ORLANDO, Fla.—
Friday night's Russell Athletic Bowl marks the end of the season for the Hokies and for some players, it also marks the end of a career. Michael Via will complete his football eligibility Friday night, suiting-up for the last time in a Hokie uniform. Then he'll turn his attention to his other love: fishing.
"Growing-up my family we had a boat at the lake so I've always messed around doing a little fishing, that kind of thing. I think I developed a love for water back then. I'd say probably middle school or high school I decided to actually get serious about fishing-- mostly bass fishing back home so I started doing that so I started catching some and kinda got hooked to it," Via explains.
Via has his own 16-foot fishing boat, plenty big for his 6'6', 300 pound frame that he keeps near campus. And he steals away to drop his line every chance he gets.
"I've had my boat since, I guess about two years ago now. I use it mostly at the New River around there fishing for small mouth bass. It's never anything too serious just relaxing more than anything. But you know we've had pretty good luck out there before."
Appropriately, his degree is in Fishery Sciences and he'll pursue a career in the field in the near future.
"I'm looking to get into the law enforcement side to become a conservation officer is what they call it now but game warden so I'm looking to apply for some police academies to get some law enforcement background before I go into that field," Via told us.
His most frequent fishing partner, by the way, is center Andrew Miller from Bassett.
