mike Young?

The eighth year of Mike Young's tenure with Virginia Tech men's basketball awaits in November. The season potentially represents an opportunity for the Hokies to make inroads towards contending in the ACC once again, as they did under Young in 2021 and 2022. The Hokies departed this past season with a 19-13 record, following a 95-89 first-round exit in the ACC Tournament to Wake Forest.

Under Young's stint at the helm, Tech has qualified for two NCAA Tournaments: the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns. In the latter season, the Hokies advanced by way of the automatic qualifier, having won the ACC Tournament via a title-game victory over Duke.

pic.twitter.com/QxND25WYhd
— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) March 11, 2026

Virginia Tech stands in a position where it can either elevate itself to the upper echelon of the conference or remain mired in the middle tier of the ACC. The Hokies have finished 12th in the ACC each of the past two seasons. In its title-winning campaign, Virginia Tech finished No. 7 in the conference before making its NCAA-securing run.

Though Virginia Tech has finished outside the top half of the league, Young will be back next season, having signed a contract extension for an undisclosed amount of length or money. The Hokies have their head coach for at least one more season. But what about beyond?

Under Young, Virginia Tech has compiled an overall record of 123-98 (.557). In league play, the Hokies sit at a 60-70 (.462) mark. Virginia Tech has not achieved a winning record in the ACC since the 2021-22 season (11-9) and has not finished more than a game over .500 in league play since the season before it (9-4, 3rd in ACC).

Here's a look at how Young's teams have performed record-wise since the 2021-22 ACC champion team:

2022-23: 19-15 overall, 8-12 ACC, NIT First Round
2023-24: 19-15 overall, 10-10 ACC, NIT Second Round
2024-25: 13-19 overall, 8-12 ACC, no postseason
2025-26: 19-13 overall, 8-10 ACC, no postseason*

The 2025-26 campaign likely would have ended with a berth to the NIT for the third time in four years; however, Virginia Tech declined a bid and missed out on March Madness, ending its season with the aforementioned 95-89 loss to Wake Forest.

Virginia Tech also has not won a game in the ACC Tournament since the 2022-23 season, where they took down Notre Dame and lost to NC State in the second round.

I don't believe that Young's job is in serious jeopardy. After all, 2025-26's roster was not a shoo-in for the NCAA Tournament, in both Young's words and in the eyes of the ACC media, which slotted the Hokies as No. 12 in the preseason poll. Despite fleeting NCAA Tournament-caliber performances at points, Virginia Tech ultimately finished in that very same position.

Virginia Tech's 2026-27 season will presumably begin in early November, offering the Hokies a chance to make their third NCAA Tournament berth under Young.