Written By Christopher Mercer, Sports Editor. Photo Courtesy of Flickr 

Many athletes who come to VSU have various paths. However, none have had a lasting impact and a more extraordinary path to VSU than Victoria Ikeansio.
Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, Ikenasio’s journey to playing basketball wasn’t always love at first sight.

“Honestly, at first, I hated it because I wasn’t coordinated enough yet, but as I kept going, the game became easier,” said Ikenasio.
She furthered her basketball career after three years at Maribyrnong Secondary College and gaining club experience with the Elior Thunder. She was a member of the 2019 New Zealand Under 19 National Team and the 2019 Victoria Country Under 18 Team. She competed at the 2019 Australian National Junior Basketball Championships, where she helped her team to a bronze medal finish.

Ikeansio’s team participated in the 2019 School Sport Australia Basketball Championships, where her team finished second place overall. Afterward, she headed to the United States to attend Saint Peter’s University in New Jersey. She transferred to the University of Texas at Tyler for the 2022-2023 season, where she ran into another fellow Australian and future teammate at VSU, Lili Long.
After the season, she was looking for more playing time and got a call from then-head coach Deandra Schirmer, which led to a transfer to VSU.
“Honestly, Coach D made the decision easy, and the opportunity to team with Lili Long, who I faced in Australia when I was younger, was something I couldn’t pass up,” said Ikenasio.
Ikenasio made an immediate impact upon joining the Lady Blazers, and she would be a critical part of their historic 2023-2024 season.

The team had the most wins in a season in Lady Blazers history and the longest winning streak in school history, as they rattled off 24 consecutive victories. She averaged eight points per game and led the Blazers in rebounds with six per game. They went 30-3 to capture the GSC tournament championship and make the NCAA tournament.

“That season we worked so hard in practice; we deserved all of the accolades.” As she finishes her senior season, she is still an essential part of the team.
“It is about doing the small things that help the team, whether it is helping freshman with rebounding or whatever team needs I want to help,” she said.
When asked what her favorite game was during her time at VSU, she answered without hesitation.

“There was a game last season (2023-2024) where we took on Union where my dad was in the stands, and he has never gotten a chance to see me play basketball in the United States and feel like I made every shot, and I had showed out for him and it meant the world that he was there,” she said. “I want to be remembered by Valdosta State as someone who helped to know that I made a difference on and off the court, that means everything.”

On March 1, before the Lady Blazers played their final home game of the season against GSC rival Montevallo Falcons, Victoria was honored for senior day.