Depth should be no problem for Lady Card in 2011-12

SUNDAY SILENCE @ CARDINAL COUPLE

-Returnees, newcomers will make for a

11 returning players and maybe four newcomers assure
Jeff Walz of a very deep bench and a spirited fall practice.

deep Lady Card roster in 2011-12.

-Softball will return soon, we promise!

-Machen edges Dominus in Derby Trial

If you thought the University of Louisville women's basketball roster was stacked and deep last year...you ain't seen nothin' yet. 

Even after three transfers and two graduations, Jeff Walz has 11 returning as of May 1st. Add a probable four freshmen to the mix and you get the picture. Walz has almost three times the players right now than he had healthy at the end of the 2009-10 season.

The guard spots are the most packed. Shoni Schimmel, Tia Gibbs, Charmaine Tay, Becky Burke, Shelby Harper and Antonita Slaughter return. Toss in potential freshmen Jude Schimmel, Esther Monny Niamke and a chance at Bria Smith still ....and you have nine potential contenders for two spots. Some will insist that Slaughter is more of a wing than a guard...only time will tell. We put senior Monique Reid out there at wing also...it's what she does and she does it soooo well.

Inside is interesting as well. Returnees Asia Taylor and Sherrone Vails are joined by red shirts Cierra Robertson-Warren and Shawnta Dyer. Incoming freshman Sara Hammond adds to the mix. There have been rave reviews on how Warren dominated in practices, Walz thought enough of Dyer to put her in the starting lineup in the exhibition game against Indiana Wesleyan and who knows what kind of year she would have had if she hadn't fractured her heel? Asia Taylor had a strong finish to the year, Sherrone Vails was a steady and skilled back up to Keisha Hines..and the addition of Hammond, who is a scoring and rebounding machine makes this a very strong, skilled and deep front line.

There is always the remote possibility of a couple of more transfers out...we don't see that happening now. The three we figured were most likely to change scenery did just that. Story, Harrington and Burton will do fine wherever they end up. There is also the possibility Walz may add a couple of more players to the roster if the Smith saga doesn't end up in Louisville's favor. If we've learned one thing about Coach Walz over the last four years...it is that he is constantly on the lookout for the best talent out there.

Do we even dare venture a starting lineup this early? Doesn't hurt to speculate...so here goes. We did ask our special correspondent David Watson to prognosticate one and he snappily replied 'only if I can choose seven starters...' Here they are:

SONYA
PG  Charmaine Tay
SG  Shoni Schimmel
C Sherrone Vails
W Monique Reid
PF Asia Taylor

PAUL
PG Jude Schimmel
SG Shoni Schimmel
C Cierra Robertson Warren
W Monique Reid
PF Asia Taylor

DAVID
PG Charmaine Tay
SG Shoni Schimmel
C Cierra Robertson-Warren
W Antonita Slaughter (only if Monique Reid returns to the coming off the bench position)
PF Shawnta Dyer or Sara Hammond

Should be interesting.

**********************************************************************************

It seems like it's been weeks since Louisville last played softball. Hang in there, just a few more days until they return to the field...on the road at Georgetown on Wednesday, May 4th. Here's the standings as of today:

DePaul  16-1  33-11
Notre Dame  13-1  37-8
South Florida  12-3  32-18
Louisville 11-4  33-14
Syracuse  10-5  34-11
Pittsburgh  9-6  30-14
Rutgers  7-11  19-28
Connecticut  6-11  19-26

St. John's 6-11  19-29

Chelsea Bemis was Big East Player
of the Year in 2010.

Georgetown  5-9  12-37

Providence 5-12  21-28
Villanova 3-25  16-29
Seton Hall  3-17  15-30

Notice that Seton Hall, Villanova and Providence are in the cellar. Remember hoops season and where they were? Some things never change. Louisville ends the regular season with three games at Syracuse. At stake could be a top 4 finish for each team. We asked head Softball coach Sandy Pearsall before the season began who her top teams were. It is almost exactly as you see it above...with Louisville her third choice and Syracuse her fourth...but she did warn us that South Florida could easily be above the Cards or Orange. She's forgotten more about softball than we'll ever learn.

The BIG EAST Tournament is in Louisville again this year. It  begins Thursday, May 12th. Eight teams will compete and right now it's really hard to say who the #7 and #8 seeds will be.

Hang in there, softball is only a few days away for the Cards. Five road games that are very crucial for the final standing for Louisville. In the meantime, you can always head to the batting cage to get your fix in...
.
***********************************************************************************

Machen made a hard driving run down the stretch last night to catch Dominus at the wire and win the Derby Trial by a head. Machen's owners had decided previously not to run the 3 yr. old in the Kentucky Derby...but his stretch run last night was VERY impressive and this one could be one to consider if they try him in the Preakness or Belmont Stakes.

Churchill Downs was packed for Saturday
Night racing. Never seen so many stilleto heels
in my life....LOL

Hard luck for DOMINUS. He made a bold move at the top of the stretch to take the lead and it looked like Julian Leparoux had enough horse left under him to get the win. No one else was close to these two at the wire and give credit to Edgar Prado for a perfectly timed ride on the winner. WE were very big on the 6-1 runner Dominus and decided to bet him across the board. WE got back place and show money, though and the $6.80 and $4.80 return on a $2 across the board wager gave us a nice little profit. We.went a little heavier that than on him

38,000+ in attendance last night, a new night racing record at Churchill and also a new opening day record. Yeah, it was packed....
.