Which Sport at Virginia Tech Could Win the University's First Team National Title?

Which sport in Blacksburg is the most likely to hoist the university's first-ever team national championship?

May 17, 2025; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Virginia Tech batter Cori McMillan connects with a pitch at Rhoads Stadium. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Hokies have yet to secure an NCAA team national championship, despite individual titles in track and field and wrestling. Looking at recent performances, a few programs stand out as the most realistic candidates to break through. Here are three Virginia Tech squad that I think have the best chance to claim the university's first team title.

1. Wrestling

Virginia Tech's wrestling program has already captured individual titles — Mekhi Lewis in 2019, his redshirt freshman season, then Caleb Henson in 2023. Last year, the team took a share of the ACC title with NC State, then finished No. 11 at the NCAA Championships with a total of 41 points. Eddie Ventresca finished No. 5 for the 125-pound weight class, Connor McGonagle was No. 6 for the 135-pound class and Caleb Henson was the national champion runner-up for the 149-pound weight class.

Here's an explanation of how the point system works for the NCAA Championships, courtesy of the Oklahoma State University Athletics page.

"One team point is awarded for each match won in the championship bracket and half a point in the consolation bracket. For those who receive a bye, one point is awarded in the championship bracket and half a point in the consolation bracket if that wrestler wins in the next immediate round. Advancement points are not awarded in the placement matches. Team points are awarded for a wrestler earning an All-America finish. The final team scoring for each individual placement:

16 team points for first

12 team points for second

10 team points for third

9 team points for fourth

7 team points for fifth

6 team points for sixth

4 team points for seventh

3 team points for eighth

Team points are awarded as soon as they are secured. For example, a wrestler in the finals will have the 12 points for second place already included in the team score. If he wins, then he would earn four more team points for the first-place finish plus 1, 1.5 or 2.0 points if he were to win with bonus points.

In addition to advancement and placement points, wrestlers also earn extra team points through individual bonus-point efforts. The team scoring for each type of match result:

Two team points for a fall, forfeit, default, disqualification and flagrant misconduct

One and a half team points for a technical fall

One team point for a major decision

No extra team points for a decision"

With that in mind, Virginia Tech will need to score roughly 160 to 170 points to realistically contend for a national championship. Achieving that total requires a combination of depth and dominance across the lineup. For the Hokies, this likely means placing at least seven or eight wrestlers in the top eight of their respective weight classes, along with producing multiple individual national champions. Last year, powerhouse Penn State set the standard by crowning 10 All-Americans, and Virginia Tech will need a comparable level of high-end performance to challenge them at the top.

2. Softball

Virginia Tech has qualified for Super Regionals (final 16) on three occasions: 2008, 2021 and 2022. In 2008, they made the cut for the eight-team College Softball World Series. Though a national championship is unlikely in any sport for the Hokies, the softball program has consistently been one of the best in the nation and Tech has qualified for the NCAA tournament every year since 2019 (discounting 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

To make the cut for the Women’s College World Series and mount a legitimate run at the title, the Hokies will need pitching of the highest caliber, similar to the dominance they enjoyed from Angela Tincher during her career. That means a staff capable of shutting down elite hitters, controlling the strike zone, and delivering in high-pressure situations throughout the postseason.

Among Virginia Tech’s varsity ball sports, the softball program has maintained the longest stretch at the national elite level.

3. Women's Soccer

When looking strictly at team sports — setting aside wrestling, which is fundamentally individual despite its team scoring— Tech's women’s soccer team had the deepest postseason run in both its recent history and of any Hokies team in the 2024-25 academic year. Tech advanced all the way to the Elite Eight, before falling to Duke in a tightly contested 1‑0 match. That narrow defeat showcased how competitive the program has become and the fine margins that separate teams in the late stages of the NCAA tournament.

While a national championship remains a lofty goal in the near term, Virginia Tech enters the 2025 season with a strong foundation and high expectations. Ranked No. 14 in the preseason polls, this squad has the talent and experience to make some noise nationally. The Hokies have the potential to build on last year’s success, again contend deep into the postseason and solidify their reputation as one of the ACC’s premier programs.