UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Lady Lions added seven new players to its roster this season. Out of those, three are international student-athletes: Vikoria Ranisavljevic, Tèa Clèante and Rachael Okokoh.
In their first season in Happy Valley, the three freshman additions have already made an impact on the team led by head coach Carolyn Kieger.
Ranisavljevic began playing basketball on predominantly boys’ teams in her hometown of Massagno, Switzerland.
“I started really early at six years old. I played until I was 13 years old in a completely boys’ team because there were no other girls. I think it was good for me and for my future because I built a strong physicality to play against them, so it was helpful,” Ranisavljevic said.
At 13, the guard was selected to play for the Swiss U16 national team at the FIBA U16 European Championship Division B, becoming one of the youngest players to ever join. Two years later, Ranisavljevic decided to move to Italy to pursue her dream of playing basketball professionally.
“I already knew when I was 15 that I wanted to try a new experience abroad, to grow up as a player and as a woman too,” Ranisavljevic said. “I played two seasons there and it was the best choice I could ever make. I really grew up and matured. This was another big step that I wanted to take.”
Continuing her international career, Ranisavljevic played with the Swiss senior national team for the first time in the EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers, helping lead the team to its first European Championship final since 1956.
She began pondering the idea of studying abroad in the United States as a way to “get out of (her) comfort zone,” she said. Being a student-athlete also allows her to get a bachelor’s degree while still competing – which Ranisavljevic deemed as “complicated” in Europe.
Even though she couldn’t visit the campus, Ranisavljevic said that coach Kieger made her feel welcomed in all their talks and she was thrilled that she wouldn’t be the only international student on the team.
“We are really a big family. It's my first year but I already have a lot of experience, so I can bring a lot to this team,” Ranisavljevic said. “
Another freshman francophone on the team is Téa Clèante, who said having a teammate that speaks her native language was essential early in her transition to Happy Valley.
“When people don't speak your first language, you have to reflect on what you say, what you understand. I think the first month was really hard. When I was in my room, I was like, ‘okay, I can rest’” Clèante said. “What helped me a lot too is the fact that (Ranisavljevic) speaks French and I think we got the same level in English. It's really helpful when you have somebody who doesn't understand the same thing as you.”
The Paris native never had to hide from her dream of playing professionally, as her parents also played the sport at the highest level.
“I started to play basketball when I was really young and I just remember that I really liked to play it. My family helped me during my young career,” Clèante said. “When I played a bad game, I could speak with my parents and they could understand what I felt or what could be a mistake for me on the court. It was not pressure, but just the help.”
Clèante knew early on she would have to move away from her hometown to pursue her career goals.
“In France, the process is: if you're the best of your generation, you go to Paris and after you go to the professional world,” Clèante said. “I already knew for a long time, I would have to leave Paris to go to another city. I didn’t know which city or country, but it was a decision that I had to make.”
After four years of playing in Paris, she moved for the first time to Lyon, still in France. In the new environment, the freshman played with players from different ages, which challenged her, she said.
Her international career began with the French U17 team before she helped the national team to two gold medals at the European Basketball Championships in 2024.
“You don't really realize at the moment. I knew I wanted to play professionally at six, so when I wore the French jersey for the first time I was like, ‘okay, I can be professional for real.’ It's not all people who can be in my place,” Clèante said.
Being coached by Kieger was also one of the reasons why Clèante decided to study at Penn State.
“I feel really confident with her. I feel she knows what I can do on the court. Penn State is also a good school for students,” Clèante said. “Sometimes we used the meetings to speak about it. Sometimes I just thought, ‘what did (Kieger) ask? Sorry, but I don't understand.’ I struggle because I didn’t understand. She really helped me.”
“I think we have a lot of talent on the team and we know we have a lot of things we need to work. But the talent is here and it's not the case on every team, so it's a good thing,” Clèante said.
Among the three freshmen, Rachel Okokoh had the shortest travel time to the United States. The Montreal, Quebec, native lives a seven-hour drive from Happy Valley – one of the reasons why she chose Penn State.
“It was close to home, so my family would be able to come down, and I'll be able to go see my family on Christmas break or whatever the case may be,” Okokoh said. “I also liked the family vibe that I got from my visit when I came here. Coach Kieger was super supportive. The girls were super welcoming as well."
Okokoh started playing basketball when she was 12 years old in her seventh grade with her club team, GBA. She followed her years there by playing for the prep school, Real Academy.
“I played there for two years, some of the best two years of my life,” Okokoh said. “In my last year there, we won the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association (Canada's premier high school basketball league) championship.”
Along representing her province in the Canadian Provincial Championships, Okokoh was part of Team Canada in the 2023 16U Americup and the Canadian U17 World Cup in 2024.
“My first reaction was definitely just super grateful, super excited. Representing your country is always such an amazing thing to do,” Okokoh said. “I am super grateful to be able to do that”
Even far away from their main support systems, the three players agree on one thing that keeps them strong: the team supports each other.
“It's always tough when you're away from your family, when you don't get to be close with your family and see them every single day,” Okokoh said. “The team has done a super great job at welcoming us into the environment and just being super family orientated and friendly.”