PRESS RELEASE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Myisha Hines-Allen warranted plenty of attention during the Cardinals’ campaign last season in becoming the second conference player of the year in women’s basketball program history.
Her eye-popping totals as a sophomore have led to lofty expectations from those around the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The University of Louisville junior on Wednesday was named the ACC’s Preseason Player of the Year by both the league’s coaches and the Blue Ribbon Panel, the conference’s media and sports information directors. She is the first student-athlete in the program’s 41-year history to earn the distinction.
In addition to the award, Hines-Allen, junior Mariya Moore, and sophomore Asia Durr earned coaches’ and Blue Ribbon Panel’s all-ACC preseason accolades. The Cardinals are the only team with three selections on each team.
Collectively, Louisville was picked to finish second by the league’s 15 coaches, earning eight first-place votes, while the Blue Ribbon Panel also pegged the Cardinals second, with one first-place vote. Notre Dame was chosen to win the conference’s title in both polls.
Hines-Allen, who was selected as the 2015-16 Blue Ribbon Panel ACC Player of the Year, helped lead the Cardinals to a 26-8 record, with a 15-1 mark in conference play. She averaged 17.6 points on 54.7 percent shooting and with 8.4 rebounds. The Montclair, N.J., native also recorded 11 double-doubles during the year and eclipsed the 20-point plateau on 12 occasions.
Moore, a two-time all-conference member, is coming off another strong campaign. She tallied 14.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. Her team-high 77 3-pointers are seventh most in a season in school history.
Durr averaged 11.0 points for the year, connecting on 44 treys at a team-best 36.1 percent rate. Despite missing an early portion of the year due to injury, she showed flashes of brilliance: 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting in an upset win over Michigan State; 21 points at NC State, hitting all five 3-pointers, to earn national freshman of the week status; and, 23 points against Syracuse in the ACC Tournament.
Overall, the Cardinals return eight letterwinners, including all five starters – Hines-Allen, Cortnee Walton, Moore, Briahanna Jackson, and Arica Carter. Along with a recruiting class ESPN ranked sixth nationally that features two McDonald’s All-Americans, Louisville welcomes fifth-year transfer and two-time all-conference award winner Taylor Johnson.
Under the direction of 10th-year head coach Jeff Walz, Louisville begins the season on Nov. 11 at UT Martin before the home opener against Belmont on Nov. 13. Season ticket information is available on GoCards.com.
Walz, the winningest coach in program history, has guided Louisville to a 234-85 mark and eight NCAA Tournament appearances in nine seasons. Twice, he directed the Cardinals to the national championship game.
For the latest information on Louisville women’s basketball, log on to GoCards.com, or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team’s Twitter account at www.twitter.com/UofLWBB or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/UofLWBB.
Predicted Order of Finish (as selected by the Blue Ribbon Panel)
1. Notre Dame (795, 44 first place votes)
2. Louisville (758, 8 first place votes)
3. Florida State (674, 2 first place votes)
4. Syracuse (646)
5. Miami (584)
6. Duke (516)
7. NC State (479)
8. North Carolina (415)
9. Georgia Tech (376)
10. Virginia (296)
11. Wake Forest (264)
12. Virginia Tech (224)
13. Pittsburgh (209)
14. Boston College (176)
15. Clemson (68)
Preseason Player of the Year (as selected by the Blue Ribbon Panel)
Myisha Hines-Allen, Jr., F, Louisville
Preseason All-ACC Team (as selected by the Blue Ribbon Panel)
Rebecca Greenwell, R-Jr., G, Duke
Leticia Romero, Sr., G, Florida State
Shakayla Thomas, Jr., G, Florida State
Asia Durr, So., G, Louisville
Myisha Hines-Allen, Jr., F, Louisville
Mariya Moore, Jr., F, Louisville
Adrienne Motley, Sr., G, Miami
Lindsay Allen, Sr., G, Notre Dame
Brianna Turner Jr., F, Notre Dame
Alexis Peterson, Sr., G, Syracuse
Newcomer Watch List (as selected by the Blue Ribbon Panel)
Lexie Brown, Jr., G, Duke
Leaonna Odom, Fr, F, Duke
Chatrice White, Jr., C, Florida State
Erin Boley, Fr., F, Notre Dame
Jackie Young, Fr., G, Notre Dame
Predicted Order of Finish (as selected by the head coaches)
1. Notre Dame (221 points, 13 first-place votes)
2. Louisville (209, 1 first-place vote)
3. Florida State (194, 1 first-place vote)
4. Syracuse (178)
5. Miami (162)
6. Duke (144)
7. NC State (132)
8. Georgia Tech (110)
9. North Carolina (108)
10. Virginia (85)
11. Wake Forest (74)
12. Virginia Tech (72)
13. Boston College (48)
14. Pittsburgh (47)
15. Clemson (16)
Preseason Player of the Year (as selected by the head coaches)
Myisha Hines-Allen, Jr., F, Louisville
Preseason All-ACC Team (as selected by the head coaches)
Rebecca Greenwell, R-Jr., G, Duke
Leticia Romero, Sr., G, Florida State
Shakayla Thomas Jr., G, Florida State
Myisha Hines-Allen, Jr., F, Louisville
Mariya Moore, Jr., F, Louisville
Asia Durr, So., G Louisville
Adrienne Motley, Sr., G Miami
Brianna Turner, Jr., F, Notre Dame
Lindsay Allen, Sr., G, Notre Dame
Alexis Peterson, Sr., G, Syracuse
Newcomer Watch List (as selected by the head coaches)
Lexie Brown, Jr., G, Duke
Leaonna Odom, Fr, F, Duke
Chatrice White, Jr., C, Florida State
Erin Boley, Fr., F, Notre Dame
Jackie Young, Fr., G, Notre Dame
