Virginia Tech women's basketball enters the 2026-27 season looking to make another NCAA Tournament appearance under third-year head coach Megan Duffy.
In 2025-26, the Hokies 23-10 (12-6 ACC) returned to March Madness for the first time under Duffy before falling to Oregon in the opening round.
Now, Virginia Tech enters another campaign with a different-looking roster, several important returning contributors and a challenging ACC schedule. The Hokies begin their season Monday, Nov. 2, against North Carolina Central at Cassell Coliseum.
Virginia Tech returns its leading scorer from last season in graduate guard Carleigh Wenzel, who averaged 15.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Wenzel earned All-ACC Second Team recognition and Honorable Mention All-America honors from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, establishing herself as one of the conference's more productive guards.
She started all 33 games last season and should once again play a significant role in Virginia Tech's offense. The Hokies also return guards Samyha Suffren and Leila Wells, providing additional experience in the backcourt.
Forwards Amani Jenkins and Aniya Trent are also back, with both potentially taking on expanded responsibilities following several offseason departures. Virginia Tech underwent significant roster changes during the offseason, losing three vital contributors in Carys Baker, Mackenzie Nelson and Kilah Freelon.
Baker averaged 14.3 points and 6.9 rebounds last season before transferring to Louisville, while Nelson averaged eight points and 5.7 assists before departing for Clemson. Freelon also played an important role in the frontcourt, averaging 9.5 points and 8.5 rebounds before graduating in May.
To address those departures, Duffy added several players through the transfer portal, including former Tennessee forward Alyssa Latham and Division II transfer Natalee Goff. Latham brings experience from both Tennessee and Syracuse, while Goff averaged 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds at Emmanuel University last season.
The Hokies also added Tennessee transfer Lauren Hurst, although she will miss the entire season after suffering a knee injury that required surgery, per Tech Sideline's David Cunningham.
Freshmen Jessica Dimaro and Arianna Harris-Mott will also join the rotation, giving Duffy additional options in the frontcourt. With several newcomers vying for playing time, Virginia Tech's rotation could look considerably different from last season.
Virginia Tech opens its season with three consecutive home games against North Carolina Central, Delaware and James Madison. The Hokies will also host Tennessee on Dec. 3 as part of the SEC/ACC Challenge, providing one of their most notable nonconference matchups. Conference play begins Dec. 6 when Virginia Tech travels to Durham, N.C., to play Duke.
Virginia Tech was picked eighth in the ACC preseason poll after finishing tied for fifth in the conference last season. Despite losing several important contributors, the Hokies return an established offensive leader in Wenzel and have added experience through the transfer portal.
Latham and Goff could play important roles in replacing the production lost in the frontcourt, while Suffren, Wells, Jenkins and Trent will have opportunities to contribute more consistently. Virginia Tech's success will likely depend on how quickly its newcomers adjust and whether the returning players can handle expanded responsibilities.
The Hokies have reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the past five seasons, and another appearance remains a realistic goal entering Duffy's third year. With a revamped roster and another challenging conference schedule ahead, Virginia Tech will begin its pursuit of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances Monday night in Blacksburg.
With a revamped roster and another challenging conference schedule ahead, Virginia Tech will begin its pursuit of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances Monday night in Blacksburg.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/virginiatech as Virginia Tech Women's Basketball 2026-27 Season Preview: How Far Can The Hokies Go? .
