Emily Ann Engstler (born May 1, 2000) is an American professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player for the

Minnesota Lynx The Minnesota Lynx are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team won the WNBA title in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017. Founded pr ...

of the

Women's National Basketball Association The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is an American professional basketball league. It is composed of twelve teams, all based in the United States. The league was founded on April 22, 1996, as the women's counterpart to the Natio ...

(WNBA). She played

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for

Syracuse Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York **North Syracuse, New York *Syracuse, Indiana * Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, Miss ...

during her first three years at the college level, then for

Louisville Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...

, earning first-team All-ACC honors in her only season with the team. Engstler graduated from

St. Francis Preparatory School , motto_translation = My God and My All , location = , streetaddress = 6100 Francis Lewis Boulevard , city = New York City (Fresh Meadows, Queens) , state = New York , ...

Queens, New York Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long I ...

, where she was rated a five-star

recruit __NOTOC__ Recruit can refer to: Military * Military recruitment * Recruit training, in the military * '' Rekrut'' (English: Recruit), a military recruit or low rank in German-speaking countries * Seaman recruit Books *''Le Réquisitionnaire'' (E ...

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

and named a

McDonald's All-American McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hamburger ...

Early life and high school career

Engstler was born on May 1, 2000, in

, to Marilyn and William Engstler, and moved to

Roosevelt Island Roosevelt Island is an island in New York City's East River, within the borough of Manhattan. It lies between Manhattan Island to the west, and the borough of Queens, on Long Island, to the east. Running from the equivalent of East 46th to 85 ...

by the age of eight. She first picked up a basketball as a three-year-old and grew up playing for boys'

Catholic Youth Organization Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) is an international Catholic youth movement founded by Bishop Bernard Sheil in Chicago in 1930. It would become a major factor in the development of race relations in the US Catholic Church following World War ...

teams at Resurrection Ascension Catholic Academy. Engstler also played

pick-up game In sports and video games, a pick-up game (also known as a ''scratch game'' or ''PUG'') is a game that has been spontaneously started by a group of players. Players are generally invited to show up beforehand, but unlike exhibition games there is ...

s on outdoor courts across the street from her home. She modeled her game after

Elena Delle Donne Elena Delle Donne (born September 5, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Delle Donne played college basketball for the Delaware Blue Hens from 2009 ...

and

Kevin Durant Kevin Wayne Durant ( ; born September 29, 1988), also known by his initials KD, is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one season of college basketball for t ...

. In her freshman season, Engstler played for

Christ the King Regional High School Christ the King Regional High School is a co-educational, college preparatory, Catholic high school for grades 9-12 located in Middle Village, Queens, New York, United States and established in 1962. It is located within the Roman Catholic Dioces ...

in Queens, where her mother had played basketball. After one year, she transferred to

in Queens, seeking a better academic fit, and sat out for her sophomore year due to

Catholic High School Athletic Association The Catholic High School Athletic Association or CHSAA is a high school athletic association made up of Catholic high schools based in New York City, Long Island, Westchester and Buffalo. It is the largest Catholic high school athletic league in ...

(CHSAA) transfer rules. As a junior, Engstler averaged 19

points Point or points may refer to: Places * Point, Lewis, a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland * Point, Texas, a city in Rains County, Texas, United States * Point, the NE tip and a ferry terminal of Lismore, Inner Hebrides, Scotland * Point ...

, 15.7

rebounds 'Rebound' is a term used in sports to describe the ball (or puck or other object of play) becoming available for possession by either opponent after an attempt to put the ball or puck into the goal has been unsuccessful. Rebounds are generally ...

, 5.9 blocks and 3.4 steals per game. She recorded the first

quadruple-double In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...

in school history, with 27 points, 29 rebounds, 11 assists and 10 blocks, against Nazareth Regional High School. Engstler was named to the

New York State Sportswriters Association The New York State Sportswriters Association (NYSSWA), founded in 1967, is a source of reference information and statistics about scholastic athletics in the state. Begun by sportswriters Larry Serrell of the Schenectady Daily Gazette and Chuck Ko ...

(NYSSWA) Class AA all-state sixth team. In her senior season, she averaged 18.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 3.3 steals and 2.1 blocks per game, receiving New York

Gatorade Player of the Year The Gatorade Player of the Year awards are given annually to up and coming high school student-athletes in the United States. They are given for boys' baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine playe ...

and NYSSWA Class AA all-state first team accolades. She helped her team achieve a 19–9 record and reach the Brooklyn/Queens CHSAA title game. Engstler was selected to play in the

McDonald's All-American Game The McDonald's All-American Game is the all-star basketball game played each year for American and Canadian boys' and girls' high school basketball graduates. Consisting of the top players, each team plays a single exhibition game after the concl ...

and the

Jordan Brand Classic The Jordan Brand Classic is a high school All-Star basketball game played annually in April. The game's rosters feature the best and most highly recruited high school boys in the senior class including alumns like Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Bl ...

Recruiting

Engstler was considered a five-star

and the ninth-best player in the 2018 class by

. On October 19, 2017, she committed to play college basketball for

over offers from

Ohio State The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...

and

Miami (Florida) Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at the ...

