A Look Back at Virginia Tech Soccer
On October 1, 1872, a man named Addison “Add” Caldwell walked 26 miles from Craig County to enroll as the first student at Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College. Since then, Virginia Tech Soccer has done an outstanding job representing the university as a top land-grant program. Once a modest college in a building near what is now Alumni Mall, Olin and Preston Institute has grown into a major university.
Learn more about the university’s illustrious past, which begins in 1872 and continues to the present day.
Sports culture Fight song
It was in 1919 when Wilfred P. Maddux (Class of 1920) and his neighbor Mattie Eppes wrote “Tech Triumph,” the school’s most famous battle song.
We are Techmen, with a sincere and devoted attitude, supporting our teams with unending optimism.
Oh Techmen, we’re going for the victory today, demonstrating our “pep” and the vitality with which we’re attempting to succeed.
In our luck that just won’t die, V.P., old V.P., you know our hearts are with you.
Whether you win or lose, we’ll be happy to see you again since you represent the best of V.P.I.
Just look at our strong and energetic males, the chorus goes.
You should back the orange and maroon. Ok, Techs, here we go.
With the knowledge that our ends and backs are stronger, we are no longer afraid of losing.
The sight of our squad charging the barrier, men.
So offer a Hokie, Hokie, Hokie; a Hy, Rae, Ri; an old V.P.I.; we’re now determined to win or die.
The “Home of the Brave”
Sparks (Class of 1940) created the music and L.G. Chase (Class of 1941) penned the words for a student contest.
The verse reads as follows: “Come, raise your voices, swell the music, Our loyalty to her belong.”
Rise to your feet and shout praises to thee.
To VT, with respect.
Our struggle will not last long today, because glory is inside this clash; the orange and maroon you see is battling on to triumph.
That we may always serve you, our slogan provides a sincere spirit, and together we hoist our flag to the sun.
The mother-in-law of co-defensive coordinator Rod Sharpless bought the first lunch pail in 1995. Hokie football’s record defensive season immortalised an elderly coal miner’s lunch pail. A defence commander cares for a rusting bucket with the names of the 32 Hokies who died on April 16, 2007.
Score Ball
Although the Game-Ball Run undoubtedly began with the Virginia Tech Soccer -VMI football games many years before 1977, it has been executed annually since then by Ranger Unit, the Army ROTC company.
Ranger Company members run the game ball around campus for 100 miles before running it into the stadium on game day.
Ship’s Guns: The Skipper Open Fire
A bet was struck between two Class of 1964 cadets during a football game versus Virginia Tech Soccer Military Institute (VMI) to construct a cannon to outdo (or outblast) VMI’s “Little John.” Homer Hadley “Sonny” Hickam (of “October Sky” fame) and Alton B. “Butch” Harper Jr. assembled the cannon using metal supplied by Hickam’s father and brass gathered from their fellow cadets. The excited cadets increased the charge for the first shot, shattering the windows of the press box at Roanoke’s Victory Stadium and knocking the caps off of half the VMI Keydets.
