Texas Tech center Okechukwu becomes women’s college basketball’s tallest player at 7-1

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) – Texas Tech center Stephanie Okechukwu scored six points in her debut as women's college basketball's tallest player at 7-foot-1.

Key points

• Okechukwu is from Nigeria and eclipses the previously tallest players listed at 6-10 – Middle Tennessee State freshman Nicole Dominguez and Eastern Illinois sophomore Abbie Boutilier.
• Texas Tech coach Krista Gerlich believes there's still much room for Okechukwu to grow as a player.
• Destinee Hooks led the Lady Raiders with 16 points.
• Okechukwu signed with Texas Tech in January but did not play last season.
• "She does not think she played well, " Gerlich remarked.

For context, the 21-year-old freshman scored her first points on a pair of free throws and continued 10 rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes in a season-opening 64-37 win over Charlotte on Thursday night. Destinee Hooks led the Lady Raiders with 16 points.

"She does not think she played well, " Gerlich remarked. "I'm excited for her and it's only going to obtain better. There is definitely more."

Okechukwu signed with Texas Tech in January but did not play last season. After completing her high school career in Japan in 2024, she split time playing in an AAU league in the Philippines and training in Nigeria.

She was initially limited to just two years of college eligibility since he took what was considered a gap year off before the NCAA granted her four years after Texas Tech filed an appeal for a waiver.

For now, texas Tech center Okechukwu becomes womens college basketballs tallest player at 7-1 remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.