Sara Hammond takes leader role for U of L

After the departures of Shoni Schimmel and three other super seniors, University of Louisville women's basketball coach Jeff Walz left little ambiguity last week about the leadership role he expects for Sara Hammond this season.

"Sara knows this is her team now," he said.

As the Cardinals seek a new identity in the post-Shoni era, the opportunity is there for Hammond to emerge as the new lady of Louisville and establish herself as one of the top players in the country.

"Sara wants to go out on a high note," Walz said. "Sara wants to make sure that when her senior year is finished, she's put it all out there."

The senior power forward from Rockcastle County brings loads of big-game experience after a couple seasons as a No. 2 option, and Walz believes she has the increased confidence to be the Cards' go-to player.

"I'm ready to take that leadership role, and I'm thankful that he has that trust in me to lead this team," Hammond said. "It boosts my confidence in knowing how I can contribute to this team and that my teammates look up to me and look to me when we get to critical points in the game.

"I need to step up and lead this team through my actions and by what I say. I've been trying to do that since last season ended."

Hammond was third on the team in scoring (10.4 points per game) and second in rebounding (5.9 per game) last season, and the Cards will need increased production from her.

Last year's seniors — Schimmel, Asia Taylor, Antonita Slaughter and Tia Gibbs — contributed 54 percent of the team's scoring (45 ppg) and 43 percent of the rebounds (19.1 per game).

To help fill the void, Walz said he won't be surprised to see Hammond's scoring average rise to 14 to 18 points per game.

She has been primarily a low-post threat her first three seasons while possessing the ability to shoot occasional jumpers.

Hammond's trying to expand that perimeter game.

She worked on ball-handling for 30 minutes every day during the summer, and she must make 100 threes every day this preseason before she leaves practices.

Hammond went 10 of 36 from beyond the arc last season. Schimmel, Slaughter and Gibbs were the Cards' best shooters by far.

"Coach is really challenging us, 'Who's going to be our three-point shooter this year?' " Hammond said. "And I kind of personally want to take that role of being that outside shooter and being consistent at it — not just making a three and one game and making another three games later."

The Cards have an interesting roster dynamic with five seniors and five freshmen. The older players will be needed to bring the newcomers along.

Hammond and fellow senior Bria Smith are former McDonald's All Americans. Now they'll help 2014 McDonald's players Mariya Moore and Myisha Hines-Allen acclimate to the college game.

"It's definitely been different in practice because I've been so used to looking for Tia and Asia and Shoni and Nita, and now everyone's looking toward me," Hammond said. "If (the freshmen) don't know what's going on, they're kind of like, 'What do we do?' So everyone is looking at me to step my game up, and I just try to be positive and supportive and encouraging every day."

Hammond has WNBA ambitions after college, and the big stage of the ACC will give her the chance to stand out. To that end, she's worked with U of L's trainers to improve her footwork and become a quicker player on defense.

Walz said he has "no doubt" that Hammond has the goal of being one of the nation's premier players.

"That's kind of an individual goal of mine, to possibly be on that All-American list and by the end of the season people are saying, 'Wow, she really is an elite player,'" Hammond said. "But that doesn't happen unless we have a good team and have great success as a team. That's the No. 1 factor and the No. 1 thing that's important to me."

Steve Jones can be reached at (502) 582-7176 and followed on Twitter at @SteveJones_CJ.