Jeff Walz inks three huge portal additions

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - MARCH 23: Head coach Jeff Walz of the Louisville Cardinals reacts to a play against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the third quarter in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at KFC YUM! Center on March 23, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Jeff Walz’s offseason plan of “keep the core and then add 3-4 impactful transfers” is blossoming beautifully.

On Tuesday, Walz received commitments from three of the best players in the transfer portal. A day later, they’re all signed.

Via U of L, here are your newest Louisville women’s basketball players:

Carys Baker

Head coach Jeff Walz and his staff are excited to announce the addition of All-ACC forward Carys Baker. Baker joins the Cardinals after playing her first three collegiate seasons at Virginia Tech.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Carys Baker to our program,” said Walz. “She is a dynamic 6-foot-2 forward who impacts the game in a variety of ways whether it’s scoring, rebounding, or stretching the floor. Over time, she has developed into one of the most productive players in the ACC. Carys will be a valuable addition as we continue to build our program, and I’m excited to have her join our team.”

The West Hartford, Connecticut native is coming off her best collegiate season in her junior campaign. Baker emerged as one of the league’s most productive forwards, averaging 14.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while shooting 42.9% from the field. She had 25 double-digit and 10 20-point performances.

In ACC play, Baker’s production increased, posting 14.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game, including five 20-point performances. She finished in double figures in 15 of the 18 league contests. Additionally, Baker added a team-high 24 blocks defensively to go with 11 steals.

Baker recorded several career best marks in league play, including scoring a career-high 24 points twice in ACC wins. Her first 24-point effort of the season came in the come from behind win against Clemson, where she scored the go-ahead bucket to clinch the win. Baker’s second career-best scoring game came on the road at Stanford when she went 10-15 (66.7%) from the field overall.

Baker started all 32 contests in her sophomore season, averaging 12.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Throughout the season, she earned Fort Myers Tip-Off All-Tournament Team honors and consistently elevated her play, recording her first career double-double against Campbell and her first in ACC play with 17 points and 11 rebounds versus No. 3 Notre Dame. She notched multiple standout performances, including 23 points with seven three-pointers at Miami, a career-high 24 points and 11 field goals against Syracuse, and a perfect 5-for-5 mark from three-point range at Virginia (which tied a program record), while also dishing a career-best six assists in that game.

In her first season with the Hokies, Baker appeared in every game off the bench, playing 11.7 minutes per game. She averaged 3.4 points per game, shooting 38% from beyond the 3-point line. She scored in double figures twice, with a season-best 18-point performance against LIU where she went 4-6 from beyond the arc.

Baker was the No. 58 overall recruit in the 2023 ESPN HoopGurlz rankings. Both her parents played basketball at Hartford. Her father, Vin, played in the NBA for 15 seasons and was a four-time all-star. He is currently an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Deniya Prawl

Head coach Jeff Walz and his staff are excited to announce the addition of transfer guard Deniya Prawl. Prawl was a McDonald’s All-American and 5-star recruit and played her first collegiate season at Tennessee.

“Deniya Prawl is going to be an outstanding addition to our program,” said Walz. “She’s a versatile 6-foot-2 guard with the ability to impact the game in a variety of ways. Her length and athleticism allow her to defend multiple positions, while offensively she can score from the perimeter and effectively attack the basket. Deniya possesses tremendous upside, and we’re excited about her potential and the versatility she brings to our roster. I’m looking forward to having her in our program and helping her continue to develop her game.”

In her first season, Prawl appeared in 29 games and made seven starts while averaging 4.0 points and 2.7 rebounds while shooting 41.3% from the field. She tallied her first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against Missouri. In the win over No. 11 Kentucky, Prawl had nine points, four rebounds and a season-best four steals. She was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field for nine points against No. 11 Oklahoma.

Prawl was a consensus 5-star recruit coming out of IMG Academy in Florida. She guided IMG to back-to-back appearances in the Chipotle Nationals title game and won the title in her senior season. Prawl was a McDonald’s All-American and played in the Jordan Brand Classic. Internationally, she won silver with Team Canada at the 2024 FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup. She also was selected for the World Team at the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit.

Zamareya Jones

Head coach Jeff Walz and his staff are thrilled to announce the addition of ACC standout guard Zamareya (Zam) Jones. Jones joins the Cardinals after playing her first two collegiate seasons in the ACC at NC State.

“I’m truly excited to welcome Zamareya Jones to our program,” said Walz. “She is a dynamic and explosive guard with the ability to score at a high level, stretch the floor, and create opportunities for her teammates. Zamareya brings a competitive edge, toughness, and an outstanding approach to the game that aligns perfectly with our culture. I look forward to coaching her and helping her continue to grow and develop as a player. I have no doubt that she will make a significant impact on our program.”

Jones is coming off a career year with the Wolfpack where she averaged 14.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 32.4 minutes per game. Jones led the team with 68 three-pointers, a mark that ranked 14th all-time for a single season in program history. Jones shot 41.2% from the field, 36.6% from three with 26 double-digit scoring games, six 20-point games and one 30-point game.

In conference play this season, Jones ranked second in three-point percentage (41.3%) and fourth in three-pointers per game (2.5). In all games, Jones ranked sixth in three-point percentage (36.6%) ninth in the ACC in assist/turnover ratio (1.7) and 10th in assists per game (3.8).

In the opening game of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Jones tallied a career-high 30 points, going 9-of-15 from the field and 10-of-13 from the free throw line after drawing 12 fouls. Her 30 points marked the fourth most scored in an NCAA Tournament game in program history.

In her freshman season, she played 30 games and averaged 7.1 points per game. She scored 16 points and was 4-for-7 from behind the arc against No. 1 South Carolina. Was a perfect 4-for-4 from three with 14 points in the SEC/ACC Challenge against No. 20 Ole Miss. Scored a team-best 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting against Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center.

Jones was the No. 17 overall player and a five-star recruit by ESPNW HoopGurlz. She was tabbed a McDonald’s All-American and honorable mention Naismith Girls High School All-America. In her senior season, she averaged 25.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 4.2 steals per game as she was named North Carolina Player of the Year by multiple outlets. She was a USA Basketball U19 National Teams Trial participant and was invited to play in the Jordan Brand Classic.