Victoria Blankenship, a former standout player known for her intensity on the court, has joined the Sul Ross State University women’s basketball program as the new assistant coach. Hailing from Fayetteville, North Carolina, Blankenship brings a wealth of experience from her playing days at the junior college and NCAA Division II levels, and she is eager to instill the same competitive spirit in her players.
“I’m very excited to be here. I’m very excited to step into the role, and I think I can bring a lot to it,” Blankenship said. “I hope to bring intensity, aggressiveness, and a winning mentality to the program.”
Blankenship’s basketball journey began in Texas, where she moved from North Carolina to Corpus Christi, attending West Oso High School before transferring to North Shore Senior High School in Houston. At North Shore, she was part of an impressive 36-1 team that reached the state semifinals in her senior year.
She continued her career at Tyler Junior College, playing in all 30 games and ranking 30th in the nation with 44 offensive rebounds. After transferring to San Jacinto College-North for the 2017-2018 season, Blankenship averaged 6.9 rebounds per game and recorded 17 double-figure scoring games. Her success carried over to Oklahoma Baptist, where she earned honorable mention Great American Conference honors by leading her team in both scoring and rebounding. She wrapped up her playing career at Kentucky State, where she earned Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Week recognition and averaged 12.6 points per game during the 2019-2020 season.
Now stepping into her role as a coach, Blankenship has already made an impact by recruiting two new players from the Houston area. The Lobos are adding seven new players to their roster this season, while returning six from the previous year.
Blankenship is looking forward to working alongside third-year head coach E.J. Lee Smith and contributing to the program’s growth as Sul Ross State transitions to NCAA Division II.
“I think the future is bright. I know Sul Ross State just moved up to Division II, so I hope to bring some experience to that and bring a different swag and attitude to the program altogether,” she said. “I’m just hoping from this year on that we could just bring in a lot of diversity to the court. I’m hoping with my connections that we can bring in some players that can change it up and keep people on their toes.”
With her experience and passion for the game, Blankenship is poised to make a significant impact on the Sul Ross State women’s basketball program as they embark on their Division II journey.
