Virginia Tech Athletic Director To Step Down

Jim Weaver, who has been Virginia Tech's Athletic Director since 1979, has announced that he will leave his position due to health reasons.  Mr. Weaver has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and has had operations to his back and one of his hips.  He has indicated that both of his hips currently need to be replaced, which has altered his previous plan to stay at his position until 2015, when he turns 70.  Instead, he will step down on December 31st.

During Jim Weaver's tenure, the athletic facilities at Virginia Tech have been greatly upgraded, including expansions to Lane Stadium and the creation of the Merryman Center sports medicine and conditioning complex and the Hahn Hurst Practice Facility for basketball.  There have also been improvements to many of the school's on-campus athletic venues.  In 2003, Weaver oversaw the transition of VT's varsity sports from the Big East to the Atlantic Coast Conference, where they would start play in 2004.

Read more at The Roanoke Times, the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Virginia Tech's official site.

Here's a recent athletic highlight that I really enjoyed.  In last week's game against Miami (who likewise migrated from the BE to the ACC) freshman wide receiver Joshua Stanford (#5) catches a short pass from senior quarterback Logan Thomas (#3).  After the catch, those 'Canes just couldn't seem to bring him down.