Other Sports
The first known baseball game against an off-campus opponent was in 1877 when VAMC beat Roanoke College by a record score of 53-13. Baseball did not become organized on a regular basis, however, until 1892. Men’s tennis was introduced in 1892, but a formal squad was not organized until 1922; it was sanctioned as a varsity sport in 1975, and women’s tennis was sanctioned as a varsity sport in 1976. A wrestling club was formed in January 1910; wrestling was made a varsity sport in May 1922. A boxing squad was organized in 1921-22. The first matches were held in the winter of 1925. Boxing was made a minor sport in 1926 and a major sport in 1930; it was discontinued after 1944. Golf was introduced as a varsity sport in 1947. Men’s cross-country track was made a minor sport in 1921; women’s cross country competed in AIAW Division II before it was elevated to a Division I varsity sport in 1981. Fencing was recognized as a minor sport in 1939. A men’s swimming/diving team was organized in 1934. A women’s swimming/diving team, the Women’s Swim Club, becoming the first officially sanctioned women’s sport in 1970; initially an extramural sport operated by the university, it moved under the athletic association in 1976. A men’s track team was organized in 1906, with a varsity indoor track and field team added in the late 1950s, followed by a women’s track and field team in 1981. A rugby club for male students was organized in 1968, but rugby has never been a sanctioned varsity sport. An intercollegiate gymnastics schedule started in winter 1966. Men’s soccer was inaugurated as a varsity sport in 1973, followed by women’s soccer in 1993; before 1993, women’s soccer was a club sport. Women’s volleyball was organized as a varsity sport in 1977. Women’s field hockey, sanctioned as a varsity sport in 1977, was dropped in 1981. Women fielded their first lacrosse team in 1995. An officially sanctioned women’s softball team was organized in 1996.
Sports Clubs
Sports clubs play other colleges and universities, but are not part of NCAA; they are supported by the Recreational Sports department. Practices and games are determined by club officers. Sports clubs may not require a full year commitment. Clubs offer sports that are not varsity sports but allow students to continue to participate in a sport they enjoy at a competitive level. A number of clubs are members of national club sports organizations and they compete with other schools in the ACC, within their organization, and at national tournaments.
In 2016, the Recreational Sports department supported these club sports:
- Baseball
- Clay Target
- Crew
- Cricket
- Cycling
- Equestrian
- Fencing
- Field Hockey
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Ice Hockey
- Men's Lacrosse
- Men's Rugby
- Men's Soccer
- Men's Tennis
- Men's Volleyball
- Men's Water Polo
- Snow Ski
- Triathlon
- Wakeboard
- Women's Basketball
- Women's Lacrosse
- Women's Rugby
- Women's Soccer
- Women's Softball
- Women's Tennis
- Women's Volleyball
- Women's Water Polo
- Competitive Cheerleading
- Roller Hockey
Intramurals
Mass athletics for male students were introduced at Virginia Tech in February 1921, but it was 1924 before an intramural athletic division for male students was organized. The first intramural keys were given in 1928; before then, gold footballs, basketballs, and such other mementos were awarded as prizes. The first official intramural program for women students began in February 1967 with 12 basketball teams in two leagues.
In 2016, the Recreation Sports department supported these intramural sports:
- 8-Ball
- Basketball
- Basketball Skills
- Battleship
- Bouldering Competition
- Bowling
- Chess Tournament
- Darts
- Dodgeball
- Fantasy Football
- Flag Football
- Golf
- Hearts Tournament
- Homerun Derby
- Horseshoes
- Innertube Water Polo
- Kickball
- Pickem Contests
- Putt Putt Tournament
- Racquetball
- Soccer
- Softball
- Sports Trivia
- T-Shirt Design Contest
- Table Tennis Singles
- Tennis
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Volleyball
- Wallyball
- Wiffleball