The Louisville Cardinals women's basketball team represents the University of Louisville in women's basketball. The school competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Cardinals play home basketball games at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

Louisville's current head coach is Jeff Walz, who joined the team in 2007. Under his leadership the school moved into the top 15 in attendance his first year, averaging 6,456 fans per game.

Louisville represented USA basketball at Globl Jam 2023, and defeated team Canada, by a score of 68–66 in the gold medal game.

History The Cardinals have reached the NCAA Tournament in 1983, 1984, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. They reached the Final Four 4 times in 2009, 2013, 2018, and 2022; losing in the title game twice (09,13). They have been in six conferences, playing in the Kentucky Women's Intercollegiate Conference from 1978 to 1981, the Metro Conference from 1981 to 1995, Conference USA from 1995 to 2005, the Big East Conference from 2005 to 2013, the American Athletic Conference for the 2013–14 season, and the Atlantic Coast Conference since 2014.

Terry Hall era (1975–1980)

In 1975, Terry Hall was hired as the first full time head coach for the Louisville women's basketball team. Hall compiled a record of 79-54 and led the Cardinals to the 1980 Metro Conference Championship.

Peggy Fiehrer era (1980–1989)

During her tenure, Fiehrer led the Cardinals to three Metro Conference Tournament championships and the first NCAA tournament appearance in program history.

Bud Childers era (1989–1997)

Martin Clapp & Sara White era (1997–2003)

Husband and wife duo Martin Clapp and Sara White were hired as co-head coaches in 1997.

In 2000, Martin Clapp took over as head coach.

In 2003, Clapp resigned as head coach of the Cardinals.

Tom Collen era (2003–2007)

Jeff Walz era (2007–present)

Jeff Walz was hired as a first year head coach from the University of Maryland in 2007. Under the guidance of Walz, Louisville became a college basketball power. In his first season, he guided the Cardinals to the first NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in program history. During his tenure at Louisville, the Cards have made fifteen NCAA tournament appearances, twelve Sweet 16s, eight Elite Eights, four Finals Fours, and two national championship appearances.

Year by year results

NCAA tournament results Louisville has reached the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament 28 times. They have a record of 47–28. 1983 #7 First Round (2) Texas L 84–55 1984 #8 First Round (1) Georgia L 112–69 1993 #11 First RoundSecond Round (6) Connecticut(3) Auburn W 74–71L 66–61 1995 #11 First RoundSecond Round (6) Oregon(3) Georgia W 67–65L 81–68 1997 #10 First Round (7) Auburn L 68–65 1998 #10 First RoundSecond Round (7) Utah(2) Duke W 69–61L 69–53 1999 #10 First Round (7) Illinois L 69–67 2001 #13 First Round (4) Xavier L 80–52 2005 #9 First Round (8) USC L 65–49 2006 #9 First Round (8) Vanderbilt L 76–64 2007 #6 First RoundSecond Round (11) BYU(3) Arizona State W 80–54L 67–58 2008 #4 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen (13) Miami (OH)(5) Kansas State(1) North Carolina W 81–67W 80–63L 78–74 2009 #3 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite EightFinal FourChampionship (14) Liberty(6) LSU(2) Baylor(1) Maryland(1) Oklahoma(1) Connecticut W 62–42W 62–52W 56–39W 77–60W 61–59L 76–54 2011 #7 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen (10)Vanderbilt(2) Xavier(11) Gonzaga W 81–62W 85–75L 76–69 2012 #7 First RoundSecond Round (10) Michigan State(2) Maryland W 67–55L 72–68 2013 #5 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite EightFinal FourChampionship (12) Middle Tennessee State(4) Purdue(1) Baylor(2) Tennessee(2) California(1) Connecticut W 74–49W 76–63W 82–81W 86–78W 64–57L 93–60 2014 #3 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight (14) Idaho (6) Iowa(7) LSU(4) Maryland W 88–42W 83–53W 73–47L 76–73 2015 #3 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen (14) BYU(6) South Florida(7) Dayton W 86–53W 60–52L 82–66 2016 #3 First RoundSecond Round (14) Central Arkansas(6) DePaul W 87–60L 73–72 2017 #4 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen (13) Chattanooga(5) Tennessee(1) Baylor W 82–62W 75–64L 97–63 2018 #1 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite EightFinal Four (16) Boise State(8) Marquette(4) Stanford(6) Oregon State(1) Mississippi State W 74–42W 90–72W 86–59W 76–43L 73–63 (OT) 2019 #1 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight (16) Robert Morris(8) Michigan(4) Oregon State(2) Connecticut W 69–34W 71–50W 61–44L 80–73 2021 #2 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight (15) Marist(7) Northwestern(6) Oregon(1) Stanford W 74–43W 62–53W 60–42L 63–78 2022 #1 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite EightFinal Four (16) Albany(9) Gonzaga(4) Tennessee(3) Michigan(1) South Carolina W 83–51W 68–59W 76–64W 62–50L 59–72 2023 #5 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight (12) Drake(4) Texas(8) Ole Miss(2) IowaW 83–81W 73–51W 72–62L 83–97 2024 #6 First Round (11) Middle Tennessee L 69–71 2025 #7 First RoundSecond Round (10) Nebraska(2) TCU W 63–58L 70–85 2026 #3 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen (14) Vermont(6) Alabama(2) Michigan W 72–52W 69–68L 52–71

Individual honors and notable players

Retired numbers Louisville Cardinals retired numbers No.PlayerPositionCareerYear of Retirement35 Angel McCoughtry F 2005-092010

Roster

References

External links