What's Happening Outside of Women's Basketball -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Around the Campus

With the focus being centered on Louisville women's basketball and how they are doing in the midst of their season we have neglected to give other sports the attention they deserve.  We do still cover all women's sports at UofL, don't worry.  We'll take a step away from the realm of women's basketball for one day before diving right back into it tomorrow.

(EDITOR'S NOTE - He couldn't do it. Knew it. See bottom of today's column for WBB news.) 

Track and Field

The guy the meet is named after.

The men and women combined for nine victories in their indoor season opener for 2019 at the Gene Edmonds Invitational in West Lafayette.  Three of the wins came in track events while the other six wins were in the field.

Sophomore Makenli Forrest claimed the weight throw with a throw of 21.50m/70-6.50.

Senior Morgan Zacharias took the pole vault crown with a personal best of 4.15m/13-7.25.

Junior-transfer Rashida Harris made her first appearance a a Cardinal.  She won the shot put with a throw of 15.15m/49-8.50.

Junior Renate van Tonder made her first appearance repping the Red and Black.  Although her previous college experience is not listed, the South African native won the long jump with a jump of 6.11m/20-0.50.  Alexis Gibbons and Gabriela Leon took second and third as Louisville swept the long jump.

Sophomore Brooke Raglin won the 60m with a time of 6.59.

Senior Aurilla Wilson ran a personal best on the 3000m with a time of 10:00.26.  The time was fast enough to take gold.

They travel to South Bend over the holiday weekend.

Women's Tennis

Coach Beckham has experience returning. 

The women's tennis team kicks off their 2019 season this coming weekend at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center.  Based off the forecast for the next few days it's safe to assume all matches will be held indoors.  However, I think it would be cool to watch them play in the snow.

The Cards will face Bowling Green Sunday morning at 11:00 before turning around to face Miami (Ohio) at 5:00.  It's a stretch of five straight matches held at home over the next two weekends.

Five of the eight players on Mark Beckham's roster are junior status or higher so he has a good amount of experience this year.

Swimming and Diving

This was mentioned briefly recently, but the men's and women's swimming and diving teams took down Missouri in a rare one vs. one meet.  The women won 163-137.  The men won 178-122.  When it comes to meets such as this they typically have a total score of 300 so often times we know the victor before the final events ever take place.

Sophie Cattermole won the 1000 freestyle with a time of 10:03.45, eight seconds faster than the runner-up.

To no surprise, Mallory Comerford found herself taking gold in a freestyle event.  She won the 200 free with a time of 1:47.48.  Arina Openysheva took third with a time of 1:50.32.

Alina (not to be confused with Arina) Kendzior won the 100 backstroke in a nail-biter, finishing with a time of 55.01.  Maria Sumida took third with a time of 56.59.

Mariia Astashkina took the crown in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:02.88.  Kaylee Wheeler came in third with a time of 1:03.80.

All of the previously named swimmers also went on to later take first in their respective strokes in the longer distances.

Grace Oglesby also recorded a win and a couple second place finishes, one of them being a medley relay.

On the diving side Molly Fears led the charge.  She won the platform with a score of 268.88 and was the top Card in the one meter with a score of 258.83.

They're home Friday, Jan 25 against Northwestern for Senior Day before heading to Kentucky and Indiana later in the month.  The Louisville Invitational is set for mid-February.


Lacrosse

Scott Teeter is less than a month out from beginning his second season as head coach.  Louisville will open up the 2019 season on the road with three games (Northwestern, Marquette, Denver) before they make their first visit home (vs. Mercer) on February 24th.

The Cards will have eight home games and play nine on the road.  Sadly, it appears there are quite a few midweek midday games and most of their weekend games run into conflicts with other sports including women's basketball.  We will do our best to have a representative out at as many home games as possible.


Softball

Holly Aprile's squad began practices recently, including outdoor practices in some freezing temperatures.  Let's hope that we see (MUCH) warmer weather before they play a game at Ulmer.  For now, they gear up for trips to warmer places such as California, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

They open up home play the first day of March and have 22 home games this year.  We'll see a lot of the Friday-Saturday-Sunday schedule like in years past.  However, the Florida State series in town this year will begin on Saturday and conclude on Monday night.  It is following suit from past years.  I attended the first two games of the series in Tallahassee last year with Katy.  The previous year was held in Ulmer with that schedule.

Kentucky is on the home schedule this year and will probably be the only ticketed game of the regular season.  I made the trip to Lexington last year to witness a slaughter in 40 degree weather so let's hope for revenge this year.




The Cards do not face Pittsburgh this year so we will not get to see Coach Aprile take on her former team until at least 2020.

I did talk to a few people recently to find out that there is not a big kickoff banquet this year, although there is a small luncheon gathering for players, families, and a handful of fans.


Volleyball

Louisville commit Shannon Shields was recently named Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Arizona.  The 5'10 setter has a strong year with 974 assists, 401 digs, 143 kills, and 49 service aces.  Shields led her team to a 33-win season and a 6A championship.  Shields is a candidate for the starting setter role with Wilma Rivera having graduated.

Head coach Dani Busboom-Kelly was spotted at the latest UofL WBB home game by a couple of our eagle-eyed writers. Maybe eyeing the facility for a return to action there for a future meet or so?

Recently transferred to the Cards from TCU, Tori Dilfer is another that will try and fill the gap created by the graduation and departure of Molly Sauer, Wilma Rivera, Jasmine Bennett and Amanda Green.

Tori is a setter as well, so there will most likely be a bit of competition for the spot, along with returning sophomore Anaya Martin


Back to Basketball

OK, you knew I couldn't resist adding just a little WBB hoops in today's write.

Felicia Aiyotan is 6'9" and will be here
Thursday with Virginia. 

Tomorrow we will bring you back to your regularly scheduled program of women's basketball.  The #4 Cards host a 7-10 Virginia team. Including Thursday's game, there are seven home games remaining in the regular season.  Of course, we may see a couple more home games in the early rounds of the NCAA Tournament, pending no bizarre incidents between now and then.

Jeff Walz is holding what is becoming a regular Wednesday presser today at the Planet Fitness Kueber Center media room. No, this isn't a new venue -- it's the old Little YUM! on Floyd Street with a new name. 12:45 is the tee time and we expect Coach will slice into upcoming Virginia and Wake Forest plus putt out on the win over Georgia Tech. Paulie will cover it and have it here for you in tomorrow's Cardinal Couple article.



The Caption Contest

(Paulie sends this following message to the Cardinal Couple news room) 


The Cardinal Couple Caption Committee has decided that Curtis Franklin's caption about the two-headed, three armed Georgia Tech defender is the winner.

After meeting for several hours and discussing the picture, amidst many objections, delays, filibusters and one messy incident involving sliced prosciutto, a sailor on shore leave and a edgy squirrel, the decision was released late last night scrawled on the back of the game score-sheet from the Georgia Tech game...which featured a picture of Attack Yorkie Jessica Laemmle. Three staff chimps brought the decision to Paulie, who yawned, looked at it, nodded sagely and went back to sleep.

Great. Now we have to deal with that inflated Curtis ego for a few days. Hey, who wants to go hear some surf music?

LINK: SURFER JOE

Happy Wednesday and Go Cards!

- Jared -