Christmas Eve - Cardinal Couple -- SUNDAY CARINAL COUPLE

What have we been up to? 

Paul, Sonya, and I did help WCHQ get all of it's gear moved from the old studio location to the new yesterday with a crew of about 10-15 various on-air personalities.  In doing so, we got a sense of what the new space will be like for the first time, and as excited as I was about the new studio space when I wrote the article Friday, I am even more excited now.

The facility has extra space in an upper floor that hasn't been finished out yet, and Kathy, Paul, myself, and others were all discussing out the radio station might make use of that space.  The Cardinal Couple suggestion was to use one of the rooms as a recording space unconnected to the broadcast portions of the station to give groups a chance to come in and do pre-recorded shows and not have to worry (as much, at least) with scheduling around on-air activities.  Another room will probably be built out and used as an office space (Kathy's suggestion), which I'm sure will help her, and others involved in the administrative aspects of the station.  That still leaves another area of the upstairs to be decided on.  The possibilities are fantastic, and we can't wait to be a part of it.

Christmas Wishes

As we have already been looking towards next year with the studio update, and today is Christmas Eve, I guess this is the time to write about some Christmas Wishes.

Women's Basketball

My wish for WBB is for the best start in program history.  We're almost there, with just wins over
Georgia Tech and NC State needed to get us to that mark.

Within WBB, a few wishes for some individuals:

Kylee Shook - a wish to learn how to use her size to better advantage.  She's on the cusp of being a great basketball player, and it feels to me like she's just a bit hesitant to really mix it up to step up and be that better player.

Myisha Hines-Allen - this one is easy.  More double-doubles for DOU-BLAY!

Sam Purcell - another easy one.  Clothes.  The man can make anything look good, and I do mean anything.  Take advantage of it.  The more outlandish, the better.  And maybe with a little work on the ice, he could even join the Norwegian Curling team.

Jeff Walz - Wins.  Good defense.  And some family time with Kaeley, Jacob, Lola, and Lucy, and certainly not to be forgotten, Lauren.  Coaches are on the road a lot, be sure to take some time for some self-care Coach.

Attack Yorkies - Mostly Jess and Dana, we love ya, and my wish for you is all the steals and deflections that your heart desires.  Some commentators love offense *cough*Antonelli*cough*, but I'm a defense guy.  Go get em'!

Volleyball

For Volleyball overall, more of the same.  This past season was a overachievement of epic proportions, lets see more of it!

Molly Sauer and Alexis Hamilton - Another DS to step up into that rotation to join the two of you.  GabMolLexis was a potent trio that got the team's offense started, with Gabbie graduating, we need a DS to step up into that other slot to fill out that trio.  Will GabMolLexis become MagMolLexis?  Maybe NatMolLexis?  I'm not sure, but I'd love to see a modified trio emerge that is every bit as effective as what we had this past season.

Piper Roe - a starting role.  Your time has come.  You've learned from some amazing middles for a couple of years, watch Tess Clark, and Maggie DeJong dominate in the role, and cheering as Jasmine Bennett has become a force of her own with her amazing float time and length.  Now is your time to shine.  My Christmas wish for you is for you to become as great of a middle hitter and blocker as you are a person.

Megan Sloan - a swing set?  No wait, I'm reading my list wrong.  Swings...all the swings you want.  We still have some outside hitting to fill in, and my hope is that you can step up and fill that role.  With you, Melanie McHenry, and Amanda Green patrolling the pins, we've got height, power, and smart play there to take this team to the next level.

Incoming Freshmen - to the six new Cardinals joining this team next year, I wish you as much fun and success as so many had on this team this year.  Claire, Emily, Aiko, Mia, Maggie, and Anaya, you're joining a wonderful group of young women, and my wish for you all is a wonderful year to learn from them, get to know them, come to love them as teammates, and accept the love they will show for you.  You all are the future of this program, and I, for one, can't wait to meet you all and cheer you on in the stands of Cardinal Arena.

Field Hockey

Wow, what a year you all had.  Much like Volleyball, my wish is for more of the same in the year to come.  This is an easy list to put together...an ACC Championship, a deep NCAA tournament run and continued health and happiness.

Justine Sowry - Your enthusiasm and kindness is infectious, my wish is that you get as much as you give in this.  You got the win over your mentor and friend Pam Bustin, so that's one wish crossed off my list.  You clearly love to travel, and I'm sure you will make that happen in the coming year, and I wish safe travels to you.  Find some great potential Cardinals out there and show them what you and Louisville has to offer.

Ayeisha McFerran - Your senior year is coming, that goal is yours to own...not that you haven't already really done that.  I don't know what Irish National Team opportunities await you in the coming your, but I have no doubt there will be some, again, nothing you haven't already tackled.  I wish you all the success you could hope for both at UofL wearing the Cardinal logo, but also in representing Ireland.  A wish for clean slates all around.

Minout Mink - My wish for you is to ignore the ridiculous standards that the likes of Jared Anderson place on you.  You score goals.  It's what you do, and you do a great job of it.  You're also pretty fun to do a post-game interview with.  My Christmas wish for you is that we get to do more of those interviews because that means you're scoring, and I know how happy that makes you...and Coach Sowry.

Sam Minrath - You're one of the few Field Hockey players, and the only incoming freshman, I have had the opportunity to meet in person.  As an incoming freshman GK next year, you'll have the opportunity to learn from a couple of the best in the business - Coach Sowry, and Ayeisha McFerran.  My wish is that you grab hold of it and soak in as much of it you can.  Your time to shine between the pipes at Trager will come quickly, make the best of the opportunity to sit back and learn in the meantime.

Erica, Caitlin, MacKenzie, Taylor, and Camryn - the rest of the incoming freshmen class.  I haven't had the opportunity to meet you all as I have Sam, but if Coach Sowry and crew recruited you, that speaks well of you as Field Hockey players and as young women.  Welcome to Louisville (OK, you're not here, yet, I know, but it won't be long).  Much like my wishes to the incoming freshmen for Volleyball, my wish is that you embrace this team that you're joining as well.  Some of you may be called on to contribute significantly in the fall, some may take some time to develop, my wish is that you grab hold of whatever role you may be in and do your best at it.  A few of your are from Louisville, so you know how wonderful it is here, for the rest, I hope you come to love this city as much as I do.

Cardinal Fans

My wish is that all fan of the Louisville Cardinals, if they haven't already discovered the joy and excitement of UofL sports beyond Basketball and Football, is to do that.  I keep telling people how much fun it is to watch the game of Lacrosse, and everyone that has taken me up on the suggestion of coming out to watch has commented about how right I was.

Volleyball is, of course, one of my great joys, and my wish is that more discover this hidden gem on campus at UofL

In general, I wish for the Cardinals fanbase to discover some of the 21 other sports at UofL that don't get so much attention beyond Men's Basketball and Football.  Come out and cheer and get a greater understanding of what it means to be playing the game purely for the love of the game.  As the NCAA says, most of these young men and women will be going pro is something other than sports.  They're doing it because they love doing it.

Chuck sang it best...Run, run Rudolph.  Hear it hear: RUN, RUN RUDOLPH

-- 

JMcA