LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville women's basketball's season opener against UConn — scheduled for Nov. 4 at Ramstein Air Base in Germany — is in jeopardy as the U.S. government shutdown rolls on.
A conference call is scheduled soon to discuss contingency plans if the game can't be played on the U.S. military base.
"Our first game, as you know, is hopefully going to be on the Air Force base — if we open back up," head coach Jeff Walz said Monday at the program's Tipoff Luncheon. "We're closed right now, our country."
One option on the table: moving the high-profile matchup to Louisville on the same date.
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The overseas trip is part of ESPN's "Armed Forces Classic," intended as a unique early-season showcase. But with government operations suspended in a shutdown approaching two weeks, the event's status remains uncertain.
Louisville and UConn last met in the 2023 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, a 76-64 win for the Huskies. Their rematch was set to help launch the 2025 women's basketball season on a national stage.
Walz said he remains hopeful the game can proceed as planned. Louisville opened last season against UCLA in Paris, and NCAA rules generally allow just one foreign trip every four years. But Ramstein, while located in Germany, is technically considered U.S. soil — a loophole Louisville compliance officials confirmed.
Sophomore Taj Roberts said players were eager to make the trip.
"I'm really looking forward to it," she said. "I think Walz really makes it a point to help us enjoy life as a whole and understand that after basketball, there's going to be life. … We got to go to Paris. It was really fun. Now, Germany — I'm sure we'll do a lot of cool things out there and be able to play at the highest level. UConn, they won the national championship last year, so we're coming out with a bang, and I'm really excited for it."
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