University of Louisville women’s basketball head coach Jeff Walz has added another new face to his roster.
Yevheniia Putra, a 6-foot-3 post player from Ukraine, has committed to the Cardinals and is set to arrive on campus later this month. She will be eligible to compete in the upcoming season.
At 20 years old, Putra becomes the 13th scholarship player on Louisville’s roster. The Cardinals are returning seven players from last season, and they’ve added two freshmen and three transfers prior to Putra’s commitment.
Putra brings international experience, having played professionally in the United Kingdom, Spain, Romania, Scotland, and Ukraine. Most recently, she suited up for MBK Ruzomberok in Slovakia, where she averaged 8.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.5 assists over 32 games, helping the team to a 25-3 record and a second-place league finish. She was the youngest starter on the squad.
Earlier this year, she also played for the Caledonia Gladiators in Scotland and made her debut with Ukraine’s Senior National Team, averaging 3.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in FIBA Women’s EuroBasket Qualifiers.
Putra has excelled at the junior national level as well, posting 8.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game at the 2024 FIBA U20 Women’s EuroBasket Division B and averaging 14.5 points and 9.2 boards during the 2023 edition of the same tournament.
A profile written during her stint with the Gladiators highlighted her as a dominant interior force, praised for her physicality, defensive skills, and consistent shot-blocking and rebounding.
With Putra’s addition, Louisville’s roster continues to reflect its international reach. Alongside her, the team features Denmark native and transfer Laura Ziegler, freshman Grace Mbugua from Kenya, junior Elif Istanbulluoglu of Turkey, and Australia’s Isla Juffermans.
