’23 C Eseosa Imafidon Commits to Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It might have come deep into the offseason, but the Louisville women’s basketball program has finally landed a prospect from out of the Class of 2023.

Andover (N.H.) Proctor Academy center Eseosa Imafidon announced Tuesday that she has given her verbal pledge to the Cardinals. She chose Louisville over Iowa, Kentucky, DePaul, Iowa State and others, and is UofL’s first high school commitment in the 2023 cycle.

Originally from Nigeria, the 6-foot-6 center started playing basketball in 2019, and eventually made her way to the United States through the Access2Success program. She spent three seasons with Matthews (N.C.) Covenant Day School before playing this past season at Proctor Academy. As a junior at Covenant Day School, she averaged 14.1 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.

Imafidon is in line to be the seventh newcomer to join the Cardinals for their upcoming 2023-24 season. Louisville is also bringing in six Division I transfers in Georgia Tech guard Eylia Love, Cal guard Jayda Curry, Cal State Bakersfield forward Hennie van Schaik, James Madison guard Kiki Jefferson, Florida guard Nina Rickards and UMass guard Sydney Taylor.

They are part of a massive roster overhaul that head coach Jeff Walz and his staff are having to undergo heading into next season. The program is graduating six seniors, and five more players – including All-Ameican guard Hailey Van Lith – have entered the transfer portal. Currently, Louisville is in line to return just Olivia Cochran, Merissah Russell, Alexia Mobley and Nyla Harris.

Louisville went 26-12 overall for the 2022-23 season, experiencing their first double-digit loss season since their 2011-12 campaign. Despite having a “down year” by their typically lofty standards, the Cardinals saved their best basketball for the postseason. They made the ACC Championship game as a No. 4 seed, then clinched their fifth-straight appearance in the Elite Eight before falling to national runner-up Iowa in the NCAA Tournament.