Whit Babcock
Virginia Tech Athletics started a new era when Whit Babcock was formally named Virginia Tech’s director of athletics on Jan. 24, 2014. The Harrisonburg, Virginia native came back to the state following stints at Cincinnati, Missouri, West Virginia and Auburn.
Babcock continues to make his mark on all facets of the athletics department, from fan engagement to facilities to fundraising and coaching hires. In fact, he received national acclaim for his work as an AD during the 2017-18 academic year, as he was named one of four FBS recipients of the Under Armour AD of the Year. The previous year, Babcock was one of five finalists for the AD of the Year honor handed out by SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily.
On the fundraising front, Babcock’s 2016 revamping of the Hokie Club, the athletics department’s fundraising arm, continues to pay dividends, as the club raised a school-record $47.7 million overall for the giving cycle ending March 31, 2018, with nearly $16.8 million designated for the Hokie Scholarship Fund, which goes toward the rising costs of tuition for the school’s more than 550 scholarship student-athletes.
Babcock arrived in Blacksburg following two and a half years as the director of athletics at the University of Cincinnati and five years at the University of Missouri, where he served as the executive associate director of athletics. His background in fundraising, marketing, promotions, ticket sales, licensing and multimedia partnerships were key attributes in support of his hiring.
Over the past six years, both while at Cincinnati and Virginia Tech, Babcock has been active on the local and national speaking circuits. He has presented before the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) and the 1-A Athletic Directors Association annual institute. He is a past president of the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD).
Prior to his time at Cincinnati, Babcock’s 22-year career path included stops at Missouri, West Virginia, Auburn and James Madison.
A student-athlete himself, Babcock lettered four seasons in baseball at James Madison University and served as team captain his senior year. He earned his bachelor’s degree from JMU in 1992. In 1996, he received his master’s in sports management from West Virginia University.
He and his wife, Kelly, have three sons: Andrew, Brett and Eli.
