Roster outlook for Louisville women's basketball in 2020-21

Cardinals return ACC Player of the Year, two WNBA Draft picks depart

Louisville women’s basketball will look different next season from its 2019-20 that went 28-4 and won the ACC regular season title outright for the first time in program history.

The Returners

Dana Evans, the reigning ACC Player of the Year, headlines a backcourt with plenty of talent. Evans averaged 18.0 points and led the team in assists and 3-pointers.

Elizabeth Balogun started alongside of Evans in the backcourt after transferring from Georgia Tech. The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds as a sophomore.

Elizabeth Dixon transferred with Balogun from Georgia Tech. The 6-foot-5 forward played 14.4 minutes a game, averaging 4.4 points and 3.6 rebounds.

Mykasa Robinson developed as a contributor offensively after emerging into a defensive role early on. She played nearly 18 minutes a game as a sophomore.

Norika Konno was a part of Louisville’s backcourt rotation before a season-ending injury midway through the year.

Molly Lockhart, a 6-foot-3 forward, appeared in 10 games as a redshirt freshman.

Louisville has a trio of players that were on the roster last season but didn’t appear in any games.

Nyah Green, a 6-foot-1 guard, arrived to Louisville as a McDonald’s All-American and 12th ranked prospect by espnW HoopGurlz in the Class of 2019. She redshirted as a freshman.

Ramani Parker, a 6-foot-4 forward, redshirted as a freshman. She was the 99 rated prospect by espnW HoopGurlz in the Class of 2019.

After transferring from CAL, Kianna Smith sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules. The 6-foot guard averaged 9.8 points in her sophomore year at CAL.

The Departures

Jazmine Jones and Kylee Shook were selected consecutively in the 2020 WNBA Draft in April. Jones and Shook were both members of the All-ACC First Team. Shook, a 6-foot-4 forward, became the program’s first player since 2009 to win a conference Defensive Player of the Year award.

Jones averaged 14.1 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 53.9% from the field as a versatile wing.

Bionca Dunham played nearly 25 minutes a game as a vocal leader of Louisville front court. The 6-foot-2 forward averaged 6.1 points and 4.6 rebounds.

Yacine Diop, a transfer from Pittsburgh, was a valuable backcourt scorer off the bench, averaging 6.9 points in 19.8 minutes per game.

Jessica Laemmle appeared in 21 games as a walk-on for Louisville’s backcourt.

Lindsey Duvall and Seygan Robins entered the transfer portal last week. Duvall appeared in the 23 games as a redshirt sophomore. Robins played in Louisville’s first two games before redshirting due to an ankle injury.

Louisville coach Jeff Walz said Duvall and Robins would be welcomed back to the program if they don't find a school.

The Newcomers

Hailey Van Lith, the top-ranked guard in the 2020 recruiting class according to espnW Hoopgurlz, is a skilled scorer and playmaker at 5-foot-7.

Olivia Cochran, a 6-foot-1 forward, is ranked as the fourth-best forward in the 2020 recruiting class.

Ahlana Smith was named the 2019-20 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I Women’s Basketball Player of the Year. She played one season at UCLA before attending Gulf Coast State.

Merissah Russell is a 5-foot-11 guard from Ontario.