Wednesday Cardinal Couple -- Mercedes Rolls in to Town

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WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


(Today we feature Cardinal Couple columnist Jenny O'Bryan. She is our recruiting expert and a huge UofL women's sports fan. WE know you'll enjoy her columns.)

Welcome to the Wednesday edition of Cardinal Couple.  As many of the regular readers here know, my passion is women’s basketball, and will likely be what Wednesday at the Couple will primarily focus on.

It is summer and the Louisville women’s basketball team is hard at work in summer classes, individual, and team work-outs.  At least two of the newest members of  the 2012-13 team are on campus and getting to know their newest team members.   A big Cardinal welcome to Cortnee Walton and Megan Deines!

High school recruits spend the summer with their travel basketball teams practicing and heading off to tournaments.   The month of July is a NCAA certified evaluation period where coaches across the country will be in gyms scouting and recruiting talent for their respective teams.   Between travel tournaments potential recruits will also attend basketball clinics and elite camps to hone their skills while being taught by the best in the business. 

Coach Walz and the University of Louisville will be hosting several camps for basketball enthusiasts this month.  June 4-7 is a day camp for 3rd-8^th graders. June 8-10 is a team camp for JV and varsity teams.  Finally, two elite skills camps will be held later this month, June 14 and June 28.  The elite camps are for 7-12^th graders.  The elite skills camp is a half day affair running from 1-5:00 p.m. and is FREE and open to the public to watch.   

The elite skills camps should be of particular interest to basketball enthusiasts who follow recruiting, as the best players in the country flock to these camps.  Both elite skills camps should be an excellent days outing for Louisville Women’s Basketball faithful to attend to get a good look at the elite talent being recruited.  Sources close to Cardinal Couple have told us Mercedes Russell, #1 recruit in the class of 2013, will be in attendance at the June 28th camp.  

You have heard me before, and if you keep reading this summer you will hear more  from me about Mercedes Russell.  This young woman has been, and is being, recruited by all the top schools in the country.  Louisville is among the few schools left atop her list as finalists for where she will play her college ball.

This is a very important time for recruiting, specifically for the class of 2013, as players of this class have begun to give their verbal commitments to college programs.  Starting in September this class can take their 5 official visits to campuses (official meaning paid for by the University they are visiting) and can sign their Letter of Intent (LOI) to play during the early signing period in November.    

So, Louisville Women's Basketball faithful, come on out to Cardinal Arena on June 14 and June 28 from 1-5:00 p.m.  for your FREE opportunity to get a good look at elite talent working on the court.  If our sources are correct you should get a peek at one of the best players in the country!  (Cardinal Couple will keep looking in to this matter and will keep you updated with any further information we gather regarding these camps.)

With the 2012-13 season still 5 months away what a great way to get your basketball fix during the off-season!  Look for Cardinal Couple writers in the stands these days, come on out and say hello!