Hope Thomas

Responsibilities: Primary teams include football and women’s tennis. Oversees the continued academic eligibility of student-athletes in assigned sports, providing holistic support to guide student-athletes through their academic careers. Other responsibilities include planning and coordinating the AD Honor Roll celebration, Summer Bridge programming, and Summer Start.

Joined VT Athletics Staff: August 2022

At Virginia Tech: Currently serves as Assistant Director in SAASS with primary team responsibilities of football and women’s tennis.

Prior to Virginia Tech: Served as an Athletic Academic Coordinator at Florida  Gulf Coast University from 2021-2022 where she worked with men’s basketball, men’s & women’s cross country, softball and women’s tennis. She also oversaw the mentor and tutor programs. Prior to her time at FGCU, she served as Assistant Director for Student-Athlete Support Services at St. Bonaventure University from 2018-2021. While working with the Bonnies, she oversaw academics for eight athletic teams (women’s basketball, men’s soccer, women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, softball, men’s tennis and women’s tennis). She also oversaw the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and taught freshman year seminar. Hope completed an internship at Ball State University and also worked as a Learning Assistant at Michigan State University.

Education: Hope received her undergraduate degree in Sport Administration from Lock Haven University where she was a member of the women’s lacrosse team. She was a PSAC Scholar-Athlete, IWLCA Honor Roll selection, Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Award honoree, and Academic All-American. On the field, she helped Lock Haven to back-to-back PSAC Conference Championships as well as National Runner-Up finishes in 2014 and 2015. Following her time at Lock Haven, she earned a Master’s Degree in Kinesiology, Psychosocial Aspects of Sport and Physical Activity from Michigan State University.

Personal: A native of Carmel, Indiana, Hope currently resides in Christiansburg with her dog Nugget. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and running, Crossfit, reading, and spending time with friends and family.