As the 2024-25 season draws to a close, seeing the women's team firmly on the bubble, it's important to take stock of what we currently have on the roster and what we see coming in.
It's true, we are losing Rose Micheaux and Tilly Ekh, who, over the last two seasons for the Hokies, accounted for a combined 109 starts, 20.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game.
But what do we return?
The lone rising Senior on the roster is Lani White, a former ProspectsNation Top 150 recruit in the 2022 class. White has been a consistent double-digit scorer who has also proven to be reliable from the FT line at 83%
We have a trio of 4-star Juniors led by r-Jr Carleigh Wenzel, a former ESPNU Hot100 recruit in the 2022 class, who saw above expected improvement in scoring, assists, and 3pt%, relative to her increase in minutes played. Also among the Juniors is Samyha Suffren, who is borderline-eligible for a medical redshirt, who was putting up 8.1 ppg on 56% shooting before her injury, and who was leading the team in steals at the time of her injury. Rounding out the Juniors is Carys Baker, second only to Wenzel in scoring, and the team leader in minutes and blocked shots.
Sophomores are bountiful, as we have 4-star Mackenzie Nelson, who put up almost 6 ppg, almost 100 total assists, and 36 steals, while also shooting nearly 82% from the line. 4-Star Kayl Peterson made a quick impact also putting up 80% from the line and tied Baker for the team lead in blocked shots, despite playing less than half the minutes. 6-5 C Ramiya White, the former #1 player in Kentucky, looks to add a significant amount of playing time, with the extra year in strength and conditioning.
A possible medical redshirt is on the table for Myah Hazelton, another 4-star recruit, who seems to be on the road back from an injury she never truly got over from High School over the past year.
That puts the Hokies at 7, possibly as many as 9, four-star athletes on the roster, with 2 true posts, 2 stretch 3s, and 5 guards, going into the 2025 campaign.
But as Billy Mays once said, "but wait, there's more."
The Hokies are also adding not one, but two 247 Top 100 players in Amani Jenkins (6-2 F) and Kate Sears (5-10 PG), both listed at 4-stars. Joining them is another 4-star wing in Aniya Trent.
That means, barring any transfers out, the 2025-26 Hokies roster is guaranteed to have double digit four star recruits, and if I can find anything that says anything about Ramiya White or Leila Wells being rated at four-star, we might just have an entire 12-player roster of four-star athletes.
Oh, and we have 3 scholarships remaining. Who knows what Portal giveth.
Comments
Holy Shit!
Bring it!!
Oh wow, all right Coach Duffy! LET'S GO
Sears is a showstopper. She can hit from anywhere on the floor and seems to crave contact. She will push Wenzel, Suffren and Nelson from the jump. She also actually CONTROLS the ball.
I love the effort that Carleigh puts in, but we have to stop giving her the ball to take up the floor. Too often she is a turnover machine.
Agreed
when do we find out if suffren gets a RS? and interesting on hazelton injury speculation - first ive heard of it - has thst been discussed as why she dresses but hasnt played?
30% of games played and last game can't come after the halfway point of the season.
Suffren needs the Hokies to get post season to meet that. She played 1 too many games right now. 10 out of 30.
It's been mostly rumors but even if she doesn't claim a medical, she definitely would be a redshirt
I think she has played. So I don't think she can redshirt. Needs a medical.
She definitely did not play that much (5 games in season and the ACCT game) so if her injuries extended from prior injury they will be able to get a medical. If it's a new injury same would apply.
One concern is it looks like she may have played in the ACCT per ESPN. Don't know how post season applies either way to redshirt. Seems real dumb to burn a year if it counts since her last game was 12/21. ESPN shows ACCT as last game but if you click on stats it's not listed in game log.
not listed in box score v. GT on hokiesports
That would be a good thing. No shock ESPN has it screwed up. I didn't remember her playing so was surprised initially seeing it.
If there are no departures, the backcourt looks very solid...Sears is the real deal.
Trent is a nice low post player and Jenkins has height and excellent range, but I'd think Duffy would also look in the portal for another player with experience and physicality at the 4/5.
Yep would love for to target three players 6'4+ with the portal for the remaining scholarships.
Made games against Iowa, UNC, ND, NC ST, Duke and maybe even UVA really tough watches.
Sounds like we might be above the blue chip ratio? Let's hope Coach Duffy can keep the core together. They seem to be spread out well to work in younger players and have them ready for significant minutes once the trio of Juniors graduate. Tilly and Rose leave behind a lot of minutes.
One piece schedule wise I will be curious if scheduling changes a bit is the December schedule.
Hokies played 8 in November, 9 in January and 7 in February but only 4 in December.
Men did 7, 6, 8, 7 Nov-Feb. The 4 in a month really seems a hard way to keep rhythm, etc. I get exams are happening but still seems low.