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Virginia Tech Women’s Basketball - Off-Season Update

Michael Turner·August 1, 2026

Football May Be King, But Keep Track of the Queens of Cassell

With the football season around the corner, it is a good time to take stock of Virginia Tech women's basketball program off-season updates.

LAST SEASON RECAP

Head Coach Megan Duffy’s second year at the helm of the Virginia Tech women’s basketball program was a success, in terms of overall improvement and individual player development.

In Duffy’s first year in Blacksburg, the Hokies went 19-13 and 9-9 in the ACC, finishing 9th in the conference standings. Capped by a post-season bid to the WBIT, that season was a significant achievement given the graduation of generational talent Elizabeth Kitley and the departure of other key players when Kenny Brooks left for Kentucky. Role players like Carleigh Wenzel, Carys Baker, Mackenzie Nelson, Matilda Ekh, and Rose Micheaux had to step into greater roles, including their increasing their productivity and leadership.

Virginia Tech finished the 2025-26 season with a 23-10 record, including going 12-6 in ACC play. The team tied for 5th place in the ACC regular season standings, earning the 6th seed and a first round bye in the ACC post-season tournament. Virginia Tech won its first tournament game against Georgia Tech and advanced to the quarterfinals where it lost to North Carolina.

The Hokies earned a bid to the NCAA March tournament as a 9-seed after missing out on March Madness in Duffy’s first season. It marked two straight post-season experiences for Duffy’s program.

Last season included a seven game winning ACC streak that was key to cementing the team’s place in the upper half of the ACC standings. The Hokies earned a season sweep of rival UVA, including a thrilling 83-82 win over the Cavaliers in Charlottesville to finish the regular season.

Lastly, shooting guard Carleigh Wenzel and forward Carys Baker earned second team All-Acc awards, with Wenzel scoring her 1000th point of her career. Other players like Mackenzie Nelson, Samyha Suffen, Leila Wells, Kayl Peterson, Kilah Freelon, Mel Daley, Aniya Trent, and Amani Jenkins made significant contributions to the team’s success. Samyha Sufften, for example, rebounded from an injury-shortened freshman season to improve her mid-range jump shot as a sophomore. Freshman Aniya Trent showed flashes of her potential against Power 4 teams.

The Hokies did have lapses and issues that need improvement if the program is going to take the next step. Whereas Virginia Tech won games against nearly every program beneath it in the standings, 5 of its 6 losses were to the top teams in the ACC. The Hokies lost those games against Duke, Louisville, Notre Dame, NC State, and North Carolina by an average margin of 12.8 points. Tech’s losses to North Carolina and Notre Dame were close; however, a single poor quarter was often the difference against the other top three teams.

For Virginia Tech to threaten the top teams and return to the upper ranks of the ACC, the Hokies need to improve in certain areas:

Shooting Woes: When Virginia Tech did falter against better teams, it went through offensive doldrums caused by poor shooting:
- Duke: Whereas Virginia Tech played well defensively to start the game against the top-rated Blue Devils, it could not take advantage as the Hokies shot 18% in a first quarter that ended 14-12.
- Louisville: The Hokies hung with Louisville for a quarter, but the then 13th-ranked Cardinals pulled away in the second and third quarter. Virginia Tech went 0-for-16 from the three point line.
- NC State: After a hot start to the game, a disastrous second quarter plagued by turnovers and poor shooting doomed the Hokies.

Defending Screens: At times, the Hokies struggled to defend screens by opposing teams. It contributed to the early season loss to JMU and reared its ahead against Oregon.

Spacing: Offensive spacing was an issue at times. There were situations when a guard attempted to drive the lane or wing, but a teammate did not move to take away a help defender. In addition, forwards sometimes found it difficult to score inside because a teammate was too close.

Interior Size and Depth: Kilah Freelon, Carys Baker, Aniya Trent, Amani Jenkins, and Kayle Peterson worked hard on the inside, but when the Hokies faced opposing forwards such as Duke’s Toby Fournier and Louisville’s Laura Ziegler, they struggled. While the next Elizabeth Kitley may be difficult to find, Virginia Tech needs rising sophomores Trent and Jenkins to continue their development.

Needing More: Carleigh Wenzel and Carys Baker were the main threats beyond the arc and provided leadership for the young team. “Mid-range” Mel was deadly from just inside the three point line, but her contributions fluctuated over the second half of the season, Outside shooting was a work in progress for Mackenzie Nelson, Samyha Sufften, and Leila Wells, though - to her credit - Suffren developed an improved mid-range jumper, and Wells earned a starting role as the season progressed. Freelon was a breath of fresh air but was often reliant upon the guards to get her the ball and dealt with foul trouble seemingly at key times. These factors limited the Hokies’ offense, especially in losses to NC State and the ACC tournament game against North Carolina. Going into the 2026-27 season, Virginia Tech needs a more balanced offense with contributions from a wider range of players.

