2023 UofL Hall of Fame Class Announced -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Hello readers and Happy Hump day!

It's Daryl checking in with you before the (holiday) weekend LOL If you asked my friend group, they would tell you this weekend is definitely a holiday in our book. Its also my last week at the Bats for the season. So that means its officially official the Fall season!!!! Bring on the pumpkins!!!

UofL Athletics announced that it was time to recognize the 2023 Hall of Fame class of Cardinals. If there are some names that seem familiar to you, congratulations that means you are getting old. Heck, one of them was in my class when I was a student at UofL!  The class will be inducted on Friday October 27th.  


The memorable 2023 Athletics Hall of Fame class includes:


Carlos Almeida (Swimming, 2008-12)

Ibn Green (Football, 1995-99)

Matt Hughes (Track and Field, 2008-11)

Justin Marks (Baseball, 2007-09)

Sandy Pearsall (Softball, 2000-18)

Monique Reid (Women's Basketball, 2008-13)

Felton Spencer (Men's Basketball, 1986-90)

Lena Sokolowski (Volleyball, 2002-05)








For brand sake, we will just cover the Women’s athletics Class of 2023 HOFers


Sandy Pearsall (Softball, 2000-18)

Sandy Pearsall was tabbed to start the softball program at the University of Louisville when she helped christen UofL's Ulmer Stadium with a winning season, earning 2000 Conference USA Coach of the Year honors along the way. During her 19 seasons she guided the Cardinals to 718 wins, six conference championships, 13 NCAA regional appearances and four regional finals and served as a host site in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Under Pearsall's guidance, the Cardinals produced eight National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Americans, 101 all-league selections (27 All-Conference USA, 54 Big East, five American Athletic Conference, 14 Atlantic Coast Conference). Throughout her tenure, her teams produced 30 or more wins 17 times, tallying eight seasons with at least 40 victories, including a school-record 55-5 campaign in 2012.

Pearsall and her staff were also named the 2012 Big East Coaching Staff of the Year.



Monique Reid (Women's Basketball, 2008-13)

One of the top front court players in women's basketball program history, Monique Reid helped guide the Cards to unprecedented heights by leading the Cards to the national title game in 2009 and 2013. A forward, Reid finished her career with 1,725 points, which is the eighth-best total in school history. Appearing in 141 career games, Reid's name is etched in the UofL record books. She ranks second in free throws made with 430 and stands seventh in field goals made with 643. As a sophomore in 2009-10, Reid was named the Big East's Conference Most Improved Player after she averaged 18.4 points per game and 9.2 rebounds a contest. She closed that season with 188 free throws made, which is the second most in a season in school history.

A two-time first-team All-Big East performer, Reid led the Cardinals in scoring in 2010 and 2011, when she averaged 18.4 and 15.5 points per game, respectively.



Lena Sokolowski (Volleyball, 2002-05)

An All-American outside hitter...Lena Sokolowski lettered from 2002-2005 and still holds the record for in kills in a season, aces in a season and is second in both career total attacks and career kills (1861). She was a three-time Conference Tournament MVP and led the Cards to four NCAA Appearances, four Conference Championships and two Sweet Sixteens. She was a three-time member of the Ukraine National Team and played pro in Turkey and led her team to World Club Championship.

As a freshman, she was named to the C-USA All-Freshman team before being named to the All-C-USA Tournament. As a sophomore she was First Team All-C-USA, C-USA Tournament MVP, AVCA All-Midwest Region. As a junior, she was voted on the 2004 All-C-USA 1st team, 2004 C-USA Tournament MVP and the 2004 AVCA All-Midwest Region. In 2005, she was voted First Team All-Big East, Big East MVP, AVCA All-American and Volleyball Magazine All-American.

As Always

Go Cards!

