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MidloHokie MidloHokie OP
Feb 06, 2026 at 07:52 AM ET
Kenny's recruits are still the best players on the team . . .
. . . and it's not close. Current coach will need to hit the portal hard this year.

33 Replies

M
maroonhiker
5mo
Aren't they by definition the most experienced players, Sherlock?
V
VAHokie89
5mo
Earlier this off-season, I thought that the team was 2 years away from
breaking back into the top tier of the ACC. 2024-25 - The team was in the middle of the pack of the ACC. 2025-26 - I thought the team would improve but finish outside the top tier. It would move from the middle tier to the second tier...perhaps finishing anywhere from 6th to 8th 2026-27 - I thought this was the year that VT could see itself challenging the Dukes, NC States, Louisvilles again.... this is the year that Wenzel, Baker would be seniors,, Nelson would be a junior....presumably Trent and Jenkins would be better as sophomores. BUT this hinges on portal additions that would bring in players that could compete against Duke, NC State, etc. Even if the team finished in the top 5-6 in the 2026-27, fine. The key will be what does Duffy do recruiting wise, portal wise to replace the current starters essentially.
1977hokie 1977hokie
5mo
Agree with this. I don’t like to look ahead until post season, but…
Also agree breaking into top echelon next season is contingent upon portal success
U2Hokie U2Hokie
5mo
Benny Crooks was soooo goood in his early years - MDuffy has 0 chance (tic)
BK struck gold with Liz and Liz and VT were not great till her Junior season when the team went 13-5 in ACC play. Liz attracted others like bees to honey... Sophomore year we were 8-8... Duffy is ahead of the BK curve...IMHO
MidloHokie MidloHokie OP
5mo
Or Liz struck gold with Kenny? Look, I take no shame in liking Brooks.
You suggest Liz was key to his success. I agree. But I personally witnessed the time Brooks spent developing Liz and Georgia. Kenny recognized Liz's talents (and weaknesses) and built the team around that recognition. It did take a couple of years for this approach to pay dividends but it did in ways few VT fans could imagine. Had he stayed at VT I think we would still be challenging for the ACC title. That doesn't mean I don't like or don't think Duffy can be successful but she's going to need to recruit players who are better than ones she has thus far, especially out of the portal. ** Edited by MidloHokie at 2/7/2026, 10:38:13 AM
U2Hokie U2Hokie
5mo
I dont disagree - but he left in the middle of the night and took great
players with him - whatever grind he had at VT - he did not voice it - and the fact that he has all his kids on scholly (not different than Greenberg) tells me he does not mind walking the sleazy/questionable line b/c they are not good enough to really play D1 ACC/SEC - its BS. He ended it the way he did and deserves any criticism he gets from any direction Hokie IMHO. Wetzel, Williams, Spoon, and 1999-2000 others took us pretty far and Bonnie stuck around before Kansas got her... Benny Crooks could have left in a much better way or he could have stayed and we would be in ACC contention. Clara is doing good - but there is no Georgia and when Clara is done, BC's career is done IMHO. Ill also go as far as to say that Twhit probably had something to do with his departure and he too should be gone vs taking more of the VT $$$. Go Hokies!
V
VTBUCKLEY
5mo
Why would this not be the case? Are they not the women who decided to
Stay with the program and are they not the more experienced upper classmen. I would expect them to be the best players if they weren’t they haven’t been developed properly. I might add as they continue to gain minutes and experience they continue to get better. Now I guess you could hope to bring in a few unicorns in the transfer portal that could displace the veteran players but that isn’t likely as Pops mentioned earlier. I would also argue that the minute they chose to stay at VT rather than follow KB or transfer out they became Duffy’s recruits. She clearly had to recruit them to stay. We need to continue to develop what we have and dip into the portal to strengthen the roster where needed.
JHokieD JHokieD
5mo
If you want to root for Kenny, that's one state west. BYE!