TRANSFERS - DEPARTURES

As is the norm during this new era of NIL and relaxed transfer rules, Virginia Tech lost a number of players to the transfer portal this off-season.

Kayl Petersen, a fan favorite who gave the Hokies key contributions at times at forward, left Blacksburg and transferred to Marquette University. Originally committed to Marquette coming out of college, Peterson followed Coach Duffy to Virginia Tech. She played in 64 games during her two seasons in Blacksburg, averaging 13.2 minutes, 3.2 points, 2.9 rebounds per game for career. Known for her hard work as an undersized forward, the highlight of her time at Virginia Tech may have been her 12 points, including 2 three pointers, that helped seal the Hokies’ upset of Louisville in the 2024-25 season.

Sophie Swanson originally transferred to Virginia Tech after two seasons at Purdue. There was optimism that she would bring her three point shooting potential to Blacksburg to replace the graduating Matilda Ekh. Unfortunately, Swanson never truly found her footing for the Hokies. She averaged 7.1 minutes and 2.3 points per game in the 2025-26 season. She transferred to the University of Dayton for her final season.

Spela Brecelj, who was a late addition last summer for the Hokies, transferred to California Baptist University. The guard/forward from Slovenia averaged 3.4 minutes and 0.8 points per game in 2025-26.

Mackenzie Nelson, a key contributor to the Hokies program, transferred to ACC rival Clemson after three seasons with the Virginia Tech program. After redshirting in 2024-25, she came off the bench the following year and then ultimately took over the starting point guard position this past season.

Nelson averaged 8.0 points per game, which was sixth on the team. While she could get into the lane, Nelson was not a consistent outside shooting threat as she only took 21 three pointers and shot 29.2% from distance. The lack of a mid- or long-range shooting game hurt the overall balance of the offense.

However, Nelson was an effective floor general and distributor. She averaged 5.7 assists per game, good for second place in the ACC. She also notched an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.7, which was sixth in the nation. Nelson was the engine for the offense and defense, often drawing charges that energized both her teammates and the crowd.

Carys Baker might be the transfer that hurts the most. The rising senior transferred to the Louisville Cardinals after a stellar career at Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech’s second leading scorer, Baker averaged 14.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game this past season while shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from three.

Baker started every game the last two years after being a role player on the 2023-24 ACC Championship team. This past season, she scored in double figures in 25 of 33 games, including ten games in which she scored 20 or more points. The Second Team All-ACC forward provided an instant long-range threat as well as hard work on the boards that will be missed.

TRANSFERS - INCOMING!

The transfer portal taketh and the transfer portal giveth. While the Hokies may feel the loss of Mackenzie Nelson and Carys Baker, the transfer portal era is less about who you lose but more about who you bring in annually to fill out a roster.

Take a moment to watch Assistant Director of Broadcast Services and Voice of Virginia Tech women’s basketball Evan Hughes' "Beneath the Arches" series in which he interviews several new players this off-season. @EvanKHughes

Alyssa Latham committed to the Hokies on April 1, 2026. She is a 6’2 forward transfer from the University of Tennessee with one year of eligibility remaining. She started 21 of 61 games over the past two seasons and averaged 4.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

She had eight rebounds in three games against UConn, LSU, and Florida. In each of those games, she had four offensive rebounds. Latham had five games in which she scored double-digits including three against opposing SEC foes.

A former MaxPrep Illinois Player of the Year and no. 72nd-ranked high school recruit, Lathan spent her freshman season at Syracuse in 2023-24 where she averaged 8.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game and earned ACC All-Freshman Team status. She returns to the ACC with an opportunity to expand her role at Virginia Tech.

Lauren Hurst, also from the University of Tennessee, committed to the Hokies on April 11, 2026. She is a 6’2 guard/forward sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining. As a freshman last year, she averaged 2.3 points and 1.6 rebounds per game.

Hurst had a strong game against Ole Miss, in which she scored 16 points on 7-9 shooting, went 4-5 from three, and pulled down nine rebounds. For the year, she shot 43.8% from the field, including 41.4% from the three point line. The no. 45 ranked high school recruit according to ESPN, Hurst brings an inside-out game that will help stretch the floor for the Hokies.

