I can’t remember when the switch was made or even what their official name is. I do know that when I was a kid they were known as the Virginia Tech Gobblers.
I forgot about the fighting gobblers. Their mascot kinda-sorta looks like a turkey.
I do remember that, I also remember they were often called VPI (Virginia Polytechnic Institute).
My first memory of VT was when their basketball team played in the NIT, back when the NIT really meant something. They brought cheerleaders in orange hot pants into Madison Square Garden and the crowd at MSG immediately adopted them as the tournament darlings because of the cheerleaders. This would have been 1973, so 12-year-old me was beginning to become aware of girls in short shorts. And VT did win the NIT title, beating Notre Dame in the final after beating Bama in the semifinal. Both were one-point wins (I didn’t remember the results but looked them up).
Sounds like those Hokie Hotties were the prototype for Hooter’s girls. My VPI baketball awareness was watching Steph Curry’s dad play against Florida State a couple of times when I lived in Tallahassee. Both schools were in the old Metro conference at the time. Dell was quite a player himself, though Steph eventually did surpass him.
I honestly don’t remember any Fighting Gobblers but absolutely recall the Hot Pants era of the early seventies as a pubescent pre teen.
Good times, good memories Jimbeau!