Saturday Cardinal Couple -- B.B. headed to Poland

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SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Becky Burke headed to Poland for Eurohoops


-Theophille, Okoro lead Cards in NCAA Track/Field


-Ky. High School Girls thump Ind. 75-47


-Angel movie?


-Belmont Stakes picks


Louisville womens basketball player Becky Burke has signed a contract to play for ROW Rybnik Poland in the highly competitive EuroBasketball leagues. 

Burke joins a team that went 15-11 in competition in the 2011-12 season. A scan of the roster from last year shows several former USA college stars were on the squad last season. Alexis Rack (Miss. St./San Antonio), Mekia Valentine (UCSB/N.Y. Liberty), Sybil Dotsy (Ariz. St.) and Rebecca Harris (Illinois) played for Rybnik last season.

Given the transient nature of players and rosters in Euro basketball, it's hard to say whether they'll be there in the upcoming season to help Becky learn the important phrases in Polish like pizza, cereal, remote control and Justin Bieber...but it's a great opportunity for the Clarks Summit, PA star who was UofL's long range specialist in her four years at the Ville. We'll always remember the "Beckster" for that big smile, too. 


Going from the red and black to the green and orange. Load up on the Cocoa Puffs, B.B. Just in case. We hear the Polish cereal brands aren't that great. 


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Results from Friday NCAA Outdoor Championships:

Four UofL womens track and field stars were in action yesterday in Des Moines, Iowa for the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Michelle Theophille tied for 6th in the high jump and Maggie Gilbertson tied for 17th. Theophille cleared six feet (or 1.83m...for
you metric fans) in her best attempt. 


In the shot put, Chinwe Okoro finished seventh with a toss of 56-5.75 and Khadila Abdullah grabbed eleventh place...hurling the ball 54-4.75. 


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The Kentucky All-Star girls basketball team took it to Indiana last night in Freedom Hall, pounding the Hoosiers 75-47. Kentucky Miss Basketball Sydney Moss led the way for the winners with 14 points and 11 grabs. She was proud of the feat:


" Been a lot of good Kentucky teams to come through here and to beat them by the second-biggest margin is saying a lot."


Moss is headed to Florida this fall to be a student-athlete and is the daughter of NFL great Randy Moss. 


Took the Kentucky squad a bit to get started, going scoreless in the first five minutes of the contest, played in front of a sparse crowd in Freedom Hall. Marion County's Bre Elder (Dayton) finally connected for KY and it was 39-27 at the half for the home team. Indiana was 0 for game from the three-point arc. 


The two squads will battle again today in Indy.


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Film in the works for #35? Charlie Springer spills the beans (hopefully not the popcorn) over at the very fine UofL Card Game. Give "The Observer" a read at the link below. 


Angel documentary


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OK, here they are. The CARDINAL COUPLE Belmont Stakes picks. A revised forecast, since the "scratch" of I'll Have Another. 

Not gonna happen...

Disappointment? Sure. Everyone wanted to see the California hero try for the Triple Crown. Tendinitis in the left front leg will make that something that isn't going to happen. We're guessing no amount of Aleve could have taken care of the pain (that's what Paul takes for his tendinitis) and it's a shame that the three-year old can't go...but the care, well-being and safety of the horse is the main thing here and Doug O'Neill made the right call. There are plans to walk him around
in the paddock area today. Previous plans to lead the post parade in the BELMONT STAKES have been scratched.


PAUL

Dullahan, you da man!

One of my favorite bartenders at Churchill gave me a DULLAHAN pin to wear earlier this week for Saturday. Didn't think too much of it at the time, but now I believe it is manifest destiny and the horse is my top pick here. His late-closing style is ideal for the lengthy Belmont stretch. I'll go with ATIGUN for second. Was impressed with his win on the undercard at Churchill on Derby Day and he's another who flies by them from the back. D.Wayne Lukas keeps bringing OPTIMIZER back for punishment in Triple Crown races and maybe he'll appreciate the added distance today...so we'll peg him for third. UNION RAGS should be good enough to pick up the pieces for fourth. 


I'll play exacta and trifecta wheels with these four and make sure they're included in a pick three that I'll start in the ninth race with my best pick of the day...Hierro. 


SONYA

"Hello, Sonja? I think we have
a live one Saturday. How's Co-Co?"

