Hokies WBB Earns a First Round Bye in ACC Tournament

 

Finishing with a regular season record of 22-8 and an ACC record of 12-6, the Virginia Tech Hokies earned the No. 6 seed in the ACC Tournament, beating all odds and preseason rankings.

Pivotal Conference Wins

Syracuse Blowout

Looking to gain traction in ACC play after falling to 2-3, the Hokies needed to find a way to make Syracuse work and get the win. With five players for Virginia Tech scoring in double figures, the Hokies got the job done with ease, beating the Orange 77-57. Holding Syracuse's Uche Izoje to 14 points, Sophie Burrows to 7 points, and Laila Phelia to 12 points was huge as it limited the Orange's scoring ability to come from their "Big 3." Although Virginia Tech's backup forward, Kayl Petersen sustained a nose injury that would take her out of the game in the third quarter, the Hokies remained united until the final whistle. This win was defining for Virginia Tech as it brough their conference record to .500 and gave them hope to prove critics and haters wrong to rise in ACC rankings.

Sweeping UVA

Just after completing their season sweep against the Virginia Cavaliers to retain the Commonwealth Clash victory, the Hokies were announced as the No. 6 seed in the ACC Tournament. Virginia Tech first matched up with UVA at home on February 1, 2026, with a 76-64 victory. Led by Virginia Tech guards, Carleigh Wenzel with 23 points and Mackenzie Nelson with 15 points, the Hokies showed true control over this game. Virginia Tech's relentless defense played a huge factor into this contest as freshman forward; Aniya Trent contributed a team high 3 blocks followed by Carys Baker's 2 blocks. The Hokies' defensive presence was on full display as they held Virginia's star guards, Kymora Johnson to 19 points and Paris Clark to just 9 points. The Hokies and Cavaliers matched up once again just a month later on March 1, 2026, in John Paul Jones Arena. With a close 83-82 victory, Virginia Tech pulled off the season sweep against UVA. Though the final score appears it was a close game, Virginia Tech actually had control with their largest lead being 23 points. That said, UVA crept back slowly and tied the game 64-64 with just 8:15 remaining in the 4th quarter. This matchup came down to the final free throws made by Carleigh Wenzel who put up a career high 29 points. Though the outcome was uncertain at one point, this was a defining win for the Hokies as they concluded their regular season play.

Where Do the Hokie Land in the ACC Tournament?

Given that Virginia Tech is the No. 6 seed in the ACC Tournament, they will have a bye for the first round of games. The Hokies will play on March 5, 2026, against either No. 11 Georgia Tech or No. 14 Florida State. Should Virginia Tech win this matchup guaranteed to be against a team they've beat in the regular season, they will go on to play a hungry UNC squad. If the Hokies advance to play the North Carolina Tarheels, it would be interesting to see if they can play closely with them once again as they took the Tarheels to overtime on February 19, 2026. Although they lost by three against No. 22 North Carolina, Virginia Tech certainly proved what they had and their ability to compete with one of the best teams in the country.

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