In spring update, Walz excited for team upside

Jeff Walz had a pep in his voice as he detailed the early progress his Louisville women's basketball team has made since the Cards' season ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 20, much earlier than he and his players had hoped.

He credited his young team for fighting its way through a 1-4 start, which helped them realize "what our seniors meant to our program," he said. After recognizing that things had to change, Walz said, the coaches and players "just got back in the gym" and turned things around, winning 25 of their final 29 games and finishing 15-1 in the ultra-competitive ACC.

Now the Cards run into the spring and summer with a positive feeling about where they are headed.

"We have a lot of potential with this group, and we’re really excited about what the future holds for us," Walz said.

More: Walz proud of McCoughtry's adaptability with Team USA

Louisville could still add a player to its 2016-17 roster, Walz said, with one open scholarship remaining. But the staff only wants to fill the spot if it makes sense. Walz and company love the team they have, a group built around ACC Player of the Year Myisha Hines-Allen and All-ACC forward Mariya Moore.

"We understand what’s in front of us," Walz said. "We know what we want to do, and that’s to continue to advance. We were very disappointed with our loss in the second round, but it’s one we’ve learned from. It’s one that puts a little fire in your gut as a player and as a coach."

The staff is allowed to spend two hours a week with its team for the next eight weeks. Walz said the goal is to provide some guidance - "a road map" - of what the players need to do on their own time.

Walz said he has been impressed by the offseason work reserve forward Sam Fuehring and center Erin DeGrate have put in so far, with Fuehring making significant progress with her ball-handling and shooting. Moore, who averaged 14.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists a game as a sophomore, has been working with a personal trainer and "a basketball guy," Walz said, and continues to develop her handling and shooting as well.

"It’s going to be an important (offseason) for us," he said. "We have a lot of work to do individually to get better."

Two players decided to leave Louisville's program and transfer schools, though Walz seemed comfortable with both Taja Cole and Sydney Brackemyre's decisions.

Former 5-star PG Cole to transfer from U of L

Cole, Walz said, wanted more playing time, something he said he and his staff "completely respect."

"I wish her nothing but the best," Walz said of Cole, who averaged 2.9 points and 1.9 assists a game as a freshman last season.

As for Brackemyre, who missed all but two games after re-injuring her left knee, Walz said he and the redshirt freshman from Ohio had extensive conversations about her future. He said Brackemyre could stay at U of L and "help the program" but not play, or move on to a different-level program and keep playing without putting so much stress on her body.

"One of her concerns was: She wants to one day have a family and run around the backyard with her kids," Walz said. "She wants to be able to jog. It was a matter of, 'If I continue to play at this level, am I going to be able to do that?' Most sophomores in college aren’t looking that far ahead. ...

"Through discussions back and forth with her and her family, Syd’s decided to see if she can find that right school. ... We want her to be happy."

Injured U of L player Brackeymyre to transfer