Virginia Tech to Compete In The 2025 Battle 4 Atlantis
The Hokies are heading to the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament for the first time ever in program history.
The Battle 4 Atlantis college basketball tournament was founded in 2011 and takes place on Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas.
Schools are awarded $2 million for participating, and the games are played in The Imperial Arena, a ballroom turned into a basketball venue.
ACC teams have had a long history of particpating in the tournameny, with Virginia, Duke, and Syracuse all winning the event once. Louisville has been a runner-up in the tournament twice, and teams like Stanford have had three appearances in the event.
CBS Sports's Jon Rothstein announced on Friday that Virginia Tech will compete in the event alongside Ohio State, Auburn, Saint Mary's, and VCU--a three-time participant in the event.
NEWS: Auburn, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, VCU, and Saint Mary's will participate in the 2025 Battle 4 Atlantis, according to multiple sources.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 4, 2024
The other three spots in the event are currently TBD.https://t.co/X9yJenr757
The three other participants in the tournament have yet to be named.
As there are only five teams currently in the event, the matchups have not been announced. Virginia Tech could play against Ohio State, Saint Mary's, Auburn, or VCU--the previous team of Hokies star forward Tobi Lawal. There is no guarantee that Virginia Tech plays any of these teams, and they could play one of the currently unnamed teams.
Auburn, one of the announced participants in the event defeated the Hokies in last year's ACC/SEC Challenge.
This season's Battle 4 Atlantis will not include the Hokies or the Tigers though.
This year's Battle 4 Atlantis will include West Virginia, Davidson, Oklahoma, Providence, Louisville, Indiana, Gonzaga, and Arizona in November.
Barring no participation from the Cardinals, Louisville's particpation in this year's Battle 4 Atlantis will mark the first time a school appeared in the event four times. Gonzaga will also reach the number of four tournament appearances in Battle 4 Atlantis, as the Cardinals and the Bulldogs will both be seeking their first ever Battle 4 Atlantis Championship.
RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.