~Daryl 

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WBB to Canada, Reid to Bellarmine and Roby to Clemson -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 A TRIFECTA of th8ngs to hit you with this Wednesday -- with a Cardinal great returning back to the city, a softball star heading south and the Cards WBB squad participating in the Globl Jam. A nice bit of news to burst open the "summer slump" of no relevant sports stories for the Cards women's sports squads. Let's have a look,,,

TAYLOR ROBY HEADING TO CLEMSON

One of the greatest pitchers to ever step into the circle in Louisville Softball history, Taylor Roby will continue in softball -- down at Clemson University. Not as a pitcher... that eligibility has already bee used...but as a Graduate Assistant to the Tigers softball program. 

Roby will be one of three members of the Tigers staff that are in new or upgraded positions. Head coach John Rittman is also promoting Jessie Harper, a volunteer assistant last year, to a full-time assistant coach and Alyssa Bilodeau moves from graduate assistant to director of player development. 

For Roby, her career-long double-threat capabilities from the circle and in the batters box will serve her well with the Tigers. Roby had been playing professionally this summer with the USSSA Pride. Graduate assistants traditionally help the coaches run drills for the players, assist i and teach the players in hitting, fielding and pitching, and monitor the players' practice and performance skills. They report the results to the team's coaches and also educate the squad on league rules and regulations. 

It's a great chance for Roby to get her feet "wet" in being a staff member on a college team and Clemson is certainly a class and quality program to start with. Clemson was 49-12 last season, 20-6 in the ACC and went to the NCAA Super Regional, where they were defeated by Oklahoma. 

MONIQUE REID TO JOIN BELLARMINE WBB COACHING STAFF

The Cardinal great from 2008-13 joins the Bellarmine WBB staff after a long and illustrious pro career overseas that saw her play for teams in 10 different countries  Reid was a sophomore on the Cards roster when Jeff Walz arrived to take over the program and scored 2,666 points during her high school years at Fern Creek. She averaged 30.9 ppg in near the end of her career overseas (in Turkey) and was on two Final Four squads at Louisville in 2009 and 2013. 

The story goes that Reid and Bellarmine head coach Chancellor Dugan met last summer at the dedication of the renovated basketball courts in Shively Park. Reid had expressed a desire to get into coaching then to Dugan and when Reid announced she wqs home to stay this summer, the two got together and Reid got the assistant coaching job. 

Reid on joining Bellarmine: 

"The timing was perfect because I did want to retire, and to have a plan after retirement is always good," the 33-year-old Reid said. "My goal always was to play professional basketball. Coming out of college, I was told not to play because I had a knee injury (my senior year), but I wanted to take playing basketball as far as I could. I just thought it was a good time to retire because I was beginning to miss home a lot, and I want to settle down and start my family. One thing I always wanted to do is step away from the game walking and not get pushed out of the game because I'm old or anything like that. I wanted to go out on my terms. I won a championship in Lux (Luxembourg), so I think that's the perfect way to leave."

We wish "Mo" the best at Bellarmine and certainly couldn't be much luckier than to begin her coaching career under one of the finest head coaches i DI WBB in Chance Dugan. 

CARDS BEGIN GLOBL JAM

 

The Cards WBB squad begins Globl Jam play tomorrow in Toronto with an 11 a.m game against Puerto Rico. They'll follow that up on Thursday with a 5 p.m. contest against hosting Canada. After a day off, they Cards get Team Africa Saturday and then compete in either the Championship or Third Place rounds on Sunday, depending on what their three-game record is. The championship game is at 5 p.m...,the third-place game is at 11 a.m.

From what we have heard, the game tomorrow will be shown on the Cards Twitter account  (@LouisvilleWBB) and the same goes for the Saturday game. The Thursday and Sunday contest will be on the CBS Sports Network, unless Louisville is in the Bronze game Sunday, then that switches to the Cards Twitter account again. I do know that the CBS Sports Network in on channel 531 if you have Spectrum, and sources tell me the network is on channel 158 on DISH, channel 221 on DIRECTV and channel 643 on ATT U-Verse. 

