Walz addresses media Monday -- CARDINAL COUPLE

SUMMER UPDATE FROM JEFF WALZ

Jeff Walz met with the media on campus Monday with an early summer update on Cards WBB and fielded questions from the media. 

Below is the video on it: 

Walz Speaks

The Cards skipper addressed a lot of subjects in the 15 minute presser...which I wasn't invited to. I couldn't have gone anyway, because I was just getting out of dialysis. The moratorium on notifying me on Cardinals women's sports continues from the sports media moguls and assistant S.I.D's on campus. And, my concern over that is less than 0%. I learned long ago the philosophy of life from Rick Nelson. "You can't please everyone, so you gotta please yourself." 

On a side note, I was chatting with a Cardinals fan about states we have visited. I came up with 35 and Washington D.C. What's your tally? Leave it in the comments if you want. I'd like to get to 40 eventually. Potential future stops might be Texas, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey and Connecticut. Invitations to visit can be sent to: cardinalcouple@twc.com

Enjoy.

paulie

Ayse Melek Demirer a recruiting highlight for Cards WBB -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 DEMIRER WILL PROVIDE ADDED HEIGHT DEPTH FOR WBB CARDS

All those trips Jeff Walz has made to Turkey (or Turkiye, if you prefer) are still reaping rewards. 

The addition to Ayse Melek Demirer to the UofL women's basketball roster could have wonderful results for the Cards. Demirer, a 6'5" forward/center did great things for the Turkish Youth FIBA U 16 Eurobasket Division B squad. 

She averaged 15.4 points per game in 2025 and grabbed 17.4 rebounds a contest.  She led all the players in the tournament, where Turkey finished third, in points scored. 

Jeff Walz had the opportunity to help coach her when he was an assistant with the U18 team. According to Walz, she has "great size, reat hands and can run the floor. She is someone who is just scratching the surface of where she is going to get .She is considered one of the top prospects in Turkiye and someone who I think will be able to come over here and have a immediate impact for us."   

She adds height to a roster that returns front line player Elif Istanbulluoglu and adds Carys Baker, who comes in from from Virginia Tech,where she averaged 14.3 ppg and almost seven rebounds a contest.  We discussed yesterday the continued growth and skill of Yevheniia Putra, at 6'4" .  Yes, the Cards lost Isla Juffermans to College of Charleston and Anaya Hardy to Notre Dame but Walz is still stocked up and loaded with talent and Cards fans should enjoy this 2026-27 version of Louisville women's basketball. 

Don't forget Grace Mbugna is also back and her height and continuing improvement will also add to that front line. 

We expect Baker and Istanbulluoglu will get the starts at the "4" and "5" ...but will have a strong list of back ups to make the Cards maybe the strongest front line in the ACC. 

paulie 

Five former WBB Cards in WNBA -- SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 FIVE EX-CARDS ON WNBA ROSTERS. 

Jeff Walz is well-renown for developing talent to play at the next level. And that is evident in the 2026 WNBA rosters. Five Cards are in "the big show"

We covered Emily Engstler being on the Portland Fire yesterday. Add to the list Myisha Hines-Allen (Indiana Fever), Dana Evans (Las Vegas Aces), Sydney Taylor (Chicago Sky) and Laura Ziegler (Los Angeles Sparks) 

While it's true that three of the five didn't start at Louisville and transferred in to finish their college time..it's a sign that they came to Louisville to face tough competition and learn from the Cardinals coaches in hopes of continuing to play in the WNBA. 

Sydney Taylor spent her first four years of college at UMass. before coming to Louisville for a fifth season. She averaged 10.4 points a game in her only year at Louisville. 

Laura Ziegler spent three years at St. Joseph before transferring to Louisville.. Hailing from Denmark, she averaged 11 points a game in her final season of college basketball as a Cardinals starter .

Looking at the Cards projected 2026-27 roster, it's interesting to note that four players from last year's roster have transferred off the team. Peyton Bradley, Anaya Hardy, Isla Juffermans and Skylar Jones a have departed. Three are transferring in...Carys Baker from Virginia Tech, Zam Jones from NC State and Deniya Prawl from Tennessee are transferring in. and the freshmen are coming on board.

Are any of the upcoming seniors being considered for the WNBA?  As of now, there is only one senior, in Elif Istanbulluoglu. Out of Turkey, you've have to think her chances are good of making a WNBA roster after she graduates. She averaged over 10 points as a junior last year and her experience should make her one of the best players in the ACC this upcoming season. 

We like this "uniform" on Putra

A player I will watch with particular interest is Yevheniia Putra, who will be a sophomore this season...out of the Ukraine. The 21-year-old Putra also has a plethora of international experience with the Ukraine National Team. She put up 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds during the 2025 FIBA Women's Eurobasket, averaged 8.9 points and 5.4 rebounds in the 2024 FIBA U20 Women's Eurobasket, as well as 14.5 points and 9.2 boards in the 2023 FIBA U20 Women's European Championship.

