Julie Hermann to Rutgers

THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

( Columnist extraordinaire Jeff McAdams looks at Julie Hermann's move to
Piscataway and share his thoughts on the new Rutgers A.D. He also gives us
Lacrosse news and reminds you that CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO returns this
Saturday...our attempts to launch CoCo and him into space and do a broadcast
from the moon are proceeding quite nicely...)

WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR RIGHT HAND...

We've been talking about it for about a week, and now its official.  Julie Hermann, the Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator was introduced Wednesday afternoon as the new Athletic Director at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Julie has been at Tom Jurich's right hand for his entire tenure at the University of Louisville and has been a big part of the building of the Athletic Department here at UofL from the small, near-afterthought that it was 15 years ago, into one of the most successful programs in the country today.  Part of straightening out what was a Title IX wreck when Tom and Julie started here at UofL, Julie has been instrumental in the success and growth of women's athletics both here at UofL and elsewhere, helping to balance out the investment in the mainstream sports of football and men's basketball, and being a significant part of adding sports such as rowing and lacrosse.

I have had the pleasure of speaking with Julie several times of the past year and have found her to possess everything that a major university would want in an Athletics Director.  She is intelligent and insightful, and is adept at making anyone feel comfortable in a conversation.

One of the first times I spoke with Julie was during the 30-day countdown celebration to the
Volleyball Championship that was hosted by Louisville in December.  That November evening, at Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium, I approached her and asked her if she and Kaitlynn James (an outside hitter on the Volleyball team and transfer from Nebraska) ever went off in private and did University of Nebraska cheers.  This, of course, alluded to Julie's college volleyball career as an outside hitter at Nebraska.  With perfect comedic timing, and a playful smile, she responded "Occasionally."  Ever the professional, she then took the opportunity to point out that the person in charge of the Volleyball Championship event was also a Nebraska Volleyball alumna.  We spoke for several more minutes about the great success that was coming into focus for UofL in so many sports.  She spoke of "building a portfolio" of sports programs, and not just focusing on success in one or two mainstream sports.  Keep in mind, this conversation was happening in mid-November...the football season was not yet over and we didn't know, yet, that we would be going to, and winning, the Sugar Bowl; the basketball teams were only one or two games into their seasons, and still months away from the magical March and April Championship and Runner-Up finishes.

Jenny wrote last week about talking to Julie in New Orleans, the night of that Championship, and the night before that Runner-Up finish.  The excitement in Julie's eyes at the success of UofL Athletics as a whole was obvious.  She spoke about the UofL Athletic Department in terms of an extended family and the joy that everyone experienced across the department as every team found success in their own sport.

Every family experiences departures, though.  As kids grow up, they launch out on their own and find their own place in the world and their own successes.  Healthy families remain in touch, however, and continue to support each other and cheer on each other's successes from afar.  The time is right for Julie to make her own way in this world and find her own successes out from under the shadow of Tom Jurich.  She's ready for it, and she's unarguably well qualified for the position.

The Rutgers job is a great move for Julie.  Yes, Rutgers's Athletic Department is in near meltdown right now, but Julie came to UofL when our Athletic Department was a mess of a place to be as well, and with Tom Jurich, turned it around.  She can, and I believe will, do the same in New Jersey.

Good luck Julie, you'll do great, and Rutgers is the better for it.  UofL loses a great asset, and I can't say that I'm devoid of sadness to see Julie go, but there is pride in seeing someone go off and do great things and carry on the new Louisville tradition of excellence.

Another Lacrosse Honor

Nikki

Hey, there is other stuff going on in the world of UofL Women's Athletics, though. How about lacrosse's Nikki Boltja?

I don't even have to look up how to spell her name, now, since I've been typing it so much. She picked up IWLCA (Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association) third team All-American honors.  This is only the second time in the six year history of Louisville Lacrosse that a player has picked up All-American honors.  Bergan Foley got the third team nod two years ago.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

Jeff shares a lacrosse story with Paulie

We'll be back at it this Saturday morning on Crescent Hill Radio for the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour.  As always, we'd love to hear from you via our twitter account, @CardCoupleRadio.  I'm looking forward to hearing the interviews that Paul has recorded with some of the softball players.  As always, comments, questions, links to an astronaut singing David Bowie's "Space Oddity", actually filmed in space, are welcome.

-Jeff McAdams

( Saturday will prove to be a busy day for the slackers of the CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO SHOW.  A full day of softball at Ulmer Stadium after the 11 a.m. broadcast and then the Preakness runs later that afternoon. WE may need an extra golf cart or two to pile up in the bushes and haul us to and from the station to the left field berm and Churchill. If you'd like to attend a live broadcast of CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO @ CRESCENT HILL RADIO...tickets are available from Smilin' Charlie in the alley behind the station between midnight and 2 a.m. Cash only please. Prices vary, depending on what kind of mood Charlie is in and how snappy a dresser you are...)

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