 

It'll be interesting to see what kind of starting lineup Walz comes out with and how his substitution patterns develop in this first outing for the Cards. I've had several people tell me who they think should be starting...none of those people were named Jeff Walz, though, so we have no firm list of starters.

Go to: https://twitter.com/i/status/1678887136773169154 for a fun vid on the Cards WBB squad visiting the CN tower in Toronto. 

paulie

  

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What They are Doing Today -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

CATCHING UP WITH....MONIQUE REID

(OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, PAULIE WILL BE DOING AN ARTICLE EACH WEEK CATCHING YOU UP WITH FORMER LOUISVILLE WBB STARS. WE START WITH "33" -- MONIQUE REID.) 

"Mo" is the answer to a trivia question I like to pop on Cardinal women's basketball fans. Who is the only Cardinal WBB player to play in both of UofL WBB's NCAA Championship games? 

Monique Reid.

As a freshman at UofL, she saw 24 minutes in the Cards 2009 loss to UConn. 7 points on 2-9 shooting with three rebounds. Fast forward to her redshirt-senior season...Reid played 15 minutes in 2013 NCAA Championship game, against UConn again, and totaled five points and four rebounds. 

People will argue that the math doesn't work...it was five years in between the Cards appearances in the Big Dance's Final dance. I point out to then that Reid was injured in the 2011-12 season and only played in eight games and was granted the extra year. 

Monique is 8th. on the all-time scoring leaders list at UofL, with 1725 points and 802 rebounds. 

Let's fast forward now to 2019. We currently find Monique playing for Colegio Los Leones Quilpe in the Chile Women's League. In two games, she's put up 64 points...41 in a game two days ago. 

So...what got her to Chile and where has she been? 

She graduated from UofL in 2013 but was not selected in the WNBA Draft. She needed and had knee surgery in the summer of 2013 and, instead of heading overseas to play, decided to try her hand at coaching. She accepted the head girls basketball job at her alma mater (Fern Creek High School)...(replacing Jess Laemmle's dad, Rick)...but when the opportunity presented itself to get back out on the court as a player, she took it. 

2014 found her with New Basket Oberhausen and in the DBBL, which is the premier women's basketball league in Germany. Reid rapidly became a starter and averaged 14.9 points in 18 games in the 2013-2014 season. Her 2014-15 season with New Basket Oberhausen was even better, with 15.6 points per games in 20 games.

In 2015-16, she split time between two European teams. Monique started the season with BC Univ. Goldis ICIM Arad in the Romania National League. A total of 22 games produced a 18.6 points per game average. In January of 2016 she decided to move again and went to Montana. 

That's interesting, you might query...moving from southeastern Europe to the fourth largest state in the United States...but, this Montana is in Bulgaria. She played for Montana 2003 in the Bulgarian National League and averaged 23.8 points in 19 games. 

The 2016-17 season had Ms. Reid on the move again. Staying in Bulgaria but playing for Beroe Stara Zagora where she put up 23.5 points a contest in 32 games. After that season ended, she switched locations to Puerto Rico for two games with Atenienses de Manatee.

2017-18 brought a return to Europe and a starting role with Wasserburg Germany in the DBBL. 21 games with them and an 18.6 ppg average. After the DBBL season ended, it was back to the USA, where she played five games with the Atlanta Monarchs in the WBCBL. Meighan Simmons and Evelyn Akhator were on the same squad on this developmental team for the WNBA. She and her squad won the WBCBL Championship.  

Last season, Monique decided to try her skills in Israel with Hapoel Petah Tikva and had another great season with a 21.3 ppg clip per night with 11.8 rebounds as well. She was named to the All-Israeli League 2nd Team. One of her teammates was Brittany Sykes (Syracuse) who is currently with the WNBA's Atlanta Dream. When the Israel-D1 league concluded their season, she went to Chile...where's she's currently playing. 

