A career, so far, spent chasing the sea. Strange for a true Friulian like Vittoria Blasigh. But first in Gran Canaria and now in Miami, after the last two years in South Florida, the 2004-born guard has always been searching for a place in the sun. Next season, the ACC will become the proving ground for one of the most promising prospects in Italian women’s college basketball, and Vittoria shared with us her journey in America. From her first two years in Tampa to the transfer a few hundred kilometers further south, to Coral Gables at the University of Miami, passing through the intense experience of the transfer portal.
How did your last season at South Florida go?
The goals at the beginning of the year were to win the conference and reach the March Madness, and we achieved them. On a personal level, I wanted to grow as a player, improve my impact on the court, because I always want to be ready. This year, we had a good team, so my role changed compared to my first year. Until the very last moment, I wanted to win, especially after the first game against Tulane. I told myself: I want to give my best, I want to win, because I couldn’t wait to play in the March Madness. I really gave everything, and I was super happy about it. The great thing about our team this year was that there was never just one player scoring 20 points: every game a different player stepped up. With our playmaker, Mama Dembele, who is excellent at distributing the ball to everyone, we were truly a united group, both on and off the court.
South Florida is a program that has always given a lot of space to international players. Before you, there was Elisa Pinzan, who was a cornerstone of the team, as you later were. When the Bulls were recruiting you, did you talk to her?
At the beginning, when I started talking to some universities, I wanted to understand what the experience was like, and Elisa Pinzan gave me some valuable advice. Yes, the South Florida program is really impressive: there are many European players, and that, in my opinion, is the aspect that attracted me the most. Coming from a European style, having already played in Gran Canaria, I knew it would be a great opportunity to improve while still maintaining my European playing style. Even though the conference is not among the Power Five, the non-conference games gave me the chance to play against important teams like South Carolina, Duke, TCU, and Mississippi State, so it still offers a great opportunity to grow.
𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 🏀
Vittoria Blasigh x @USFWBB #AmericanHoops pic.twitter.com/KvuIkz8UH1
— The American (@American_Conf) March 8, 2024
Tell us about your transfer portal experience: which teams contacted you besides Miami?
The transfer from South Florida to Miami was an important choice for me. The experience in the transfer portal was still difficult to face. What I wanted was to try new experiences because I was playing in a conference that is not one of the Power Five, and I wanted to challenge myself at a higher level. I was specifically looking for the ACC, which is a high-level conference, to grow even more, both as a player and as a person. That was the main motivation. I had no problems with the team or the coaches, with whom I got along really well, so it was a very difficult decision to make.
To enter your name in the portal, you have to sign some documents and provide your contacts, like Instagram, email, and phone number. From there, universities can contact you through these channels. Then it’s up to you to talk with the coaches, who might offer you a visit or show you where you could live, and explain the team’s project. So you really receive many offers, and for me, it was hard to choose. Miami had been in my mind even before I arrived in America: it had always been my dream university, so I hoped to get there. Arizona, NC State, and Clemson contacted me, but Miami was the first to take me from the start. The coach was really super nice to me, and I liked the fact that they have a whole new project because many players were seniors and leaving, so only two remained. Even though they didn’t do well this year, I know they are building a new team, and I have the opportunity to play and compete at a very high level. So I have no experience, but I’m ready.
Is the portal really as crazy as everyone says?
My phone was receiving notifications every five minutes, so unfortunately, I couldn’t even respond to some offers, but I tried to be as polite as possible and consider all the proposals because you never know what might happen in the future. It was still a tough choice because there are many things to evaluate, not only from a basketball point of view but also regarding the university and what was the best choice for me. Being already in my second year, I had to understand which credits could be transferred and which could not. Also, leaving Florida would have been a problem since I will graduate next year and want to take advantage of the opportunity to do an extra year for my master’s degree. I was lucky to have taken some extra courses during the year, and I didn’t want to lose too many credits, so staying in the same state helped me in this regard as well.
BREAKING: USF’s Vittoria Blasigh has committed to Miami, sources told @On3sports.
The 5-9 sophomore averaged 10.4 ppg last season.
TRACKER: https://t.co/StsxDxjlYl pic.twitter.com/wVDSByL0WR
— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) March 31, 2025
Next year you will be playing in the ACC, one of the best conferences in the nation. Duke, Hannah Hidalgo’s Notre Dame, NC State, and North Carolina: do you feel ready for this new experience?
The great thing now is that I come with two years of experience behind me, having played two seasons with USF, during which we did well, facing strong opponents. Playing on an ACC team means having a better chance to win more games, even though every game in this conference is tough, and that’s exactly what I wanted. I can’t wait to play against Notre Dame, North Carolina, and I also hope Duke, because I would love to beat them again. As for a player, definitely Hannah Hidalgo from Notre Dame, who won the Player of the Year award, and I’m really looking forward to facing her. Miami has become my true obsession, ever since I was in Udine. Then, when I arrived in Gran Canaria, I would look on Instagram and see Miami, the arena, the atmosphere. Of course, it’s a very well-known American university, but back then I didn’t know much. It’s a bit of a dream coming true.
You have played against Hailey Van Lith and the UConn champions Paige Bueckers, Sarah Strong, and Azzi Fudd. What was it like facing these players?
Hailey is a fantastic player for me, very competitive, and what impresses me the most is that she is always ready, even in difficult moments, and always takes responsibility. Players like her, as well as Paige, Azzi, or Sarah Strong, despite their young age, are role models to follow. Playing against UConn was tough, and the score was quite harsh against us. The Huskies proved to be an impressive team, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to play against them. For me, Bueckers is an extraordinary player: her court vision is exceptional, and everything she does looks so easy; she has impressive talent. Fudd is a very quick shooter and hard to defend, while Sarah Strong, who also impressed in the March Madness, is very young but plays like a veteran. She’s a player who makes her presence felt on the court thanks to her great physicality and character; she’s really very good. Having played against both UConn and South Carolina, I expected them to win in the final.
How has your game changed during these two years in America?
I would say that, physically, the impact has been incredible from the very beginning. I remember often talking with Eleonora Villa about how different the physical aspect is here, and at first, it was really hard to get used to. Yes, it was very demanding, but once you get used to it, you really miss being there. Beyond the physicality, there is also the work on shooting technique that helps a lot, for example with the combined movements you do during individual sessions with the coach. The exercises are always different, and this variety is really the most important thing.
You still have two years of eligibility left; what are your personal and team goals for the next season?
The goal will be the March Madness, while personally my goal is to continue growing, both as a player and as a person. I want to bring to the court all the experience I have gained in these two years, always be at the service of the team, prepare to work hard all summer, compete every day, and try to win as much as possible. One area I definitely need to improve is my leadership: I want to grow as a leader, especially because we also have young players, freshmen, and I want to be an example for the whole team.
I feel ready to take on this role; I know I have to be a reliable presence, capable of bringing balance when needed. If something isn’t going well during practice, I need to be able to take charge of the team, gather them, and push them to always give their best. The coach is really very kind: when I was still in America, before coming to Italy, we talked on the phone for almost three hours. She would always call me; she was really nice. Even during the visit, all the coaches were very welcoming and kind to me, clearly explaining what they expect and what the team’s goals are. What I liked most was that I felt at home, as if I were part of a family.