Cards WBB is only four months away. This team looks to be potentially one of the best in Cards WBB history. I'm ready for tipoff, are you? 

paulie

 

Portland Fire an oddity in WNBA -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 10 OUT OF 13 PORTLAND FIRE PLAYERS ARE WHITE. 

In a league where 70% of the players are black..the Portland Fire is different. They have a roster where 77% of their players are white. 

The roster consists of 13 players. Carla Leite, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Bridget Carleton, Teja Oblak, Luisa Geiselsoder, Megan Gustafson, Frieda Buhner, Louisville's Emily Engstler, Karlie Samuelson and Holly Winterburn are the white girls.  Sarah Williams, Nyadiew Puoch and Jordan Harrison the black girls. 

The Fire are 6-8 on the young season and have lost their last four games. They play in the western conference of the WNBA is a city that is 11 to 1 white to black ratio.

They re-joined the WNBA in 2026. On the roster, there are five players from foreign countries.... Germany with two, France, Australia and Slovenia. The colleges represented are Iowa, Iowa State, Alabama, Stanford, UConn, West Virginia, Oregon and Louisville. 

This was a team that folded in 2002, after the Portland Trail Blazers refused to buy the franchise. The original Fire existed from 2000-2002. They have drawn over 19,000 attendees twice this season. You could say the Fire is raging again in Portland...(sorry, bad pun). 

Emily Engstler has become a huge fan favorite in Portland. She leads the WNBA in blocked shots. After three WNBA teams in four years, you had to wonder if her book was about to be closed on being in the WNBA...but she has roared back this season with a ferocity that is so good to see. 

Head coach Alex Samama of the Fire calls her the cornerstone of the team's defensive identity. He praises her identity to block shots, force turnovers and be a vocal leader on the squad. 

This is so good to see for Engstler.  She had begun to develop the tag of a "wanderer". From Syracuse to Louisville in college . Then...from the Indiana Fever to the Minnesota Lynx to the Washington Mystics to Portland this year. 

Let's hope she has found a home at last...with a salary of $277,500 this season, She is only on a one-year contract, however...on a team that has huge earners in Bridget Carleton, Megan Gustafson and Luisa Geiselsoder.  Engstler is only the seventh highest paid player on the squad. 

Someone in Portland needs to wake up and open up the checkbook...right? 

paulie

Can Lacrosse recover from last seasons rough end? -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 IS THE HONEYMOON FINALLY OVER FOR SCOTT TEETER?

Some Louisville lacrosse fans still shake their head in discontent over the unsatisfying end of the 2026 season. They saw a team go from 6-5 to 6-9 and get outscored 32 to 67.

And, two of the four losses were at the Louisville Lacrosse Stadium. 

Eight years ago, Scott was heralded as the savior of a program that had reached its lowest depths ever. But, in those eight years..he has gone 54-92...a .370 percentage. .370 is great for a softball batting average or three-point shooting. Not so great in coaching. 

So, what's next? Do the cards wait to see if recruiting will finally pay off and the team becomes competitive in the ACC. Or..do they make a move at the top? 

Some of us still remember the horror days of the end of Kellie Young's time at UofL. How we looked at the Canadian Teeter's coming in to save the day and show Louisville Lacrosse a new way.

Some feel that that should give him as long a leash as he wants to skipper the program. 

Others want the Cards to be more competitive in ACC Lacrosse, where Louisville has gone 9-59 under Teeter.  

And, some don't really care at all about Lacrosse on campus. That's the sad aspect. 

In my days of doing on campus interviews, I had some great ones with Scott and some of his players, sometimes with former CC photographer Jared along with me.  I saw a coach that was a family man, a caring coach and a guy that had come to love the Louisville/Southern Indiana area and considered it home. I personally hope that he isn't uphended and replaced. But...fan bases and financial backers can be fickle. Sometimes.  A.D's have to make difficult choices.

A great deal of the problem is that Louisville isn't traditionally recognized as a strong lacrosse base and good regional and national players tend to go elsewhere. The Cards simply don't have the recruiting strength of a North Carolina or Northwestern or Maryland or Navy. And, in Kentucky...only 45 schools offer women's Lacrosse as a varsity sport. 

It'll be interesting to see how this team does this next season. How the attendance fares at the L.L.S. Let's hope it is a return to an over .500 mark or better in season play. 

paulie

Cards women's golf adds Hodgkins -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 AUSSIE TRANSFERS IN FROM NORTHERN ARIZONA

After a 15th place finish in the ACC Women's Golf Tournament, it became abundantly clear the the Chip and Putt Cards could use a little bolstering to their ranks. Head coach Whitney Young went to work and brought in Amy Hodgkins, a rising senior transfer from Northern Arizona and born in Queensland, Australia. 