Six different countries. Nine different teams. And she's not even 30 yet. A great example of how a player can take her NCAA DI skills and turn them into a colorful, adventurous opportunity to travel the world doing what she loves to do....play basketball. 

For Monique Reid it's "game on" and it really doesn't matter the venue. If there's a backboard and rim, teammates and an opponent to play, you can bet she's ready to muscle her way inside the paint and score, drill from the perimeter and grab missed shots. 

We heartily say..."Go, Mo...GO !"  


DREAMS

I have this recurring hope that someday the WNBA will come to Louisville. Of course, I'd love to see a squad that had a bunch of former Louisville players on it. I can think of one that would be a powerful presence in the paint. Monique Reid.

I could get used to seeing this view
every morning

Such are the nature of dreams, though. On this Monday morning, I'm back in Louisville but still dreaming of my brief respite from the site and city. Thanks to Joe Hill for the wonderful Gatlinburg chalet and the "knuckleheads" for managing to hold this site and The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour together on Saturday with little collateral damage and no reader/listener complaints. 

There are times when one needs solace, time to reflect and a change of venue. It so happened Sonya and I both needed all of the above. Renewed and refreshed, it's time to get back into reality. Grudgingly, almost reluctantly...but realizing that dreams don't last forever and life goes on. 



paulie
xxxxx

Goals and Expectations...WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

DO YOU SET THEM? ARE THEY IMPORTANT? 

The concepts of goals and expectations have been on my mind lately. The seeds for thought were planted by my buddy Howie Linsdey a couple of days ago on his morning radio show LOUISVILLE FIRST...so these two areas of thought weren't original. As I listened to his and Katie George's discussions and debate on goals and expectations...it got me thinking about them, though...and not only in a personal sense...but in terms of some of the athletic teams I follow and report on. These are some of the things that have been on my mind. 

In terms of critical and introspective thinking, they've never really been a fore-runner in my long range plans. I tend to be a "live for today, one-day-at-a time" guy and focus more on daily operational and planning strategy. I suppose my goals and expectations are rather basic and non-complicated, as a rule. I wake up and hope to have a good morning. I want to meet the obligations and events on the day's calendar. I try to be a pleasant person...helpful to my wife and try to look at most things in a positive light. To eat properly and nutritionally. To stay hydrated and try and keep my body in somewhat functional order. You think more about that at 60, I suppose...at least I think I have...than you do at 30. Or 15. Be a good and helpful person. Drive safely. 

The basic concepts of day to day existance come without much thought or deliberation. I also try to find a way to include or inject a little humor or levity into my daily life. Humor is important and a good thing. For you and those around you. It takes less effort to smile than frown. Smile and the world smiles with you type of rationale. Some days go better than others. Sometimes, in the words of Stevie Winwood...you may have had to cry today. It happens. 

HAD TO CRY TODAY -- WINWOOD, CLAPTON, TRUCKS

On sports, it gets a bit more complicated. Goals and expectations for your team(s) you follow and root for. I would venture that most fans, at the start of a season have a goal or expectation for their team to have a successful season. A national championship. Conference title. Or maybe just a winning season...depending on the skill level and strength of  the athletes you cheer for. 

I'd like to see, I expect and my goals for the UofL women's basketball squad are to reach the Final Four and avoid landing in UConn's region. If achieved, then I'll come up with a new goal. I can't control the expectations for this, though...since I'm not on the NCAA Selection Committee and have no influence in the seeding and site locations. I'd guess reaching the Final Four and beyond is a goal some of the players have, as well. 

