Virginia Tech recognizes student-athletes and support staff at Academic Excellence Banquet (2024)

BLACKSBURG —Virginia Tech hosted the 2023 Academic Excellence Banquet on Monday, April 10. The annual event was held at The Inn at Virginia Tech and honored the academic success of students associated with Virginia Tech Athletics, including student-athletes, student athletic trainers, student managers and student video assistants.

Evan Hughes served as the emcee for the celebration, while Virginia Tech director of athletics, Whit Babco*ck, delivered the welcome address.

The students in attendance all earned the highest cumulative grade point average on their teamduring the 2022 calendar year.

The following awards were presented throughout the night:

2022 All-Academic Team

• Top student-athlete academically in his/her sport and support group during the 2022calendar year.
• Sarah Armstrong presented these awards.

2022Scholar-Athletes

• Students who earned a 4.0 GPA during the 2022calendar year.
• Sarah Armstrong presented these awards.

2022-23 ACC Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year

• Each year the ACC sponsors a scholar-athlete of the year award for each institution to recognize one male and one femalestudent-athlete.Each university establishes its own selection criteria, and Virginia Tech has chosen to honor seniors who have distinguished themselves in the classroom, as leaders in the community, and in their athletic pursuits.
• Virginia Tech's Faculty Athletics Representative, Dr. Jennifer Irish, presented these awards.

2023Skelton Award for Academic Excellence in Athletics

• The Skelton Award is named after Dr. Bill and Peggy Skelton. The late Dr. Skelton served in the Corps of Cadets and graduated from Virginia Tech in 1940. He later worked as a dean of the Virginia Cooperative Extension division at Tech. The late Peggy Skelton was a faculty member and director of the Cooperative Extension Family Resource Program in the College of Home Economics at Virginia Tech. Both were charter members of the Ut Prosim Society and its President's Circle and combined for more than 100 years of support to the university in various capacities.
• The award goes each year to a rising junior, senior or fifth-year male and female student-athlete who has participated in intercollegiate athletics for at least two seasons at Tech and who holds an overall grade-point average of 3.40 or better. Each recipient receives a scholarship of $5,000.
• David Everett,Senior Associate Athletics Director, Senior Director of Major Gifts, presented these awards.

Virginia Tech Athletics would like to thank the following campus guests for attending:

• Dr. Jennifer Irish – Faculty Athletics Representative and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Dr. Rachel Holloway – Vice Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs
• Dr. Mark Sikes– Dean of Students
• Dr. Frances Keene – Vice President for Student Affairs
• Dr. Susan Short – Chair of the University Athletics Committee and Associate Vice President for Engagement in Outreach and International Affairs
• Dr. Cornelia Deagle – Collegiate Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences in the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine
• Dr. Michael Ellerbrock – Professor, Agricultural Applied Economics
• Dr. Buddy Howell – Advanced Instructor,School of Communication
• Dr. Irene Leech – Assistant Professor of Consumer Studies in the Department of Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management
• Rachel Smucker – Director of University Scholarships and Financial Aid

Below is a list of the award winners from the AD's Honors Celebration, including bios of the Scholar-Athletes of the Year and the Skelton Award recipients.

Virginia Tech ACC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Sarah Shackelford

• Leader on the women's swimming and diving team, the university and the community.
• Burke, Virginianative.
• Will graduate in May with a degree in biology, along with a concentration in biomedical sciences.
• Earned a 4.0 GPA in 2021 en route to scholar-athlete of the year and all-academic team honors.
• All-American in 2021 and 2022, also qualified for the United States Olympic Trials in 2021.
• NCAA Championships qualifier in 2021 and 2022.

Virginia Tech ACC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Joseph Badalamenti

• Pole vaulter for the men's track and field team.
• Mechanicsville, Virginianative.
• Will graduate in May with a degree in accounting and information systems.
• Placed top 10 in 2020 and 2022 at ACCs and was named All-ACC in indoor track and field in 2020 and 2022, as well as All-ACC in outdoor in 2022.
• Named to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division I Men's Track and Field all-academic team in 2022.

Skelton Award for Academic Excellence in Athletics
Katie Andreini

• Junior member of the women's tennis team.
• Cary, North Carolinanative.
• Pursuing a degree in human nutrition, foods and exercise science.
• Her commitment to academic excellence and a near perfect GPAhave been rewarded through Dean's List, ACC Academic Honor Roll and Athletic Director's Honor Roll accolades.
• Also named ITA All-Academic Team Scholar-Athlete during her freshman and sophom*ore years.
• Member of the Virginia Tech Student-Athlete Advisory Committee since 2021 and serves as the Vice President of Campus and Community Partnerships on the Executive Board of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
• In hersecond year of the Next Level Leadership Academy.
• Servesthe Blacksburg community as a volunteer at Children's Ministry of Blacksburg, Habitat for Humanity and Abilities Tennis.
• After graduation, Andreiniwould like to become a physician's assistant.

Ryan Fishback

• Junior on the men's tennis team.
• Geneva, NewYorknative.
• During his freshman campaign Fishbackqualified for NCAA doubles and rose through the rankings with Jordan Chrysostomto reach No. 25 in the country.
• In 2022, Fishbackplayed in the No. 1 spot, reaching as high as No. 68 in the NCAA singles rankings and as high as No. 9 in the doubles rankings.
• During the fall of 2022, Fishbackclaimed the ITA Atlantic Regional singles title and reached the doubles final alongside Alberto Orso.
• His academic achievements go hand in hand with his athletics successes. He currently sits at No. 1in his class with a perfect 4.0 GPA in biochemistry, within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
• At the 2022 NCAA Championships, Fishback was presented with the NCAA Elite 90 award. This award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals of the NCAA championships.
• He has been a member of the Virginia Tech Dean's List, Athletic Director's Honor Roll, ACC Academic Honor Roll and All-ACC Academic Honor Roll since his start at Virginia Tech.
• In his spare time, Fishbackvolunteers with the Virginia Tech Wheelchair Tennis Club and serves as one of the men'stennis SAACrepresentatives. He is also in the second year of the Next Level Leadership Academy.
• When his tennis career ends, he aspires to attend medical school and become a physician.

Gallery: (4-10-2023) GEN: 2023 Academic Excellence Banquet