Mila Holloway prepared to jump on Olivia Olson’s back for an early morning piggyback ride down the interview dais stairs. After a few looks from those around them, she thought better of it the day before their first Sweet 16.
There is a fearlessness that naturally comes with youth, as those on both sides of this matchup know well. Holloway and Olson are two of No. 2 Michigan’s three-star sophomores who will line up across from three more from No. 3 Louisville with an Elite Eight berth on the line in the Fort Worth 3 regional on Saturday (12:30 p.m. ET).
That’s six sophomores taking the floor for the tip, a rarity in an era of reloading with experience through the transfer portal in order to compete immediately. The two programs concentrated the talent of a deep class headlined by UConn’s Sarah Strong, Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes, Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge and South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards.
A junior and a senior start alongside each trio, but it’s the sophomore class leading the winding path. While other teams and players in the field have been here, done that, Louisville and Michigan are playing in relatively new territory.
“Youth is wonderful because they don’t sometimes realize what they’re really doing, what they’re playing and what this means to be one of 16 teams left,” Louisville head coach Jeff Walz said. “I’m looking forward to it.”