Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - Virginia Tech head coach Kenny Brooks announced the signing of three exceptional young women to the Hokies' program; Charlise Dunn, Carleigh Wenzel and Maddie Vejsicky.
"I am elated to sign three outstanding basketball players, but more importantly three young women that embody the culture of our women's basketball program," Brooks stated. "As we were building this class, we focused on players that work extremely hard, fit our system and have a winning mentality. Maddie, Charlise, and Carleigh are all versatile players with a high basketball IQ and skill set that will make us very dangerous on the perimeter. I am so excited that all three of these young ladies are a part of Hokie Nation!"
Dunn, a guard, is an Australian from Victoria, competes for Knox Raiders and attends Lake Ginninderra high school. She has represented her nation at the youth level since 2018 when she helped the U-15 Australian Sapphires in the Oceania qualifiers win gold as she was named tournament MVP. In 2019 Dunn suited up for the U-17 Australian Gems in Oceania qualifiers as the team took home the gold. She also earned calls up to the U-16 and U-17 teams in 2020 for both the Asia qualifiers and World Cup that were not contested due to COVID-19.
Most recently Dunn and the U-19 Australia Gems won silver at the World Cup in 2021.
She is the ninth-ranked international player in the class according to World Wide Hoops.
"Charlise is a special player because of her ability to play multiple positions," Brooks said of Dunn. "At her size, her ability to pass the ball and score in a variety of ways will cause many mismatches. Charlise is a very experienced player and has competed at the highest level as a member of several Australian national teams. I am excited to add another Aussie to the group!"
Wenzel, a 6-foot guard from San Antonio, Texas attends Antonian College Preparatory and competes for her club team San Antonio's Finest.
In her prep career at O'Connor High School she played for two seasons scoring over 1,000 points with a career-high 37 in the first round of the playoff her sophomore season. Wenzel was named the Express News Newcomer of the Year her freshman season and the team's Offensive MVP the following season. With Antonian, Wenzel reached the 1,500-point plateau and earned a plethora of accolades; TAPPS All-State, TAPPS Academic All-State, TABC All-Region, TABC All-State and was named a San Antonio Express News Super Team member.
Wenzel has played for her club San Antonio's Finest since fourth grade and is mentored by coach Ray Caldwell. The squad won the 3SSB Adidas Tournament and she was a 3SSB All-Tournament Team member.
She is a four star, 94-rated talent according to ESPN HoopGurlz. The 44th-highest rated player in the class of 2022, Wenzel is the tenth-highest rated guard.
"Carleigh is an elite shooter that plays with a confident flair. She can shoot the ball in a variety of ways and has outstanding range," Brook said. "She played a significant role on one of the best AAU teams I saw this summer. I can't wait to see the impact she makes on our program."
Vejsicky is a 6-foot shooting guard from New Concord, Ohio who plays for Ohio Future. A three-year letter winner at Newark High School, she has been named to the conference's First Team, earned MVP honors at the Title Nine Tournament and has led her squad to a State Final Four and Championship game appearance.
She owns a personal best 10 3-pointers in a single game and has the program record for 3's in a single season.
Dan Olson from Collegiate Basketball Report ranks her 106 nationally and 20th at her position.
"Maddie is a very talented combo guard that will add depth to our guard group," said Brooks. "Maddie is a knockdown shooter with crafty ball handling skills. Her work ethic and winning mentality stood out to me immediately during the recruiting process. Maddie will be a great addition to our backcourt."