GREENSBORO -- Northeast Guilford football player Michael Via was driving to Virginia Tech in April for a scheduled visit when his cellphone rang.

It was Hokies assistant coach Mike O'Cain, who told Via the campus was locked down. Something about a gunman on the loose.

O'Cain told Via it was best for his family to head home. The Vias returned to Greensboro that morning, listening to reports on the radio as the magnitude of the tragedy in Blacksburg became clear.

The April 16 shootings weren't enough to dissuade Via from his dream of playing football at Virginia Tech. On Tuesday, the rising senior lineman said he would attend the university where he and his family have spent many fall Saturdays.

More than a dozen schools pursued Via, one of the Triad's prized recruits last fall. But the Hokies had the inside track.

Two of Via's grandparents attended Virginia Tech. So did his uncles. His family has had season tickets to Virginia Tech football games for more than 30 years and routinely makes the drive to games at Lane Stadium.

Soon Bob and Mary Via will be driving to Blacksburg to watch their son play for the Hokies.

"It's always been my dream to play there," Michael Via said. "It's kind of crazy to think that after going up there to watch all those games, I'm going to be playing there."

Via said the shootings in April, which left 33 people dead, including the gunman, never factored in his decision.

"It was just a terrible thing that could have happened anywhere," he said. "Unfortunately, it happened at Tech."

Via, a 6-foot-6, 260-pounder, was a Triad 3-A all-conference player for Northeast Guilford last fall.

Georgia Tech and Penn State were among the schools pursuing him.