Cardinal Couple

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Softball hosts Georgetown for final regular season home series starting Saturday. 


-Shine, Fellerhoff get tennis awards


-Jeff Walz Lady Cards Camps and Clinics info


-Louisville WBB tidbits.


The University of Louisville softball team (44-2, 14-2) will host Georgetown (19-29, 3-12) in the final regular season home-stand of the season for the Cards. Two games...beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday...and one game Sunday. 

Louisville sits atop the BIG EAST leaderboard by one game with six BIG EAST games remaining. USF is 13-3 in BIG EAST play, Notre Dame 10-3 and Syracuse 12-4.


Georgetown comes to Louisville after hosting and dropping a double-header to Villanova on Wednesday 4-1 and 4-3. 


After the Georgetown series, the Cards will play a non-conference game in Knoxville against Tennessee next week on Wednesday and then conclude the regular season with three games at St. John's over Derby weekend. 

The BIG EAST Tournament is a single elimination affair that will begin on Thursday, May 10th at Notre Dame. The top eight teams in the regular season standings participate. If it were starting tomorrow, here's how the seeds and games would match up: 


#1 Louisville vs. #8 St. John's
#2 USF vs. #7 Connecticut
#3 Notre Dame vs. #6 Rutgers
#4 Syracuse vs. #5 DePaul


DePaul is the only team to beat Louisville this year...taking two out of three in Chicago back on March 31st. and April 1st. Syracuse is last year's tournament champion and returns All-Big East pitcher Jenna Caira.


We'll have full coverage of Cardinal softball action this weekend and throughout the BIG EAST tournament and NCAA Tournament here at CARDINAL COUPLE.


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Congratulations to women's tennis team sophomores Becca Shine and Julia Fellerhoff on being named to the All-BIG EAST Team. 


Coach Mark Beckham has this to say about the honors bestowed on the duo:

"It's good to see that the other coaches in the conference have a lot of respect for Julia and Becca's games. This is a great reward for Julia, since she missed the beginning of the year with a broken foot. She worked really hard to get back and had a successful season. This will definitely motivate her for next year. Hopefully, she'll stay injury-free and push for player of the year. She definitely has the ability to do it. Becca is unbelievable. She came to us from Augusta, GA. and nobody really knew who she was but I thought she could be really good in time. She is way ahead of schedule, for her to have already been ranked nationally in singles and doubles. To only be a sophomore is a quick progression. Now that she has been named BIG EAST All-Conference, I can't say enough good things about her. She is a special player, for sure." 


UofL finished tied for third in the BIG EAST Tournament...going in as a #6 seed. They upset #3 seed Syracuse but were defeated by #2 seed Notre Dame in the semi-finals. 


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"OK! Hustle that firewood in here
and someone start making S'mores!"

So...who wants to go camping with Jeff Walz? Mind you, this won't be a  tents, campfire, roasting weenies and marshmallows type of camping...it's three women's basketball skills camps for individuals and teams. 


The fun begins June 4th. with a Day Camp for grades 3-8. It goes thru June 7th. 


Two other camps will also be offered...a team camp June 8-10 with JV and Varsity Divisions and a Elite Skills Session for grades 7-12 on June 14th. 


You can contact Mary Beth Whitaker at 852-8355 or mbwhit08@Louisville.edu for pricing and more information. 


Also, here's a link for additional info:


Lady Cards Camps and Clinics

Sonja laughing about the whirlpool
and how much "Ben-Gay"
she'll need tomorrow.

We hope Walz will also have a 'past their prime' refresher camp someday for ex-high school players over 35 who still think they 'got it' and thought they were 'all that'. Sonja would dominate in that one. Unless A.J. or Valerie Owens Combs showed up to play. And, we're not saying either of them are over 35. I learned a long time ago, when it comes to things not to bring up...


Never reveal or ask about a woman's age.


Charlie Strong holds a day long women's football skills and learning camp each year. We're thinking a day- long WBB camp just might draw a few ladies. 


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UofL WBB fans will be glad to know that Monique Reid has received her notice from the NCAA that she can officially play in the upcoming season...we're hearing from a very credible source. 

We knew she would. We think it's great! Watch Mo & Co. lead the Cards past the Elite Eight! 


We also have fielded a few e-mails about Jeff Walz's sudden interest in players from overseas. 


Talent is talent, no matter if it comes from your backyard over overseas. Both Monny and Amanda got serious experience playing for their national teams while in high school. Experience is good, folks. 

We remember a few years ago when Tom Collen had Yuliya Tokova, Valeriya Musina and Tatjana Boston on the roster...all foreign players in high school. They were valuable contributors to the Cards during their stays and just because foreign players are being recruited doesn't mean that state-side talent isn't available. 


Good basketball player are good basketball players...whether they're from Russia or Russellville. 




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