Jeff Walz is the king of quips. And he was all smiles Monday night during Louisville’s postgame news conference after clinching a spot in the 2022 women’s Final Four. But among the euphoria, the Cardinals’ coach suddenly lowered his head and teared up. Senior Emily Engstler’s words had just hit him in his heart.
Asked about how Walz had led top-seeded Louisville — which faces fellow 1-seed South Carolina in the national semifinals in Minneapolis on Friday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) — to so much success as a program, Engstler made it personal. Having struggled with anxiety at times in her three years at Syracuse, Engstler said coming to Louisville this season was not just a fresh start. It was a chance to click with a coach who bonded with her immediately.
“He’s meant the world to me,” the 6-foot-1 forward said Monday after the Elite Eight win versus Michigan in the Wichita Regional. “I think it’s been a difficult three years for me, and he was just somebody who took me under his [wing] and didn’t really care who I was or where I was coming from on a mental level, and I really appreciate him. He’s a good person.”
Walz got up from his seat on the end of the podium, walked over, put an arm around Engstler and whispered something to her.
“I love you too, man,” she replied.
“He’s just really fun to play for,” she then continued. “He lets you be yourself, and he protects you and you can trust him, and that’s hard in this industry. So I’m grateful for him, and I’m going to do whatever I can to get him a national championship.”
Louisville is in the national semifinals for the fourth time, and Engstler is a key reason. The native New Yorker, one of the most disruptive…
Source : espn