While with the Lady Lumberjacks (sure...that works...) she was named first team all Big Sky and competed in 11 tournaments her junior year. 

She had a 72.94 stroke average and was second best on the team with three top ten finishes last year. She joins (as far as we still know) Bailey Burkett, Emree Cameron, Millie Cottrell, Veronika Esposito, Madison Moman and Suzie Tran on the Louisville squad  The Cards had one senior, in Thienna Huyhn, graduate. 

paulie

Back where it all began -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

It was a Thursday, Jan 14th., 2010 when I launched Cardinal Couple along with Sonya. I had left another website that Charlie Springer ran because he told me I needed to do that, he simply couldn't run all the stuff i was providing hm with.  So...I talked with two influential UofL Sports administration figures about starting a website about UofL women's sports. They thought it would be a great idea.  Now...with Case resigning, (and make sure and check out his beautiful article that was featured yesterday),..it's back to just me writing. 

Yes,, a lot has changed since that first day. I am retired now.. I'm undergoing dialysis for kidney failure but my cardiologist says my heart is in great shape. After all the twists and turns I have been through on this site, and in my life, that is a minor miracle. I guess I'm still trying to make a little sense of it all. 

The premise and the theme here still remains the same. The joy and excitement of UofL women's sports. No matter how hard some media Nazis try to belittle me, shut me down or quell what I say, I still can write about that excitement. I've met some wonderful coaches  ,players,and staffers over the years. And , I've met some real a$$holes and backstabbers. We had days of radio (the legendary WCHQ) and days of directing the website from a hospital bed. It hasn't been boring, that's for sure. 

It's kinda like the late Jimmy Buffet lyrics:

(Back in the good ol'days...Paige and Daryl)

"Good times and riches and son-of-a bit&^es...I've seen more than I can recall" 

But, they can't take my degree away from me, or the fun I had on campus and the fun I have had watching the athletes in field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, basketball, softball, volleyball and the other women's sports on campus. The incredible athletes I've met, some who still stay in touch with me. There has also been the back-stabbers and those determined to see me falter and fail. At this point in my life, I wave those naysayers and distractors away with a dismissive swipe of the hand and stay centered on why I started this site.

The joy and excitement of UofL women's sports.

Sonya and I...give it your own caption. 

I will survive. I will get by.  And, I will carry on. And I thank Sonya, Jenny, Paige, Mark, Sandy, Jeff, Jared, Daryl and.Case for sharing parts of the journey with me. The wise council I had in the early days from Charlie, Lori, Julie, Tom and Vince. .The coaches I've enjoyed my conversations with...like Jeff, Scott, Justine, Karen, Holly, Sandy, Sam and Pam...just to name a few.  

Remember Paige? 

Another 16 years ahead of me? I'd like to think so.  I'll be 86 then, if I get there, and maybe I'll be too senile to write daily. But, the great musical group of the 60's...the Grass Roots.... wrote a song called "Live For Today" and it give some wise council. 

"We were never meant to worry, the way that people do. And I don't need to hurry, as long as I'm with you. "  

Because, it's you...the readers that keep me doing what i do. As long as you are still "clicking on and moving your eyeballs" I'll be offering. 

paulie

The End of a Journey -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

A Fond Farewell from Case

I spent a long time looking up great last lines from novels to open this post with to be witty or clever, but in the end, they all ring hollow. They all felt like they'd cheapen it a bit. So, instead, I simply say that this is the end of my time as a writer at Cardinal Couple. 

The title of today's post is a reference to my very first post here at the site, which came nearly ten years ago. It's hard to believe it's been so long, although that may be more due to my rejection of the idea that I could have already graduated college that long ago. I was a different person then, and a different writer. Everyone stuck with me while I shook off the need to write about Louisville's men's teams, but it probably took longer than anyone hoped. I finally got it through my head that Cardinal Couple didn't exist to be another column in the noise about Lamar Jackson or Rick Pitino, and I turned my attention to the true mission: Reporting the joy and excitement of UofL women's athletics. 

While I learned that lesson, I went through a lot as a person. I got married, moved to Shelbyville, moved back to Louisville, went through three job changes, but Cardinal Couple was always here. That's not to say there weren't changes here, too. I was part of dozens of shows at the old Crescent Hill Radio studio in the basement and dozens more at the new studio location before the station closed down. We did shows on location, and I learned about the rules of simulcasting. When the station closed, we pivoted to a podcast and I learned all kinds of new things in that process. I've seen (if my count is correct), eight other bylines on the site since I started, and I've had the pleasure of creating genuine friendships from the experience. 

