Virginia Tech girls’s basketball transfers hope to pitch in

The previous Large Ten basketball rivals at the moment are teammates at Virginia Tech.

Ekh, a junior guard/ahead, sank 69 3-pointers for the Spartans in every of the previous two seasons.

“That’s a straight machine,” Micheaux stated. “I hated taking part in in opposition to her, however now we’re on the identical crew.”

Micheaux, a junior energy ahead, averaged 13.8 factors and seven.9 rebounds for the Golden Gophers final season.

“Rose might be probably the most energetic participant I’ve ever performed with,” Ekh stated. “I’m glad that we’re on the identical crew now.”

Micheaux and Ekh are two of the three transfers who’ve joined the eighth-ranked Hokies, who open their season Monday.

The third is Olivia Summiel, a graduate switch who used to play for one of many Hokies’ ACC rivals — Wake Forest.

“Actually excited to be on this facet of issues now,” Summiel stated.

Ekh grew up in Sweden. Her mom will make the journey to the USA to look at her play in opposition to Iowa on Thursday.

“Soccer and hockey [are] the 2 principal sports activities in Sweden, however basketball is getting extra in style,” Ekh stated.

Ekh did play soccer and hockey when she was a child. However she gravitated in direction of basketball, which was the game her mother and father used to play and that her siblings performed.

She ultimately turned ok to play for her nation — and to go to America.

“My finish purpose is to play professional and I believed [college basketball in America] was the best path for me as a result of I can nonetheless examine and play,” she stated.

She earned All-Large Ten honorable point out as each a Michigan State freshman and sophomore. She averaged 11.8 factors each seasons.

After Suzy Service provider stepped down because the Spartans’ coach in March, Ekh entered the switch portal. She picked the Hokies over Oklahoma State.

“I’m right here to win, however I’m additionally right here to develop and be prepared for the subsequent step after school,” Ekh stated.

Tech returns heart Elizabeth Kitley, level guard Georgia Amoore and guard Cayla King however should substitute two starters. The 6-foot Ekh will succeed former Tech guard Kayana Traylor within the lineup.

“Okay.T. was extra of a downhill participant. Matilda’s extra of a 3-point shooter,” Tech coach Kenny Brooks stated. “So we’re having to regulate a bit.

“She will get her toes set, she’s going to be an amazing weapon for us. She’s going to assist us in quite a lot of other ways since you’re not going to have the ability to play off of her or double off of her as a result of she’s such an awesome shooter.”

Ekh averaged 2.4 3-pointers final season.

“I hope I can contribute by taking pictures, spreading the ground,” Ekh stated.

“She will be able to simply flat-out shoot,” Kitley stated. “Each time she places it up, I believe it’s getting into. We even have to inform her to shoot extra.”

Rose is definitely Micheaux’s center identify. Her first identify is Alanna, however she began going by her center identify as a result of one other lady on her highschool crew was known as Alanna.

“I used to be like, ‘Hey, I’ll be a Rose. Roses are lovely,” Micheaux stated.

Micheaux, a 6-2 native of Michigan, earned All-Large Ten honorable point out at Minnesota final season.

After Lindsay Whalen stepped down as Minnesota’s coach in March, Micheaux entered the switch portal. She visited Alabama and Baylor, however a “chalk discuss” session with Brooks on her go to to Tech bought her on the Hokies.

“I used to be like, ‘That is actually what I wanted to listen to from a coach — what I’ll carry to the desk, how they will help me construct … off the court docket and the way they will get me higher for after I get drafted,” she stated.

Brooks was on the lookout for an influence ahead to succeed Taylor Soule.

“I spent quite a lot of movie periods watching clips of her and myself and the way I can match into her function,” Micheaux stated.

Micheaux had 9 double-doubles final season.

“At Minnesota, she was the principle menace down low,” Brooks stated. “Right here with us, she’s shifting round greater than she ever has earlier than as a result of clearly Liz goes to be on the low block.

“So it’s going to be a bit little bit of time earlier than she actually understands how she’s going to have the ability to get her touches. Quite a lot of it’s going to be on offensive rebounding. She must be prepared and simply prepare her mind. Taylor Soule had to do this final yr, and she or he discovered how you can play off of Liz.”

Kitley stated Micheaux is a “sturdy, aggressive determine.”

“My sturdy fits listed here are going to be the identical as my sturdy fits at Minnesota — my toughness and my resiliency,” Micheaux stated.

Summiel, a 6-2 energy ahead, grew up in Connecticut.

She spent the primary three years of her Wake Forest profession taking part in for William Byrd graduate Jen Hoover. Hoover misplaced her job after the 2021-22 season and was changed by Megan Gebbia. Wake gained solely 5 ACC video games final season.

Summiel entered the switch portal in March, opting to discover a new vacation spot for her additional yr of eligibility.

“I bled black and gold, [had] sort of given my all to that program,” stated Summiel, who earned a bachelor’s diploma in enterprise and enterprise administration from Wake in Could. “What I needed to make use of this blessing of a yr as is simply a possibility to essentially lock in and concentrate on the basketball facet of issues, actually push myself.

“And I simply needed to win. It’s been a grind, a bit bit, over my profession. Excited to sort of contribute any method I can to a successful program.”

She selected Tech over Clemson and Miami.

Summiel began for the Demon Deacons as a senior, averaging 7.4 factors and 5.6 rebounds.

“I prefer to set screens … and get my teammates open,” she stated. “You’ll find quite a lot of clips on me setting some fairly hellacious screens.”

She made 39 3-pointers final season.

“Love the pick-and-pop 3,” Summiel stated.

Summiel had 63 assists final yr.

“She is going to in all probability be in additional of a D’asia Gregg function — a connector, get some rebounds, knock down some pictures when she’s open,” Brooks stated.

Summiel is in the identical grasp’s diploma program in tutorial expertise as Kitley and King.