VINTON, Va. – He’s one of the more decorated student athletes to walk the halls at William Byrd high school. Israel Hairston is a shining example of how hard work and dedication can lead to big opportunities.
The standout multi-sport athlete--football, basketball, baseball and recently track-- put pen to paper Wednesday morning committing to Virginia Tech as a preferred walk-on as a defensive back. The all-district, region and state honoree led the Terriers to an unprecedented state semifinals run last season and set a few school records along the way. He said having Virginia Tech as an option to choose from was a dream come true for multiple reasons.
“From my recruiting process I really wanted to find a school for engineering, that’s what I’ve wanted to do my whole life,” Hairston said. He touts a GPA well over 4.0.
“It’s what my brother does and it’s with my dad does and that’s what I wanted to take. It’s what my brother does and it’s what my dad does and it’s what I wanted to do—take that step and Virginia Tech felt like that home for me. Everybody is very welcoming and very family like atmosphere and they made me feel wanted and I can’t wait to get up there and compete.”
Hairston was recently named the male scholar athlete for the Class 3 VHSL Foundation.