The ACC’s preseason basketball projections are in, and Virginia Tech is getting a middle-of-the-pack nod on the men’s side. The media picked the Hokies ninth in the 2026 preseason poll, with 489 points from 48 voters.
That slots Virginia Tech between NC State, which finished with 502 points, and SMU, which came in at 443. It also puts the Hokies behind Florida State by 30 points after the Seminoles checked in at 519.
Virginia Tech lost to both NC State and SMU last season, including a 77-76 setback to the Mustangs in January on Boopie Miller’s half-court buzzer-beating 3-pointer. The Hokies also were thrashed by Florida State.
Virginia Tech went 19-13 overall and 8-10 in ACC play last season, then missed the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year.
There was better individual news for the Hokies. Senior forward Amani Hansberry landed on the Preseason All-ACC Second Team after earning a spot on the men’s preseason squad.
Hansberry is entering his second season at Virginia Tech after previous stops at Illinois and West Virginia. He led the Hokies with 14.3 points per game last season and ranked second on the team in ACC play at 13.1 points per game, behind sophomore guard Ben Hammond’s 14.9.
On the women’s side, Virginia Tech was picked sixth in the media poll, but no Hokies made the preseason All-ACC teams.
The preseason placement for the men feels fair. Virginia Tech may not have the same offensive punch it had before, but the departure of Neoklis Avdalas removes some of the volatility from the lineup. Avdalas, the highly touted Greek recruit who had his moments, finished fourth on the team with 12.1 points per game and was fifth in ACC play at 10.8.
That leaves the Hokies with a roster that could be steadier, even if it doesn’t have the same ceiling. Whether that balance is enough to carry Virginia Tech out of its March Madness drought will hinge on one thing: turning that stability into more reliable results against ACC opponents.
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Virginia Tech Suddenly Has A Kicking Battle Fans Did Not Expect
Virginia Tech did not expect to be sorting out its kicking situation this early, especially with John Love carrying the kind of track record that usually buys a little more patience. Instead, the Hokies have watched Love struggle out of the gate in 2026, and head coach James Franklin has been public about his support while also making it clear the job is now open. The move puts a sudden spotlight on a part of the roster most teams hope never becomes a weekly storyline.
What makes it more uncomfortable for Virginia Tech is that the uncertainty is not limited to field goals. The Hokies are also dealing with concerns at punter, where senior Nathan Totten has not given the staff the kind of average distance it wants. For a team trying to settle into a season, those issues can ripple quickly, and the next few practices will say plenty about whether Virginia Tech can steady special teams before it starts costing games. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Gets A Crucial Homecoming Chance To Stop The Slide
Virginia Tech gets its Homecoming stage at Lane Stadium with a chance to steady things after back-to-back losses, and the setting feels tailor-made for a reset. The Hokies are 4-2 and will have the usual home-field energy behind them, but they also face a Georgia Tech team that has shown it can travel with momentum after a recent win over Duke.
Georgia Techs latest outing featured a strong showing from running back Trelain Maddox and quarterback Alberto Mendoza, reminders that this is not a soft landing spot for a team looking to stop a slide. Still, projections lean toward Virginia Tech, which adds some cushion to a game that should tell a lot about whether the Hokies can turn Homecoming into a turning point instead of just another pressure-packed Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Techs Transfer Class Is Already Defining The Hokies Season
Virginia Techs roster makeover has already become one of the defining themes of the season, with 29 transfers filtering into key roles across the lineup. The Hokies did not just add depth in the offseason, they built around newcomers who have been asked to produce right away, and in several spots they have done exactly that. Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer has settled in quickly, while wideout Que'Sean Brown has become the teams leading receiver, giving the offense a new look and a clear reminder of how much of the season now runs through the transfer class.
The impact has not been universal, though, and that is part of what makes the group so important to follow. Some arrivals have carved out meaningful roles, others are still working into the mix, and a few have yet to show up in game action at all. Virginia Techs season has turned into a rolling evaluation of how far this revamped roster can go, and the answer may depend as much on the players it added as the ones it kept. [Read more 🡒]