Jeff Walz will tell you that his goal is to see his squad win the final six games of the year. That, of course, means that they have won each game in the NCAA Tournament and are the National Champions. A great goal. This goal is probably consistent with most of the college coaches in Division I WBB...the expectations of reaching that goal, of course, vary from program to program. I don't expect Boston College to reach the Final Four. I didn't expect Syracuse to last year, though, and I was incorrect in my expectations. Without purposely or intentionally picking on him or his squad...does the coach (Jim Foster) at Chattanooga expect to be in Dallas coaching the Mocs on March 31st? His goal is to get there, I'm sure...but does anyone expect that? I'm sure Connecticut's Geno Auriemma has the same goal...to be a Final Four team and the expectations of that are pretty common around the women's college basketball world. 

Goals and observations get adjusted some times. Once it is clear that you cannot meet your goal, you go through an adjustment time. Pittsburgh WBB and their fans probably realized or observed that their goal of beating Louisville last Sunday wasn't likely to happen when Mariya Moore sank two free throws with 49 second to play to make the score 61-48 Louisville. That goal was still possible, though...and expectations most likely still alive when Brenna Wise sank a three-pointer to make the score 53-46 with 3:30 left in the game. 

Jordan McNary, of Louisville softball fame, was quite clear about what her goals and expectations were for her team this season when I spoke with her recently. To get to the NCAA Regional, advance to the Super Regional and then to the College World Series. To win the ACC Regular season and then conference tournament. So many incoming freshmen will tell you that their goals and expectations are to win a National Championship during their time on campus. Monique Reid told me years ago that she expected to play in the Final Four every year. She's the only UofL WBB player that pulled it off twice in her time on campus

As we roll into February, what are your goals and expectations for the Louisville women's basketball team over these next two months? Does the goal(s) you hope for have a high expectation rate among the rest of the college basketball world? Which players have met the goals you expected from them and who has over-achieved or under-achieved so far? 

Let us know in the comments section. 


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SETTING SIGHTS ON SOFTBALL

So you say that you've got an interest in Louisville Softball this year but don't know just how many games you'll actually be able to attend? 

No worries! The Cards will be shown on the ACC Network Extra and ESPNU a whopping 31 times this season. We also figure we'll be able to pick up some of the away contest through different schools' websites. Here's the scheduled broadcasts....Play Ball! 

2017 Louisville Softball Television Schedule
3/3/17	3:00 PM	Indiana State at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
3/3/17	5:30 PM	UW-Green Bay at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
3/4/17	12:30 PM	Bowling Green at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
3/4/17	3:00 PM	UW-Green Bay at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
3/5/17	12:30 PM	Bowling Green at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
3/10/17	1:30 PM	IUPUI at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
3/10/17	3:00 PM	Ohio at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
3/11/17	12:30 PM	Wright State at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
3/11/17	3:00 PM	Northern Iowa at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
3/12/17	12:30 PM	Northern Iowa at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
3/17/17	4:00 PM	Pittsburgh at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
3/18/17	1:00 PM	Pittsburgh at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
3/19/17	12:00 PM	Pittsburgh at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
3/22/17	6:00 PM	Wisconsin at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
3/29/17	6:00 PM	Indiana at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
4/1/17	12:00 PM	Notre Dame at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
4/2/17	2:00 PM	Notre Dame at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ESPNU
4/3/17	7:00 PM	Notre Dame at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ESPNU
4/12/17	6:00 PM	Kentucky at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
4/15/17	12:00 PM	Louisville at Virginia Tech	Blacksburg, Va.	ACC Network Extra
4/15/17	2:30 PM	Louisville at Virginia Tech	Blacksburg, Va.	ACC Network Extra
4/18/17	5:00 PM	Lipscomb at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
4/19/17	6:00 PM	Western Kentucky at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
4/22/17	12:00 PM	Florida State at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
4/23/17	12:00 PM	Florida State at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ESPNU
4/24/17	7:00 PM	Florida State at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ESPNU
4/28/17	6:00 PM	Virginia at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
4/29/17	1:00 PM	Virginia at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
4/30/17	12:00 PM	Virginia at Louisville	Ulmer Stadium	ACC Network Extra
5/6/17	5:00 PM	Louisville at NC State	Raleigh, N.C.	ACC Network Extra
5/7/17	12:00 PM	Louisville at NC State	Raleigh, N.C.	ACC Network Extra
5/11-13/17	TBD	ACC Championship	Chapel Hill, N.C.	RSN/ACC Network Extra