Carleigh and Carys have improved greatly this year under the current coaching staff. ** Edited by JHokieD at 2/6/2026, 12:58:10 PM
MidloHokie MidloHokie OP
5mo
Certainly didn't imply that although both my wife and i have degrees . . .
. . . from UK :)
T
Tech76G
5mo
Kenny's your man, bye!
L
lazarus1
5mo
He did not say he is rooting for Kenny, only that he thought Brook's
players were more talented, whether one agrees with that assessment or not. Of course, Kate Sears has been out for the season. Let's see how she is next year.
2
2hhoop3
5mo
Why so touchy?.....
It was a statement of fact. CMD has done a good job. Her longevity is predicated on her ability to acquire talent into the future. That has nothing to do with rooting for CKB or against CMD.
Stork Stork
5mo
Would have helped if he prefaced his statement of fact with the Fact KB’s
players are all upper classmen, and have several college years ahead of Duffy’s players. A somewhat significant omission.
MidloHokie MidloHokie OP
5mo
Well, the portal makes the qualifier sort of irrelevant. We certainly . .
. . . hope our best FB players this fall aren't Pry's recruits, right?
2
2hhoop3
5mo
Why was a preface needed.......
when the simplest of minds would already know that?
Stork Stork
5mo
Don’t agree
2
2hhoop3
5mo
That is your right, ......
however, like a told HHS below, that is a you issue.
HokieHeartNSoul HokieHeartNSoul
5mo
Maybe like many of us, just sick of hearing about him.
2
2hhoop3
5mo
That is a.....
you issue.
HokieHeartNSoul HokieHeartNSoul
5mo
Nope. It definitely is not. Know some of these posters personally and
they feel the same way.
2
2hhoop3
5mo
So I misspoke.....
it is a you all issue.
1977hokie 1977hokie
5mo
Agree 100%
In my view CMD is a very good bench, game day and likely practice Coach. No disrespect, but talent acquisition is TBD. The good news is it can change very quickly, hopefully it will this offseason, as I very much want to see Carleigh, Carys, and Mackenzie’s final time be in the top echelon of the league
T
Tech76G
5mo
She recruited 3 Top 100 players for Heaven's sake. Sears, Trent and
Jenkins
J
J2KHokie
5mo
That is true but
CMD and staff have developed them. I love watching them play!
P
Popsof1
5mo
Honest opinion
You aren’t going to bring in anyone better than them until they are gone. They are two of the best players in the conference, hell many conferences. Mistakes are made and we need maybe a little depth in areas but Kenny recruits aren’t Kenny’s anymore and are the face of VT. Coach definitely isn’t sitting around not working on improving all areas and going after talent. Hang in there and enjoy the ride and keep supporting as the girls need it.
S
SHPHOKIE
5mo
I hate to think where we would be without her. Thanks to you both.
E
EDGEMAN
5mo
Hokie fans love that Carleigh stepped up to be the face of the program...
...when Kenny left town. She was the rock that Coach Duffy used to rebuild the Hokie BB team upon. Go Carleigh! Go Hokies!
H
hokierodneync
5mo
Pops
Love your support. Love your daughter’s play and leadership! You raised a great one. Yes they are not “Kenny’s” anymore. Yes,enjoy the ride!
J
J2KHokie
5mo
Have season tickets and
I love watching them play.
H
hokeyhokie
5mo
Of course they are. It's year 2. MD has signed some talented recruits
but they're either freshman or still in high school. Kenny's recruits will still be leading the team next year.
T
Tech76G
5mo
Disagree a little. You haven't seen Sears play yet. Trent and Jenkins
are true freshmen. All 3 were top 100 in rating services. She has another class like that with a big or a big transfer and you just might forget old what's his name.
`lag `lag
5mo
Plus someone like Duffy has to build up her reputation at VT..
Probably more than a few "show me" players out there to be recruited once that happens and VT essentially lost a recruiting year in between. ** Edited by `lag at 2/6/2026, 1:22:16 PM
H
hokiesteve01
5mo
I agree with your disagreement!