When I wrote that first post back then, I never really imagined I'd still be doing it all this time later. That joy and excitement kept me going, and I continued to grow my love for the teams we cover here. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Life has a funny way of creeping up on you, and as my responsibilities have grown inside these pages, they've grown many times over outside them. It's time to close this chapter of my story, but I can assure you I'll never forget it. 

I was a passive follower of Louisville women's athletics when I started, primarily engaged as an avid sports fan while a student at the University. That has changed a lot over the last ten years, and these days I find I'm far more invested in the success of the women's soccer or softball teams at UofL than either of their male counterparts. That won't change now that my time writing is done. I'll still be tuned into the goings-on up and down Floyd Street next season and the years to come, and you'll likely still find me at Lynn when my schedule allows. 

I'll always be grateful for my time at Cardinal Couple, to Paulie for giving me a chance to keep writing, and to the support the Cardinal Couple community has always shown. 

As always, Go Cards!

Case

2026 Cards Field Hockey needs to improve over 2025 ACC record --MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 2-7 Against Conference Foes Unacceptable

(Wanna guess what this is? Answer at end of today's column)

OK, everyone knew that ACC Field Hockey wasn't going to be the easy, breeze ride that Louisville had in other conferences. But being tied for seventh place in a nine-team conference certainly isn't what the UofL Cardinals Field Hockey fans expected or were particularly happy with. I can't imagine the student-athletes or coaches were pleased...either. 

The squad needs to show show marked improvement in the 2026 season in the ACC and beat a few more squads than California and Syracuse. Maybe one thing in Louisville's favor is the developing underclasses on the roster that are returning. 

Out of the 23 players on last year's roster, only four graduated. Six will be sophomores this year, seven juniors and six seniors. We know of only one transfer out...defender Luciana Carpenter, who is headed to Richmond as a grad transfer. 

The ACC is probably the strongest field hockey league in DI and UNC is always a powerhouse. 

Cards depended highly on Rylie

The Cards need to find scorers. They only scored over five goals four times in 2025 and gave up over five goals only once. With an 8-10 record overall, they lost six games by one goal. 

Rylie Wollerton had 11 goals in 18 games for the Cards, but was a senior who played in 74 games for the Cards in her time at UofL.  Who steps up to replace her could be the key question for UofL and Sowry. 

We should get a schedule release soon and a roster update as well. 

(Oh...and the image at the top of today's column? Why, it's a water sprinkler on the Cards Field Hockey surface....)

paulie

Did You Know? -- SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE OFFERS EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY DEGREES. 

I had the chance recently to catch up with a friend who I knew at UofL and in the course of our discussion we started talking about her grandson, who was graduating from UofL also (like she did)...but with a degree in Exercise Physiology. I was not aware of the field of study, so she explained it to me. Exercise Physiology is also called exercise science,  kinesiology, or human movement and UofL is one of the leaders in the nation in the study.  

It is basically an intense look at the how we understand and optimize the movement and effectiveness of the human body. At UofL is can be broken down into three different subcategories. 

-- Allied Health Therapies. Aimed toward those who are pursing physical therapy or medicinal fields and careers. 

-- Human Performance. Geared to those who want to be in strength and conditioning, sport science or personal training. 

-- Physical education and Health -- Deigned for those who want to go on and be physical education teachers..like in schools and such. 

I wish this had been around when I was an undergrad, but it didn't become a degree option until around 2000. Human Movement developed out of kinesiology and beside University of Louisville...other major universities who offer the degree include Texas A&M, Michigan, Northeastern and Maryland. 

 If you are a prospective or current student looking for exact syllabi, office hours, or specific course registrations, you can view the complete faculty directory on the UofL Health and Sport Sciences Faculty Page.

Louisville Draws Texas in ACC/SEC Challenge -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Cards to Face Longhorns in Texas

The ACC/SEC Challenge matchups were announced for men's and women's basketball yesterday, and both teams drew the same opponent: the Texas Longhorns. The women's ACC/SEC Challenge officially began in 2023, and Louisville has played on the road once. The Cards won that game against Ole Miss in Oxford in the 23-24 season. 

Louisville will head to Austin on December 2nd. The Cards last faced the Longhorns in the same building during the 2023 NCAA Tournament, where Louisville pulled off the upset against the home team. That was the second time the Cards had beaten Texas in the same season, having also won in November in the Battle 4 Atlantis. Those are the only two wins Louisville has over Texas all-time, though they've only played two other times. 

Last year's iteration of the Longhorns won the SEC Championship on their way to a second straight Final Four appearance. They haven't lost a game in the Moody Center in the last two seasons as part of a 44-game home winning streak. Things change season-to-season, though, especially in this day and age, but Louisville will still likely face an extremely tough opponent. The Cards, to their credit, return all five starters from last season. 