Natalie Goff, 5’11 guard from Division II Emmanuel University, transferred to Blacksburg on May 2, 2026 as a junior with two years of eligibility remaining. Goff averaged 14.9 points, 1.9 assists, and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 30.7 percent from three.

She earned double-doubles in six games while playing her best all around game against Erskine where she recorded a triple double with 28 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists.

INCOMING FRESHMAN

Kaleo Anderson is a 6’ four-star guard from Mill Creek, Washington, which is a suburb of Seattle. Ranked 66th in the 2026 recruiting class by ESPN, Anderson is her high school’s all-time record holder for points, rebounds, assists, and steals. A three-time Emerald Sound Conference MVP and Max Preps All-American, she led her Kings High School to a 1A State Championship runner-up finish and earned the 2025 State Tournament MVP.

In Virginia Tech’s press release announcing her signing, Coach Megan Duffy said,”Kaleo’s versatility to play multiple guard positions really fits our system.“She has been a proven scorer and distributor, and it will not be any different here in Blacksburg. Her length and IQ will be able to disrupt our opponents on the defensive end. We couldn’t be more excited to have her become a Hokie.”

Arianna Harris-Mott is a 6’4 4-star forward from Columbia, Maryland. Ranked 40th by Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, Harris-Mott was a two-time IAAM All-Conference honoree at St. Vincent Pallotti High School and a Washington Post All-Met Honorable Mention after the 2024-25 season. Coach Duffy highlighted Harris-Mott’s ability “to sprint the floor, block shots, and score inside.”

Jessica Dimaro signed with the Hokies on July 7, 2026. She is a 6'4 center originally from Nigeria who moved to Japan as a junior high school student in 2019. She played the last two years with the Toyota Boshoku Sunshine Rabbits in Japan’s W League.

After winning the W League Rookie of the Year in 2024-25, Dimaro continued her development by averaging 12.0 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in the 2025-26 season.

A 20-year old with three years of eligibility left, Dimaro brings more depth to Virginia Tech’s group of interior players.

Francesca Baldassarre

The Hokies once again dipped into the European ranks to sign 5’9 guard Francesca Baldassarre from Brindisi, Italy on June 16, 2026. Baldassarre is an 18-year old freshman with four years of eligibility left.

She arrives after playing the 2025-26 season with Battapaglia in the Serie A1, Italy’s premier women’s basketball league. She averaged 8.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Baldassarre is a capable three point sniper as she averaged 26.2% on 27-of-103 shooting from beyond the arc last year.

Baldessarre has also been part of Italy’s national team picture since 2023. She played on both the U18 and U20 teams in 2025 as a teenager and showed the ability to score in double-digits.

RECRUITING ODDS AND ENDS

The Hokies have received commitments from two highly regarded high school recruits this off-season for Virginia Tech’s 2027 class.

Lillie Graves

Lillie Graves is a 6’1 unanimous four-star guard/small forward from McCutcheon High School in Lafayette, Indiana. Graves, the first pledge of Coach Duffy’s 2027 class, committed to the Hokies on June 25, 2026. According to 247 Sports, Graves had over 26 offers and chose Virginia Tech over Florida, Auburn, Florida State, DePaul, Miami, Indiana, Missouri, Providence, Purdue, SMU, UCF, Wake Forest, Rutgers, Memphis, Butler, Toledo, Ball State, and others.

All three recruiting services list her as a 4-star. top-55 recruit:

On3: No. 45 overall, No. 11 small forward and No. 1 recruit in Indiana.
247Sports: No. 49 overall, No. 11 small forward, and No. 2 recruit in Indiana.
ESPN: No. 55 overall, No. 21 guard, and No. 1 recruit in Indiana

Graves helped lead McCutcheon to two straight IHSAA Class 4A semi-state appearances as a sophomore and junior and to the state regionals as a freshman. She has averaged 19.1 points, 5.8 rebounds. 4.5 assists, and 3.6 steals for her three year career heading into her final season.

Dani Robinson

Dani Robinson is a 5’10 four-star guard from Ontario Christian High School in Rancho Cucamonga, California (just outside Los Angeles). Robinson committed to Virginia Tech on July 8, 2026, choosing the Hokies over such programs as Arizona State, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Oregon, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Texas A&M and Washington State.

ESPN ranks her as the No. 36 recruit in the country.

Robinson began her high school career at Etiwanda High School, the then No. 1 team in the country per Max Preps, and won a state championship with Etiwanda her freshman year. She transferred to Ontario Christian and helped lead her school to a state title this year, averaging 16.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 3.9 steals per game. It should be noted that she plays alongside the no. 1 recruit in the country, Kaleena Smith.

