Heartbreak News,The head coach and two all-time players of the Louisville women’s team have announced their departure.
an updated preview of Louisville Women’s Basketball’s 2023–24 roster possibilities.
Updated on June 17, 2023, at 11:33 AM by Matthew McGavick Original Date: June 17, 2023
LOUISVILLE, KY: The Louisville women’s basketball team’s 2023–24 roster is beginning to take shape and may soon be finalized.
The Cardinals have added two players to their roster for the upcoming season in the almost two months since our previous report. Due to this, Louisville currently has 11 scholarship players, far fewer than the 15 scholarship players for women’s basketball that the NCAA has allotted.
Nevertheless, more often than not, the lineup is determined, even with the four open scholarships. Head coach Jeff Walz stated early in the year that he might only be able to have 10–12 players on a team going forward due to the challenge of balancing playing time with so many guys.
Though theoretically additional players might be added between now and November’s season opening, let’s look at how this club is now assembled, as the roster is most likely full.
Arrivals and Departures
Shortly after our previous report, Louisville announced in late April that they had officially signed former UMass guard Sydney Taylor, adding yet another significant player to their backcourt. She was selected to the First Team All-Atlantic 10 after averaging 16.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game the previous season. She is also an expert at the long ball. Her three-point percentage of 38.5 percent and her 104 made threes ranked seventh in Division I.
Eseosa Imafidon, a center from Andover (N.H.) Proctor Academy, committed to the University of Louisville in mid-May, and this week the Cardinals were able to sign her. In addition to leading Proctor to an overall record of 14-7, the Class of 2023 product averaged 14.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game while a junior at Matthews (N.C.) Covenant Day School. For the 2023 cycle, she is Louisville’s only commitment.
Six of the seven newcomers Louisville is expected to welcome are Division I transfers as of this writing. Together, those six transfers—which also include guards Eylia Love of Georgia Tech, Jayda Curry of California, Hennie van Schaik of Cal State Bakersfield, Kiki Jefferson of James Madison, and Nina Rickards of Florida—averaged 76.6 points, 31.6 rebounds, and 12.3 assists per game at their respective schools the previous year.
Considering the number of players the staff is losing off the roster from the previous year, this is exactly what they needed to do. Six seniors in the program graduated, while five additional players, among them All-American guard Hailey Van Lith, went through the transfer portal. The only ones making a comeback are Nyla Harris, Olivia Cochran, Merissah Russell, and Alexia Mobley.
