Six Former Cards on 2026 WNBA Opening Day Rosters

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Women's National Basketball Association has officially returned. Eight months after the Las Vegas Aces were able to secure their third WNBA Championship in a four-year span, the season-opener for the 2026 season is finally here.

With play for the league's 30th season scheduled to begin today, Friday, May 8, six former Louisville women's basketball players are on opening day rosters following training camp: guards Dana Evans, Sydney Taylor and Hailey Van Lith; plus forwards Emily Engstler, Myisha Hines-Allen and Laura Ziegler.

Evans will be heading into her second season with the Las Vegas Aces and sixth season in the WNBA. The 5-foot-6 guard was a crucial bench piece for the Aces' title tea last season, averaging 6.6 points and 2.2 assists in 44 games and one start. However, she is currently out indefinitely with a left leg injury.

As for Taylor, she is slated to make her WNBA debut. After going unselected in the 2024 WNBA Draft, the 5-foot-9 guard spent the next two seasons playing overseas in Europe. She earned a training camp invitation with the Chicago Sky, and parlayed a great preseason into a roster spot.

Van Lith was drafted at No. 11 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky, but had a very underwhelming rookie campaign. In 29 bench appearances, she averaged only 3.5 poins and 1.6 assists per game, while shooting just 33.9 percent. She was waived by the Sky earlier this week, but subsequently picked up by the Connecticut Sun.

Engstler has spent the last two seasons with the Washington Mystics, but was selected by the Portland Fire in last month's WNBA Expansion Draft. During the 2025 season, her fourth in the WNBA, the 6-foot-1 forward averaged 3.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 40 appearances off the bench.

As one of the longest-tenured WNBA players to come out of Louisville, year nine for Hines-Allen will be spent relatively close to home, as signed with the Indiana Fever as a free agent this offseason. Last season with the Dallas Stars, the 6-foot-2 forward put up 7.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 40 games and 20 starts.

Ziegler went unselected in the 2026 WNBA Draft, but was signed by the Los Angeles Sparks to their player development pool afterwards. This past season in her lone year with the Cardinals, the 6-foot-2 transfer forward from Saint Joseph's averaged 11.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game in 37 starts.

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