“That stuff doesn’t happen by accident, it just doesn’t … I haven’t heard about any program [in the country] that even comes close to Virginia Tech. It’s a special place and that’s a function of Tony. He’s a great leader and just a remarkable person.”

When things get hard, that's when you have to be great.

It's the mentality that true freshman has lived by his entire life — and it resonates through the entire Virginia Tech wrestling room.

Similar values and beliefs have helped foster and maintain a culture of relentlessness within the program from the top down.

Despite each facing adversity at different points in their respective tournament runs, Henson and fellow underclassman battled their way to All-American status in their

VIRGINIA TECH pole vaulter JULIA FIXSEN has developed a knack for hurdling over towering heights. She’s become one of the best collegiate pole vaulters in the country over the past four years, earning All-American status four times. Fixsen’s first big jump came much earlier in her life, however, when she was deciding what to do after stopping gymnastics. “I started out doing gymnastics when I was really young and fell in love with it,” Fixsen said. “I loved doing flips and tricks. I loved challe

During his freshman year at Christiansburg High School,created a PowerPoint presentation explaining how he wanted to wrestle at Virginia Tech.He thought it was a long shot, but he decided to make his presentation about wrestling at VT anyway."Wrestling in college was just kind of a dream for me," Smith said. "At that time, if you would've told me [I'd wrestle at VT], I would've been like 'No way.'"That was five All-Americans awards and one state championship ago for Smith, who's steadily develop

Over the better part of the last decade, Virginia Tech wrestling has gradually become one of the top programs in the country. Led by three-time ACC Coach of the Year Tony Robie, the Hokies have racked up four conference titles and finished in the top 11 at the NCAA tournament four times in the past five years. The success under Robie wasn't built overnight. It took time for the program to earn and maintain its elite status.