Who is Antonio Dorn? A Glimpse at Virginia Tech's New German Center

The German center comes to Blacksburg after a pair of campaigns with the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim in Germany's second division.

Virginia Tech Athletics

Virginia Tech men's basketball will field a trio of international players this coming fall: Greece's Neoklis Avdalas, the United Kingdom's Tobi Lawal and Germany's Antonio Dorn. Dorn is the oldest of the bunch, being 22 years old at the time of writing. The 7-footer ventures to Blacksburg with three years of eligibility, having played with the Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim for the past two campaigns.

“We are thrilled to welcome Antonio to the Virginia Tech family,” Young said in the team's press release. “He brings a unique combination of size, skill and toughness that we are excited to add to our frontcourt. Antonio has a tremendous work ethic and a team-first mentality, and we believe his best basketball is still ahead of him.”

Last season with Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim, Dorn averaged 9.5 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per contest.

Dorn’s arrival in the United States was postponed as he navigated ongoing visa complications, a process that has become increasingly common in college athletics. However, Dorn arrived in Blacksburg six days ago.

Toni touched down in Blacksburg last night 🛬🙌 pic.twitter.com/2On3qqXbwY

— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) July 18, 2025

Dorn’s visa complications aren’t isolated; they reflect a broader challenge facing international student-athletes across college athletics. In recent months, the U.S. government has tightened visa processing, a move linked to immigration policies that have reintroduced travel bans and launched an investigation into Ivy League's Harvard. These changes have delayed the arrival of recruits nationwide, forcing programs to adjust their offseason plans and sometimes reshuffle rosters as players wait abroad for clearance.

For now, Dorn has made it to Blacksburg and begun integrating with the team, but his situation remains unsettled. Changes in visa policies and administrative processes could still impact his eligibility or ability to travel.

Looking at his fit within the program, Dorn fits well with the long-term outlook, now possessing three years of eligibility, rather than the one- or two-year timeline that even the press release assumed. Dorn may be able to utilize his redshirt this season or could turn into a key option from the jump, anchoring the second string's frontcourt and covering for either Amani Hansberry or Tobi Lawal if either of the two go down due to injury. Once Lawal, barring a redshirt year, leaves after this season, that opens up a potential slot for Dorn to slide into the starting lineup if he has a splendid first campaign in the maroon and orange.

Whether Dorn forgoes a redshirt or breaks into the starting lineup, he stands out as an intriguing piece of Virginia Tech’s rotation, not only for this season but for the years to come.