Tallest player in women's college basketball history debuts with Texas Tech - USA Today

Stephanie Okechukwu was hard to miss when she stepped onto the court, towering over her teammates and opponents.

On Thursday, Nov. 5, the 7-foot-1 native of Umunneochi, Nigeria, made her collegiate basketball debut with the Texas Tech Red Raiders, officially becoming the tallest woman to ever play in a Division I NCAA game.

In a 64-37 win over Charlotte in Lubbock, Texas, Okechukwu started and tallied six points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes. The first points of her college career came via free throws.

And, of course, she won the opening tip.

Okechukwu joined Texas Tech in January, but never played in a game for the Red Raiders as they made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. Earlier this week, Texas Tech said that the NCAA had granted Okechukwu four years of eligibility.

At Big 12 Media Day in Kansas City, Missouri, last month, Texas Tech head coach Krista Gerlich told USA TODAY Sports she had seen Okechukwu improve “tremendously” over the offseason.

“It's been insane, actually. Just her getting in the weight room has been fantastic because she's really put on some good muscle and gotten a strong base,” Gerlich said. “She's really understanding the terminology and she's understanding where we want to get her the basketball, how we can use her offensively and defensively.”

The Big 12 is a women’s basketball league with several dominant post players, from the nation’s second-leading scorer in Audi Crooks at Oklahoma State to 6-foot-7 Clara Silva at TCU. Gerlich is expecting Okechukwu to hold her own against what the league has to offer.

“She's very good in the paint and has fantastic hands,” Gerlich said. “It's going to be really difficult for people to defend her. We'll have to utilize her on defense and be able to use her strengths there as well.”

The towering center has a reported 7-foot-4 wingspan. Before joining Texas Tech, videos posted to her Instagram showed Okechukwu dunking one-handed with ease.

In January, multiple people familiar with Okechukwu’s recruitment told USA TODAY Sports that she had been pursued by several Power 4 programs, including West Virginia. Weeks before she arrived on campus, Texas Tech associate coach Erik DeRoo traveled to Africa to close the deal on her commitment. She previously attended Fukuchiyama Seibi High School in Kyoto, Japan, and can speak three languages.

Okechukwu and Texas Tech will be back in action on Monday, Nov. 9 at home against Lamar.

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