Bob Baffert is up to something. I figured he wouldn't toss BODEMEISTER in the Belmont, too far for the mile specialist, but he has entered PAYNTER. Ol' white-hair was puffing the goods on this one early in the Derby trail and he was impressive in winning a big allowance race at Pimilco on Preakness day. PAYNTER, at a price, is my top pick. I think DULLAHAN will be gobbling up ground at the end, and it wouldn't surprise me if he wins...but I'm picking him second today. ATIGUN comes out of Kenny McPeek's barn and is a closer who will like Belmont's surface. He only knows one speed and it is flying late. He'll get third. UNION RAGS will contest it for awhile before fading to fourth. 
It would not surprise me if "Ragsie" wins, though. 


I'll box these four in an exacta and put win, place and show money on Paynter, Dullahan and Atigun. By the time the Belmont Stakes, the 11th race on the Belmont card today, I'll also probably come up with a few "hunch bets"...paying particular attention to how speed is holding up on the rock-hard, lighting fast track. 


DAVID

I've chased OPTIMIZER in the first two legs of the Triple Crown so far. Not backing off now and that's my top selection. Trainer D.Wayne Lukas got a noggin thump from one of his horses earlier in the week. It would be fitting if they played Dean Martin's "Ain't that a kick in the head" during the post parade. Give me DULLAHAN for second and I don't care who comes in third or fourth.


Paul still hasn't paid me for my I'll Have Another score in the Derby. Something about the increased cost of UofL Football tickets. I'll call him later Saturday morning and tell him to invest my Derby winnings on any horse that nods and winks at the TV cameras during the post parade. These horses -- they're smarter than you think. 


Paulie, cue up a little Dino for me...


(Ask and you shall receive. Click the link below for classic Dean Martin) 


Ain't That A Kick In The Head?


NBC has the coverage again. Post time around 6:30 p.m. Good luck and remember that our selections are for entertainment purposes only. 
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Sunday Cardinal Couple -- Six UofL Womens Track & Field Athletes qualify for NCAA Championships

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SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Abdullah, Okoro headline list of UofL women headed to NCAA Championships


-Softball: Elite Eight almost set


Six UofL womens track and field athletes have qualified for the NCAA Championships that will be held June 6-9 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, IA. 


Here's the list:


Khadija Abdullah - Shot Put
Chinwe Okoro - Shot Put
Holly Knight - 10,000 meter run
Michelle Theophille - High Jump
Maggie Gilbertson - High Jump
Charachesicia Lockhart - Long Jump, Triple Jump

Lockhart will participate in two
events in the NCAA Championships

The Cards won the BIG EAST Championships earlier this month and almost had another athlete qualify yesterday for the NCAA Championship...Amashi Kendall just falling short of a qualifying throw in the hammer. 


The athletes who participate in track and field events at UofL, as well as other Universities, rarely get the recognition and coverage that players in football and basketball do. Their efforts, though, are just as dedicated and the practice hours they spend equal those of the hardwood and gridiron performers. 


Best of luck to the UofL participants in the NCAA. Six entries! Keep up the great work, Ron Mann! 


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Now that Louisville's softball season has ended, interest in the sport on the college level has dropped off somewhat locally...but 16 teams advanced to the Super Regionals and have made or are making their bid to be one of the eight that get to the Womens College World Series in Oklahoma City, OK. 

Bulls advance to Okla. City

From the BIG EAST, South Florida has punched their ticket to the "elite eight"...eliminating Hofstra in the Super Regionals two games to one. All three games had the same score...2-1. Sara Nevins, who had trouble against the Cards in the regular season and in the BIG EAST Tournament, back to her old form inside the circle.


Other schools who have made reservations for rooms so far in Oklahoma City:


Alabama (knocked off Michigan, who beat Louisville)
Arizona State
Oklahoma
Oregon


Three more could qualify today. Cal needs to beat Washington to advance. Same for LSU, who plays Missouri and Tennessee could secure a slot by beating Georgia today. If LSU, Cal and UT lose, it goes to game three in the best-of-three format. 

Haylie Wagner's pitching stymied Louisville
but couldn't get Michigan past Alabama.

Three PAC 12 schools, a possible three SEC schools, one from the BIG 12 and one from the BIG EAST. Those who clamor for a Cardinal move to the BIG 12 can't help but believe that the overall competition would be stronger, year in and year out...but for this season...each school has a representative in the final dance. 
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WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


SPECIAL REPORT


CARDS SWEEP DOUBLEHEADER AGAINST SOUTH FLORIDA.