Another rain delay...another loss....Louisville Lacrosse falls to Notre Dame. Walz press conference -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

IRISH TAKE DOWN LOULAX 12-10

Louisville Lacrosse battled back from a 9-3 halftime deficit and a hour and seventeen minute rain delay that caused an evacuation of Lane Stadium on the Virginia Tech campus and relocation of the match to an indoor practice facility but could not catch Notre Dame in a 12-10 loss Thursday night. 

Louisville Softball went through a rain delay Wednesday night in their loss to Kentucky. April showers, right? 

Louisville scored first in the match 2 1/2 minutes in when Kelli Gerding connected on a Kaylin Morissette feed but the Irish countered with two goals. The Cards tied it at 2-2 when Heidi Smith found the back of the net but Notre Dame went on a 7-0 run until the UofL's Hannah Koloski stopped the Cardinal dry spell with a score 1:42 before halftime. The Cards trailed 9-3 and needed to find some offensive punch. 

As the second half was scheduled to begin, lightning and rain started the rain delay which eventually caused the match to be moved to Virginia Tech's multi-purpose indoor facility. 

The Irish struck first in the second half but the Cards fired back with a 5-0 run that featured goals from Cortnee Daley, Koloski, Morissette and two straight scores from Gerding to get the Cards within two at 10-8 with 14:24 to play. The Cards could get no closer that that, unfortunately...trading goals with Notre Dame the rest of the way and falling 12-10.

Louisville head coach Kellie Young spoke of the effort: 

"I was disappointed in our first half effort. Our second half showed who we are...fearless and attacking the game. That is how you have to play for a full 60 minutes when you play at this level." 

Louisville will now wait for the NCAA Selection Show to learn their NCAA fate. The show airs Sunday, May 8th at 9 p.m.

_________________________________________________


WALZ EXCITED ABOUT THE "NOW" AND THE FUTURE

Jeff Walz sat down with the media Thursday morning and reviewed the season that was, the current and the future. His mood was bright and upbeat...in contrast to another certain coach's demeanor from Wednesday...and he is pleased and proud of the current and some former players that are Cardinals. 

Monique Reid led her Bulgarian team Montana 2003 to the championships this spring. Shawnta Dyer also had a successful season overseas in Eurobasket competition over the winter. Sara Hammond had a strong season in Spain The WNBA training camps have four former Cardinals competing for roster spots with Angel McCoughtry and Shoni Schimmel (Atlanta), Asia Taylor (Indiana) and Jude Schimmel (Dallas). 

Walz was proud of the way the squad came back from the slow start in the 2015-16 season but felt they fell short of the expectations of the coaches, staff and squad -- to reach the Final Four and contend for the National Championship every year. 

He talked of the improvement of Sam Fuehring and Erin DeGrate during the individual instruction drills after the season ended and is looking forward to the five freshmen joining the program this summer...speaking highly of each of their skills. 

Walz also hasn't quite closed the book on whether Dakota Weatherford will play for the Cards next season or not...if a scholarship is available, she would definitely be considered and would be welcome to assume walk-on status...if not. 

CHARLIE THE HANDICAPPER

We'll play the entire 28 minutes for you on THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR this Saturday with commentary. 

We'll also have our second and final segment on handicapping tips for the Kentucky Derby. It should be an action packed show! 

JESSICA LAEMMLE TO WALK ON WBB TEAM

Word is that Mercy (Louisville) High School point guard has committed to the Louisville women's basketball team as a preferred walk-on. 

Jessica Laemmle, a 5-foot-4 guard from Mercy Academy, has committed to the University of Louisville’s women’s basketball team as a preferred walk-on.

