Syracuse women’s basketball: the Orange add transfer center Izabel Varejão for upcoming season

For the second time this week, the Syracuse Orange women’s basketball team added a center to the roster for the 2023-2024 season.

The Orange announced on Tuesday the addition of Izabel Varejão - an experienced six-foot-four center who previously played four seasons with the University of Michigan. Varejão’s is a native of Vitoria-Espirito Santo (Brazil) and her uncle, Anderson Varejão, played 13 seasons in the NBA. She averaged 3.9 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game in 56 career games with Michigan, according to a Syracuse Athletics press release.

Varejão is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, including in 2022-2023, and will have two years of NCAA eligibility left.

Based on her highlights, she’ll look to serve as a center who can block some shots, facilitate around the basket, and score on the occasional post-up opportunity. With the lack of center depth last season, coach Felisha Legette-Jack praised her ability to make an impact immediately for Syracuse, especially with her skill set around the basket.

Legette-Jack also praised the experience Varejão accumulated in Michigan, where the Wolverines clinched three NCAA Tournament appearances - including suiting up for 24 games when Michigan advanced to the Elite Eight in 2022. While her numbers don’t immediately jump out, she’ll give Syracuse another veteran presence for a program looking to secure its first NCAA Tournament berth since the 2020-2021 season. She also adds to the Orange’s culture of strong academic and athletic performance.

Legette-Jack recently announced on Saturday the addition of Maria-Eleni Triantafylli, a six-foot-five center from Athens, Greece. These two additions give the Orange some more depth at the center spot.

Varejão becomes the second grad transfer Legette-Jack secured this offseason after also adding Akron guard Dominique Camp to the team and the fifth new player for the 2023-2024 roster to pair with the eight returning members from last year’s roster.