-Cards run rule South Florida in Game two 9-0


Louisville exploded for five runs in the bottom of the fourth and four runs in the fifth to run-rule South Florida 9-0 in game two. The big shots were Jordan Trimble with a grand slam home run to right center in the fourth and Taner Fowler three run left field fence clearer in the fifth to end the game. Chelsea Leonard gets the win with three innings of relief, allowing just three Bulls hits and striking out three in relief of starter Caralisa Connell. 


With the two wins today, #9 Louisville is alone in first place in the BIG EAST with a conference record of 
11-2. 


-Louisville wins Game one against the Bulls 4-1


Louisville gets a complete game win out of Tori Collins and beats the Bulls 4-1 in the first of two today here at Ulmer Stadium. The Cards got all the runs they needed in the bottom of second inning when Maggie Ruckenbrod hit a 2 RBI single to left with two on and two outs. The Cards added runs in the 3rd and 6th.


Collins struck out eight and allowed six hits against USF. The Bulls got an unearned run in the top of the fifth when Janine Richardson reached on a fielding error and scored on Jessica Mouse's single.


We'll have full recaps of both games in Thursday's Cardinal Couple. 


We're also hearing that Pat Summit will announce her retirement Thursday in a press conference. 


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-Cards, Bulls set to do battle in Ulmer Stadium today


-Okoro throwing it all away


The University of Louisville softball team (38-2, 9-2) heads into their most important double-header of the season so far this season...a 4 p.m. match against BIG EAST leading South Florida. A rare treat for out-of-town Cardinal Softball fans...both games will be televised on ESPNU with Adam Amin and Jennie Finch calling the contest.


The Bulls come into Ulmer at 40-6 and 13-1 in BIG EAST action. They suffered their first defeat of the season last weekend at Connecticut 7-3 but won the other two games against the Huskies. 

Nevins is 0-1 lifetime against the Cards

When you scout the USF squad, Sara Nevins is the first player that stands out. The sophomore pitcher is 23-2 and has a chilling 0.74 ERA. That earned run average is good enough to lead the entire nation. She has 237 strikeouts on the year in 180.2 innings pitched. Opponents bat a minuscule .171 against the lefty and the Bulls defense. 


According to her coach and teammates, Nevins is the main practical joker and stand-up comedian on the squad as well. Easy to be when you leave them dead in the aisles every time you take the mound. 


She'll face the top hitting squad in the BIG EAST today in Louisville, though. The Cards are batting .324 as a unit and have seven players hitting over .300 in the starting lineup.

Stephanie Medina

When USF comes to the plate, the main threats would appear to be Stephanie Medina and Janine Richardson. Both are batting an identical .339 on the season and have seven home runs each. 


Bulls head softball coach Ken Erikson sees the games today like this:


" It's a great time to be here. It's also just another couple of games. We're playing against another bunch of girls. We're not doing anything different. We've been on TV before and that's not going to change how we do things."

USF's Janine Richardson

The Cards and Bulls have a long history of playing each other...the series began back in 2000...Louisville's inaugural season for softball. Louisville coach Sandy Pearsall and Erikson have been on hand for each game. 


Last time the two faced was in the BIG EAST Tournament last year in the quarterfinals at Ulmer. Louisville won 2-0, getting a huge home run off then-freshman Nevins from Colby Wherry. Tori Collins pitched the shutout for the Cards.


First pitch is at 4 p.m. Weather looks great for today's action, so head out to Ulmer and cheer the Cards on! 


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BIG EAST STANDINGS (as of 4/16/12)


USF             13-1  40-6                 Pitt             6-8  23-19
Louisville      9-2   38-2                Providence  5-8  14-26
Syracuse       7-2   30-10              St. John       3-8  15-28
DePaul          7-2   25-13              Seton Hall    2-9  20-22
Notre Dame  5-3   21-13              Georgetown  2-9  17-26
Connecticut  7-5   18-17             Villanova      1-10  27-18
Rutgers         8-8   21-22


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For the second straight week, University of Louisville track and field's CHINWE OKORO has been named the BIG EAST Women's Field Athlete of the week. 

Okoro swept the discus and shot put in the Texas Roadhouse Border Battle last Saturday at Cardinal Park against Kentucky, Indiana and Notre Dame. Her discus toss of 56.24m/184-6 was a personal best for her and ranks fourth nationally this season. It is also the fifth-best throw in school history. Her shot put toss of 16.85m/55-3 ranks eighth nationally and another personal best. It's the third best toss in UofL history, too. 


Both throws top the BIG EAST this year. 


The red-shirt senior from Nigeria is also the holder of the 2011 Nigerian Championship title for shot put. 

