Virginia
Everything From Virginia Tech’s Ethan Gibson, Henry Cooke After Monday’s NCAA Tournament Selection Show
Following Selection Monday’s selection show, where Virginia Tech qualified for its first Regional appearance since the 2022 season, Virginia Tech infielder Ethan Gibson and catcher Henry Cooke spoke to the media virtually. Here is the entirety of what the pair had to say:
Ethan Gibson
On the initial reaction to learning that the team was headed to Los Angeles:
“Definitely pumped up, excited for the opportunity to play. Here’s another day to play baseball, so until you get 10 minutes at a time, like Tyson [Petersheim] said, and have fun with it.”
On the impact for Gibson and Cooke to play postseason baseball for the first time at the college level:
“Definitely a dream come true. Worked hard, all of us coaches and players, everybody around us. It’s been a fun journey and a fun ride, so hopefully just keep doing what we can do and being where our feet are.”
Q: What’s your kind of first initial reaction, seeing that you might have to play a team as good as UCLA is this year?
“Just the same as any other game. still baseball, we’ve been playing it for a while, so we’re just going to keep doing that.”
On Ethan Ball:
“Definitely awesome to see his success. He deserves it. One of the hardest workers I know. Always comes up big for us. So, just playing with him, hanging out with him outside of the field, just a great dude, got a great family. So it’s definitely been a fun ride with him, watching him kind of grow and develop into the player that he is, and knowing that he’s gonna continue getting better, and he’s gonna be a really good player.”
On Hudson Lutterman persevering through injury:
“Definitely a gritty dude. I think the thing that kind of surrounds this team is nuts, guts, and grit. So, watching him do that doesn’t surprise me at all. Also, one of the hardest workers I know, hard to slow that fellow down. So, it’s been awesome to watch him, and he continues to do great things. So, it’s awesome.”
On the feeling of seeing Virginia Tech up on the screen:
“It was cool. I hadn’t seen that since me being here, so being able to experience that and experience it with some of my best buddies was definitely awesome. Something I’ll remember for the rest of my life, for sure.”
Q: So, did everyone play it cool, or was everyone going nuts?
“No, we were excited. We definitely celebrated. So ready to go.”
On what makes this team so good that it’s the first team in Gibson’s tenure (last appearance: 2022) to make NCAAs:
“Nuts, guts and grit, that’s what I’d say… I got that one from my dad, so that what I would say. Put hard work in there, as well. But definitely a gritty bunch of dudes.”
On the gratification after the low points of the season:
My dad told me a long time ago, you can never get too low, and you never get too high, so just stay even-kell. I think that’s what we did. I don’t think there’s ever a time where we were like panicking. We were just like, just gotta come together and play. We know we have talent, and we know we can definitely shock some people. And just control what we can control and have fun with it.”
On what Gibson thinks getting back to the tournament means for the coaches:
“Definitely rewarding. They work just as hard as us, if not harder. So, seeing the smile on their face, but knowing the work’s not done, it was a surreal feeling. So, ready to go out there, take care of business, and do what we can do.”
On how cool it’s going to be to see Brett Renfrow pitching in a regional for the first time:
“It’d be awesome. Been here with him for three years, known him far longer than that. So, just watching him and knowing all the work he’s put in, as well as the guys beside him, it’ll be awesome. So, I can’t wait.”
Henry Cooke
On the initial reaction to learning that the team was headed to Los Angeles:
“It was excitement just to know that we worked all year for this moment, and yeah, they are the No. 1 seed. But we feel like if we play our best baseball and pitch the best we can and hit like we’ve been hitting, I feel like we can beat anybody, so let’s just go out there and prove ourselves.”
On Szefc remarking that there was surprise in the room at the travel distance and whether Cooke saw that:
“I didn’t think we’d be going out to California or anything like that, but I knew we’d have to travel somewhere. But it’ll be fun going out there again for the second time this year.”
