Former Syracuse forward Emily Engstler selected 4th overall in WNBA draft

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Former Syracuse forward Emily Engstler was selected fourth overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2022 WNBA draft. Engstler spent her senior season at Louisville, where she helped lead the Cardinals to an NCAA Final Four appearance, their first since 2018.

The New York City native led Louisville in rebounds with 318, which also ranked 24th nationally. Engstler recorded 12 double-doubles this season — all in points and rebounds — which included an 11-point and 10-rebound performance against Syracuse on Feb. 6, when she returned to the Carrier Dome for the first time since transferring. 

Engstler spent three seasons at Syracuse before entering the transfer portal in March 2021. As a sophomore, she led the Orange with 286 rebounds and 50 blocks after starting all 31 games in the 2019-20 season. But in her final season at SU, Engstler only started five games — the team’s final five of the season, all coming in the Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA Tournaments. Still, Engstler averaged 10.5 points and 9.1 rebounds, recording 12 double-digit games in just under 30 minutes per game. 

Engstler was the first player from the ACC to be selected in this year’s draft and the second taken by Indiana. She joins a Fever team that finished last in the WNBA in 2021 after winning just six games.