5 Super Athletes With Ties To Blacksburg

Sports have a way of teaching invaluable life lessons — building character, fostering teamwork and strengthening the bonds within a community. In the Blacksburg area, these values have shaped some truly remarkable athletes from different eras, whose accomplishments continue to inspire.

Patch has teamed up with T-Mobile to spotlight five standout athletes whose achievements have left a lasting mark on our community. While this list is just a snapshot, there are countless others who have helped shape the rich sports culture in our area.

1. Jazmine Bell (Soccer)

A 2014 Virginia Tech graduate and member of the Hokies’ 2023 Sports Hall of Fame class, Jazmine Bell (formerly Reeves) established herself as one of the best forwards in program history. She earned first-team All-American honors and was a Hermann Trophy semifinalist in 2013, setting a program record with 91 career appearances and ranking second all-time in points. That season, she scored 11 goals and helped lead Tech to its first-ever NCAA College Cup semifinal. Bell also became the first Hokie drafted into professional women’s soccer, spending a season with the Boston Breakers.

2. Deakin Volz (Track & Field)

Deakin Volz was a key fixture in Virginia Tech’s pole vaulting team, concluding his stellar Hokie career in 2019 as a six-time All-American and three-time ACC champion. The Bloomington, Indiana, native shattered Tech’s indoor record in 2017 with a mark of 5.66 meters and was part of two ACC team titles. Continuing his family’s pole vaulting legacy, he represented the U.S. at the 2016 World U20 Championships, claiming gold. Today, he serves as a volunteer assistant at Virginia Tech, where he passes on his expertise to the next generation of Hokie vaulters.

3. Angela Tincher O'Brien (Softball)

A legend in NCAA softball, Angela Tincher O’Brien cemented her name in Tech lore by leading the Hokies to their first-ever Women’s College World Series appearance in 2008. Twice a first-team All-American and the 2008 USA Softball National Player of the Year, she famously no-hit Team USA during an exhibition game that season. Tincher O’Brien concluded her career with 2,149 strikeouts, the third-most in NCAA history. Returning to Blacksburg as pitching coach, she has led multiple rotations to NCAA Regional, bringing the same competitive edge that defined her playing days.

4. Cyrus Lawrence (Football)

One of Virginia Tech’s all-time great running backs, Cyrus Lawrence still holds the Hokies’ career rushing record — 3,767 yards — despite playing only three seasons (1979-1981). The Southampton High School graduate was known for his punishing style and durable presence in the backfield, carrying 843 times. Though a knee injury curtailed his professional prospects, Lawrence’s name remains etched in Hokie history for most net yards, most rushes in a season and most rushes in a game. He was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.

5. Shayne Graham (Football)

A Pulaski County standout who made Blacksburg his home at Virginia Tech, Shayne Graham emerged as one of the most accurate placekickers in Hokies history. Going undrafted in 2000, he embarked on a 15-year NFL journey that included stints with 10 different teams, most notably a seven-year run with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2005. Graham’s 85.5% career field-goal percentage ranks among the league’s best, with many clutch kicks recalling his early success as a Hokie.

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