Ballots to Basketball: VT Fans Rally Together 

As fans gather in Cassell Coliseum on a brisk autumn night for the women’s basketball game against the University of North Carolina at Asheville, the atmosphere is more than just the Virginia Tech electrifying school spirit. The sense of unity is energetic and powerful after the 2024 election final results. 

 

In this year’s election, Virginia’s outcomes mirrored national trends with Generation Z. With 64% of the votes leading Democratic, the younger generation showed up in their early survey numbers (Politico,2024). The state of Virginia has been reaffirmed as a blue state for the sixteenth year. 

 

The majority of young voters advocate for subjects that resonate with them, such as climate change and human rights. This year, 45% of Gen Z voters were people of color, bringing a sense of diverse perspectives.

 

The camaraderie transformed political divides at the women’s basketball matchup as fans with different backgrounds and beliefs from all across the New River Valley came together as one for a greater cause- supporting women in sports. Sporting events like this tend to showcase how Virginia Tech basketball can be a dynamic platform for unions in times when the country is more divided than ever before.

 

This game reflects the larger meaning of sports as a comprehensive force, more specifically in times when national decision-making is happening. Hokie fans share a collective pride and have created bonds in shared traditions regardless of the political results. Whether it is a victory or an upset, the Virginia Tech Hokies stand together.