On what a day like today means given the low points of the team this season:
“It’s amazing. I’ve wanted to make a regional ever since I’ve been here. I mean, we’ve been close. And then a bunch of injuries has happened, so not having a full healthy team the whole season hurts your chances of making one. But everybody pretty much stayed healthy for this year and helped us out. A lot of things went into making this regional.”
On how badly Cooke wanted to make a regional:
“Bad. Giving another chance, another week to play, and it’s just hopefully we get another week after this to play.”
On the benefit of prior travel to California from May 1-3:
It’s a lot. We now know how the time changes affect us, and when we need to fall asleep in order to not affect us as much. So, just having that under our boat’s been pretty good.”
On the importance of winning series finales vs. Georgia Tech, UVa. and Miami:
“It was huge. Those series, we didn’t play our best first two games, but every single one of those series, we went out and played our best on a Sunday. It’s huge taking those away. When you add them up at the end of the year, as long as you have 15, it’s a good chance you’re in.”
On the emotional gratification of rounding out his career with, at minimum, an NCAA Regional:
“It’s good. I mean, it’s why I came here, and it’s why I’m pretty sure everybody on the team came here was to go to compete in the postseason.”
On if the team is excited to play in Los Angeles after playing at Berkeley (Northern California) in early May:
“Yeah, hopefully it’s a lot warmer there. It was kind of chilly in Northern California.”
On what makes this year’s team good:
“We’re so tight-knit, and everybody likes everybody. It’s just like we know we have the talent to do whatever is ahead of us, and whatever games, it’s just putting it together and playing together on the field and not being selfish.”
On why this team is different than years past that’s led to the first regional berth since ’22:
“Like I said before, the injuries. 2024, we had something special, and we had a bunch of our pitchers get injured. If that didn’t happen, I think we would have hosted a regional if that stuff didn’t happen. It’s just now, it’s coming together, and everybody’s playing for each other.”
On if there’s any part of the mentality of this unit that hasn’t been prevalent in previous teams:
“No, I mean every single team I’ve been on [at Virginia Tech], it’s just been just like this one, it’s just a matter of fact of injuries, like that’s the only thing I can really give you.”
On the impact of the Georgia Tech series finale — Virginia Tech is the only ACC team to beat the Yellow Jackets at Atlanta:
“It was huge looking at it now, but we never really thought about it once it passed. Once we got past it, it was just the next game.”
On what it’ll be like seeing Renfrow and Griffin Stieg pitch in NCAA Regionals for the first time:
“It’s gonna be huge. I’m excited to see how they do. I know Brett’s gonna be nails… gonna give us a good start, so just see how it’s gonna pan out.”
On Gibson’s “nuts, guts and grit” mantra and how that mentality has helped the team rally:
“That’s the first time I’ve heard that saying, haven’t really heard that saying much, but that’s basically all we’re made of, is just what he said. So, it’s been good, just being tough. We try to go into the same game with every mindset, just being tough outs and being tough on the mound, just being tough all the way around.”
Q: How have you seen Hudson sort of be emblematic on that? At the ACC tournament, he’s kind of limping around on the ankle, even as he’s ripping a double.
“Yeah, that’s the definition of this team, and Huddy, he sprained his ankle two weeks ago, but he’s back on in the Clemson series. Then DHs in the ACC tournament. That’s what we are.”
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia Union University (VUU) hosted a Juneteenth celebration with a free outdoor concert to uplift and bring the community together Saturday afternoon.
On Saturday, June 20 from 12 to 3 p.m., VUU’s Hezekiah Walker Center for Gospel Music hosted its Juneteenth Concert: Honoring Freedom, Celebrating Faith, Inspiring Unity on the campus’s Barco-Stevens Lawn.
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(Photo: Eric Philips/8News) -
(Photo: Eric Philips/8News) -
(Photo: Eric Philips/8News)
“This free outdoor concert is designed to uplift, reflect, and bring our community together in the spirit of liberation and joy,” a statement posted.
