Virginia Tech is in the mix for one of the top young guards in the country.
Class of 2027 standout Qandace Samuels is down to 10 schools, 247Sports’ Dushawn London reported, and the Hokies are among the finalists. Samuels, a five-star prospect from District Heights, Md., would be the first five-star commit of the Megan Duffy era if she chooses Virginia Tech.
On 247Sports, Samuels is listed as a small forward and comes in at No. 13 overall in the 2027 class, No. 4 at her position and No. 2 in Maryland. The 247Sports composite has her nearly in the same spot, ranking her No. 12 nationally, No. 4 among small forwards and No. 2 in the state. The composite also gives her the fifth star, along with an overall recruit score of 0.9958.
247Sports women’s basketball director of scouting Brandon Clay described her as one of the best wing threats in the class.
"Samuels is blossoming into one of the country's premier wing threats," 247Sports women's basketball director of scouting Brandon Clay said of the Bishop McNamara High School prospect. "She has developed into a consistent 3-point shooter, whether her feet are set or she's shooting off the bounce, reading and then pulling.
In that regard, Samuels can score as well as any wing in the class right now. She has the size to play through contact around the rim.
As Samuels works on her ability to attack going left, as she does going right, her game will rise to another level as a result."
Virginia Tech has already extended an offer to Samuels. She posted on social media on June 1, 2024, thanking head coach Megan Duffy for that opportunity.
Thank you @CoachMeganDuffy for my most recent offer to Virginia Tech! Looking forward to learning more about VT and you. 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/2OvFsfCfqG
The list of schools that have offered her, per 247Sports, includes Arizona, DePaul, Florida, Maryland, Marquette, Missouri, North Carolina, Syracuse, Tennessee and SMU.
Samuels also has a notable basketball connection in the family. Her sister Qadence was part of UConn’s 2025 national championship team, where she averaged 1.3 points per game. Her sister now plays at NC State and is heading into her senior year after putting up 6.4 points and 4.8 rebounds in 2025-26.
Virginia Tech already has two commitments in the 2027 class: guard-forward Lillie Graves and guard Dani Robinson. Both are consensus four-star recruits.
Robinson was ranked No. 36 on ESPN’s recruiting rankings at the time of her recruitment, while Graves was No. 55.
Samuels is ranked No. 11 and is one of 19 five-stars in the SportsCenter Next 100.
The Hokies will open the 2026 season on Nov. 2 against North Carolina Central.
Virginia Tech also has room to keep building. The program has 12 players eligible for the 2027-28 season, which leaves three openings before reaching the NCAA limit of 15.
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