Wiseguy86

If not her, then who? Cal is the only other school that did better than projected in ACC pre-season poll--they were rated 14th and finished 7th. ND faltered down the stretch so I think that takes out their coach. Will be interesting to see. I am biased but think Coach Duffy has earned it.

I am assuming you are Carleigh's father. If so, I wish to provide my perspective. First, some context. I am a former D-1 football player (and also played basketball through high school). My daughter, now 28, was a talented basketball, and then lacrosse player. It was a joy to watch her but there were some challenging times for sure. I moved to Roanoke 30 years ago and evolved into a Virginia Tech sports fan (primarily football). About 3-4 years ago (let's call it the "Liz Kitley era"), I became obsessed with VT WBB. I have now been a VT WBB season ticket holder for 2 years and have been "all in." I met you and your wife briefly after the first Iowa game in Charlotte. Like most of us, I was initially devastated when KB left and how he handled it. I was thrilled when Carleigh chose to stay. I was cautiously optimistic when we hired CMD. I have followed the program even more closely over the last few months and have attended every home game (but 1). I am thrilled with the progress of the team this year. Carleigh is a warrior. I love her spirit and tenacity. She is a winner. As you know, however, the competition especially in the ACC, is fierce. Bringing the ball up court against elite defenders has been uneven. (Exhibit A is Mackie trying to bring ball upcourt with Hidalgo hounding her.) It is my personal judgment that Mackie should be the primary PG next year with Carleigh in the 2 position. But I trust Coach Duffy to put the players in the best position for success. Please, please do your best to ignore the "social media" noise, especially from posters on a free board. While there are some knowledgeable posts, there are plenty of morons as well. I sincerely hope your daughter finishes her career playing with VT and Coach Duffy for 2 more years. There is an excellent nucleus returning and the overall fan support continues to be impressive. I am especially interested in seeing us develop some post players after Rose leaves us--I think Coach Duffy and Hoover have done great work Rose, Carys and Kayl. Thanks for taking time to read. Enjoy the ride and Go Hokies!!!

Wow. A superb, high level game. Both teams played hard, smart and with exceptional skill. Combined 31-32 from the free throw line--get out of here! Even the refs called a solid game. What a joy to see Matilda and Rose end on such a high note. Still lots of hoops to play but that game represented everything good about women's college basketball. And Coach Duffy's public thank you to the fans was the icing on the cake. Great win. Go Hokies.

I had a chance encounter with Coach Duffy and her husband yesterday. VT is fortunate to have her as our leader. She is such a genuine and likeable person. Go Hokies!!!

1. Such an impressive victory. 26 assists! 12 3's! Solid defense with some zone thrown in. 2. So many positives for our key players. They seem to understand the game and are superb together. 3. Carleigh is aggressive, relentless and is making much better decisions. But we are going to have to live with the reality that there will be some turnovers. She is not a natural point guard but is very good once she gets into flow of offense. 4. Not sure who is more of unsung hero. Lani and Carys have both been awesome. Lani is sneaky good and Carys is a warrior who also has a lethal shot. 5. And through it all, Matilda is just steady. 6. All 3 freshmen know their roles and are contributing. (Have not given up on Myah.) 7. The 2 early fouls on UVA's Johnson were huge. It might not have mattered but they were lost without her. 8. Why in the world didn't they use 34 more with Rose out. 9. When I saw the post-game press conference, I had not yet seen the game. I did not realize the UVA coach was wearing a game jersey and did not understand she was the coach when I watched it. I get that UVA had 2 bad home losses but was not impressed with her at all. 10. So exited to see what Coach Duffy and her team have done so far with these girls. Go Hokies.

This is excellent considering that ND and Louisville, the top 2, have had top programs for many years. (NC State is close behind us in 4th place.) I expect our attendance will improve as CMD continues to build her program.

In addition to Georgia, Miami, Georgia Tech, and Wake, we were also losing in 4th Q to Rutgers. That's 5 come from behind victories in the 4th Quarter. CMD owns the 4th Quarter!! (and Overtime!)

In Iowa game, she had 6 turnovers and 1 assist. Although Mackie did not play well tonight, she needs to be our starting PG in my opinion. Carleigh is just not comfortable running the offense against top tier defenders that she will see most nights in the ACC. Go Hokies.

Another solid win and chance to build. I continue to be highly impressed with CMD and her team. Mackie was especially good today.