. Engstler was drawn to

the school A school is an institution for learning. School or the school may also refer to: * School of thought, a number of individuals with shared styles, approaches or aims * School (fish), a group of fish swimming in the same direction in a coordinate ...

because of its proximity to her home and its reputed program in

broadcast journalism Broadcast journalism is the field of news and journals which are broadcast by electronic methods instead of the older methods, such as printed newspapers and posters. It works on radio (via air, cable, and Internet), television (via air, cable, ...

, her intended

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

College career

Engstler came off the bench during her freshman season at Syracuse. On February 21, 2019, she recorded a season-high 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks in a 90–63 win over

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

. As a freshman, Engstler averaged 4.9 points and 4.5 rebounds in 14.2 minutes per game. With the departure of

small forward The small forward (SF), also known as the three or swingman, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers but taller, larger, and stronger t ...

Miranda Drummond, she entered the starting lineup in her sophomore season. On December 20, 2019, Engstler posted 13 points, a season-high 17 rebounds and five assists in a 77–63 victory over

Michigan State Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...

. On January 5, 2020, she recorded a season-high 22 points and 15 rebounds in a 74–63 victory against Notre Dame. As a sophomore, Engstler averaged nine points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, leading her team in rebounds and blocks. She suffered from depression during the season. Engstler improved her endurance and mental health by exercising routinely during

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

lockdown under the guidance of her older sister, Danielle. She lost about 40 lbs (18 kg) in the offseason through exercise and

dieting Dieting is the practice of eating food in a regulated way to decrease, maintain, or increase body weight, or to prevent and treat diseases such as diabetes and obesity. As weight loss depends on calorie intake, different kinds of calorie-redu ...

. Engstler returned to a

reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US vi ...

role in her junior season, but remained one of Syracuse's most productive players. In the quarterfinals of the 2021 ACC tournament, she made a game-winning, buzzer beating layup in a 90–89 win over

Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...

. Engstler registered a career-high 21 points and 10 rebounds in a 72–59 loss to

at the semifinals. She was selected to the all-tournament second team. As a junior, Engstler averaged 10.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, earning ACC Co-Sixth Player of the Year honors. She led Syracuse in rebounds, steals and three-point field goal percentage. For her senior season, Engstler transferred to Louisville, being drawn to the program by head coach

Jeff Walz Jeffrey Jacob Walz (born October 27, 1971) is the head coach of the women's basketball team at the University of Louisville. In his second year as a head coach, he guided his team to a national championship appearance at the 2009 NCAA Division I w ...

. On January 2, 2022, she made a game-winning layup with three seconds left in a 50–48 victory over

Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...

. On March 26, Engstler matched her season-high of 20 points while grabbing 10 rebounds in a 76–64 win against

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

at the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. She helped Louisville reach the Final Four of the tournament. As a senior, Engstler averaged 11.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 1.8 blocks per game, and was named to the first-team All-

Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...

and All-Defensive Team. On March 29, she declared for the 2022 WNBA draft, forgoing her additional year of college eligibility granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Professional career

WNBA

Engstler was selected by the

Indiana Fever The Indiana Fever are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded before the 2000 season began. The team is owned ...

with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 WNBA draft. On August 12, 2022, she scored a season-high 18 points, five rebounds and three blocks in an 82–70 loss to the

Washington Mystics The Washington Mystics are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Mystics compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Eastern Conference. The team was founded pri ...

. In her rookie season, Engstler averaged 5.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, making six starts in 35 games. Prior to the start of the 2023 WNBA Training Camp, the Fever waived Engstler. After being waived by the Fever, Engstler signed a training camp contract with the

. Engstler did not make the final roster for the Mystics after appearing in the preseason. On June 14, 2023, Engstler signed a Hardship Contract with the

. Engstler spent just over a month with the Lynx before

Jessica Shepard Jessica Shepard (born September 11, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Shepard began her college career at Nebraska, playing there for two seasons befo ...

returned from her illness and Engstler was released from her hardship contract.

Overseas

After the 2022 WNBA season, she played for Flammes Carolo Basket of the

Ligue Féminine de Basketball The Ligue Féminine de Basketball (LFB; ''Women's Basketball League'') is the top women's French professional basketball league. Champions * precedes the score of the team playing at home. Clubs Current season (2021–22) * Union Féminine ...

in France.

WNBA career statistics

Regular season

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Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

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National team career

In August 2021, Engstler played for the United States national 3x3 team at the

FIBA The International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French: ) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. Originally known as the (hence FIBA), in 1989 it dropped the word ''amateur'' from its na ...

3x3 Under-23 Nations League in France. She helped the team finish with a 5–3 record. Engstler won a silver medal at the 2022 FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup in Romania.

References

External links

*
Louisville Cardinals bioSyracuse Orange bioUSA Basketball bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Engstler, Emily 2000 births Living people American women's basketball players Basketball players from Queens, New York Louisville Cardinals women's basketball players Syracuse Orange women's basketball players McDonald's High School All-Americans Small forwards Power forwards (basketball) Indiana Fever draft picks Indiana Fever players Minnesota Lynx players