First round, No. 2: Florida State midfielder Jaelin Howell
A two-time NCAA champion, Howell, from Lone Tree, Colo., comes to Louisville following a heavily decorated four-year run with the Seminoles. The 2021 MAC Hermann Trophy winner for national player of the year, Howell tallied 96 Florida State appearances on her way to earning All-ACC First Team Honors in 2019, 2021 and 2021. The 22-year-old midfielder also shows promise on the international stage having already competed with the United States Women’s National Team at the 2020 SheBelieves Cup as well as the U-17 and U-20 FIFA World Cups. Howell was also selected to the Best XI at the 2016 and 2018 CONCACAF Championships.
First round, No. 4: USC midfielder Savannah DeMelo
The three-time All Pac-12 honoree joins Louisville following a successful collegiate career at USC. A Bellflower, Calif. native, she poured in 17 goals paired with 28 assists across 75 appearances as a Trojan. DeMelo was a youth international who climbed the ranks to compete in the 2016 and 2018 U-20 FIFA World Cups with the United States. She started three games during the Americans’ 2018 run and poured in four goals, including a hat trick in a 6-0 win against Paraguay.
Second round, No. 16: Oklahoma State defender Charmé Morgan
A two-time All-Big 12 Conference selection who helped the Cowgirls win a pair of league titles in 2017 and 2019, Morgan tallied 11 goals and 9 assists across 86 career starts with Oklahoma State. The defender from Frisco, Texas, took home all-region honors from the United Soccer Coaches in three consecutive seasons, with selections in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Second round, No. 26: Wisconsin goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer
An All-American between the posts, Bloomer joins Louisville fresh off three years starting for the Badgers. The back-to-back Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year and all-conference first team selection finished off her college career leading the conference in shutouts with seven and ranked third in goals against average (.682). A Hartland, Wis., native, Bloomer recorded 246 saves across 79 appearances for Wisconsin to average a save percentage of .823. Bloomer’s 73 saves during the 2018 season put her in the top 10 in school history for most in a single season.
Third round, No. 30: Wake Forest forward Jenna Menta
The 2020 Big East Offensive Player of the Year at Georgetown, Menta transferred to play last fall at Wake Forest, where she poured in 6 goals and a team-leading 7 assists as the Demon Deacons recorded the program’s best season with a trip to the NCAA Tournament’s second round. From Somers, N.Y., Menta tallied 5 goals and 8 assists in her final, shortened season due to COVID-19 with the Hoyas.
Fourth round, No. 42: Georgetown defender Sydney Cummings
An All-Ivy League performer in 2017, 2018 and 2019 with Brown University, Cummings transferred to Georgetown for her senior season to net 5 goals across 22 appearances as a defender. At Brown, the Millstone Township, N.J., native played 4,803 minutes out of a possible 4,822 in her three seasons. A center back, Cummings tallied 2 goals and 8 assists while starting all 52 games during her time at Brown.