Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock announced on Thursday that he will be retiring after 12 years with the Hokies. His last day is set for June 30, and he will become their athletics director emeritus, allowing him to help advise the university president and the new athletics director.
“Serving as Virginia Tech’s Director of Athletics has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Babcock said. “For me and my family, this wasn’t just a career stop, it was my dream job and a homecoming of sorts. To return to Virginia, to serve this university, and to be part of a community that lives and breathes Hokie sports, has meant more than words can express.
“This place has given my family and me memories we’ll cherish forever. The opportunity to raise our three sons in Blacksburg, the friendships, the fans, the community, Virginia Tech is unlike anywhere else. I love it. This is Home.”
He is the second-longest-tenured athletics director in the ACC and sixth nationally, having officially taken over Virginia Tech Athletics in January 2014. He was named the Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year in 2018 and is the Vice President for the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
His tenure was arguably the most successful in Virginia Tech’s history, with them winning 30 of their 46 ACC championships. One of his final acts was hiring new football head coach James Franklin.
“I’ve always believed in giving everything you have to this role, and I’m proud of the commitment we’ve made to Virginia Tech over the years,” Babcock said. “While I had been considering this type of transition, likely next year, the demands of the role and the rapidly changing landscape of college athletics have required a lot of thoughtful reflection regarding my work-life balance, my desire to focus on family, my health and the next chapter for me.
“I know that now is the right time to retire as AD and allow new leadership and new energy to carry the momentum forward. When you can’t continue to give it 100% every day, it was just time.”
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: College Football: Virginia Tech AD Whit Babcock to retire