Otaifo Esenabhalu

Position:
Forward
Height:
6-1
Class:
Senior
High School:
Lowndes HS
Hometown:
Valdosta, Ga.
Prev School:
Longwood

2026 Honorable Mention All-Big South
2025 Big South All-Tournament Team
2024 Big South All-Freshman Team

2025-26 (at Longwood):
Played in 30 games and made one start … Nearly averaged a double-double with 8.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in just 22.0 minutes per game … Earned All-Big South Honorable Mention recognition … Led the conference in rebounding and ranked sixth in the country at 4.2 offensive boards per game … Posted 16 double-digit rebounding outings and 13 double-doubles, which was the most in the Big South … Her 278 total rebounds were ninth most in single-season program history … Shot 53.6% from the field for a top-five field goal percentage in the league … Also made 70.1% of her free throws and added 27 steals and 14 blocks defensively … Scored a career-high 18 points on 6-for-6 shooting alongside 14 rebounds in a win over Radford on Feb. 4 … Went 7-of-9 from the field in a 16-point, 10-rebound performance against UNCW … Tallied 15 points and a dozen boards versus UNC Pembroke … Secured a career-high 18 rebounds on Feb. 18 against Gardner-Webb … Led Longwood to a victory over UNC Asheville in the Big South quarterfinals with 11 points and 13 rebounds

2024-25 (at Longwood):
Started 13 times and appeared in all 34 games … Helped lead Longwood to a 13-win improvement, going from nine victories the year prior to a 22-12 record and an appearance in the WNIT … Averaged 7.8 points and 8.2 rebounds in less than 20 minutes per game … Her 280 total rebounds were the most in the Big South and eighth all-time in a season at Longwood … Had 13 games with at least 10 points, 11 double-digit rebounding efforts and six double-doubles … Shot 47.0% from the field on 202 attempts and 67.6% at the free throw line … Led the team with 23 blocks and snatched 34 steals … Was named to the Big South All-Tournament team after a 13-point, 14-rebound outing in the first round and run to the championship game … Recorded back-to-back double-doubles early in the season against Hood and American … Opened the conference slate with 12 points and 11 boards in a victory over Presbyterian … Grabbed a season-high 14 rebounds versus Radford on Jan. 22 … Set career highs in steals (4) and blocks (4) against Charleston Southern on Feb. 1 and UNC Asheville on Feb. 22, respectively

2023-24 (at Longwood):
Was a key piece of the rotation as a true freshman, making eight starts and 30 appearances … Averaged 4.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game to earn a spot on the Big South All-Freshman Team … Finished fourth in the conference in rebounding average and her 2.6 offensive boards per game ranked sixth … Shot 42.3% from the field and was tied for the team lead with 13 blocks on defense … Had her best game of the season on Jan. 27 against Regent, posting a season-high 16 points and 15 rebounds for her first career double-double … Secured 10 and 15 rebounds in just her third and fourth games at the collegiate level, respectively … Had 14+ boards in three of her final four games of the year, including a season-high 16 against Gardner-Webb on Feb. 28 … That stretch also featured a 10-point, 14-rebound double-double at High Point on March 2

High School:
Graduated from Lowndes in Valdosta, Ga., after spending her first two years of high school at Faribault in Minnesota … Averaged a double-double as a junior to earn a selection to the All-State Team … Was also named ITG Next Athlete of the Month in March of that season … Played volleyball in addition to basketball