Seattle Mariners draft pick Griffin Steig is returning to the Virginia Tech baseball team, according to the university.
The starting pitcher has rejected both pro ball and Alabama to rejoin the Hokies.
Seattle chose Stieg in the 18th round of the major league draft earlier this month, but Stieg has opted not to sign with Seattle.
Stieg had entered the transfer portal last month. He committed to Alabama before the draft, so that was expected to be his destination if he did not turn pro. But Stieg has changed his mind about joining the Crimson Tide.
Stieg did not pitch this year because of Tommy John surgery. He started 13 games as a sophomore last year, when he was 3-2 with a 4.70 ERA, 48 strikeouts and 13 walks in 51 2/3 innings.
His return gives Tech a promising weekend rotation for next spring. Ace Brett Renfrow is back. Tech signee Aiden Robertson, a junior-college All-American, was drafted by Texas in the 13th round but turned down Texas earlier this month to stick with his plan to pitch for the Hokies.
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WOMEN’S SWIMMING
Walsh wins national award
Gretchen Walsh, who shined as a Virginia senior in the pool and in the classroom, was named the national Academic All-American of the Year for the 2024-25 school year by the College Sports Communicators organization.
The award is for all NCAA Division I sports, both men’s and women’s.
Walsh is the first UVa athlete to earn the honor, as well as the first female ACC athlete to earn the award.
Walsh, who graduated in May with a 3.82 GPA, was named the Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for Division I women’s swimming and diving by the College Sports Communicators in April.
She won three individual titles and was part of four winning relay teams at both the ACC and NCAA championships this year, helping UVa win the team titles at both meets. Walsh broke the NCAA and American records in all three of her individual wins at the NCAAs.
TENNIS
Ferrum hires coach
Ferrum has hired Kemper Baker as its men’s and women’s tennis coach.
Baker spent the past nine years as the men’s tennis coach at NCAA Division III member Methodist. He gained the additional title of tennis director in 2023.
He was the tennis director at The College of Coastal Georgia, an NAIA school, for four years before getting the Methodist job.
He also has coached at two NCAA Division I programs. He spent nine years as the men’s coach at Samford before serving one year as the men’s coach at The Citadel.
Baker replaces Noah Hughes, who was recently named the head coach at his alma mater, Bridgewater.
