Hokies hope new basketball practice facility will mean a brighter future for the program

Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Virgina Tech play their first games this coming weekend.

The women were picked to finish 12th in the ACC, while the men were voted 8th in the conference preseason poll.  After a disappointing season last year, both teams are looking to improve.

They hope the first year in the new $21 million training facility will help.

The teams do not just want to see improvements this season, they hope the new facility will help recruiting in the future.

“It’s the cost of doing business in this conference.  The ACC is the premier basketball conference in all of college basketball.  Now, we have a facility to reflect our goals,“ said men’s basketball head coach Seth Greenberg.

Abby Redick, a freshman from Hidden Valley, says the building will serve a great purpose for the future of Tech basketball.  “Alot of facilities around the country are built for that purpose, as a recruiting tool.  A gym is a gym in all reality, but if I came in here not knowing anything about Tech, I’d be impressed,“ Redick said.

While both programs have alot of work to do to make it into the conversation with the conference elite, the new practice facility may be an important piece to that puzzle.

The Virginia Tech women open with Longwood Friday night at 7:30 p.m. at Cassell Coliseum.

The men open Sunday at 4:00 p.m. when they host Brown.