Mike Young heads into year eight as head coach of the Virginia Tech basketball team. Can he lead them to the NCAA Tournament after missing out on it the last four seasons?
The tradition continues! It’s another year of our countdown of the top 100 preseason teams in college basketball until the start of the season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Virginia Tech basketball
When Virginia Tech hired Mike Young in 2019, the Hokies figured the former Wofford coach would do what he did with the Terriers – bring in a winning culture and March Madness appearances. But VTech hasn’t had anyone close to Fletcher Magee. Instead, it has been a bit of a rough go – just two tourney bids and a 124-98 record in seven seasons. Still, there remains some optimism that an experienced head coach like Young will figure it out.
It’d be silly to think Young isn’t at least somewhat on the hot seat, but he does have a team that could help keep him off it, at least for one more year. The Hokies return a star member of the backcourt in Ben Hammond, and one of the best bigs in the ACC in Amani Hansberry. That alone is a great starting point for any head coach in this transfer portal era of college basketball.
But the surrounding pieces are also something to get behind, and we haven’t always seen that in Young’s tenure here. Efficient wing Tyler Johnson also returns, after shooting over 50% from the field last season, and over 41% from deep. The top portal gets include another efficient wing in FAU’s Isaiah Elohim, a stretch forward in Oklahoma’s Kuol Atak, a serviceable big in San Diego State’s Miles Heide, and an experienced point guard in Oklahoma State’s Jaylen Curry. There are other rotation pieces further down the depth chart that should make the Hokies one of the deepest teams in the conference.
But as always, can a team like this come together in Blacksburg? Young has had talent before that hasn’t worked out, and the thought is that if this team can’t make a push to at least make the NCAA Tournament, the Hokies might be looking for a new head coach in the offseason. But the talent is certainly there!
Head coach: Mike Young (25th season overall, 8th at Virginia Tech)
2025-26 record: 19-13 (8-10)
2026 postseason finish: No tournament
Notable departures:
- Neoklis Avdalas (12.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 4.6 APG)
- Toibu Lawal (12.3 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 0.6 APG, 1.1 BPG, 54.2 FG%)
- Jailen Bedford (11.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.3 APG, 35.9 3P%)
- Jaden Schutt (7.7 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 0.9 APG, 38.5 3P%)
- Christian Gurdak (5.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 0.3 APG, 63.2 FG%)
Notable non-conference games:
- vs. Iowa (Nov. 10) – Sioux City, IA
- vs. Richmond (Nov. 16)
- vs. Northwestern (Nov. 20) – Charleston Classic
- vs. Oklahoma State (Nov. 22) – Charleston Classic
- vs. Ole Miss (Dec. 1)
- at West Virginia (Dec. 5)
- vs. UCF (Dec. 19) – Fort Lauderdale, FL
Projected Rotation
PG: Ben Hammond (5-11, 170, Jr.)
2025-26 stats: 13.2 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, 2.0 SPG, 43.1 3P%
SG: Isaiah Elohim (6-5, 208, Jr.)
2025-26 stats: 12.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.0 APG. 36.8 3P% (FAU)
SF: Kuol Atak (6-9, 215, Rs.-So.)
2025-26 stats: 7.0 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 0.2 APG, 41.3 3P% (Oklahoma)
PF: Amani Hansberry (6-8, 240, Sr.)
2025-26 stats: 14.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.5 SPG, 35.4 3P%
C: Miles Heide (6-10, 230, Sr.)
2025-26 stats: 5.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 0.8 APG, 61.5 FG% (San Diego State)
6: Jaylen Curry (6-1, 180, Sr.)
2025-26 stats: 10.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.2 SPG (Oklahoma State)
7: Tyler Johnson (6-5, 208, Jr.)
2025-26 stats: 8.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 53.3 FG%, 41.5 3P%
8: Musa Sagnia (6-10, 230, So.)
2025-26 stats: 2.3 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 0.2 APG, 59.6 FG% (NC State)
9: Ethan Copeland (6-2, 180, Sr.)
2025-26 stats: 15.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.5 SPG, 42.9 3P% (Stetson)
10: Eltayeb Eltayeb (6-8, 200, Fr.)
2025-26 stats: 21.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.2 BPG, ~43 3P% (Sunrise Christian Academy – Prep)
11: Solomon Davis (6-11, 235, Rs.-Fr.)
247SportsComposite No. 408 ranked recruit
12: Sin’Cere Jones (6-7, 225, So.)
2025-26 stats: 0.6 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 0.0 APG, 11 GP
13: Ned Hull (6-3, 195, Rs.-Jr.)
2025-26 stats: 4.5 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 0.9 APG, 35.8 3P% (Elon)
Virginia Tech basketball team MVP: Amani Hansberry
Last season, Hansberry formed a dynamic duo inside with another big man in Toibu Lawal. Both players grabbed over seven boards per game, with Lawal slightly winning that battle. However, Hansberry led the team in scoring, and now returns as more of a focal point inside and in the scoring game.
With great point guards up and down this Hokies roster, Hansberry should be able to put together a career year. He still will get to share the court with some solid bigs – Heide can definitely chip in on the boards, and NC State transfer Musa Sagnia should help in portions off the bench. But Hansberry is definitely the big man to note on this Virginia Tech basketball team. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go for a line around 16 PPG/9 RPG and turn into one of the best big men in the country.
Virginia Tech basketball make-or-break player: Kuol Atak
VTech knows what they’ll get out of Hansberry, Hammond, and other guys like Curry and Johnson. But how much will Atak improve after a breakout freshman season?
At Oklahoma, Atak averaged 7.0 PPG on 46.5% shooting. He was a sniper from three and did all of this in just about a dozen minutes per game off the bench.
Now, Atak should get double the minutes and become a key part of this Hokies offense. Atak also runs the floor well, which could help a VTech team that may look to beat teams in transition and earn extra points that way. If all goes well, he could even wind up leading this Hokies team in scoring – despite most projections pointing to Hansberry. Atak may be the hidden gem Virginia Tech needed.
Key statistic: 3P% and opponent 3P%
Last season, Virginia Tech both controlled the three-point line on offense and limited teams from using that game on defense. As a team, they shot 35.5% from distance (91st) and ranked 33rd with opponents only connecting on 30.6% of threes.
This season, the Hokies should be even more deadly from deep. Their projected 1-4 guys can all hit from outside, and off the bench, Johnson, Ethan Copeland, and Eltayeb Eltayeb (if he is able to crack the rotation).
Plus, defensively, additions in Atak and Elohim should add even more protection on the wing, continuing the trend of defending the arc.
Games are often won or lost at the three-point line, and the Hokies have the pieces to make that a strong point of their identity.
Virginia Tech basketball 2026-27 projections
Projected conference finish: 7th in the ACC
Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament round of 32 exit