Two key Virginia Tech players explain decision to return under Megan Duffy

When Kenny Brooks left for Kentucky last March, the big questions around the program other than who was going to be hired to replace was who was going to the transfer portal. Not surpisingly, Georgia Amoore and Clara Strack followed Brooks to Lexington, but was anyone else going to leave?

Several players had the option, but in the end, after Megan Duffy was hired from Marquette to replace Brooks, some key returning players decided to stick it out in Blacksburg. Wednesday at the ACC Tipoff, two returning players explained their decisions to return to play for Duffy.

Carleigh Wenzel & Matilda Ekh reveal why they returned to Virginia Tech

Joining Duffy in Charlotte for the ACC Tipoff was Carleigh Wenzel, Matilda Ekh, and Rose Micheaux to meet with the media and answer questions. Both players explained why they decided to return to Virginia Tech for the 2024-25 season instead of leaving for another program.

"The first week after we heard the news that Coach (Kenny) Brooks was leaving it was very stressful for all of us,'' Ekh said. "We were all thinking about different options, we all understood this was a big decision for everyone, but a couple of days in we just sat down together and the six of us said, 'All right, let's do this together. We love it at Virginia Tech, and we want to be here, so let's stay together.''

"We all had big decisions to make, but we wanted to stick together,'' said Wenzel. "Hokie Nation played a big part in that, just the support they bring and how they feed into us, we want to go out and perform for them every night. That's something that doesn't happen everywhere and so that was ultimately a big factor in my decision.''

It's not surprising that Hokie Nation played a big part in their decisions, but both players along with Micheaux, Carys Baker, Samyha Suffren, and Mackenzie Nelson are foundation pieces for Duffy to build around this season and beyond. Since coming to Blacksburg, Duffy does have three four-stars committed in the Class of 2025 and this returning group is one that will be fun to watch grow under their new coach and new system.