Louisville will get SEC opponents on back-to-back Wednesdays to open December, as they'll face Kentucky on December 9th. 

Until next time, Go Cards!

Case

TEXAS GETS THE REPEAT --FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 4-1 WIN GIVE LONGHORNS THE WCWS CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE OVER RED RAIDERS.

Make it two years in a row. The Texas Longhorns softball gals have won the Women's College World Series for the second year in a row. Back-to-back championships over Texas Tech.

A lot of players contributed to the win for Texas..which is what it takes to win a championship. Once again, solid pitching from the Longhorns. Two runs in the fifth and two runs in the top of the seventh got it done for them at the plate...and an outstanding efforts in the circle from Citaly Gutierrez, Hannah Wells and Teagan Kavan. 

Texas brings the title back to the SEC. Being as they joined the conference in the summer of 2024, the Longhorns have proved they are the queens of softball in the SEC. It was Oklahoma, now in the SEC also, who won the title in 2021,22,23 and 2024. The tournament was cancelled in 2020 because of COVID. 

Three hits in seven innings for the Texas Tech squad. Not a lot to try and win a game with. 

"This one is sweet. They've worked the tails off the whole time and we had people step up when we needed them to."  said Mike White, UT head coach after the contest. 

Maybe none more than Teagan Kavan. After getting the complete game win on Wednesday, she had five strike outs against the six batters she faced on Thursday to preserve the lead. 

So, another softball season ends. And, it appears that the stronghold of softball in the USA is still...deep in the heart of Texas. 

paulie

EYES ON TEXAS IN SOFTBALL COLLEGE WORLD SERIES -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 TEXAS, TEXAS TECH PLAY FOR IT ALL IN OKLAHOMA CITY. 

The SEC vs the Big 12. Austin vs Lubbock. Horns vs Red Raiders. No 1 in the nation (Texas) against the 11th ranked Texas Tech squad. Yes, it's College Softball World Series time. 

Teagan

In Game One, on Wednesday night, it was TTX who got off to the early lead with a home run...but Texas responded in the bottom of the first with five runs. Texas is a squad who has won close to 90 straight games when they have a four run lead. Jumping out 5-1 they eventually stretched it out to 7-3 for clear bragging rights about winning Game 1 of the series

The championship could go three games, if Texas Tech comes back to win game two. Otherwise, it'll end in two if the Longhorns win game two. 

 Teagan Kavan hurled a three-hitter for the Horns ,going the distance.

Hiya,  cutie...Teagan out of uniform

ESPN's coverage was functional and not overplayed...a rarity in nationwide broadcasts of major sporting events. Of course, they trotted out Holly Rowe for sidelines interviews in this one. I still remember when they brought her in for a UofL game vs Kentucky in the KFC YUM! Center and she showed up in a UK blue dress. And she couldn't figure out why the fans were booing her. Beth Mowins is the big game announcer and pretty Jessica Mendoza and Michele Smith round out the crew. 

The two squads go back at it tonight. 

Cherry Makes Debut -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Karsyn Cherry Appears for Angel City FC

The University of Louisville can add another alumni to the list of players that have stepped onto the pitch for an NWSL squad. While I'm not able to find a full list of players, I believe that UofL's former players to appear at the next level in the US is quite limited. The league started in 2013, and to the best of my knowledge, Emina Ekic is the only former Cardinal to have checked into a game for an NWSL team until this past weekend. 

Karsyn Cherry made her debut for Angel City on Sunday, and she'll be looking for more opportunities moving forward. While her opener was short (just one minute) Cherry was quite productive. She had three touches and was successful on her two attempted passes. She also won a corner in the opposing box, though her attempt to score the game-tying goal was off target. Angel City fell to NC Courage 2-1. Cherry signed with Angel City in January as a free agent, as the NWSL eliminated the rookie draft this past season. The former Card is listed as one of just seven defenders on the roster, so it would seem likely that she'll get more chances to see the pitch soon. 

Erynn Floyd will hope to make her debut this season as well. Louisville's former goalkeeper remains in town as a reserve with Racing Louisville. Racing's primary goalkeeper went out with an injury a couple of games ago, so Floyd may be closer to seeing the field than anticipated. It's still a crowded keeper room, though, so it will be tough. 

New head coach Hunter Norton will be hoping to continue the development of the UofL-to-Pro pipeline and build up the Cardinal program as a destination for players looking to take the next step. Norton's first season at the helm begins in a little over two months. 

Until next time, Go Cards!

Case

WBB Cards and Cats announce 2026 date. -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

TWO TOP TEAMS IN STATE TO MEET ON DECEMBER 9TH

We now know when the 2026 edition of Cards WBB vs Cats WBB will take place.

