Everything Carleigh Wenzel and Carys Baker Said To The ACC Network On Monday

Virginia Tech forward Carys Baker and guard Carleigh Wenzel spoke to the ACC Network at the ACC Tipoff today in Charlotte, N.C. Baker and Wenzel will address the media later today, as well. Here's the entirety of what Baker and Wenzel had to say:

On the team playing "Fortnite":

CW: "Clearly, I will say that that night we did run the games and Carys won. I didn't. No, she was spamming everybody. So, I would not say it was skill. I think that one was luck. But we do play very often. It's kind of one of our hobbies outside of the court. And it's quite literally our favorite thing to do."

On improvement from 2024 season to 2025:

CW: "I definitely think it comes with preparation. And I think the way that um for me, specifically, Coach [Megan[ Duffy and Coach [Sharnee Zoul] kind of pour into me, it gives you the confidence to kind of go out and do things that you have yet to do. So, I think just how kind of we prepared in practice and how they've pushed me and the things that they kind of wanted me to see throughout practice and how they just the standard that they kind of held me to in terms of being a true point guard my first real year. It was not easy. And obviously, there were nights where you're just not happy with your performance and things like that. But just coming in the next day with a clean slate and knowing that the people next to you are going to pour into you and they have full trust and confidence in you, it kind of makes things a lot easier."

CB: "Yeah, I would say for me, my sophomore year, I was going into a forward position, which is a little bit different than I was playing freshman year. And I think in the beginning of the season, I was definitely uncomfortable in that role. It was nerve-wracking to be in that role because it was the first time I was doing it. But Coach Duffy helped me so much. We would watch film all the time. Coach Jen [Hoover] was also huge in that versatility portion of it. So, I just think having them around my corner in my corner was super important for me just to figure out how to play that forward position. And now going into my junior year, I'm way more comfortable being in that four position."

On what we should expect from Baker and what she's been working on over the offseason:

CB: "Yeah, I mean, obviously, my shooting is important to me. My coaches, my teammates are always encouraging me to keep shooting. So, just having that confidence that they have in me is also amazing for me. I mean Carleigh being our point guard, Mack Nelson, just getting the ball for me is really important. But then also, I think aside from my shooting, just working on my ball handling, working on being in the post more, just if I have a smaller defender on me, being able to post some up. And I think the most important thing I want to work on is my ball-handling and being able to come off screens, come off the dribble a little bit more."

On what feels different entering Year 2 under Duffy:

CB: "Yeah, I think, for me and Carleigh, most importantly is just our leadership. I think Coach Duffy harps on it a lot. Being able to use our leadership, using our vet abilities. I mean, we've been in the program for a while now, so just having the freshmen, having someone to look up to is really important to us. I think just the communication piece of that. And then also our communication with Coach Duffy, I mean, she always says it, [that] we're kind of a reflection of her. Just being older and being a veteran, we have to help her a lot more and we have to help each other and we have to lean on each other a lot more. So, I think leaning on Coach Duffy has been important to us. and then we can be able to communicate with the transfers and the freshmen that are coming in new to this program."

On goals for this season:

CW: "Really, just now understanding that the role we're in. Like we've been in big-game situations. So now, just following through with them. I think we kind of just had small mental lapses in games that just shouldn't have been happening in. But now, just kind of carrying that over and understanding what needs to be done in certain situations. And understand how the game's going. I think there were a lot of times we kind of came in and obviously we prepare for certain things and if certain things just aren't going that way, just being able to adjust and continue keeping the boat pushing. So, obviously, I think that's the biggest thing, really just carrying over and preparing the same way but being able to not have so many mental lapses."

On who's the best player in each's family:

CW: "I can't include mom and dad. Like, I just can't. We never saw the clips. Like it was always just from them. But I'd say I have to take it over my brother. I can't give him that one. But he'll come in second. He can come in second. It's not his moment right now."

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Published 1 Hour Ago|Modified 12:38 PM EDT

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