THE FLATS – Georgia Tech women’s basketball and head coach Karen Blair announced Thursday the signing of Antonia Bates, a 6-3 guard/forward grad transfer from Rutgers.
“Antonia Bates is someone who truly creates for others and elevates the players around her,” Blair said. “She’s a player-maker with elite versatility, especially on the defensive end where she’s a constant disruptor. Antonia rebounds, makes hustle plays and brings the kind of experience and leadership that’s invaluable to our program. She fits perfectly with our transition game and style of play, and we believe she’ll have a significant impact on winning on both ends of the floor. Just as importantly, she’s a person of outstanding character, which makes her a great fit for our culture.”
The Scarlett Knights’ leading rebounder last season, Bates made 44 starts in four seasons in New Jersey, including starting each of the final 12 games of the 2025-26 campaign. She led Rutgers in rebounding 11 times as a senior while being the only player on the team to crack triple digits in defensive rebounds (102). She was second on the team in assists (56).
She started all five games played in her junior season and 25 of 30 as a sophomore. In 2023-24, she finished second on the team in average minutes and ranked third in the Big Ten with 46 blocks. She was also top 15 in the conference with 95 assists that season. As a freshman in 2022-23, Bates saw action in all 32 games while leading Rutgers in blocks (30 – ninth in the Big Ten) and third on the team in made three’s (18).
Bates arrives on The Flats with 183 career assists, 91 steals and 96 blocks in 96 games played.
Prior to her time in Piscataway, N.J., she played for Notre Dame High School and competed at Rutgers Prep in her final year. She averaged 12.4 points per game in her final season at Notre Dame while leading the Crusaders to their first state semifinal. In 2020-21, she was named Class 3A All-State Second Team. Bates also played AAU ball with the New Jersey Sparks and rose to the 40th-ranked guard in her class according to ESPNW.
“I’m incredibly grateful to our Georgia Tech women’s basketball staff for a season defined by rewarding hard work and a shared commitment to excellence,” Blair added. “They’ve done a tremendous job assembling a strong portal class with five signees to complement our seven returning veterans and an exciting freshman. This group really addresses our needs, bringing depth at every position along with versatility on both ends of the floor. What stands out most is their humble, hungry mindset and dedication to competitive excellence. There’s a lot to be excited about as we look ahead to the 2026–27 season.”
Bates’ signing wraps up a successful offseason for the Jackets that featured the additions of Autumn Washington (freshman), Sofia Muñoz (UAB), Jordan Ode (Michigan State), Kyndal Walker (Maryland) and Penda Dieng (Xavier).
Those additions solidify a 2026-27 Georgia Tech women’s basketball team that is returning four of its primary starting five from a season ago, the first under Blair. Tech finished with 10 victories inside McCamish Pavilion en route to a berth in the 2026 WBIT. The Yellow Jackets captured key victories over No. 18 Notre Dame, Clemson, Stanford and Miami last season.
PURCHASE 2026-27 GEORGIA TECH WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON TICKETS
Season ticket renewals and new season tickets are now available for the 2026-27 Georgia Tech women’s basketball season inside McCamish Pavilion. Secure your spot today as the Yellow Jackets embark on year two of the Karen Blair Era featuring a thrilling ACC schedule and competitive non-conference slate. Courtside, reserved sideline and general admission seats are currently available. Click HERE to purchase today.
The deadline to renew your season tickets for the 2026-27 Georgia Tech women’s basketball season is June 1. Click here to renew today.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
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