The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets women’s basketball team is in unprecedented territory, as the team is 14-0 and ranked No.13 in the latest AP poll, setting the stage for an already historic season that could get even greater as it goes along. A pivotal part of the success has been freshman Dani Carnegie, who is garnering national attention for her play on the court this season.
Carnegie was the No.29 overall ranked recruit in the 2024 recruiting class by ESPN and being named the 2024 Georgia Player of the Year. She led Grayson High School to a state championship and an undefeated season in 2024, where the team won every game in the tournament by at least 21 points.
Carnegie chose to stay in her home state when it came to decision time for where she would begin her college career, choosing the Yellow Jackets.
Since arriving on campus, Carnegie has emerged as one of the top freshman in the nation, leading the Yellow Jackets to their best start in school history. It didn’t take long for head coach Nell Fortner to realize the potential that Carnegie had on the court, as Carnegie scored in double-digits in the team’s first five games of the season, including her first 20-point outing of her college career against the Yellow Jackets in-state rival Georgia Bulldogs on Nov. 17. Since then, Carnegie has eclipsed the 20-point mark three more times, all within the Yellow Jackets last four games.
Carnegie’s impact doesn’t stop there though, as she has proven to be a great rebounder for the team as well, averaging 5.3 rebounds per game, good for fourth on the team. Carnegie has six games this season in which she has had at least eight rebounds.
As the conference schedule heats up for the Yellow Jackets, Carnegie will be a crucial part of how far the team goes this season.