Chinwe is one of several field specialist that make up what might be considered the best women's "throwers" in NCAA women's competition. Khadija Abdullah, Jenna Wargo, Amashi Kendall, Patrice Gates and Hannah Baker give coach Ron Mann a deep and veteran group of participants in the discus, shot put, hammer and javelin events.  


Okoro and Abdullah are a odds-on bet to finish 1-2 in any field tossing events they take part in. Wargo is a javelin expert and won the event in the Border Battle. 


Louisville, it seems, is quite adept at "throwing it away".  
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Dream drop another one...Youman, Juneau BIG EAST All-Academic... Okoro wins shot put

cardscardscardscardscardscardscardscardscardscardscardscardscardscardscardscardscards

SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE PRESENTS:

-Dream interrupted by Di & Mercury

-Five from UofL named to BIG EAST awards

-Chinwe Okoro wins Nigerian shot put

-What do you think?

The tough early season sledding continues for Angel McCoughtry and the Atlanta Dream. Last night it was our favorite here at CARDINAL COUPLE, Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury putting an "L" on the Atlanta record...with a 92-83 win in Atlanta.

Di is seen here asking George Bush to
give up the presidency and join the WNBA

Di had 20 for Phoenix and Candice Dupree contributed 18 in the Mercury win. Atlanta got Angel McCoughtry to toss in 24 - her second best performance of the season- and Courtney Paris added 13 but it wasn't enough to keep Atlanta from sliding to 2-6 on the season.

The Dream trailed by 20 points in this floater with five minutes left and never had an answer for the Mercury's fast paced tempo. The Dream used to run the ball pretty well too...but never got rolling last night. Atlanta gets San Antonio Sunday.

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Two Lady Cardinal student-athletes were selected for BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards. UofL's Nicole Youman (Field Hockey) and Sara Maude Juneau (golf) received the prestigious honors- a total of five Cardinals were named...giving Louisville the most student-athletes on the list out of all the BIG EAST schools. Joining Sara and Nicole were Chris Philpott (football), Michael Eaton (cross country) and Austen Childs (tennis).

Youman also had 19
assists her senior year.

Youman was the 2010 BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year and scored 17 goals her senior year. She was a four year starter for former Cardinal field hockey coach Pam Bustin and hails from Black Mountain, Australia.

Juneau was also named BIG EAST Player of the Year in her sport...golf...and it was the second year in a row she captured that honor. She led the BIG EAST with a 73.2 stroke average and was ranked in the nation's top 25 women's collegiate golfers by Golfstat. 

Congratulations to these five Cardinals who have combined successes on the field of play with academic excellence. The award is given to only one student per sport each year and academics, athletics and volunteer service to the community are the judging criteria.

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Former UofL track and field star Chinwe Okoro won the Nigerian shot put event, throwing her career best of 16.79m/55-1. Her toss qualified her for the 2011 All-African games. Okoro will also attempt to qualify in the discus today.

Okoro was part of the
Cardinal throwing team.
They were the best in
the BIG EAST

She was a valuable thrower for the Cardinals program a UofL and finished her senior season with All-American honors in the discus and shot put at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

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Does it matter if college athletes
are gay or lesbian?

All across college campuses, student-athletes are leaving their high schools and hometowns to arrive on college campuses as incoming freshmen and begin classes. Whatever happened to a summer break? Sue Favor takes a look at the issue on her They're Playing Basketball blog. It's an interesting read and you can access her blog over on the infamous left side of our blog. Also, does sexual orientation matter when it comes to athletes? We've posted a poll over on the left side and feel free to leave your comments and opinions on it here in our comments section. ESPN recently did an article on it that you can read on Sue's blog.
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Secretariat - Belmont Stakes 1973...Hughes wins semifinal...Softball today...Belmont PP's and picks

("He is moving like a tremendous machine." ). One of the best race calls in history to go with the best race in the history of the sport. Chick Anderson was the race caller on CBS at Belmont Park that day. He also was track announcer at Churchill Downs for 17 years.


THURSDAY @ CARDINAL COUPLE:

-Hughes, Okoro in NCAA Championships

-Ky. State Girls Softball Championships begin today

-2011 Belmont Post Positions and Predictions

-Cierra Warren undergoes knee surgery.

Okoro is a senior on
the women's track
and field team at UofL.

Two University of Louisville track and field athletes participated in the NCAA Championships yesterday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, IA. Men's distance runner Matt Hughes won his semi-final heat in the 3,000 meters and will run in the finals Friday night. Hughes won the event last year. Thrower Chinwe Okoro placed ninth in the discus throw after a sixth place finish in the qualifying round.

