Friday Cardinal Couple -- Rivalries

- ACC: Many long-established rivalries

-  Ogunbowale narrows list.

When we think of rivalries here at Louisville...our annual battles against Kentucky come to mind first. Over the years, the Cards have also established rivalries against Memphis, Cincinnati and Western Kentucky. These tend to transcend into other sports besides football and basketball. We'd also be remiss if we didn't mention the Louisville vs. UConn rivalry that exists in basketball. One that has been pretty much one-sided on the women's side, and pretty heated on the men's side.

Most Cardinal fans will identify with various responses when the names Auriemma, Calhoun, Cronin, Huggins, Dana Kirk, Mitchell or Calipari are brought up in conversation.

As UofL enters the ACC, they join a conference that has many rivalries...both in-conference and OOC. Let's take a look at a few by school:

Boston College. The Eagles and Syracuse have developed a good rivalry over the years and the meetings between BC and Notre Dame are referred to as "The Holy Wars". 

Louisville's chances of establishing a rivalry against BC are slim...distance between schools and talent level the main factors. 

Clemson. The Tigers have a big in-state rivalry with South Carolina and there's no love lost when Clemson and Florida State get together. Events against Furman also draw considerable interest in the Palmetto State. 

Any potential rivalry between the Cards and Tigers would be remote...the football battle this year will be a game of great interest, though, down there...and Clemson WBB does have a former Card in Charmaine Tay. 

Florida State. Miami and Fla. St. are main rivals and the Seminoles don't have a lot of respect for Notre Dame, either. Of particular note in WBB, Louisville had lost 10 consecutive games to the Lady 'Noles before Jeff Walz rolled into town. Sue Semereu hasn't been able to beat him or the Cards since. 

We'll probably never become main rivals with FSU...but any games will draw considerable interest since both schools are usually highly nationally ranked in the sports they participate in. 

Georgia Tech. The Ramblin' Wreck has a decent rivalry

going with in-state foe Georgia...other than that, not much. 

This has potential to be a minor rivalry for the Cards...especially in hoops...where the memory of Bobby Cremins lives on in many Cardinal fans' recollection and the relatively short drive between the two schools. 

Notre Dame. It seems the Fighting Irish are rivals with just about anyone that meet. Michigan State, Michigan, USC, Purdue, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Florida State...the list goes on & on.

The Cards and Irish have also established some fierce competition lines over the years and those will pick right up where they left off now that we're conference foes again. 




Duke. Duke and North Carolina is maybe the largest rivalry in college sports. The Blue Devils are another of those schools that everyone seems to take great delight in beating. 

Kentucky, Louisville, all the Carolina schools, Florida State, Syracuse and the entire Catholic contingent...well, the list goes on and on. Coach K. and Coach Joanne P. are hot button items and Louisville ex-Field Hockey head coach Pam Bustin will raise a little dust when they show up in the 'Ville in October. 

Other rivalries we'll see...

Pitt - Penn St., West Virginia
North Carolina - Duke, NC State, Wake Forest and Virginia
Virginia Tech - Virginia
NC State - Wake Forest, Duke, UNC

Which of these 14 schools in the ACC will become a "rivalry game" for Louisville down the road, years from now? Only time will tell...but the competition frenzy will be just as intense as it was back in the days of the Metro, CUSA and Big East. 

Which rivalries do you see as the biggest in the ACC? Which ACC schools do you see the Cards having a chance to establish a rivalry with? Let us know in the comments section.

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Milwaukee Prep Star considering Louisville WBB

Add another name to the 2015 Louisville WBB wish list.

 

Arike Ogunbowale has two loves...soccer and basketball. There are many colleges and universities that would love to have the 2015 prospect on campus playing either.

 

She has turned her focus directly to hoops, though... and has indicated that Jeff Walz and the Cards are in her top five.

 

Arike is a top-10 prospect in the 2015 class and the 5'9" guard has narrowed it down to Ohio State, UCLA, Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Louisville.

 

She's had a busy and productive summer. A member of the USA U 17 squad that won the FIBA World Championships...she averaged almost 11 points and four rebounds a game in the USA's 7-0 run.

 

Her plans are to visit all five schools if possible and then sit down with family members and narrow the list.

 

On Louisville, she comments:

 

" I can't wait to see what Louisville has to offer. I like Walz as a coach. I like the city of Louisville. They have a great program and great facilities. It'll be a tough decision."

ESPNW says:

Strong, athletic off-guard with a scorer's mentality; physical off the bounce, elevates and finishes with consistency in mid-range game; developing deep threat game.


We at CARDINAL COUPLE say...scoring guards who can jump and hit the three are always welcome on Belknap Campus.

 

 

 

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paulie