Collegiate Times

Pete Hughes doesn’t do anything halfway.

Virginia Tech’s head baseball coach only knows one way to attack a situation: head on. Whether that comes from his background as a football coach and player, family man, community service advocate, or baseball coach, Hughes makes sure his presence is felt.

Don’t mistake his energy for intimidation or his enthusiasm for fakeness. Hughes is the face of baseball at Tech, but it didn’t come easy.

“Everyone’s got the trials and tribulations of sacrificing in this crazy profession,” Hughes said. “You’ve got to have a good wife, you’ve got to have goals and you have to be persistent. Sometimes it works out for you, sometimes it doesn’t. It’s worked out great for us.”

The Hokies, who finished 35-21 in 2012, are poised for a breakout 2013 season. In his six years in Blacksburg, Hughes has already climbed the all-time wins list at the school, trailing only Chuck Hartman and G.F. “Red” Laird with 182 wins. At the age of 43, Hughes has coached 16 seasons of college baseball, amassing a record of 484-363-2 entering 2013.

His success is a testament to the sacrifices he’s made in his early coaching career, a journey that has taken him to five schools before the age of 40 and often tested his and his family’s resolve.

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A version of this article appeared in the Feb 22 issue of the Collegiate Times.