University of Louisville forward Elif Istanbulluoglu and head coach Jeff Walz are set to participate with the U20 Turkish National Team at the 2024 FIBA Women’s U20 EuroBasket. Walz will serve as an assistant coach, and Istanbulluoglu is one of the 18 players named to the team. The tournament will take place in Klaipeda and Vilnius, Lithuania, from July 6-14.
Türkiye is one of 16 European nations competing in the tournament. In the group phase, Türkiye is in Group C along with Poland, Italy, and Finland. The group phase games will occur over the first two days, with a rest day on July 8. The final group games will determine the seedings for the Round of 16 stage. The tournament will continue in a knockout bracket format until the final on July 14, with classification games determining the final rankings of all 16 teams.
Walz will be one of four assistant coaches under head coach Ekrem Memnun. Walz and Memnun have known each other for several years, with Memnun visiting Louisville’s campus a few times to attend practices. Memnun has been overseeing the Turkish Women’s National teams since 2022, marking his second stint in the role after leading the teams from 2015-18.
Walz brings extensive international experience from his involvement with USA Basketball, having won four gold medals in various tournaments. He served as the head coach of the 2019 Women’s U19 National Team in Bangkok and the 2018 U18 team in Mexico City, both of which won gold. Additionally, Walz was on the coaching staff for the 2014 Women’s U-18 National Team and worked as an assistant for the 2014 Women’s U-19 World Championship Team, both of which also earned gold medals.
In July 2023, Walz led the Louisville Cardinals to the 2023 GLOBL JAM in Toronto, representing the United States. The Cardinals played against national teams from Canada, Puerto Rico, and BAL Africa in the group phase, ultimately defeating Canada 68-66 in the gold medal game.
Istanbulluoglu has a history with the Turkish national teams, having participated in the FIBA U18 and U20 championships in the summer of 2023. At the U18 Championships, she averaged 11.0 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, helping Türkiye reach the quarterfinals. In the U20 Championships, Türkiye finished eighth, with Istanbulluoglu averaging 10.7 points per game.
With Istanbulluoglu’s on-court prowess and Walz’s coaching expertise, the U20 Turkish National Team looks to make a strong showing at the 2024 FIBA Women’s U20 EuroBasket.
