Virginia Tech basketball: Megan Duffy adds Ke’Sha Blanton to coaching staff

Nov 10, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Megan Duffy during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech women’s basketball coach Megan Duffy has been busy working on next season’s roster. Between the 2026 recruiting class and the transfer portal, the Hokies will welcome several newcomers to next season’s team. Duffy is also adding to her coaching staff.

On Monday, Virginia Tech announced the hiring of Ke’Sha Blanton to the women’s staff. Blanton is no stranger to Duffy, having coached under her from 2017-19, when Duffy was head coach of the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks. It was Duffy’s first head coaching job.

Blanton, a native of Toledo, Ohio, received her undergraduate degree from the University of Toledo and her master’s degree from Florida State. She began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at Florida State, before her first full-time assistant coaching job at Detroit Mercy. After five seasons at Detroit Mercy, she landed at Miami with Duffy.

When Duffy took the Marquette job in 2019, Blanton landed at Oakland, where she served as the associate head coach for two seasons and as interim coach for one season. From there, she was an assistant at Eastern Michigan for two years. In 2024, she was the head coach at the Air Force Prep Academy before spending last season as an assistant coach at Tulane.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ke’Sha Blanton to Blacksburg,” said Duffy in a statement. “She is an incredibly hard-worker with a passion to impact student-athletes both on and off the court. She will immediately expand our recruiting footprint and elevate our player development.”

Blanton replaces Darren Guensch, who departed for a similar position at Virginia. Blanton’s specialty is recruiting and player development.