ROSTER PROJECTION

Virginia Tech is projected to have 13 players on its roster for the 2026-27 season. The team will be anchored by Carleigh Wenzel in her final season with the Hokies, along with junior guards Samyha Sufften and Leila Wells. The interior will be manned by transfer Alyssa Latham alongside Aniya Trent and Amani Jenkins entering their second campaign. Transfers Lauren Hurst and Natalee Goff, as well as r-freshman Kate Sears coming off her injury, will look to contribute. Four true freshmen in Kaleo Anderson, Ariana Harris-Mott, and international players Francesca Baldassarre and Jessica Dimaro will have opportunities to make an impact.

COACHING NEWS

The coaching staff experienced a change in the off-season as well. Former assistant coach Darren Guensch departed Blacksburg after one year in the program to join Aaron Roussell’s new staff at the University of Virginia. Guensch was credited with helping develop post players such as Kilah Freelon, Carys Baker, and the freshmen Aniya Trent and Amani Jenkins.

To replace Guensch, Virginia Tech hired Ke’Sha Blanton as an assistant coach on May 11, 2026. Coming from Tulane, where she served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for one year, Blanton has fifteen years of coaching experience, including being a part of Coach Megan Duffy’s staff at Miami (OH) from 2017-19.

Blanton’s coaching background:

Tulane - One year → 2025-26 - Assistant Coach, recruiting coordinator
Air Force Prep - One Year → 2024-25 - Head Coach - Her team posted a 21-0 record.
Eastern Michigan - Two Years → 2022-24 - While at Eastern Michigan, Blanton worked closely with point guards, who - per her bio on the Eastern Michigan athletic website - increased the total number of assists by over 100 from the previous season.
Oakland - Three Years → 2019-2022 - Associate Head Coach - Blanton spent several stints as the acting head coach during her three years at Oakland as Jeff Tungate took a medical leave of absence.
Miami (OH) - Two Years → 2017-19 - Assistant Coach - Blanton helped Megan Duffy lead the Miami (OH) Redhawks to two 20+ seasons and a pair of Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) appearances.
Detroit Mercy - Five Years → 2012-2017 - Assistant Coach - Blanton helped Detroit Mercy win 18 games and make an appearance in the Horizon League Championship game in her final year with the program. She served as the team’s defensive coordinator, helping Detroit Mercy go from the bottom of the league to the top in field goal percentage and three-point field percentage against.
Florida State - Two Years → 2009-2011 - Graduate Assistant Coach

Per the Virginia Tech Athletics announcement of her hire, Blanton will “play a key role in recruiting, scouting and on-court player development.”

Coach Duffy Extension

Virginia Tech’s new Athletic Director Brian White signed Megan Duffy to a one-year extension on July 29, 2026. Originally signed to a six-year contract worth $5.5 million that would have ended after the 2029-30 season. Per Mark Berman's report, Duffy is now extended through the 2030-31 season.

Her base annual salary is $500,000 with supplemental payments broken down over the next five years.

$431.250 in 2026-27
$600,000 in 2027-28
$650,000 in 2028-29
$700,00 in 2029-30
$750,000 in 2030-31

Duffy’s buyout is 100% if she is fired on or before April 14, 2027 and decreases by 10% each subsequent year.

If she leaves before April 14, 2027, Duffy will owe Virginia Tech $1 million. That number decreases by $250,000 each year.

Duffy’s staff salary will be $1.3 million with annual increases of at least 3%.

The contract extension was likely in the works under previous AD Whit Babcock, but it is a show of confidence by White.

SCHEDULING TIDBITS

SEC/ACC Challenge

The ACC announced the SEC/ACC Challenge matchups in early June. Virginia Tech will host the University of Tennessee on December 3, 2026 in Cassell Coliseum.

Tennessee went 16-14 in 2025-26 and finished 6th in the SEC with an 8-8 conference record. While Tennessee struggled to stay close against top ranked teams like UConn, UCLA, and Louisville, the Volunteers did earn a signature win against Kentucky. Unfortunately, after a 8-2 start to the SEC conference slate, Tennessee lost 6 conference games in a row to end the regular season and bowed out of both the SEC and NCAA tournaments after one game each. The final 8 game losing streak and subsequent mass exodus of players from the Volunteer program via the transfer portal put the spotlight on head coach Kim Caldwell.

Virginia Tech was the beneficiary of this exodus when Alyssa Lathan and Lauren Hurst committed to the Hokies. The SEC/ACC game between the two schools that are 3.5 hours apart will be interesting to see how the new Hokies fare against their former team.

