WUGs and More -- Sunday Cardinal Couple

The monsoons have stopped, and the temperatures are reaching into the 90s, and we're about to switch over into the collapsed, "Ain't nobody here but us chickens", July calendar on the GoCards website.

The WUGs Return

The biannual World University Games, the Cardinal Couple beloved "WUGs" return this week.

The UofL rooting interest in this one is for Tori Dilfer, one of the two setters on the US Women's Volleyball contingent.

The US Volleyball WUGs participants depart for Napoli Italy today.  The beginning of the volleyball competition is Thursday with qualifying rounds getting underway.

Dilfer is officially listed as being from the Cardinals, but has yet to hit the court for an official UofL Volleyball match as she joined the team in January after transferring in from TCU.  The current expectation is that the fall setter role on Cardinals squad is Dilfer's position to lose, though there is a good incoming freshman from Arizona, Shannon Shields, who will be looking to win some time in the position.


Name to know? 

The Louisville WBB coaches are always on the lookout for talent. a 2021 COLLEGE PROSPECT, Meg Newman -- a 6'3" post out of Indianapolis North Central, is getting a lot of attention from the coaches.

She attended the Walz elite camp in mid-June. She also spent some time checking out the campus and facilities after the camp. She was very impressed with what she saw and called her relationship with the coaching staff and Walz as "close" and went on to say she was impressed with everything she saw and mentioned:

"I like them (Louisville) a lot. Louisville is really impressive. It is obvious the staff is exellent at player development. And, the facilities are unmatched. I've never been to a school with such impressive facilities for all sports in place."

Newman is a very agile "4" that can create in the paint, operate well in the half-court offense and works hard on both ends of the court.

She's #49th currently in the ESPN rating system for 2021 prospects and is also being courted by Arizona, Arizona State, DePaul, Indiana, Michigan, Minn, Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue and Vanderbilt.

She also plays soccer at North Central. I'm guessing most opponents quake at the sight of a 6'3" attacker approaching the goalkeeper...


The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

(PROBABLY DIDN'T LISTEN TO THE SHOW...)

Case, Paulie and Jeff took to the airwaves and Facebook Live for the weekly Saturday CARDINAL
COUPLE RADIO HOUR yesterday at 11 a.m. A lively discussion ensued about UofL women's sports and the second half of the show featured another Worldwide Cardinal Couple Quiz, administered by Paulie.

UNFORTUNATELY, ONLY A MINUTE OF THE SHOW EXISTS. on the Facebook Live link below..gremlins again attack our broadcast. Hopefully you heard it live...the Facebook Live feed seems to have disconnected and there is no audio backup of the show.

It was a mascot quiz and the boys didn't do too badly on it...Case scoring the best and getting the ceremonial one-eared, toothpick-holding bear (with toothpicks) for his "win".

Be sure to catch The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour on Saturdays at 11 a.m. on WCHQ 100.9 FM, (usually Facebook Live) or dowmload the WCHQ app.

Cardinal in the Big Leagues

Brendan McKay made his Major League Baseball debut with Tampa Bay yesterday.  He pitched for 6
innings, and retired his first 15 batters with no one getting on base.  McKay also showed some fielding prowess in the 2nd.  The infield was shifted heavily to the right but a pop up just into foul territory by left base had no other infielders left to field it.  With a quick run over to the 3rd base line, McKay helped his own cause catching the fly just in foul territory.

McKay, who was much beloved as a Cardinal, has rocketed up through the ranks of pro ball, spending barely a month at the AAA level before being called up to the Rays.  OK, admittedly, the Rays have had a rough time of it of late, so they're looking for answers.  With the 5-2 win over the Rangers, it looks like they may have one.  They may have found two, even, as word on the street is that McKay, who has always gone both ways, with a history of producing some prodigious offense as well, will be getting a chance to shine in the batter's box as well.

We don't typically follow Cardinal Baseball too closely, here at Cardinal Couple, but I did want to stop and take a moment to recognize McKay as an Cardinal to continue to be proud of.


"Big Wol" and GB Win Opener

Alicia Wolny connected on a two-run home run to left-center in the second inning for Great Britain...as they won their opening game in the 2019 European Softball Championships.

Great Britain defeated Greece 12-5.  .

Wolny played for Louisville Softball from 2010-13 and was selected for the 2013 NFCA Second-Team All-America squad.

It's her second stint with Great Britain, playing for them also in 2013. Wolny's mother is British, so she is eligible and can play for the squad.

Here's to many more "long balls" and "fence clearers" for Cardinal Forever "Big Wol" -- Alicia Wolny !!!!

--
JMcA