The two schools will face off on December 9th in Lexington in Rupp Arena.  No game time or network viewing information has been released yet. Since it is a weekday game, the best guess here is that it'll be snatched up by the SEC Network and get an evening time slot...but that is just speculation. 

This is a switch from the last game between the two in Lexington, in 2024, when the two squads met in Memorial Coliseum. The Cards have won three of the last five meetings between the two squads. Last year's contest went to the Cats 72-62. Louisville won in 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023. 

Georgia Amoore. a pretty kitty. Now with the Mystics. 

The larger arena venue in 2026 means more people will attend, in all probability. The last time I was in Lexington, the two squads played at Memorial Coliseum. That one was an overtime classic..where the Cats roared back from a late deficit under the leadership of Teonna Key and Georgia Amoore. A Saturday night game, and a tough drive back to Louisville after the loss. 

Jeff Walz is 13-7 all time against UK. He has had a seven game win streak against the Cats, until two years ago. 

paulie

Five Cards quality for NCAA Women's Outdoor Champonships. -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

ALL THE CARDS QUALIFIERS WERE IN FIELD EVENTS

The Cards track and field squad participated in the Lexington Regional of the NCAA DI Outdoors Tournament qualifications over the weekend and five Cardinals women punched their tickets for the Tournament...to be held in Eugene, Oregon on June 10--13. 

Ashley Callahan qualified in the pole vault, along with fellow Cardinals athlete Iliana Triantafyllou. Kate Tupu-Smith is in because of her shot put throw and just barely missed in the discus.  Eve Divinity will travel to Eugene to be in the long jump, and Alba Cuns Iglesias made the cut in the triple jump. 

Callahan, a redshirt senior out of San Diego, previously competed at San Diego State.  Trianyafyllou is a junior from Greece, Kate Tupu-Smith was at Washington before coming to Louisville. Divinity transferred to the Cards from San Diego St. and Cuns Iglesias is a redshirt junior from Spain. 

Louisville track and field has had a long history of success in the throws and field events over the years. Going back to the days of Emmonnie Henderson and Jayden Ulrich, the Cards have been a force in the previous conferences they were in .Current throws coach Cory Martin joined the roster in 2023 .

paulie 

Is UofL Field Hockey still viable in the ACC? -- SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 SEVEN CONFERENCE WINS IN LAST FOUR YEARS NOT ACCEPTABLE. 

How many remember the glory days of ACC Field Hockey for Louisville? There was only one, and that was back in 2021...when they went 6-0 in conference play. Since then, they've gone 9-19 against conference opponents.  

If one wonders why the program has declined since joining the ACC..there is a fairly simple answer..the competition level has gone way up since the days of the Cards Stick Girls being in the Metro Conference USA or Big East and the Cards reccruiting has not kept up. . 

But, the facility is a state of the art one, even in 2026, and to not be able to bring in competitive talent is head scratching. Some will tell you that the program was in it's heydey when Pam Bustin was head coach...until she left to go to Duke in 2011. 

(I've had some great interviews with both coaches and enjoyed attending games before the Louisville Athletics media gestapo started their smear campaign on me...because of a hacked Twitter account...and bullied two ex-writers into leaving.  Also, due the respiratory concerns I don't get around much without oxygen supplement and everything is pretty much available on the internet).  

in any event, it's clear that something needs to turn around on the field next to McDonald's 

Duke uses four ways to get N.I.L. money to their players. Brand Partnership (players endorsing products)...Personal Services (hosting clinics and running camps) Blue Devil Exchange (connecting businesses with student-athletes and Licensing (selling of personalized jerseys and apparel.

Duke does well in their area getting the players these funds. The question is...does Louisville do as well for their Field Hockey girls? We know the two main women's sports here are basketball and volleyball. They get just about all of the available corporate funding out there for women's sports and also, consequently , draw the best attendance of the women's sports at UofL. 

Ayeshia McFerran

The days of Ayeshia McFerran and Mercedes Pastor on the Cards Field Hockey squad have passed, and no one has really stood up as nationwide attraction since. It's also interesting that neither was from the USA...McFerran from Northern Ireland and Pastor from Argentina. 

Louisville will probably never reach the popularity that North Carolina has. The Heels have 26 ACC titles. Duke has risen from the horrible early 2020's and become a viable program under Bustin. She saw the handwriting on the wall at the Ville and did the smart thing and got out. . Virginia has always had viable squads and ex-member Maryland was a consistent powerhouse nation wide...and still is. It'd be nice if the Cards Stick Girls could equal those four in the future, but we're not holding our breath. 

paulie

Cards Headed to National Meet as Regionals Wrap Up -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Cards Sending 13 to Eugene with One Day Left

Louisville Track and Field has set a program record for the most national qualifiers since the NCAA moved to a two regional format in 2010. The Cards have had 13 competitors qualify so far with today's final day of the regional meet still to go. Of those 13, nine are men, which is the most in program history. 

