Louisville women’s basketball: Who returns for the Cards in 2022-23

A quick look at the players returning for Louisville women’s basketball in 2022-23.

This week, we looked at the players and coaches that departed the Louisville women’s basketball program as well as the new players and coaches.

Now it’s time to dive into the returning players on the roster.

These sophomores, juniors, and seniors have had a very successful run at Louisville. The sophomores have a Final Four under their belt. The juniors and seniors have an Elite Eight and Final Four to brag about. If Covid wouldn’t have cancelled the 2020 tournament the Seniors may have a lot more bragging rights.

The 2020 team was poised for a really deep run, if not a championship.

It’s safe to say that there is a ton of crucial experience coming back to help bolster this roster in 2022-23.

Let’s take a look at the Louisville women’s basketball returning players entering the season.

The Seniors

Let’s begin with the players taking their farewell tour, the Seniors.

First up for the seniors is the only true senior, Norika Konno. Konno came to Louisville in the 2019 recruiting class after a silver medal run with the U18 Japanese national team. Konno has been a very solid piece off the bench for the Cards in the last three years. Her worth hasn’t shown so much in her stats as in the floor leadership and calmness she has shown. The Senior has averaged 2.7 points, and 1.3 rebounds per game in her three years at Louisville.

Konno’s Junior year was very trying for her as she missed much of the second half of the season with medical issues.

Here’s to hoping for a healthy, successful Senior run for Norika.

Next up we will talk about super senior Liz Dixon. Dixon was a 5-star player coming out of high school in the 2018 class. She was the 19th-ranked player in the nation, and a McDonald’s All-American. Dixon transferred to Louisville from Georgia Tech after her freshman season.

Dixon has been a solid piece off the bench down low for the Cards. During her first senior season, Dixon had a few big games and a lot of big moments. Dixon has averaged 5.3 points, and 3.1 rebounds per game for her career at Louisville.

Last, but certainly not least, for the seniors is super senior Mykasa Robinson.

Robinson is in her fifth year with the programn and is undoubtedly the leader on and off the court. Any coach with the program in the last five years will tell you Robinson has gained the admiration and respect of all of her teammates for her play on the court.

Robinson has made a huge impact coming off the bench for the Cards with her tenacious defense and skilled rebounding for her size. Coach Walz will put Robinson in to guard the opposing team’s best player no matter if they are a guard or a 6’5 center. On Senior Night in the Yum Center there will be a lot of tears shed, and a long string of applause and cheers when Mykasa Robinson’s name is announced by Doug Wilham.

Now, let’s look at who is coming back for their third year in the Yum.

The Juniors

Time to take a look at the class whose Freshman year was kind of ruined by Covid with travel and capacity restrictions.

First up for the juniors will be Merissah Russell. Russell came to Louisville as a 3-star in the 2020 class out of Canada.

Russell’s career at Louisville hasn’t panned out the way she had planned. The Junior has made the most of the minutes she has gotten, even though they have come sparingly. Russell has averaged 1.4 points and 1.0 rebounds in her three seasons at Louisville. Russell has however made her mark in Canada playing for the Canadian National team for the last 5 years.

Next up for the Junior class is Olivia Cochran. Cochran came to Louisville as a 5 star player in the 2020 class. She was ranked the number 18 overall player, and number 4 forward. She was also a 2020 McDonald’s All-American.

Cochran has started the majority of her games at Louisville, averaging 8.6 points, and 5.1 rebounds per game. Cochran has mainly played out of position at the post out of necessity and has held her own against taller players. Going into her Junior year Cochran also just signed her first NIL deal with local company T-shirt Hooligan.

Here’s to hoping for as much success in selling her shirts as she has on the court this season.

Finally, for the Junior class is the superstar of the team, Hailey Van Lith.

Van Lith came to Louisville as a 5-star in the 2020 class. HVL was the number 8 player in the class, and Gatorade Player of the year in Washington.

Van Lith has had a stellar career at Louisville averaging 14.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. After a slow start to her Sophomore year, Van Lith really came on when conference play started. Van Lith was one of the biggest factors in the Cards’ Final Four run as she scored over 20 points in the first four rounds to get them there. Van Lith was just named one of 15 female college athletes signed as brand ambassadors for Adidas.

Solo Sydni- Louisville’s mystery roster spot

I know there were 2 members of the 2021 recruiting class, so you may ask why does it say riding solo. Sydni Shetnan is not listed on the Louisville women’s basketball roster page, and at the time of this article, I still have not been given clarity on why.

All I can think for now- and this is purely speculation- is she may be taking a year off of basketball to focus on volleyball.

The Sophomore

Now we will go into our lone sophomore on the roster, Payton Verhulst.

Verhulst came to Louisville as the number 12 player in the 2021 class, and the number 4 guard. A 5-star recruit, Verhulst was also a McDonald’s All-American and competed in the three-point contest during the event. Verhulst played very solid minutes off the bench averaging 3.3 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. She also helped stretch the Louisville offense by shooting 40% from three-point range.

It’s easy to see a lot more minutes and a lot more big moments coming from Payton during her sophomore season.

___________________________________

Now that my roster updates are complete, you will be able to catch my cohost Alyx White and myself on the Off The Walz Podcast discussing all of this soon.

Be on the lookout for that episode to drop in Apple podcasts and Spotify shortly.

Also, as football season is approaching make sure to catch the From the Pink Seats Podcast from the State of Louisville Podcast Network to get caught up on all football related news.

GO CARDS!!!!!!!!!!