Louisville star Hailey Van Lith shockingly enters transfer portal: 'I'm forever grateful for my time here'
Hailey Van Lith is leaving Louisville. In a shocking development, Van Lith has entered the transfer portal. The news was confirmed by Louisville coach Jeff Walz, who thanked Van Lith for everything and wished her the best, per the Courier Journal.
Van Lith also confirmed the news on Instagram, thanking Louisville and its fans for "unwavering support."
The news comes as a major surprise. Entering last season, Van Lith was considered one of the best players in women's college basketball. She more than lived up to that status as a junior, averaging a career-high 19.7 points per game.
Her performance helped Louisville reach the NCAA tournament, where they made it to the Elite 8. Van Lith scored at least 21 points during the first three rounds of the tournament. Louisville's run came to an end against Iowa. Van Lith dropped 27 points on Iowa during the loss.
Where will Hailey Van Lith go after leaving Louisville?
Van Lith will graduate from Louisville in May and will enter the transfer portal as a graduate student. She has one year of eligibility left. Van Lith reportedly marked herself as "do not contact" in the portal, which could signal a few different things.
It's possible Van Lith already knows where she's going and doesn't want teams to waste time getting in touch with her. It's also possible she doesn't want to be inundated with requests. Virtually every team should be vying for Van Lith's services. By marking herself as "do not contact," Van Lith can control those requests and reach out to schools where she's interested in continuing her career.
Van Lith would be a significant addition to any college basketball team and would instantly make that team a much stronger contender for an NCAA championship. Following the 2023 season, Van Lith will likely be an early first-round pick in the 2024 WNBA draft.
