Women's Basketball

Georgia Tech’s Walker, Syracuse’s Izoje Named ACC Women’s Basketball Players of the Week

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Georgia Tech sophomore guard Talayah Walker has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, while Syracuse center Uche Izoje earned ACC Rookie of the Week honors for games played December 29-January 4.

ACC women’s basketball weekly honors are nominated by member schools and determined by a vote of the Blue Ribbon Panel.

PLAYER – Talayah Walker, So., G, Georgia Tech (Odenton, Maryland)
  • Posted back-to-back 30-point performances and two double-doubles in a pair of ACC wins over No. 18 Notre Dame (95-90, OT) and at SMU (67-59).
  • Scored a game-high 33 points, including 18 points combined in the fourth quarter and overtime, and hauled in 10 rebounds in Thursday’s victory over the Fighting Irish.
  • Recorded 30 points and 11 rebounds in Sunday’s win over SMU, becoming the first Yellow Jacket since 1995 to record back-to-back 30-point efforts.
  • Becomes the first Georgia Tech player since the 2023-24 season to win ACC Player of the Week honors.

ROOKIE – Uche Izoje, Fr., C, Syracuse (Delta State, Asaba, Nigeria)
  • Averaged 19.5 points and 14.5 rebounds in two ACC victories over Florida State (82-72) and Wake Forest (73-58) last week.
  • Posted 21 points on 10-of-13 shooting and a career-high 17 rebounds in Thursday’s victory over Florida State.
  • Registered 18 points and 12 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season in Sunday’s victory over Wake Forest.
  • Closed the week 19-for-26 (73.1 percent) from the field, the second-highest shooting percentage among ACC players last week.

Women’s Basketball Notes
  • ACC teams have accumulated 144 non-conference victories this season.
  • ACC teams have played 30 non-conference games against teams ranked in the Associated Press (AP) Poll (31 against teams inside the USA Today Coaches Poll), the most among peer power conferences.
  • A total of 10 ACC teams are in the top 50 of the latest NET rankings, while 12 teams are in the top 60. Four ACC teams are in the top 25: Louisville (No. 12), North Carolina (No. 18), Duke (No. 19) and NC State (No. 25).
2025-26 ACC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week
Nov. 10 – Hannah Hidalgo, Jr., G, Notre Dame
Nov. 17 – Hannah Hidalgo, Jr., G, Notre Dame
Nov. 24 – Nunu Agara, Jr., F, Stanford
Dec. 1 – Indya Nivar, Sr., G, North Carolina
Dec. 8 – Hannah Hidalgo, Jr., G, Notre Dame
Dec. 15 – Laura Ziegler, Sr., F, Louisville | Courtney Ogden, Jr., F, Stanford
Dec. 22 – Kymora Johnson, Jr., G, Virginia
Dec. 29 – Grace Oliver, So., F, Wake Forest
Jan. 5 – Talayah Walker, So., G, Georgia Tech

2025-26 ACC Women’s Basketball Rookie of the Week
Nov. 10 – Lara Somfai, F, Stanford
Nov. 17 – Puff Morris, G, California
Nov. 24 – Nyla Brooks, G, North Carolina
Dec. 1 – Uche Izoje, C, Syracuse
Dec. 8 – Uche Izoje, C, Syracuse
Dec. 15 – Lara Somfai, F, Stanford
Dec. 22 – Uche Izoje, C, Syracuse
Dec. 29 – Lara Somfai, F, Stanford
Jan. 5 – Uche Izoje, C, Syracuse