Former All-American Ashley Owusu reportedly enters transfer portal after Virginia Tech benching
Ashley Owusu's rocky time at Virginia Tech is coming to a close.
The former third-team All-American, who transferred to the Hokies from Maryland last offseason, will again enter the transfer portal after not seeing any playing time in her team's Final Four run, according to ESPN's Alexa Philippou.
After averaging 14.6 points, 5.0 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 28.9 minutes at Maryland, Owusu finished this season with only 5.1 points in 15.1 minutes per game. She missed more than a month in the middle of the season due to a broken finger and never posted more than five points in a game after returning Jan. 19.
Owusu's relationship with Virginia Tech got ugly at Final Four
Had you told a Virginia Tech fan they would reach the Final Four this season, they likely would've assumed that meant Owusu had jelled well with All-American center Elizabeth Kitley and point guard Georgia Amoore.
Instead, Owusu never saw the floor in the ACC or NCAA tournaments and didn't seem to enjoy her limited action toward the end of the season:
freee meeee https://t.co/VauvhfhulY
— Ashley Owusu (@Ashleyyowusu15) February 24, 2023
Virginia Tech head coach Kenny Brooks told the Roanoke Times that he was aware of Owusu's frustration, but he said the team "formed a different identity" while she was injured:
“[The injury] was an unfair situation — not only for her but for us because it usually takes transfers a little while to get used to your system. And the time they’re usually getting used to it, she was out. She broke her finger, and she wasn’t able to be incorporated into what we were doing.
“During that time, we formed a different identity — one that probably would’ve been different if she were healthy and playing.”
Virginia Tech had been undefeated when Owusu was injured and lost only once in the regular season after her return.
It was at the Final Four where things got truly bizarre. As the Hokies played eventual champion LSU, led by Owusu's former Maryland teammate Angel Reese, some fans noticed that Owusu was not on the Virginia Tech bench during the second half of a 79-72 loss.
After the game, Virginia Tech senior Kayana Traylor pointedly quote-tweeted one such fan, telling them to check the LSU bench.
hmm idk check the lsu bench https://t.co/jMD7N0ekMr
— Kayana Traylor (@kayana_traylor) April 1, 2023
The sentiment was shared by many Virginia Tech players, and we know this because Kitley and teammates Cayla King and Taylor Soule all retweeted the tweet. It was also liked by Amoore.
Reese responded by calling for Owusu to be freed, to which King responded, "she's been free."
She’s been free
— Cayla King (@caylanicole22) April 1, 2023
One account — reported by Just Women's Sports to belong to Owusu's father, Emmanuel — continued to air dirty laundry, complaining that his daughter had been excluded from a group chat.
Maybe you should the truth about how he hasn’t spoken to several kids in the team for months. How about the special group chat the coach has with 7 of the kids.
— Emmanuel Owusu (@bigballer12_) April 1, 2023
There is no way to know what went on behind closed doors among Owusu, Brooks and the rest of the Hokies, but clearly there were some hurt feelings on both sides.
Owusu can only hope that her next team proves to be a better fit. If some of the above tweets are any indication, LSU might be a good destination to bet on.
