Enjoying life in the outfield and the outdoors

Lyla Blackwell will long remember the roar of the capacity crowd, erupting in cheers as the play she made a diving catch in left field began one of the greatest plays in Virginia Tech softball history.

The play was such a stellar effort it was ESPN’s top play for March 30, 2025. While several sports were in season and going strong, including March Madness, the NBA, pro football’s spring league and collegiate baseball and lacrosse, Blackwell’s dive and the resulting 7-4-3 triple put-out was selected as the best play in the country, a highlight list that even included a terrific catch by Hokie baseball player Sam Tackett. Blackwell earned a shout out by name for the catch.

The play couldn’t have come at a better time as the Hokies trailed Stanford late. With two runners on base and none out, the Cardinal was in position to add to its lead when the sharply hit line drive ticketed for the left field fence was snagged by Blackwell, diving to her left. She scrambled to her feet and made a great throw to second baseman Rachel Castine, doubling off the lead runner. Castine fired the ball to Michelle Chatfield at first, catching the trail runner and sending the team and the crowd of over 1,100 fans into a frenzy.

“I’ve never heard the fans that loud. The entire stadium just erupted,” said Blackwell. “My favorite part was what came after. You could feel the momentum completely shift in our favor. From that moment on, our bats caught fire and we came back to win 8–7 and take the series.”

Among the congratulatory message she received from Kevin Hamed, collegiate assistant professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation.

“That meant a lot and says so much about the kind of professor and person he is,” Blackwell said.

Blackwell, a junior in the College of Natural Resources and Environment majoring in wildlife conservation, said Hamed is one of the reasons she enjoys the major. Her first softball season, freshman year, she was enrolled in his Principles of Fish and Wildlife class.

“As a student-athlete, I was still figuring out how to balance traveling and classes, and he was incredibly patient and supportive through that process,” Blackwell said. “He always made sure I had what I needed if I missed class and never made me feel behind.”

That’s not special attention offered to an athlete. Blackwell said the vibe in the classroom is positive and encouraging for every student. 

“He creates such a fun, respectful classroom environment, and it’s clear how much he genuinely loves what he does,” she said. “That passion really shows in his teaching, and it makes you want to be engaged and succeed.”

Blackwell is an Indiana native who was raised on a farm and has a lifelong love of outdoor activities, including hunting and fishing with her father. She chose Virginia Tech in equal parts because of its strong tradition of excellence in softball and the chance to pursue a degree that is matched to her life goals.

“Wildlife conservation especially caught my attention because it brings together everything I love into one major,” she said. “I love being outdoors and learning how we can better manage our ecosystems.”

Meeting the academic demands of a student athlete is hard, especially when field work can conflict with a sports team’s schedule of games, travel, practice, and training. While these constraint can pose difficulties, Blackwell said the work is interesting and rewarding.

“I’ve had several classes where we go into the field to learn about vegetation, species, and trees, which has been an incredible experience,” she said. “I have not yet completed my experiential learning requirement, but I am really looking forward to it.”

Being recruited to the softball team, Blackwell looked into Tech’s academics, its rural setting, and its academic reputation. 

“Once [Virginia Tech] reached out to me, I scheduled a visit and immediately knew it was where I wanted to be,” she said. “Driving onto campus, I felt confident in my decision. You can see mountains in the distance and pastures full of horses and cattle, which reminded me of home.”