The four women set to represent the Cards punched their tickets on Thursday, and it will be all women attempting to do the same today. Thursday saw Ashley Callahan and Iliana Triantafyllou advance to the national meet in pole vault while Kaia Tupu-South and Eve Divinity did so in the shot put and long jump, respectively. 

Tupu-South will be the only Cardinal on the women's side eligible for the double, as she is competing in the discus throw today. Louisville will have multiple competitors in the other two events with four in the triple jump and three in the women's 5000m run. The triple jumpers are Alba Cuns Iglesias, Sharvari Parulekar, Anna Panenko, and Athena Peterson. Those running in the 5k are Nancy Chepleting, Emma McGill, and Eliza Nicholson. 

We'll be rooting for all of these athletes to make it, though some heartbreak amongst teammates may come into play with so many competing in the same events. The outdoor championship event will be in mid-June.

Until next time, Go Cards!

Case

Myisha Hines-Allen with Indiana Fever This Season -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 HINES-ALLEN IN RESERVE ROLE AT INDY SO FAR THIS SEASON

It was a bit of excitement for Louisville women's basketball fans to read that program great Myisha Hines-Allen was returning close to her collegiate home when she signed to play for the Indiana Fever this season. Now that the season is underway, how is she doing so far for Indy? 

The Fever are 4-2 on the season, tied for first place in the Eastern conference with the Atlanta Fever. Hines-Allen has appeared dn all six games for the Fever, starting in two of them. She's seeing around 19 minutes a contest and is averaging 5.2 points per game. 

In her 10th season in the league, Hines-Allen is grabbing 3.5 rebounds per contest and averaging 3.2 assists per outing. She had eight points against Seattle back on the 17th of May and seven points versus Portland on the 20th.

Indiana has a strong roster with Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Lexie Hull and Aliyah Boston among their 14 players. A roster can carry 14 if two of the spots are designated as developmental players. Bree Hall (South Carolina, Golden State) and Justine Pissott (Vanderbilt) are Indiana's developmental players. 

Indiana is the fourth WNBA team that has Hines-Allen has played for in her career. She started her career and played seven years for Washington...then spent a season each with Minnesota and Dallas before going to Indiana. She signed a one year, fully protected contract for $315,000 with the Fever.

 Hines-Allen is the sister of NFL star Josh Hines-Allen, who currently plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars as a defensive end. 

We wish "Mooks" the best in her time with the Fever and hope it's a championship seaso for the squad! 

paulie

Honors continue for Louisville Softball -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 TRIO OF SOFTBALL CARDS HONORED

Bri Despines was named a 3rd String All-American by the NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association), Camryn Lookadoo earned Rawlings/NFPA Gold Glove honors and Chelsea Mack received the New Balance/NFPA Golden Shoe award. 

Hey, all we need is a classy pair of slacks and colorful top and someone is ready for a night out on the town, right?

Despines checks in as the 11th All-American in Louisville Softball history. She joins Taylor Roby, Camryn Greenwood, Katie Keller, Alicia Wolny, Tori Collins, Taner Fowler, Melissa Roth (twice), Kristen Wadwell and Lacy Wood on the list. She batted .402 at the plate, with 66 hits and 70 RBI's. Opponents had to think twice about stealing a base on her, too...she threw out 12 runner trying. 

Lookadoo batted .382 this season with 60 hits and 58 RBI's. A junior out of Georgetown, KY (Great Crossings) and formerly a UK Wildcat was par excellence on the dirt with a .992 field average and only three errors all season. 

Mack has 87 hits and ended up second in the nation with 45 stolen bases. She batted .449 at the plate and joined the Cards when she also transferred from UK after her freshman season.  Out of Brecksville (OH) High School,  She was successful in 81 of her 83 base stealing attempts in 2022. 

Despines and Mack are done with their collegiate playing days, while Lookadoo has one more season. 

(Photos from UofL)

palie

paulie

Zabala Drafted to New Pro League -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Alyssa Zabala Returns Home with Florida Vibe

Alyssa Zabala was a star for Louisville softball, regardless of how the seasons turned out. Smiley, as some often called her due to her constant toothy grin regardless of the situation, was a stalwart starter for the Cards and finished her career with 56 wins and a 3.45 career ERA. She threw 23 complete games, had seven shutouts, and earned 375 strikeouts in 556.1 innings pitched. She was Louisville's ace pretty much from the moment she stepped on campus, and some of her negative numbers were perhaps a product of her being utilized in a way that she wasn't quite fit for. Nevertheless, Alyssa Zabala should be remembered fondly in the annals of Cardinal history. 

