Swing, Jump, Throw, Run, Swim - Sunday Cardinal Couple

Golf en México

The Golf team took an excursion south of the border...no, not to Taco Bell, but really south of the border, for the Collegiate Invitational held in Guadalajara.  That's a rather unusual, but certainly pleasant locale this time of year.  The event was apparently hosted by Virginia, and your guess is as good as mine as to how they came to host an event in Western Mexico.

The Cards finished 10th overall in the competition, with Carmen Griffiths being the top scorer for the Cards, finishing in a tie for 9th place.  Beatriz Barrios wasn't too far behind, in a tie for 16th two strokes behind Griffiths.

Golf will return back to the states but staying south, heading to Melbourne FL for an event starting the 18th.

Track and Field Split the Party

UofL Track and Field competed in a couple of different events this weekend.

First, in Albuquerque, NM, Alba Cuns Iglesias posted an eighth place finish in the triple jump in a personal record of 12.81m.  That equates to a smidge over 42 feet.  Impressive to say the least.

Zoe Yeast, meanwhile was participating in the weight throw at the Meyo Invitational in South Bend Indiana, also finished eighth, and had a top throw of 18.03m, or 59 feet and almost two inches.

The next action for Track and Field sees them heading up to Chestnut Hill, MA for Boston College's Eagle Invite.  The Eagle Invite will be a two day event, on the 9th and 10th.

Swimming and Diving

Arthur Albiero's squad was at home yesterday for a meet against Cincinnati, with the well ranked Cards easily taking the competition, 204-90.  The men's side was similarly successful against the Bearcats.

The news here, however is that this was the Senior Day event for Swimming and Diving.  Yes, you read that right, and it caught me just as off-guard.  There is one more event, two weeks from now, for the Cards before the ACC Championship.  It is also a home meet, but it's a two day invitational, the Louisville Invitational, so logistically more difficult to do Senior Day honors.

With a substantial point win over the Bearcats and in head to head competition, you might expect a number of individual and relay event wins for Louisville, and of course you'd be right.

Gabi Albiero led the way with wins in the 50 free, the 100 fly, and both relays (200 medley and 200 free).  Chistiana Regenauer joined Albiero on both relays and also picked up an individual win in the 100 free.  Lindsay Gizzi won both the one and three meter springboard diving events while Else Praasterink is off competing in Doha Saudi Arabia for her native Netherlands at the World Aquatics Championships.  It is good to see Louisville adding some depth to their developing diving side of the squad.

In that 200 Medley relay, Albiero and Regenauer were joined by Cecilia Viberg and Tristen Ulett.  The B-team touched second, with contributions by Karoline Barrett, Kim Herkle, Ella Welch, and Julia Dennis.

Paige Kuwata won the 1650 freestyle (1650?  Seems oddly specific...it's roughly equal to 1500 meters...come on NCAA, just switch to meters already).

Paige Hetrick and Ulett finished one, two in the 200 free.  Ulett also won the 100 back.  Fernanda Celidonio finished atop the podium on the 100 breaststroke with Viberg on the second step.  Summer Cardwell touched first in the 200 fly with Kuwata being next.

Albiero, along with Welch, and Lucy Mehraban filled the whole podium in the 50 free.

Something you don't see too often with the timing precision available today, after Regenauer touched in the 100 free, Celidonio and Barrett tied for 2nd.  Bianca Costea touched fourth for the complete sweep of the event.

Herkle in the backstroke, was joined on the podium by Jordan Durocher, and Zoe Vogelmann.  Ella Welch won the 200 breaststroke.

Another 1-2-3-4 in the 100 fly with Albiero bringing along Barrett, Ulett, and Hetrick.  The 500 free was topped by Ulett, with Maddie Luther reaching 2nd.  Ulett then also won the 200 IM to wrap her day.

And finally, to wrap the event, Albiero, Regenauer, Dennis, and Welch set a pool record, achieving an NCAA A-cut in the process, in the 200 free.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast

(Maybe the ony reason to go to Raleigh...to visit with Ms. Wuf)

And, finally, in what may be the biggest news of the day, Paulie took his first step back into the Cardinal Couple waters after major surgery by joining the CCRHP call yesterday, delighting Daryl, Jared, and I also on the call.

With some spring sports getting underway this week, we did do a bit of a preview of Softball and Lacrosse, but the bulk of the time was spent on talking about WBB and trying to find a path through the this last home stretch of games to look the best for NCAA selection.  Basically no one expects to make it through this gauntlet unblemished, so how to put our best foot forward is the question.

Get the podcast to hear the long awaited and joyous return of Paulie to the Podcast at:

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cardinal-couple/episodes/Womens-Basketball-Enters-the-Home-Stretch-as-Spring-Sports-Kick-Off-e2fal53

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JMcA