Laemmle was a second-team All-Sixth Region selection last season after averaging 9.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. She shot 80.2 percent from the free-throw line and 25.9 percent from 3-point range as the Jaguars finished 22-12.

At 5'4" ...she qualifies for our "attack yorkie" status and we're sure she'll be a tenacious one for the Cards! 

paulie
xxxxx

Louisville women's basketball...Who was the best? -- Friday Cardinal Couple

NEWS U CAN USE:

Be advised that all the USA women's U 19 and all the other U19 games will be streamed live on:

youtube.com/FIBA

In addition USA semifinal and finals games will be shown on ESPN3 

This is great news! 


USA BASKETBALL SCHEDULE AT FIBA U-19 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 
Game 1 - vs. Spain (July 18 at 1:15 p.m. ET)
Game 2 - vs. China (July 19 at 1:15 p.m. ET)
Game 3 - vs. Egypt (July 21 at 1:15 p.m. ET)
Round of 16 - July 22
Quarterfinals - July 24
Semifinals - July 25
Finals - July 26

Be sure to catch all the USA U19 action in Chekhov

2012-13 vs. 2008-09. Who was better?

I offered my 'steamed' colleague WorldWide this question at the end of Saturday's radio and gave him a week to think about it. Which Jeff Walz's team was the best? 

Both squads made the NCAA WBB Championship game. Both played in the Big East. Both had Monique Reid as an integral player. The 08-09 squad downed the Cats 75-59 in Freedom Hall. 12-13 lost to UK 48-47 in the KFC YUM! Center after leading by five at halftime.

The 12-13 squad was led in scoring by Shoni Schimmel (14.2) ppg. Sara Hammond finished the season with 10.8 and Nita Slaughter rounded out the double figure scorers with 10.1 a game. Monique Reid averaged 9.2 that year. 
Their final record was 29-9. 

This Louisville squad outscored their opponents 71.7 to 58.6. This was also the year of "The Shot"...when Shoni did the dipsy-doo against Brit Griner.

For the 08-09 team, Angel McCoughtry had 23.1 ppg. Candyce Bingham was the only other double figure scorer with 12.3 a game. Dez Byrd, Keisha Hines, Becky Burke and Monique Reid (5.9 ppg) were the other influentials. 

This group knocked off #4 Oklahoma in the NCAA semifinals 63-59....a game that Courtney Paris said she'd refund her scholarship money to the school if the Sooners lost. (I still wonder if they ever got that check?) 

Louisville has had several more very good teams in the Walz era. Let's not forget about the 13-14 team that went 33-5 in Shoni's final season and narrowly missed out on a chance to reach the Final Four with a loss to Maryland in the YUM! 

JULIE WAS STILL AROUND IN 08-09. 

So...who ya got? We've put up a poll on the Right Side Of The Site so you can vote. We're giving you three choices...08-09, 12-13 and 'other'. (Someone will probably grouse that Sara Nord's teams were better...)

We'd love your comments, too in our comments section. Or you can e-mail us at cardinalcouple@twc.com to weigh in.

It'll be interesting to see which way WorldWide goes in tomorrow's radio show. If Sam the Dry Weather Intern shows up, I'll put his feet to the fire also. We've had him out on special assignment trying to steal the new Adidas/UofL Football helmets and shoes and donating them to a third world country that has a football team. Last we heard, he was on a camel in the Sahara Desert. Wearing a helmet.

"Angel! No, Shoni !!! Angel!  Schimmel!!" 

I'll be prepared to argue against WorldWide on either team he picks. A good debate always makes for exciting radio. Maybe we'll let Sam moderate. Only if he assures me he was successful in his mission. And if he shows up...

///////////////////////////////////////////////////

WTG KELSI !!!!

Sometimes, a picture is worth 1000 words.

Congrats, Kelsi in getting the gold! 


paulie
xxxxx