Women's Basketball Holds First Team Practice of 2014-15
October 08, 2014 | Women's Basketball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville women's basketball team officially started its 2014-15 season on Wednesday with its first team practice on Wednesday afternoon at Cardinal Arena.
The Cardinals, who are entering their inaugural season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, return eight letterwinners - including senior starters Sara Hammond and Bria Smith - from last season's squad that went 33-5 and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight.
Under head coach Jeff Walz, now in his eighth season at the helm of the program, Louisville worked on multiple items in the three hours. Among the items, the Cardinals focused on transition defense, moving without the ball on offense, and rebounding - individually and as a team. The winningest coach in program history, Walz also applied concepts he practiced while with the U.S. Women's U-18 National Team over the summer.
Hammond, a WBCA All-America honorable mention, started all 38 games a season ago and averaged 10.4 points and 5.9 rebounds. She knocked down 51 percent of her shots from the field, while tying for a team with 23 blocks. Smith, a second team all-AAC performer, started 32 contests, averaging 7.6 points and 1.6 steals per game.
Louisville also regains the services of returnees Jude Schimmel, Shawnta' Dyer, Sheronne Vails, Cortnee Walton, Megan Deines, and Emmonnie Henderson. The group helped Louisville finish fourth in the final Associated Press Poll for 2013-14.
The Cardinals' incoming class that was ranked No. 8 nationally by espnW is highlighted by McDonald's All-Americans Myisha Hines-Allen and Mariya Moore. The duo make up two of the seven McDonald's All-Americans playing in the ACC in the upcoming season.
Hines-Allen, a New Jersey native, tallied 1,803 points and concluded her time at Montclair High averaging 17.0 points and 9.8 rebounds. Moore, a Hercules, Calif., native, finished her prep career with more than 2,300 points, 1,100 rebounds, and 878 assists.
Sydney Brackemyre, another five-star prospect in the Cardinals' class, was the 2014 Ohio National Guard JJ Huddle Girls Basketball Player of the Year. She averaged 15.6 points and 8.5 boards her senior year. Arica Carter came to Louisville from California, where she ranked No. 16 at the guard position and was a four-star recruit after averaging 10.5 points and 5.1 steals in her senior campaign. Ariana Freeman, a Virginia native, rounds out the incoming class. She was an ESPN top 100 player and surpassed the 1,000-point plateau during high school.
Currently inside the 40-day window from its first game of the year, Louisville is continuing preparations for the season opener at IUPUI on Nov. 14 in Indianapolis, Ind.
For the latest information on Louisville women's basketball, log on to GoCards.com, or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account at www.twitter.com/UofLWBB or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UofLWBB.
