Collegiate Times

Marra Hvozdovic of Herndon has already begun to mark her territory on Virginia Tech's softball field.

On March 8, the 5-foot-6 freshman outfielder stood tall against Western Michigan with a game-winning solo home run. It was her second round-tripper in as many days and helped give the Hokies their only run in a 1-0 victory.

But the Hvozdovic name at Tech isn't a recent trend.

As a fourth-generation Hokie, Hvozdovic is surrounded by relatives on both sides of her family who have graduated from Tech.

On her mother's side, Marra's great-grandfather, grandfather, uncle and mother all attended Tech. From her father's side, her uncle, Mike Hvozdovic, and her father came to the New River Valley to receive their education as well.

Marra is not the first in her family to participate in a varsity sport for the maroon and orange.

Mike lettered in football from 1962-64. After spending 27 years in the Air Force, he and his wife decided to retire to Blacksburg.

Mike strongly approved of Marra's decision to come to school at Tech and play Hokie softball.

"I told her she's coming to school to get an education, but enjoy it while she's here," he said. "While she's here, I'd like to see her get her degree. That's her number one goal."

Marra began playing softball early in life. She started in the second grade on a community-led league before playing  competitively with an Ashburn-based travel team called Fire & Ice.

Prior to her arrival in Blacksburg, Marra said that her primary accomplishments were achieved through playing at Herndon High School.

"I finished with a pretty good high school career, and I improved every season," she said. "My senior year we got to the district championship game and the regional championship game. We lost both, but we were there."

As her softball career continued, Marra had her eyes and heart set on playing as a Hokie.

"I think it was the end of my sophomore year when I contacted (Virginia Tech)," she said. "I had been trying to get them to watch me, and not much attention was given to me. I was kind of told by my travel coaches to just forget it and look at other schools, even Division II or even Division III schools where I could start as a freshman."

Despite being discouraged from the idea of playing for Tech, Marra continued to contact them.

"I actually came to a camp the summer between my junior and senior year, and I met the coaches and they saw how I played," she said. "That helped introduce me to the program. Everything beyond that was all me asking. I had to ask them if I could walk-on."

Of course, all of Marra's persistence paid off as she walked on the Tech campus with a position secured for her on head coach Scot Thomas's roster for the 2009 season.

"The expectations of a walk-on vary to someone that we feel can come in a help us right away or maybe just a role player," Thomas said.

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