LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University women's basketball team is set to open its 2026-27 season by taking on No. 7 Louisville at 5 p.m. (ET) Monday at the KFC Yum! Center.

The head coaches share an indelible connection. Bellarmine's Monique Reid played under Louisville's Jeff Walz from 2008-13 and was among the most accomplished players in Cardinals history. She helped lead Louisville to two Final Fours and national runner-up finishes (2009, 2013) and was inducted into the U of L Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023.

Reid, who is in her second season at the helm, is not the only former Cardinal who played under Walz on Bellarmine's bench. Laura Terry, who joined the Knights as an assistant this season, played for U of L from 2007-10 before injuries shortened her career, and she remained with the team as a student assistant for two years.

Bellarmine and Louisville are meeting for the 24th time in series history and the sixth time in the D1 era. Including this year, the Cardinals have been ranked in five of the contests, and it's the third time they've been top 10 (also 2020-21, at No. 2, and 2021-22, at No. 10).

Senior guard Triniti Ralston was named to the Preseason All-ASUN Team. Before missing the second half of last season, she was averaging team highs of 13.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 86.6 percent from the line, a place where she frequented (7.5 FT attempts per game).

Ralston is among six returners for Bellarmine. Junior forward Kayce Hyman averaged 10.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game last season, scoring in double figures on 16 occasions. Sisters Hana Abdel Aal, a 6-foot-3 redshirt sophomore, and Haya Abdel Aal (4.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, team-high 18 blocks), a 6-4 sophomore, are centers who will take the floor together at Bellarmine for the first time after Hana missed last season due to injury.

Redshirt sophomore wing Anna Rodgers also returns after missing last season due to injury. Sophomore guard Olivia Pifer earned a scholarship after walking on to the team last season in January when the Knights were depleted by injuries. Standing at 5-4, her knack for ball tracking (4.1 rpg) stood out.

With eight newcomers, the Knights are largely revamped. Transfers include 6-5 sophomore center Tacko Sy (Chipola College), junior guard Savannah Rowland (Lemoore College), 6-1 sophomore guard Coumba Keita (Arkansas Pine Bluff), senior guard Kellyn Hunter (Washburn University) and junior guard Kaylyn Lelie (Monroe University). Bellarmine has three true freshmen in guards Emma Holtzapfel, Leigha Acoff and Tristan Shivers.

The game will be televised on ACCNX.

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