The free outdoor concert’s headliner was Pastor Shirley Caesar, who has helped define gospel music and inspire generations over her 70-year career. The lineup also included Patrick Riddick & D’Vyne Worship, Kenneth Taylor & FWC Experience and the Virginia Union University Gospel Choir.
Additionally, leadership from VUU and the Hezekiah Walker Center for Gospel Music spoke at the event.
Virginia has a budget deal.
It’s late in the sense that the expectation had been the General Assembly would work this out before it adjourned back in March. However, it comes 12 days before the state starts a new budget year, so lawmakers will apparently not be taking things to the brink. The legislature reconvenes Monday to take up the spending plan that House and Senate negotiators released Friday night.
The exact details (which will be voluminous) haven’t been posted on the General Assembly’s website yet. We do, however, have a 68-page summary that outlines what’s in the deal. The headliner: a compromise on data center taxation that keeps the controversial tax incentives in place but creates a new tax on the electricity they use.
The other highlights — as seen from the standpoint of Southwest and Southside — include funding to start construction of an inland port in Washington County and expand the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, as well as language authorizing a formal partnership between George Mason University and Averett University. One surprise: $100,000 to fund a statue in Roanoke of the late judge and lawmaker Onzlee Ware.
Gov. Abigail Spanberger and legislative leaders had earlier reached an agreement on how to legalize retail sales of cannabis. That’s now included in the budget deal, with sales starting July 1, 2027. See the earlier story by Cardinal’s Richmond-based reporter Elizabeth Beyer for details.
Here’s an overview of what we know — with the caveat that more details will be forthcoming when the actual budget language is available.
1. Data center taxation compromise
The main reason that the budget took so long is that Senate Finance Chair Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, spent weeks insisting that the state should eliminate its tax breaks for data centers eight years early. That brought pushback from both the governor and House leaders, who worried that would send a signal to other business sectors that the state can’t be trusted.
This deal keeps the tax breaks for data centers intact (they’re set to expire in 2035). Instead, it creates a tax on the electricity that data centers consume. When that was floated earlier in the week, business groups pushed back against it. The version in the budget deal calls for the revenue collected through that tax to be capped at $600 million a year — and says that any monies collected over that be refunded on a pro-rated basis at the end of the fiscal year. It was unclear what the reaction to this will be, but collecting $600 million a year seems a significant climb-down compared to those who wanted to do away with the tax exemption that forgoes $1.9 billion per year in exchange for $9.1 billion in gross domestic product from data centers.
The summary also says there will be at least four items in the budget that will set in motion new regulations. Among them are references to “data center noise regulation language” and “data center cooling water scarcity regulations.”
2. Inland port in Washington County
An “inland port” does not involve water or ships. Instead, it’s the industry term for a freight hub that collects cargo headed to or from a water port. Virginia already has an inland port near Front Royal that facilitates rail shipments to and from Hampton Roads; it’s also spurred thousands of warehouse and trucking jobs in the northern Shenandoah Valley.
Legislators in Southwest Virginia — led by state Sen. Todd Pillion, R-Washington County — have been pushing for several years to create a similar inland port in Southwest Virginia, specifically at the Oak Park Center for Business and Industry in Washington County.
This deal includes $20 million to get construction started. (Pillion is one of the budget negotiators so was in a position to make sure this money was included in the budget.)
3. Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and other healthcare workforce funding
The school in Roanoke is slated to get $13 million for expansion as part of a larger $74.4 million plan to expand the healthcare workforce.
Nursing programs at James Madison University, Radford University and the University of Mary Washington will get a total of $7.6 million.
The budget deal also includes $6 million for the Virginia Tech Patient Research Center and $500,000 for workforce development programs in the Roanoke Valley and Alleghany Highlands in healthcare and biomedical sciences fields.
4. Interstate 81
The budget directs the secretary of transportation to “evaluate options to Accelerate I-81 Projects; including tolling options as long as there are 2 toll-free lanes in each direction.” That seems to foreshadow a third lane that might have tolls. Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt County and a budget negotiator, said Secretary of Transportation Nick Donahue wanted that provision.
5. Virginia Coalfields Expressway
The slow-moving road project that’s slated to run through Buchanan County and Dickenson County gets $7 million for improvements to U.S. 460 in Buchanan County.
6. New College Institute
The budget changes the name of the Martinsville-based center from the New College Institute to the West Piedmont Higher Education Center and includes funding in the second year of the two-year budget. When then-Gov. Glenn Youngkin introduced his budget back in December, he had zeroed out that second-year funding.
7. George Mason University/Averett University
Del. David Reid, D-Loudoun County, has pushed for a formal partnership between the public school in Northern Virginia and the private school in Danville as a way to expand GMU’s reach. The budget deal includes the language to make that happen. It’s unclear what that will mean in practice, but the budget language authorizes George Mason to work with Averett on both undergraduate and graduate programs as well as other workforce-related issues. There’s no money attached, but the language lists multiple groups that would be allowed to help fund this work, including the GO Virginia economic development program, the Tobacco Commission, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Danville Regional Foundation and other nonprofits.
“I’m pleased GMU will now have official authorization to move forward in what is probably the most dynamic economic area of the Commonwealth,” Reid said in a text message.
8. Onzlee Ware statue in Roanoke
An unexpected item was $100,000 for a “Roanoke commemoration.” Legislators said this was for a statue to the late Onzlee Ware, the first Black state legislator west of the Blue Ridge and later a judge.
House Appropriations Chair Luke Torian, D-Prince William County, was cited as the proponent of this measure. “Onzlee was a bit of a mentor to Torian,” said Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.
9. Local referendums on sales tax increases for schools
At present, nine localities are authorized to hold referendums to increase the local sales tax, with the proceeds going to schools. There’s been a push to expand that power statewide. In this year’s General Assembly session, bills related to these local referendums were set aside with the expectation that they’d simply be written into the budget. Now they are, with the sales tax increase capped at 1%.
10. State funding formula
A panel will be appointed to study whether and how to change the state’s school funding formula; $1.3 million is set aside for this.
11. New or renovated college buildings
There’s money (unclear how much) to renovate Derring Hall at Virginia Tech and Darden Hall at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise.
12. Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
The Center for Advanced Manufacturing at the Danville institute is slated to get money for expansion, although it was unclear how much.
13. Housing
The lack of housing — and the high cost of what is available — has been the subject of legislative attention. Among the initiatives: This budget deal authorizes a state loan for Newport News to develop housing around the shipyard as well as other housing construction initiatives in Fairfax County and Prince William County.
14. Richmond Coliseum
The budget deal includes $15 million to help Richmond demolish the Richmond Coliseum, which has been deemed to be obsolete.
15. Tourism
Included in tourism funding is $100,000 for the annual Blue Highway Fest in Wise County. We’ve previously written about that award-winning music festival. Another tourism-related funding item is $305,000 for Breaks Interstate Park, the Virginia side of which is in Dickenson County.
You can read the full summary below. We’ll take a deeper look at the budget deal once we can see the actual language.
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Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Virginia Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 19, 2026, results for each game:
Mega Millions
Mega Millions drawings take place every week on Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m.
13-16-21-26-50, Mega Ball: 12
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.
Night: 1-0-5, FB: 2
Day: 0-3-3, FB: 3
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.
Night: 6-7-5-6, FB: 0
Day: 7-9-2-7, FB: 9
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 5
DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.
Night: 2-6-7-3-1, FB: 8
Day: 9-5-2-5-7, FB: 6
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Cash Pop
Drawing times: Coffee Break 9 a.m.; Lunch Break 12 p.m.; Rush Hour 5 p.m.; Prime Time 9 p.m.; After Hours 11:59 p.m.
Coffee Break: 05
After Hours: 08
Prime Time: 05
Rush Hour: 02
Lunch Break: 04
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Cash 5
Drawing every day at 11 p.m.
34-36-42-44-45
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
Drawing everyday at 11:15 p.m.
02-20-28-51-54, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Center for Community Journalism (CCJ) editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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