Roster Outlook for 2021-22 Season of Louisville Women's Basketball
(Photo of Jeff Walz and Louisville Players: Kirby Lee - USA TODAY Sports)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - We might be just four days removed from their season-ending loss to Stanford in the Elite Eight, but barring any additional transfers out, the 2021-22 roster for the Louisville women's basketball program is now officially set.
Now that the Cardinals have filled all 15 available scholarship spots, let's take a look at how this team will look when they open up next season, as well who could see action at what positions.
Departures and Arrivals
The Cardinals only have a pair of departures from the 2020-21 squad, but one of them just so happens to be one of the best players in program history. Senior guard Dana Evans leaves Louisville as the program's ninth-leading scorer (1,715), sixth-leading three-point shooter (37.7%) and sixth-leading assister (521).
The only other departure from the program was sophomore guard Nyah Green. The former McDonald's All-American and five-star prospect entered the transfer portal back on Dec. 17 after redshirting her freshman year and playing in just five games her sophomore year. She committed to Duke on Jan. 25.
Fortunately, Louisville is bringing in a fair of amount of talent to an already loaded roster. On Thursday, the program officially added a pair of transfer into the fold: Syracuse guard Emily Engstler and Vanderbilt guard Chelsie Hall. Engslter was the Co-ACC Sixth Player of the Year, while Hall was a 1,000 point scorer.
The Cardinals also signed a pair of high regarded high school seniors in guard Payton Verhulst and center Sydni Schetnan. Verhulst is a McDonalds All-American, Schetnan is a dual sport athlete with volleyball, and both helped guide their schools to state championships in their senior year.
Projected Depth Chart
Given all that we know now about the current state of Louisville's roster, below is an early look into what the depth chart next year could look like:
*Mobile users can scroll left & right on the table*
| Point Guard | Shooting Guard | Small Forward | Power Forward | Center |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mykasa Robinson | Hailey Van Lith | Kianna Smith | Elizabeth Balogun | Olivia Cochran |
Chelsie Hall | Norika Konno | Emily Engstler | Ramani Parker | Elizabeth Dixon |
Merrisah Russell | Ahlana Smith | Payton Verhulst | Malea Williams | Sydni Schetnan |
Louisville has some a few options to be their primarily ball handler next season, but Mykasa Robinson has earned that right. Out of all the returning players, Robinson's 4.2 assists per 40 minutes leads the team, and trailed Dana Evans by half an assist. Not to mention she had a strong showing in the second half of the season, and had a pair of highlight plays in the NCAA Tournament. Chelsie Hall will give the Cards consistency at that position as she is also a good ball distributor, and is a proven scorer. Merissah Russell is more than likely another year away from becoming a major contributor, mostly because of backcourt depth.
If there was going to be a 'star' on an already star-studded roster, it would probably be Hailey Van Lith. She made tremendous strides in year one thanks to her overall playmaking abilities, and was one of two Cardinals named to the ACC All-Freshman Team alongside Olivia Cochran. Behind her, it's a race between Norika Konna and Ahlana Smith at the backup two guard position, as both showcased their ability to shoot and distribute the ball.
Small forward/three-spot could arguably be the deepest spot on the roster next season. Kianna Smith had a tremendous first season as a Cardinal, as the Cal transfer finished as Louisville's second-leading scorer (11.4 ppg) and was one of four player with over 60 assists on the year. Emily Engstler could be a starter or even Louisville's go-to player off the bench, and Payton Verhulst very well could be a day one contributor.
If there were any 'questions' about the roster, it would likely be at the four spot. Elizabeth Balogun gave Louisville solid minutes in her junior season, leading the team in blocks while providing roughly six points and four rebounds in twenty minutes per game. Then we have Ramani Parker and Malea Williams - two of the three players with the lowest playing time, in terms of minutes per game, on the team.
Finally we have the center spot. Louisville has two great options here in Olivia Cochran and Elizabeth Dixon, and Cochran showed here long term potential many times this season. Dixon could even supplant Balogun as a starter at times if head coach Jeff Walz wants to go with a taller lineup. As for Sydni Schetnan, she's probably a couple years away from being a regular contributor.
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