LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Jeff Walz has landed one of the ACC’s most productive forwards, adding All-ACC selection Carys Baker from Virginia Tech through the transfer portal on Tuesday.
She marks the program's third portal addition in a day, joining Zamareya Jones of NC State and Deniya Prawl of Tennessee.
Baker, a 6-foot-2 forward from West Hartford, Connecticut, is coming off a breakout junior season in which she averaged 14.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, emerging as one of the league’s most consistent scoring threats.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Carys Baker to our program,” Walz said. “She impacts the game in a variety of ways — scoring, rebounding, stretching the floor — and has developed into one of the most productive players in the ACC.”
Baker elevated her play even further in conference action, averaging 14.9 points and 7.1 rebounds while reaching double figures in 15 of 18 ACC games. She recorded 10 20-point performances on the season, including five in league play, and added 24 blocks and 11 steals defensively.
Her ability to take over games showed repeatedly. Baker scored a career-high 24 points twice in ACC wins, including a go-ahead basket in a comeback victory over Clemson, and shot 10-of-15 from the field in a dominant road performance at Stanford.
Baker’s rise has been steady. As a sophomore, she started all 32 games for the Hokies, averaging 12.6 points and 6.3 rebounds while delivering several standout performances — including a 23-point outing at Miami with seven three-pointers and a 24-point, 11-rebound effort against Syracuse.
She began her career as a rotational player, appearing in every game as a freshman and flashing perimeter shooting ability, hitting 38% from three-point range.
A former top-60 national recruit, Baker also comes from a basketball pedigree. Her father, Vin Baker, played 15 seasons in the NBA and was a four-time All-Star. He is currently an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks.
For Louisville, Baker represents an immediate-impact addition, an experienced, versatile forward capable of producing at a high level in the ACC as the Cardinals continue to retool around another deep postseason push.
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