Jeff Walz strikes again; this time it is Florida G Nina Rickards and UMass G Sydney Taylor

By this juncture, it is no surprise that Louisville Head Women’s Basketball Coach Jeff Walz has been attacking the transfer portal. First, it was his mid-season addition of Georgia Tech’s Eylia Love. Then, it was California’s Jayda Curry, followed closely behind by Hennie van Schaik and Kiki Jefferson.

Now, those more commitments have come close together: Florida’s Nina Rickards and UMass’ Sydney Taylor. Both are graduate students who have spent their entire collegiate basketball careers with their previous schools up to this point. But, Jeff Walz convinced them to join him and the Louisville Cardinals in what is sure to be a highly competitive team.

Both Kiki Jefferson and Jayda Curry were the leading scorers for their teams last year, and now adding Nina Rickards and Sydney Taylor to a loaded backcourt is a recipe for even more points. Nina Rickards was the second-leading scorer for the Florida Gators last season with 12.1 points per game, while Sydney Taylor was also the second-leading scorer for the Massachusetts Minutewomen with 16.1 points per game.

Rickards and Taylor join Jefferson and Curry as four players who averaged double-digit points last season. The 6-foot-1 Jefferson averaged 18.3 points per game and Curry followed closely behind with 15.5 points per game.

To say next year’s Cardinals teams will be full of scorers would be an understatement. The addition of these four quality “bucket-getters” certainly softens the blow of losing Hailey van Lith to the transfer portal.

With Hennie van Schaik being the only addition to the frontcourt thus far, it would make sense if the next commitment to the Cardinals is a post player or lengthy wing. Jeff Walz is generating a significant amount of buzz this offseason already and it doesn’t sound like it’s over.