How could Copeland fit with the Hokies?
Three potential roster spots currently remain at the moment for Virginia Tech men’s basketball, which added another piece to its 2026-27 roster Monday. Stetson transfer guard Ethan Copelandto the program; the 6-foot-2, 184-pound junior has one year left under the current eligibility rules, though, if the five-in-five rules proposed by the NCAA become reality for this upcoming season, he will receive another year.
The 6-foot-2 guard out of Sunnyside, Washington averaged 15.0PPG, 3.7RPG, 2.1APG and 1.5SPG this season while shooting 43% from 3. Given that decision, it represents another smart move for Virginia Tech if the five-in-five rules go into effect. The Hokies have four seniors now on the roster: Copeland, Oklahoma State transfer Jaylen Curry, San Diego State transfer Miles Heide and returnee Amani Hansberry.
For the Hokies, securing Copeland’s services is a smart move given that the NCAA's five-in-five rules continue to loom on the horizon as a possible revolution for the constructions of rosters in today's modern age of hoops. If it does go into effect, Virginia Tech has secured multiple-year contributors, and if it doesn’t, the Hokies still receive the benefit of one-year production and enter next offseason in a relatively similar position. At minimum, Copeland is a very solid spot-up shooter.
He connected on nearly 43% of his three-point attempts at Stetson last season while making more than three triples per game, giving Virginia Tech another proven perimeter threat. Even if that turns out to be the extent of his role, it's still a valuable need that the Hokies have presumably taken care of. The numbers back up that projection.
In Atlantic Sun play, Copeland posted a 56.6% effective field-goal percentage and a 59.2% true-shooting percentage while taking 25.8% of his team's shots . Despite that workload, he maintained an 8.7% turnover rate, the sixth-best mark in the conference. He also shot 42.3% from three-point range and 83.3% from the free-throw line in league play.
Though Virginia Tech struggled at the end of the 2025-26 season, leading to the loss of all but five of its players, the road to redemption is relatively clear. The Hokies have added depth in both the frontcourt and backcourt. Copeland joins a guard group that already includes Jaylen Curry, Ben Hammond, Tyler Johnson, Isaiah Elohim and Ned Hull, giving Virginia Tech multiple ball-handlers and shooters.
While the roster may lack the obvious star power of some ACC contenders, the Hokies are beginning to assemble enough depth and lineup flexibility to remain competitive in the league this coming season. Hughes serves as Virginia Tech On SI's lead editor, a position he has held since July 2025. He is a sophomore at Virginia Tech, majoring in multimedia journalism with a minor in creative writing.
Hughes is also the assistant editor-in-chief for 3304 Sports, as well as an on-air talent for 3304's SportsCenter-style studio show. He is also a staff writer for Steering Wheel Nation, having written pieces on several motorsport series, including Formula 1 and the NTT IndyCar Series.
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