Van Lith and USA 3x3 to Quarters
Hailey Van Lith has continued what some may consider her dominance in the 3x3 space. She is becoming a fixture on Team USA in various tournaments in the format, and her performance this week has shown why. After taking down Australia and New Zealand on Thursday, the US team faced a bit stiffer competition yesterday in Brazil and France, though they dispatched both. The game against France took overtime, but Team USA got it done and finished 4-0 in pool play.
In those games, HVL has been all over social media, making great 2-on-1 baskets or, in one case, completely breaking someone's ankles on the check-up. I mean, come on, you have to be at least a little bit prepared for HVL to blow by you when you're the one that decides when she gets the ball.
In any case, the US advances out of pool play and into the quarterfinals, where they will take on Canada at 10:35 this morning. Only the quarters will be played today on the women's side, with the semis, 3rd place, and championship games coming tomorrow.
Gabriela Leon's Successes Continue
After already becoming the first outdoor champion for UofL, Gabriela Leon's accolades keep coming. On Thursday, Leon was named the ACC Women's Outdoor Field Performer of the Year. It was a bit of a no-brainer award after she won the ACC title, set the second highest ACC pole vault ever, and won the national championship. What isn't a no-brainer is Gabi herself. A day after picking up the Performer of the Year Award, Leon was also named the ACC Women's Outdoor Track & Field Scholar Athlete of the Year. Leon carried a 3.83 GPA through her career at UofL, and, in such a busy competitive season, she finished with a 4.0 in both semesters this year. As someone who recently pulled their college transcript and looked back on their academics, I can assure you that 3.83 cumulative and 4.0 as a senior are just as impressive as they sound.
The academic award came along with the announcements of the All-ACC Academic Team, which included five other competitors on the women's side. Leon was joined by Soledad Jean, Synclair Savage, Emily Scott, Auriane Viola, and Aliyah Welter.
Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast
We're without Paulie this week, so it will be a rare show without our fearless leader. Nevertheless, we'll find a way to fill the hour, as it is awards season and the Cards have had quite a bit of other news. I haven't created a quiz, so the return of the Cardinal Couple Quiz Show will have to wait at least another week. As always, you can check out the live stream of the show by going to the Cardinal Couple YouTube page and clicking on the live video. Jeff usually creates that about an hour before the show, which officially starts at 11 AM Eastern. If the live time doesn't work for you, there are plenty of playback options, so be sure to check out whichever is best for you!
Cardinal Couple YouTube: Link
Anchor (podcast host): Link
Apple Podcasts: Link
Breaker: Link
Google Podcasts: Link
Overcast (free account required): Link
Pocket Casts (free account and app required): Link
RadioPublic: Link
Spotify: Link
Until next time, Go Cards!
Case
Hailey has game galore and will be a key component again if Cards WBB is going to make another Final Four run.
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