Ayse Melek Demirer a recruiting highlight for Cards WBB -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 DEMIRER WILL PROVIDE ADDED HEIGHT DEPTH FOR WBB CARDS

All those trips Jeff Walz has made to Turkey (or Turkiye, if you prefer) are still reaping rewards. 

The addition to Ayse Melek Demirer to the UofL women's basketball roster could have wonderful results for the Cards. Demirer, a 6'5" forward/center did great things for the Turkish Youth FIBA U 16 Eurobasket Division B squad. 

She averaged 15.4 points per game in 2025 and grabbed 17.4 rebounds a contest.  She led all the players in the tournament, where Turkey finished third, in points scored. 

Jeff Walz had the opportunity to help coach her when he was an assistant with the U18 team. According to Walz, she has "great size, reat hands and can run the floor. She is someone who is just scratching the surface of where she is going to get .She is considered one of the top prospects in Turkiye and someone who I think will be able to come over here and have a immediate impact for us."   

She adds height to a roster that returns front line player Elif Istanbulluoglu and adds Carys Baker, who comes in from from Virginia Tech,where she averaged 14.3 ppg and almost seven rebounds a contest.  We discussed yesterday the continued growth and skill of Yevheniia Putra, at 6'4" .  Yes, the Cards lost Isla Juffermans to College of Charleston and Anaya Hardy to Notre Dame but Walz is still stocked up and loaded with talent and Cards fans should enjoy this 2026-27 version of Louisville women's basketball. 

Don't forget Grace Mbugna is also back and her height and continuing improvement will also add to that front line. 

We expect Baker and Istanbulluoglu will get the starts at the "4" and "5" ...but will have a strong list of back ups to make the Cards maybe the strongest front line in the ACC. 

paulie