Breakout Candidates for Soccer -- SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Breakout Candidates for Soccer

AG Gibson

Women's soccer looks to take another step in the right direction this fall. After a 7-6-2 season last year, UofL is hopeful to improve on that record. We saw a couple folks transfer out from last year but a good core remained.

No single player had eye-popping stats last year and none earned any All-American or All-ACC honors outside of academic accolades. Karsyn Cherry has proven to be the go-to player the last couple seasons so we will look at players outside of her with potential breakout seasons. Mackenzie Geigle was a scoring machine for the Cards last year so I am considering her ineligible for this list too.

Emersen Jennings

Fina Davy took no time earning a starting role as a freshman last year. Her scoring numbers of one goal and two assists weren't eye-popping, but she kept defenders on their toes when she had possession. She has a chance to make a big jump up this season.

AG Gibson is a local kid that was one of the best in the state during her high school career. She started most of the season her freshman year last year, leading all freshmen on the team in minutes. I don't expect her breakout season to be scoring related as much as helping Louisville establish a strong midfield and have better ball possession against other teams.

Emersen Jennings

Emersen Jennings is entering her final season with the Cards. She's had a couple injuries that prevented her from maximizing minutes on the pitch and usually came in as a reserve player. She appears to be healthy entering this season and can use her speed to stretch the offense and keep defenders on the run.

Louisville starts on the road for the first two games of the year but they will play at Lynn Stadium for the first time in 2025 on August 21.

Happy Sunday and Go Cards!

Jared

WSOC Players Stay Local for Summer -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Four Cards on Racing Louisville USLW Team 

Davy (20) and Huckaby (2)

Racing Louisville announced the roster for their 2025 USL W League season, and four Cardinals will spend their summer playing for the local club. The four Louisville players are among 18 Division I players on the 46-player roster, with 10 of those coming from Power 4 conferences. This season, Cards trading the red and black for lavender are Fina Davy, AG Gibson, Betsy Huckaby, and Grace Maddox. That marks an increase in UofL representation by one, Davy and Maddox join for the first time and Brooke Dardano graduated this past season. 

Other local schools represented include UK (Mallory Glass), EKU (Kaitlyn Rowlett), Breanna Dardano (Xavier; and yes, they're related), and Bellarmine. Callie McKinney's squad ties UofL for the largest non-Racing Academy contingent on the roster with four representatives of their own: Dakota Bramer, Sidney Rigsby, Shelby Smith, and Lucy von Stefenelli. 

Racing got their USL W season started with a bang yesterday evening on a beautiful night down at the Lynn Training Complex, beating the Dayton Dutch Lions by a whopping 9-0 scoreline. The win kicked off a 10-match schedule against local clubs. From now, Racing will play a home-and-away with Kings Hammer FC (Cincinnati/NKY), Lexington SC, Indy Eleven, and Dayton with one extra road game against Kings Hammer. The season is short, as the last game will be played on June 24th. 

Maddox (5), Gibson (24), and Avery Oergel

The UofL representatives on the team had a big game in last night's win, with Grace Maddox getting a start, playing all 90 minutes, and leading the team in scoring with three goals. Fina Davy also played all 90 and scored one goal. AG Gibson started and played 59 minutes, and Betsy Huckaby's 31 minutes make it seem as though Huckaby may have subbed on for Gibson. Neither of the two scored, and assists weren't tracked. 

Regardless of the outcome and the stats, Louisville players getting more touches on the ball, especially with one another, is extremely valuable. One of the biggest issues with the Cards last season was seeming disjointed, especially in the middle and final thirds. Having more opportunities to develop an on-field relationship can only help, considering that the four players on the Racing squad will likely make up the core of Louisville's attack in 2025. 

The team will head to Covington for their next game on Saturday before returning to Louisville against Lexington SC next Wednesday at 6PM. Home games are open to the public and free to attend. 

Until next time, Go Cards!

Case