I have followed the team with great interest especially since Coach Duffy was hired. I have been super impressed thus far. Here are my thoughts: Coach Duffy and her staff seem awesome. High energy. Smart. Transparent. Authentic. Lani (0). Has talent but still adjusting. Was expecting more but believe she will help us. Play has improved. Carleigh (1). Has stepped up to be leader. Highly competitive. Agree that she is not natural (or our best) PG. Needs to become better finisher, or pull up for shorter jumper. All in all, very positive thus far. Leila (2). Has some spunk and promise. Reminds me of Samyha last year. Not sure we can count on her just yet come ACC time. Mack (3). Love, love her game. Natural PG. Still young but will be major contributor. Solid defense, knows how to run offense, is a joy to watch. Rose (4). Wow. Where to start. I get that she is about to step up to face some major ACC post competition. And she still rushes her shot too much sometimes and misses too many easy layups. But she is playing with great confidence and determination. Triple Double!!!! We are all rooting hard for Rose. We need her. So easy to pull for her also. Carys (10). Been a little under the radar and overshadowed so far. And the shot is a little off. But she has adapted to the 4 position and is relentless. Very impressed with her play thus far. Matilda (11). Still adapting to up tempo style of play. Foot speed not ideal. But she is a smart, veteran player who is going to be key for us. Will need to hit some 3s in ACC play. Samyha (12). Similar to my thoughts on Rose. Just Wow. Her speed and defense have been superb. She can finish and has also shown good passing, shooting ability. She will play major role for us. Great to see. Myah (21). Don't think she can help us this year. Too young. Coach says younger players earn PT through their practice performance. Don't know why she did not play on Saturday but expect Coach had a good reason. Ramiya (22). Similar to Myah, don't think she can help us this year. Too young. Coach Hoover will earn her keep if she can develop one or both of these post players. Kayl (34). So impressed with her so far. Fundamentally sound. Poised. Can shoot the 3. Great depth addition. Future very bright. Thanks for indulging me. The Rutgers win was special. Excited to see what we do in Florida against good competition. ACC slate will be tough. But I like what I see thus far. These women play hard, play with passion, and seem to gel. Go Hokies.

Especially sweet to see the 6 women who stayed all have so much fun and success.

0--Lani: not done much, seems tentative, we will need more from her because she has experience, some height and is athletic. 1-Carleigh: has really stepped up as player and leader; playing with much more confidence 2-Leila: will be able to help us, quick, not tentative 3-Mac: very promising; confident, skilled 4-Rose: totally different player so far; good energy and skills; but will have to be more disciplined, she will get called for fouls 10-Carys: struggled in Iowa game, encouraged with her off-season progress and expecting a great year from her 11-Matilda: tough, tough game v. Hawkeyes; ultimately I think her shooting and skill level will be back to normal or better most nights 12-Samyha: most excited about her play so far; her defense against Lucy Olsen was off the charts (Olsen had 20, I bet she only scored once or twice against Samyha.) So quick and talented. Shooting needs to improve but is ACC caliber 21-Myah. Too early to tell 22-Ramiya. We need to be patient with her. 34-Kayl: super impressed with her. Forced to play inside and battles. Great poise and fundamentals for true freshman We are in for quite the roller coaster this year. Should be fun to watch them compete and grow. Go Hokies.

Awesome to see the interviews posted on X with Lani, Mackie, Carys, and Coach Duffy.

And none of our players listed on conference lists. This confirms what we already know--ACC will be highly competitive and difficult. We were spoiled with 2 generational talents and an incredible supporting cast the last few years. But I have loved everything I have seen from CMD and her staff. While there will be some tough times, we have talent, great coaches, and have signed some high quality recruits. Let's cheer like heck and enjoy the ride.

Another great mix of Sunday & Thursday games including hosting Stanford, Cal and SMU. Go Hokies

VT fans lamented fact that VT FB was slow to offer Cole Beck. When we finally offered, he accepted. While he is great representative of VT and a track champion, it did not work out on the football field. Bottom line--I think we need to trust CMD to make decisions she deems best.

I realize we are in era of transfer portal, NIL, win now in college athletics. I liked the article in today's ROA Times in which CMD basically stated that she has her team for next year, the coaches she wants, and is ready to mold this team to its strengths. We may or may not be a NCAA team next year. But I am good that CMD has a plan and that it may require some patience. Go Hokies!

Georgia, I have not met you but I have been watched and admired you for the last few years. I did not attend VT but have lived in area and been a Hokie sports fan for over 30 years. When my daughter was young, we followed VT WBB for a few years. I'll never forget Cassell in March 1999 when VT beat Auburn to go to sweet 16. Then, my interest waned for many years. The last few years have been amazing. You, Liz and your teammates (and coaches) galvanized our region and VT. I became a season ticket holder this year for the first time (I have had FB season tickets for years). I am now deeply invested in the VT WBB basketball program. I am not going to rehash the disappointment of the last few weeks. I am also not going to point fingers. I saw the 6 minute video clip with you and Liz today. It was heartbreaking to hear the negativity you have experienced. I want you to know how grateful I am that you spent the last 4 years at VT in Blacksburg. I will choose to focus on the positive. I hope in time you will remember VT (and the fans) with fondness. I wish you nothing but success in the future. Thank you.

Really enjoyed watching the podcast.

I recall that she was well-regarded recruit and know that she redshirted. Please remind me about her bio, and how she may fit in for us. Is she PG, SG? How compare with Suffren? Thanks for any insights on her.

She seemed to me to have the talent, toughness and quickness. It would seem to be something other than Brooks

I liked Suffren a lot and thought she could be really good for VT. I do not understand Coach Brooks' reluctance to play her at all down the stretch. As a prime example, he should have played her in the 4th Q of the Marshall game. I follow the TSL boards and saw some posts a few days ago that they thought she would transfer. Why? Was it VT? Or Coach Brooks? Why not let things settle down before entering portal today? Think she already has firm offer from UNC or another school?? Lots of questions here.

