Watch: Louisville Head Coach Jeff Walz Provides Team Update
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - We might be deep into the dog days of summer, but it has been an eventful offseason for the Louisville women's basketball program.
Following a 2022-23 season where they went 26-12 but were still able to reach the Elite Eight, the dominoes of roster construction fell quickly. On top of six seniors graduating, five players opted to enter the transfer portal, including All-American guard Hailey Van Lith.
With Louisville not landing a Class of 2023 commitment until Eseosa Imafidon (who plans to redshirt the upcoming 2023-24 season) pulled the trigger in May, head coach Jeff Walz and his staff had to utilize the transfer portal in order to restock the roster. The Cardinals wound up bringing in five transfers over the offseason as part of a six-women transfer class that ranks as one of the top portal hauls in women's college basketball.
These five transfers recently made it to campus, and began summer workouts with Louisville's four returners and their mid-season portal addition in Eylia Love. So far this offseason, he likes how the group has built camaraderie ahead of the 2023-24 season
"It's a group of 10 that I'm thrilled with," Walz said, speaking for the first time since after the NCAA Tournament. "It has been a great offseason so far. Preseason, spring and summer. Our chemistry is as good as it's been in a long time. Just really been impressed with how well they're all bonding and getting to know each other."
This group will have a prime opportunity to get to know each other next month. Louisville is the United States representative for the 2023 GLOBL JAM tournament in Toronto, Ontario, which will take place from July 12-16. The Cardinals will face the U-23 Canadian National Team, U-23 Puerto Rican National Team and the U-23 Team Africa in the Round Robin-style tournament.
"It's really going to give us a chance to get them playing together," Walz said. You can play pick up as much as you want, but until you get them into some structure and they get to play against each other, and you get to start implementing what we're going to try to do offensively and defensively, it's going to be a huge advantage for us to get us going a little bit early."
On Wednesday, Walz took time to meet with the media to provide a summer update on his team. He discussed each of the new additions to the team and what they bring, the progress that each returner has made, Van Lith's surprising departure, the impact of NIL and the transfer portal on modern recruiting, and more.
Below is the video from his press conference:
(Photo of Jeff Walz: Scott Utterback - Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)
You can follow Louisville Report for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:
Facebook - @LouisvilleReport
Twitter - @UofLReport
Instagram - @louisville_report
You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter
