Virginia Tech Women's Basketball Standouts Carys Baker, Mackenzie Nelson Will Enter the Transfer Portal

Virginia Tech fans received some shocking news Saturday as star forward Carys Baker and starting point guard Mackenzie Nelson both announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal next week.

Nelson and Baker are the third and fourth Hokies to declare their intentions to enter the transfer portal; joining forward Kayl Petersen and guard Sophie Swanson.

This comes after Baker earned All-ACC Second Team honors this past season after averaging 14.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 32.6 minutes per game while shooting 42.9% from the field, 37.9% from three-point range, and 75.4% from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, Nelson was a very effective point guard who averaged 8.0 points, 5.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 38.7% from the field including 29.2% from three-point range plus 73.7% from the free-throw line.

Baker will have one year of eligibility plus a redshirt remaining while Nelson has two years of eligibility remaining.

These are two massive losses as Baker was a legitimate All-ACC player who provided great versatility on both ends of the floor, being able to defend and score at all levels. Meanwhile, Nelson was one of the ACC's best orchestrators who had nearly a 3:1 assist-turnover ration with 5.7 assists and only 2.1 turnovers per game. Both Baker and Nelson should have tons of suitors with it being unlikely that the Hokies could pull either or both back.

Tech now has plenty of work to do to build around a team led by All-ACC Second Team standout Carleigh Wenzel and Tennessee F/C transfer Alyssa Latham. Tech will need to figure out its point guard situation with it being unclear whether sixth woman Samyha Suffren would be better off moving over to the point or continuing to work off-ball. If she doesn't, internal options would include rising junior Leila Wells and redshirt freshman Kate Sears, who missed this past season due to injury.

Tech will certainly need lots of help on the wing that they will have to try to add via the transfer portal. The Hokies also desperately need to add some shooting especially with Baker being the only Hokie who shot over 33% from three-point range last season, with Wenzel being the only returner who shot better than 30% in either conference play (38.9%) or overall (32.6%). Tech also will have a hard time finding a forward like Baker who at 6'2'' can score and defend at all three levels.

It's hard to understate how big of losses these are for the Hokies. If VT could have retained Baker and Nelson to go with Wenzel, Suffren, Latham, and other returners and transfer additions; you likely would have a preseason top 25 teams that could look at making a deep run in the next NCAA Tournament. Instead, this is a bubble team at best at the moment with lots of work to do this offseason to fill some big holes in the roster.