Today's action includes Cardinal high-jumper Rachel Gehret. Gehret won the high jump in the BIG EAST Championship earlier this year. The women's throwing team will also compete in the shot put and hammer tosses during the championships.

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Sixteen teams from across the state will vie for the title in the 2011 Kentucky State Softball Tournament beginning today at Jack C. Fisher Park in Owensboro, KY. Locally, Louisville Ballard and PRP will take part in the action. The tournament runs three days...with the championship game scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday. The first round pairings:

Three Ballard Bruins,...Walker, Wise and Fairley

PRP vs. Montgomery County

Allen County-Scottsville vs. East Jessamine

North Laurel vs. Central Hardin

Walton-Verona vs. Hopkins County Central

Lexington Lafayette vs. Owensboro Catholic

Calloway County vs. Ashland Blazer

Ballard vs. Letcher County Central

Ryle vs. Magoffin County

Ballard is ranked #1 in the state and went 35-4 during the regular season. They are led in the pitching circle by senior Kayla Fairley. Fairley is a dominating pitcher who went 26-3 on the season with a 1.11 ERA. She's also not too bat at the plate...hitting .308 for the season with four home runs. Fairley was the Seventh Region Player of the Year. She has yet to commit to a college...but Louisville is her first choice.

Never can have enough good arms, Sandy....go after this girl and put her in the Cardinal red...

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The post positions and odds for the 143rd running of the Belmont Stakes have been assigned and ANIMAL KINGDOM has been made the favorite at 3-1. The Kentucky Derby winner narrowly missed in the Preakness...running second to SHACKLEFORD who will also try the Belmont and is listed at 5-1. The post positions, jockeys and odds below:

Post 1:  Master of Hounds.  Garrett Gomez on board.  10-1
Post 2:  Stay Thirsty.  Javier Castellano rides.  22-1
Post 3:  Ruler On Ice.  Jose Valdivia, Jr. gets the assignment.  25-1
Post 4:  Santiva.  Shaun Bridgmohan in the saddle.  15-1
Post 5:  Brilliant Speed.  Joel Rosario is the jockey.  20-1
Post 6:  Nehro.  Corey Nakatani has the reigns.  9-2
Post 7:  Monzon.  Jose Lezcano in the stirrups.  35-1
Post 8:  Prime Cut.  Edgar Prado guides.  25-1
Post 9:  Animal Kingdom.  John Velazquez returns.  3-1
Post 10:  Mucho Macho Man.  Ramon Dominguez has the mount.  15-1
Post 11:  Isn't He Perfect.  Rajiv Maragh takes the call.  45-1
Post 12:  Shackleford.  Jesus Castanon goes for two straight.  5-1

Paul's Predictions:

I'm picking NEHRO here. He ran second in the Derby, sat out the Preakness and will love the added distance. He'll have to contend with ANIMAL KINGDOM, a threat in the long Belmont stretch. The question is how tired is ANIMAL KINGDOM after the Derby and Preakness? Look for MUCHO MACHO MAN to be gobbling up the speed at the end and just behind these two. I don't see SHACKLEFORD liking this extra distance and he'll fade late...Longshot special is PRIME CUT, with Edgar Prado on board. Prado knows Belmont and this horse has had six straight third place or better finishes in a row.

Sonja Says:

ANIMAL KINGDOM is my selection to win the Belmont Stakes. This horse can run forever and would have won the Preakness if Velazquez had moved him earlier. I can see NEHRO putting in a huge effort here but couldn't catch Velazquez in the Derby and won't here. I'll take SHACKLEFORD and SANTIVA battling for third. BRILLIANT SPEED is a live longshot to respect.

(David Watson is on vacation and has no selections for the Belmont Stakes.) We did ask CARDINAL COUPLE handicapper Tommy Boy about his picks but he hasn't finished his research and studies on the race as of this column posting. Respected charter Alan Patterson is trying to narrow it down between five horses as of yesterday and has MASTER OF HOUNDS, ANIMAL KINGDOM, NEHRO, SHACKLEFORD and MUCHO MACHO MAN on his short list...

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Lady Cards post Cierra Warren recently underwent knee surgery but is already up and around on crutches. We aren't sure what procedure was performed or her status for fall ball...but have some feelers out to try and find out. Up and around already is a good sign...

