MBB HOKIES 17-18 | MEDIA GUIDE

Williams led the Hokies through many of the usual obstacles that beset college basketball programs each season. Injuries were one such obstacle, but the Hokies weathered the injuries and continued to achieve. Toward the end of the season, with just a handful of healthy bodies, Tech thrived and earned its at-large NCAA Tournament berth through its efforts. The Hokies were one of the most improved teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA in Williams’ second season. Predicted to reside near the bottom of the league standings, the Hokies finished with a 20-15 overall record, including a 10-8 mark in the ACC. Tech advanced to the second round of the 2016 NIT, defeating Princeton at home in overtime before falling at BYU two days later. In his inaugural season at Tech, Williams led the Hokies to an 11-22 overall record. He began building the culture that would allow the Hokies to enjoy future successes. The team went a long way toward establishing an identity – one predicated on hard work, accountability both on and off the court and playing with a tough, competitive nature. “The continued growth of our basketball program under Buzz Williams has been dramatic and noticeable on a national level,” Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Whit Babcock said. “With the daily mantra of ‘Get Better’, this program has accomplished so much in his three seasons in Blacksburg. Buzz recruits and develops responsible, respectful student-athletes who achieve and are successful on the court and in our community. Our future is very bright under Buzz’s leadership.” Recruiting is the lifeblood of any intercollegiate athletics program, and Williams has led the Hokies to new heights in this area. While he has been able to attract elite recruits, he is less focused on national perception and more focused on finding what he likes to call “OKGs”, or “our kind of guys.” #getB3 TTER #ThisIsHome 109