Tennessee has an 8-4 series record against Virginia Tech. The two programs last met in the 2023 NCAA tournament when the Hokies defeated the Volunteers 73-64 in the Sweet Sixteen on the Hokie’s run to their historic semi-final appearance.

Emerald Coast Classic

The Virginia Tech athletics department announced on July 9 that the Hokies would play in the Emerald Coast Classic held in Destin, Florida on November 23 and November 24, 2026. Note that Destin is in the far western part of the Florida Panhandle, not far from Panama City Beach.

The Hokies will play the UT Martin Skyhawks in the first round on Monday, November 23 at 2:30 ET. Virginia Tech will then meet the winner of the other game between Alcorn State and Michigan State on Tuesday, November 24.

Virginia Tech has faced and defeated the Skyhawks twice, in Blacksburg in 2002 and, more recently, in 2021 in Puerto Rico in 2021. The Skyhawks went 13-17 (9-11, finishing 6th in the Ohio Valley Conference) last year.

Virginia Tech could face Michigan State in the championship game. The Spartans went 23-9 last season and beat Colorado State by three in the first round of the NCAA tournament before losing to Oklahoma, 77-71. They finished the season ranked 22nd and were 19th in the NET rankings (compared to Virginia Tech’s 39th NET ranking). A win against a top Big 10 team would enhance Virginia Tech’s resume when it comes to post-season considerations.

Other Non-Conference Games

11/2 - North Carolina Central @Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech last played North Caroline Central in 2014 and won 80-44. NET ranking of 316 in 2025-26.

11/4 - Delaware @Virginia Tech - The Hokies last played and defeated Delaware 88-48 in 2016-17 season. NET ranking of 235 in 2025-26.

11/8 - James Madison @Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech lost to Jams Madison last season 65-56 in Harrisonburg. NET ranking 43 in 2025-26 season.

11/15 - LaSalle - @Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech holds a 4-2 record against LaSalle from their days together in the Altantic 10 Conference and last. The Hokies last played the Explorers in the 1999-2000 season and won 64-57. NET ranking 165 in 2025-26.

11/23 - UT Martin in Emerald Coast Classic. NET ranking of 259 in 2025-26.

11/24 - Michigan State/Alcorn State in Emerald Coast Classic

11/29 - UNC Greensboro @Virginia Tech - UNC Greensboro went 14-16 overall and 4-10 in the Southern Conference last year. Virginia Tech defeated UNC Greensboro 72-51 in the 2023-24 season. NET ranking of 279 in 2025-26.

12/3 - Tennessee in SEC/ACC Challenge @Virginia Tech - NET ranking 25 in 2026-27 season.

12/9 - Appalachian State @Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech last met Appalachian State in the 2020-21 season and won 84-59. NET ranking of 190 in 2025-26.

12/13 - Campbell (home doubleheader with men’s basketball vs. Radford) - Campbell went 20-12 and 13-5 in the CAA last year. Virginia Tech defeated Campbell 81-46 in the 2024-25 season. NET ranking of 215 in 2025-26.

12/28 - College of Charleston @Virginia Tech - The College of Charleston went 27-6 overall and 16-2 in the CAA last season, Charleston lost to Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Virginia Tech defeated Charleston 71-61 in the 2016-17 season. NET ranking of 100 in 2025-26.

Virginia Tech played 12 non-conference games last year, so there is probably room to add 1 game. Last year, for example, there was a game on 11/20.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Hokies return five players who saw action last year: Carleigh Wenzel, Samyha Suffren, Leila Wells, Aniya Trent, and Amani Jenkins. It is imperative that that core continues to develop both their leadership and their ability to impact games. The roster has seven new faces that have chances to factor into the rotation. Kate Sears returns from redshirting due to injury last year, so the reality is that the roster has eight players who may wear a Hokie uniform for the first time in a game next season.

In order for Virginia Tech to remain in the upper half of the ACC and even move into the top tier, the Hokies are working hard this summer on the chemistry, grit, and “relentless growth” that Coach Duffy emphasizes.

While football season is about to dominate our attention, the ACC women’s basketball coverage at Sons of Saturday will be here before you know it! Here is a sample of the upcoming coverage of the women’s basketball program:

Virginia Tech’s Non-Conference Schedule Release - Mid-August
ACC Conference Schedule - Early September
ACC Media Picks - Mid-October
Sons of Saturday Season Preview - October!
Women’s Basketball Season Starts - November 2

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Image - Credit to Virginia Tech Athletics

Images Drawn from Virginia Tech Athletics

Michael Turner

Women's Sports Analyst

I have been a Hokie since 1985. I graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in international relations and received my Master’s in international relations as well, which included spending time in Romania, Russia, and Ukraine.