Jeff Walz was realistic when discussing his Louisville women’s basketball team.
Just as much as he’s benefited from the transfer portal, he’s aware that he can lose just as much to it as well. The portal opened Tuesday, two days after the Cardinals lost to TCU, 85-70, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Still, the squad posted the program’s 15th straight 20-win season and 17th during Walz’s 18 years as the head coach.
“We’ll find out this week of who’s coming back, who’s not,” Walz said Sunday after the season-ending loss. “It’s portal season now, and it’s just reality. It’s one of those (things) as a coach, you don’t get too worked up. I mean, sure, I’d love for them all to stay, but I don’t know if that’s possible.”
Louisville knew it would lose four seniors: Jayda Curry, Ja’Leah Williams, Olivia Cochran and Merissah Russell. It will also lose Nyla Harris and Izela Arenas. The pair became the first two U of L players to enter the portal on Tuesday, a U of L spokesperson confirmed.
Here’s a look at the Cardinals’ outgoing transfers:
Izela Arenas, Fr., guard
The California native was ranked 88th in the espnW HoopGurlz Top 100 for the Class of 2024 as part of the Cardinals’ sixth-ranked recruiting group. She came off the bench and averaged 4.2 points,1.2 rebounds and 11.8 minutes in 29 games played during her freshman campaign. Arenas played more during the postseason when she averaged 15.5 minutes and keyed in on her defensive development in the last four games of the year.
Nyla Harris, Jr., forward
The Orlando, Florida, native had been a starter since her freshman season alongside Cochran. But her numbers dipped this season, going from 10.4 points and 6.6 rebounds and shooting 56.3% from the field in 27.1 minutes per game as a sophomore to 8.6 points and 5.3 rebounds and shooting 54% on the floor over 24.2 minutes per game as a junior.
Reach Louisville football, women’s basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.
This story was updated to add a gallery.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville women’s basketball roster: Jeff Walz transfer portal news
