Megan Duffy has had some success in her first two years at Virginia Tech when it comes to recruiting both high school athletes and players through the Transfer Portal. Last spring, she added Kilah Freelon and Mel Daley from the portal, and they were key pieces to the Hokies 2025-26 season that ended with a trip to the NCAA Tournament after missing it last year.
Speaking of last year, one high school recruit that Duffy was in on was Lena Girardi, the daughter of former New York Yankees catcher Joe Girardi. The 5-foot-11 guard from Purchase, New York, was a four-star prospect coming out of high school at IMG Academy in Florida.
She ended up committing to Oklahoma State and got some significant minutes as a freshman this year for the Cowgirls. However, with the current state of college basketball and the Transfer Portal, she is bolting Stillwater and heading to the portal, which opens next week.
Virginia Tech Transfer Portal target becomes clear for Megan Duffy
Girardi will generate a lot of interest in the portal, and Duffy should make a run at her again. This past season for Oklahoma State, Girardi averaged 7.8 points and 2.1 rebounds while shooting 44% from the field, 40% from behind the arc, and 84% from the free throw line. She played in 28 games and averaged almost 15 minutes a night. She had six points in 12 minutes of action in the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the Cowgirls in an 87-68 loss to UCLA.
Virginia Tech is already losing Kayl Petersen to the portal. Also gone are Freelon and Daley. If Duffy can retain several of her players who could return next season, and that's a big if given the portal and this day and age of college sports, then an addition like Girardi could be big for a program looking to take another step in Duffy's third season in Blacksburg.