As conference play in the Big 12 begins, Texas Tech’s women’s basketball team just made a big midseason addition.
Literally.
The Red Raiders have signed 7-footer Stephanie Okechukwu, multiple sources familiar with her recruitment confirmed to USA Today. The towering center from Nigeria has a reported 7-foot-4 wingspan. Whether Okechukwu will be eligible to play immediately depends on NCAA approval.
Texas Tech hadn’t formally announced Okechukwu joining the team as of Thursday afternoon, but there is a graphic posted on their website of her palming two basketballs. Red Raiders coach Krista Gerlich posted a video to X early Thursday morning with a caption that says, “Walking into the New Year feeling 7 feet tall!” The video shows Okechukwu walking through an airport.
Should she be approved by the NCAA to play this season, Okechukwu will be the tallest player in the sport, dwarfing a pair of 6-foot-10 centers in Nicole Dominguez of Middle Tennessee State and Abbie Boutilier of Eastern Illinois. Videos posted to her Instagram show her dunking one-handed with ease.
Multiple sources told USA Today Okechukwu was pursued by several Power 4 programs, including fellow Big 12 member West Virginia. An assistant coach for the Red Raiders traveled to Africa a few weeks ago to close the deal on her recruitment.
Okechukwu is also the latest midseason international acquisition this season by teams in major conferences. Mississippi State has signed French guard Melissa Guillet and South Carolina brought in French center Alicia Tournebize.
Guillet is expected to begin playing for the Bulldogs this month, as long as she can secure a visa, which has been a hurdle for international students under the Trump Administration.
‘Adding Melissa this late in the year is an awesome opportunity,’ Mississippi State coach Purcell said in a statement. ‘She has been playing the game at the highest level, and her international experience will be huge for us as she joins the program and helps us chase championships.’
Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley told the Greenville News this week she’s optimistic that Tournebize will be able to play this month.
Texas Tech is 15-0 and tied its best start in program history on Wednesday night by defeating visiting UCF 73-55. Ranked No. 23 in the latest USA TODAY Sports college women’s basketball poll, this is also the best start to a season for the Red Raiders under Gerlich. She is in her sixth season coaching at her alma mater.
The Red Raiders boast one of the statistically best defenses in college basketball, ranking third nationally in opponent effective field goal percentage (35.7%), fourth in points per play allowed (0.61) and fifth in opponent 3-point shooting percentage (22.7%). Adding an imposing rim protector like Okechukwu could make the Red Raiders even more effective on that end of the floor.