We absolutely love this collage that Charlie Springer
created last year of Cierra Warren! (Photo from UofL Card Game)
You can read Charlie's site daily at http://www.uoflcardgame.com/

Warren transferred to the University of Louisville last year after her freshman season at North Carolina. The bright and bubbly 6'5" center is expected to make a significant contribution to the Lady Cards in the 2011-12 season...after sitting out the mandatory year required for transfers from one D1 program to another. We had reports all last season that she was a force on the court during practice and look forward to her Lady Cards debut.

Warren was the "greeter" at the end of the huddle during UofL Cardinal pre-game introductions and...along with Shawnta Dyer, who returns after a red-shirt season...should give the Cards some pretty spectacular front line power.

GOOD NEWS! We have received confirmation from UofL that the surgery was minor, all things are GOOD on Cierra and she'll be ready to go for fall ball!

LOOK OUT, BIG EAST and LADY CARDINAL OPPONENTS...

FRONT LINE COMING TO GET YA...
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Cards in NCAA track and field - Rucker, Braunies get honors

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TUESDAY @ CARDINAL COUPLE

Gwen Rucker came to Louisville to
play hoops and volleyball but
the wide net sport won out.

-Four LADY CARDS get NCAA berths in Track and Field.

-Gwen Rucker, Taylor Braunies named to USA squad

-Atlanta Dream (minus Angel) romp Brits.

-California Girls....

Two UofL Women's Volleyball team members have been named to the 36 athletes that are competing in the USA Volleyball Open National Championships down in Dallas, TX.

Taylor Brauneis took over the
setter spot as a freshman.

Gwen Rucker, a middle hitter from Lexington, KY, and setter Taylor Brauneis are on the USA A2 roster. Rucker will be a senior this upcoming season and originally came to Louisville to participate in both volleyball and basketball. Rucker was a valuable post player for Jeff Walz's Lady Cards basketball team for two seasons...going to an NCAA Final Four with the Cards as a freshman. She decided to concentrate on volleyball her final two years at UofL and was a starter for Leonid Yelin's squad last year. With new coach Anne Kordes on board at UofL this season, Rucker's leadership and experience with the volleyball squad will be counted on for the Volleyball Cards.

Brauneis, from Crystal Lake, IL. came to the Louisville campus last year and quickly established herself as the Cards starting setter. She had 1100 sets for the Cards last season and has also sang the national anthem at Cardinal home matches. (Not while playing during a game...) . Congrats to both of these "wide-netters"!!

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D'Ana McCarty will compete in
two NCAA Championship events.

Four UofL women's track and field squad members have punched their tickets for the NCAA Championships. The title seekers:

-Chinwe Okoro (Discus)

-Rachel Gehret  (High Jump)

-D'Ana McCarty (hammer throw and shot put)
-Khadija Abdullah (shot put)

The girls will move on to Drake Stadium, on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa and compete from June 8th. -June 11th.

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No Angel for Atlanta in\
the 31 point Dream win.

The Atlanta Dream had no trouble with the Great Britain National Team overseas...romping to a 82-51 exhibition team...but it's interesting to note that they did it without projected starters Angel McCoughtry and Erika de Souza. McCoughtry is on the shelf for awhile with a sprained knee and de Souza missed the trip to attend to some affairs back home in Brazil. Doesn't seem either was missed too much, though, against the Brits.

CoCo Miller led the way for the Dream with 21 points, who are the first WNBA team to play in England.

The trip was part of spreading the WNBA brand to England and the game is the only tune-up the Dream will get before beginning WNBA play this upcoming weekend.

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If it seems that the Cal Bears women's softball team has been in the commonwealth of Kentucky forever...they have been. With a 9-0 romp of Kentucky in the 3rd game of the Super Regionals in Lexington,

Cal pitcher Jolene Henderson adds
"Cat-Killer" to her resume. She also knocked
Louisville out of the NCAA Tournament

the Bears end a two week stay in Louisville and Lexington. Once again, Jolene Henderson proved her mastery of the pitching circle...limiting the Wildcats to just three hits in the final game. Kentucky forced the deciding game after beating Cal 8-0 in game two of the Super Regional. Cal won the opening contest Saturday 1-0. 

Cal moves on the the WCWS Championships with the win. If Henderson continues pitching like she's been lately...the Bears may not make it back home until fall...

The WCWS Championship Series participants are:

- Arizona State (Pac 10)
- California (Pac 10)
- Alabama (SEC)
- Florida (SEC)
- Oklahoma (Big 12)
- Oklahoma State (Big 12)
- Baylor (Big 12)
- Missouri (Big 12)
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