I think we still get a 4 seed regardless. And I expect that if she is definitely out, it makes sense for VT to not say anything. So maybe I have answered my question. I keep checking news and hoping to hear that she is progressing and expected to play.

What a difference a week makes. Still a long season but Liz and Georgia are special talents. And it looks like we found a rotation that works. Olivia and Strack keep earning more time. Ekh and King know their roles and are solid. Wenzel has settled down. Baker can get some spot minutes and score. Some tough road games ahead but feel that we are in better position to succeed. Go Hokies.

Really like how Strack is developing. She and Olivia have earned right to play more. We may need Rose at some point but she is just too skittish and unreliable right now.

Wenzel defense and intangibles offset by her lack of offensive confidence right now. I would have played more of Baker. Strack has earned more PT in my opinion. Off game by Georgia. FSU played well and deserved to win. Beat Duke

I accept that the last 2 games may not be an accurate barometer given the opponents. After LSU, it seemed that Coach was adamant that he needed more from everyone other than Georgia and Liz. It just seemed to me that Summiel got lost in the shuffle over the last 2 games, especially today. Maybe it was just Coach juggling lineups. But even post-game, Coach seemed pretty high on Stack's improvement. As I stated, I beleve that Summiel will be in the mix and that we probably need her. Thanks.

Also, some of last names are long and not easy to spell. Maybe I should have used first names--again, some are long and not easy to spell. I meant no disrespect to these student-athletes. I am a first time season ticket holder for VT WBB. I was merely trying to add some perspective as I watch the coaches try to get the most out of these players. Go Hokies.

CKB continues to start her but early in most games there are turnovers, fouls and a general lack of awareness of where she needs to be and what she needs to do. I think she averaged 14 pts and 8 boards in Big Ten last year. But it has been a far different story this year. Hope we can find a way to regain her confidence.

We are set with a strong first 4: 5, 33, 22 and 11. I realize ACC play is still a few weeks away. Here's my current assessment. 1 is talented. She can and will play meaningful minutes. 4 is still struggling. Not sure CKB will trust her in ACC play. Really hope she can gain some confidence and settle down. 13 is emerging as capable contributor. Probably will be pressed into more PT before ready but is currently more consistent than 4 or 20. 10 also looks like she can be a spark. Trending up. 20--not sure what is happening here. Unclear whether she will be reliable contributor. I expect she will play better and earn some more PT. 12 is intriguing. Not quite ready for significant PT but seems to have bright future. Nice win today. Go Hokies.

Rose is trying too hard and lacks confidence. Don't know how to get her to break out. Hope the light goes on soon.

The team can learn so much from the Iowa and LSU games. Georgia is elite and Liz will battle. King and Ekh are capable but need to play and shoot better in these games. And Coach Brooks is trying to see who will step up among 4, 1, 20, 13 and 10. LSU's athleticism, strength, and desire were simply too much to handle. They also have elite players, especially 12 and 24. Let's see if we can learn and figure out how to gel and excel at our game. The ACC will be fun and a battle. The sun will come out tomorrow. Go Hokies!

I can't find a media guide that would provide detailed bios, histories on our current players. While I have read the articles and know the players, I would especially like to know more about our current freshmen and Carly. Any idea where I can find? It is frustrating that it does not seem to be posted on Hokie sports. Thank you.

I followed VT WBB during the Bonnie years but then lost interest. I am back on the bandwagon. As everyone knows, the last couple years have been special. Allow me to make a few observations. 1. My only real criticism of Coach Brooks is the lack of depth. I don't think you can win in long term only playing 6 (or 7). 2. Excited by what I have read about Wenzel, and the incoming stud freshmen. Expect that there will be some real contributors next year and for future. 3. Sounds like we have done exceptionally well with the portal. Chemistry and fit are as important as talent. 4. It seems sky is the limit for Georgia. What an exceptional leader, person and player. 5. Fascinating how quickly the national tide shifts. During the year and tournament, everyone talked about USC-E and the new dynasty under Dawn Staley. Now LSU is the media darling with its coach and high profile portal adds. We have not heard a peep from USC. Through all this, I like where VT is sitting.

We will be much more difficult to beat if we get some points from 22 and 11 (and 35 as she is getting some PT). They do not appear to have much confidence in their shot.

As you may recall, in 2008 the New York Yankees played a special exhibition baseball game in Blacksburg. They wore NYY hats in VT colors with VT logo on side. I would like to purchase 1 (and would buy more if available) for a Yankee and Hokie fan whose father just passed away. I realize I may be able to find a used one on Ebay. Any other suggestions or insights? Thank you

Prior to this year, I don't recall ever seeing an "illegal pitch" called. It doesn't make sense to me at all. It was so demoralizing to see it called so often (and so inconsistently) against Emma. Does it really give someone an advantage? You all have probably discussed at length. Any likelihood the rule goes away? Thanks.