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Dana Evans Louisville Women's Basketball

Dana Evans Sets Sights on 2021 WNBA Draft

April 14, 2021 | Women's Basketball

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — University of Louisville women's basketball senior guard Dana Evans has shifted her focus to the 2021 WNBA Draft, which will take place virtually on Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

"I've just been trying to keep myself super busy, because I'm really nervous," said Evans. "But I'm really excited about it, too. This is something I've been working for since I started playing the game."

Evans ends her illustrious Cardinal career with 1,715 points, 521 assists and a record of 122-15. She is the only player in program history to win four ACC regular season championships and she finishes with both the fewest losses and best winning percentage in program history.

Among her many accolades, she was named Associated Press First Team All-American following her senior season. She is just the third player in program history to be named an AP First Team All-American, joined by Angel McCoughtry (2008-09) and Asia Durr (2017-18, 2018-19).

She was also named ACC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, following in the footsteps of Durr, who won the award the two years prior. In 2020, Evans became the first player in ACC history to win player of the year immediately following a year in which she won sixth player of the year. Evans also joined Durr in being the only two players in school history to be named the ACC's Kay Yow Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Of the 13 student-athletes at the University of Louisville to be drafted into the WNBA, all but two have played under head coach Jeff Walz.

"Coach Walz has definitely made sure that I was ready and I was prepared," said Evans. "Just using what he's taught me, and the different ways that he motivated me to get better, and take that with me to the next level."

In a conference call with media members last Friday, Indiana Fever head coach Marianne Stanley provided her thoughts on Evans.
 
"Dana had a very good career at Louisville. She's shown a lot of versatility, playing both the point guard and the two-guard positions," said Stanley. "She's had a lot on her shoulders, and I think she's someone who's demonstrated that she's not afraid of a big shot or a big moment, and that's something that all the very good players have in their arsenal. They rise to the occasion. She's one of the better guards in the draft."
 
The native of Gary, Indiana would become Louisville's 14th WNBA Draft pick, and the sixth in the last three years. Louisville leads the nation with five selections in the past two drafts.

If selected in the first round, Evans would join Durr, McCoughtry, Jazmine Jones, and Shoni Schimmel as the only players in program history to be selected in the first round of the WNBA Draft.
 
"Knowing that young girls see that I'm from Gary and I did it and they can do it too, that makes me really happy," said Evans.

2021 WNBA Draft Order

First Round
1. Dallas Wings (from New York via Seattle)
2. Dallas Wings
3. Atlanta Dream
4. Indiana Fever
5. Dallas Wings (from Washington via New York)
6. New York Liberty (from Connecticut via Phoenix)
7. Dallas Wings (from Chicago)
8. Chicago Sky (from Phoenix via Dallas)
9. Minnesota Lynx
10. Los Angeles Sparx
11. Seattle Storm
12. Las Vegas Aces

Second Round
13. Dallas Wings (from New York)
14. Las Vegas Aces (from Indiana)
15. Atlanta Dream
16. Chicago Sky (from Dallas via Los Angeles)
17. New York Liberty (from Washington)
18. Seattle Storm (from Connecticut)
19. Indiana Fever (from Chicago)
20. Connecticut Sun (from Phoenix)
21. Connecticut Sun (from Minnesota)
22. Los Angeles Sparks
23. Seattle Storm
24. Indiana Fever (from Las Vegas)

Third Round
25. New York Liberty
26. Indiana Fever
27. Atlanta Dream
28. Los Angeles Sparks (from Dallas)
29. New York Liberty (from Washington)
30. Connecticut Sun
31. Indiana Fever (from Chicago)
32. Phoenix Mercury
33. Indiana Fever (from Minnesota)
34. Los Angeles Sparks
35. Seattle Storm
36. Las Vegas Aces
 
For the latest on Louisville women's basketball, visit GoCards.com, follow the team's Twitter account at @UofLWBB or on Facebook at facebook.com/UofLWBB.