There is always something a little different about seeing a West Virginia kid put on the Old Gold and Blue. And for Alexis Bordas, that opportunity is finally here.
The Wheeling native is coming home after spending her freshman season at Duquesne, where she quickly showed she could score at the college level. Now, instead of watching WVU represent her home state, Bordas gets the chance to do it herself.
“It means so much to me to be able to play for this team and represent home state,” Bordas said.
“I have already received so much support from fans and I am looking forward to getting to wear West Virginia across my chest and making people in this state proud.”
For Mountaineer fans who followed high school basketball in the state, Bordas isn’t exactly a new name. She put together quite the career at Wheeling Park, finishing as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,606 points. She was named West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year three times and helped lead Wheeling Park to the Class AAAA state championship in 2024.
And apparently scoring a lot of points didn’t stop when she got to college.
As a freshman at Duquesne, the 5-foot-8 guard started all 31 games and averaged 15.5 points per game, which led the Dukes. She also knocked down 90 three-pointers, the second-most in a single season in Duquesne history.
If there is one thing WVU fans should probably know about Bordas before the season starts, it’s that she can shoot the basketball.
Just ask Pitt.
Bordas dropped 38 points on the Panthers last season and made 10 three-pointers in the game. Now she will get to see if that shooting can carry over into the Big 12.
“Shooting is something that translates anywhere, if you can shoot it you can shoot it,” Bordas said. “So using my strength of shooting to my advantage in this conference but also improving in other areas of my game as well.”
Photos by Trystan Layton
Bordas knows the jump to the Big 12 will bring a different level of competition. She said she has spent the offseason working on her speed, quickness and strength to prepare for the physicality and athleticism she’ll face. But her ability to score isn’t the only reason she seems like a good fit for Mark Kellogg’s team.
If you have watched WVU under Kellogg, you know what the Mountaineers want to do defensively. They want to make opposing guards uncomfortable, force turnovers and turn those mistakes into points.
“I have always been a player that has played with a high motor,” Bordas said. “I play really hard and use my basketball IQ to my advantage. I love WVU’s aggression and intensity on defense. Constantly creating havoc and turning defense int offense is such a fun system to play in especially when you love just playing hard.”
Bordas had 48 steals as a freshman and believes her style fits right in. That was probably music to Kellogg’s ears. Bordas also is not coming to Morgantown expecting everything to revolve around her scoring.
She carried a large part of the offensive load at Duquesne, leading the team in scoring 17 times and reaching double figures in 25 games. At WVU, she will be surrounded by more talent and say that’s exactly what she wanted when she entered the portal.
“There are so many talented players here that I am super happy I get to play alongside,” Bordas said. “That was what I wanted going into this process, to be around players who were going to work hard, make each other better, and compete at the highest level.”
And the chance to compete for something bigger played a major role in her decision.
“I knew that I wanted to play for a team that had a chance to go far in the NCAA tournament,” Bordas said. “Coach Kellogg has built something super special here and has such a great reputation for winning.”
Of course, coming home brings something else with it: expectations.
Bordas is not just another player transferring into WVU. She is one of most accomplished high school basketball players the state has produced in recent years. People around West Virginia already know her name, and now they will be watching her play for the state’s biggest program.
She knows that brings some pressure.
“There is definitely some added pressure being from WV playing at WVU, but that makes it even more exciting and an even greater opportunity,” Bordas said. “To have the chance to get to represent my home state is something that most young players here dream of.”
That may end up being the best part of this story.
Bordas could have continued her career somewhere else after proving herself as a freshman. Instead, she’s back in West Virginia, playing in front of the same people who watched her become one of the best high school players in the state. Soon, her family and friends will not have very far to travel to see her play either.
“I am definitely looking forward to winning a lot of games with all of my family and friends here to watch,” Bordas said. “It means so much to have all of the support I have and to be able to play in front of people I love.”
So what exactly are Mountaineer fans getting? We will let Bordas that one herself.
“I would describe myself as a shooter who plays hard, communicates, has a high basketball IQ, and wants to do whatever it takes to win.”
Sounds like she will fit in just fine in Morgantown.