Her career isn't over, though. Zabala was drafted by the Florida Vibe, which is one of four inaugural teams in the Professional Softball League. (No one is winning major awards for some of these startup league names, I'll tell you that, but that's beside the point.) The Vibe are joined by the Atlanta Smoke, Kansas City Diamonds, and Florida Breeze as the original full time teams. Since there are two Florida-based teams and the one that drafted Zabala is called Vibe, I'd guess it's safe to say that one is based in Miami, not least because that's where Zabala is originally from. 

The four primary teams will play a full season in 2026, which is the first season of this new league. The teams will play dozens of games in June and July, with a league tournament scheduled for early August. They'll travel throughout Florida and the southeast, along with KC, and one game is even listed with Puerto Rico as the location. The teams will head to a couple of other destinations, though, as there will also be games against some of next season's full-time teams. Already on the docket are the NY Rise and Chattanooga Chill, and there are other teams yet to be announced. 

Professional women's sports are definitely on the rise. With the NBA finally realizing it can make money by boosting the W, and the NWSL drawing more and more eyes, the other sports are starting to catch on as well. Volleyball is seemingly popular enough to maintain competing leagues, and the fact that baseball seems to be having a moment in popularity will surely help the softball scene. We'll see if any other Cardinal names pop up in this new league and let you know. 

Until next time, Go Cards!

Case

Field Hockey's Lauren Masters named to US Women's National Team -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 MASTERS ONE OF 19 NAMED TO US TEAM

Lauren Masters,  a senior forward for the 2026 season out of Pittstown, NJ will participate for the USA in the Four Nations Tournament in Lillieshall, England from July 8-15. The USA U 21 squad will go up against India, Belgium and England's squads in the event. 

Lauren Sloan, who plays for Virginia and is from Louisville's Christian Academy is also on the squad. Sloan was the 2024 Kentucky High School Player of the Year and a strong defender for the Charlottesville,VA squad.

As could probably be predicted, the USA roster is primarily made up of players from the hotbed of high school field hockey in the U.S....almost a third of the roster is from Pennsylvania and North Carolina and New Jersey is well-represented on the squad. 

Masters has had a storied career at UofL. She was on the 2023 Cardinals squad that made it to the semifinals of the ACc Tournament and quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. In 2024, she was named to the 2025 Under 21 squad USWNT squad and the Under 21 roster for the Junior Pan Am games. 

Louisville Field Hockey hosted the 2025 ACC Field Hockey Tournament but was knocked out in the first round by North Carolina 2-1. Northwestern ended up winning the NCAA Championships. 

 

College Softball World Series set -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 WHO'S HEADED TO OKLAHOMA CITY? 

Louisville Softball is long gone in the NCAA Tournament race for the World Series...and now the ACC is eliminated as well. 

Arkansas defeated Duke in regional play to send the last Atlantic Coast Conference school to the side lines The SEC is proving to be the powerhouse conference this year in the regionals...with Alabama, Arkansas, Nebraska, Mississippi St, Tennessee and Texas qualifying for the College World Series...along with UCLA and Texas Tech.

The Alabama squad sent another SEC school in LSU to the sidelines to get to the CWS. UCLA sent University of South Florida home, Nebraska took Oklahoma St. out of the chase and Mississippi St. made their first ever College World Series by knocking off Oklahoma. Tennessee downed Georgia to advance and Texas hit past Arizona St to make the field of eight.  

Texas won it all last year and has to be one of the favorites to repeat. this year. As far as DI rankings go...Nebraska is ranked #1, Alabama in #2, Texas is #3., Arkansas is #5, Texas Tech is #7,  UCLA is #8 and Mississippi St. is #20. The Bulldogs are the darkhorse of the eight, with their shocking elimination of Oklahoma, who was ranked #4.

Lookadoo looking at you.

Louisville ended up ranked #24 and will look to build on a very successful 44-12 season with key returnees. Maybe Camryn Lookadoo summed it up best when she said:

"When you go out there and have fun with your teammates, it easier to perform. It's less pressure and just putting trust in each other is fun."

Sophomore outfield Madison Pickens saw last year as a key to this season. 

"We had our moments where we grew together last year. This year brought us ever closer because we didn't have that many people come in or leave.  We were just able to grow certain things together." 

The WCWS begins May 28th and ends June 5th. Four games Thursday, two Games Friday and Saturday nd Sunday before two on Monday and then the Championship series on Wednesday, Thursday and, if needed on Friday.

Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day, but also remember the reason for the holiday. They served and gave it all so that we could have this way of life. 

paulie

Kroon named Arthur Ashe Jr Scholar -- SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 TATUM KROON IS FIELD HOCKEY'S 2026 WINNER

We all know how well Tatum Kroon guarded defenders in her four years at UofL. A former field hockey defender once told me that being a good defender started with studying you opponent's techniques and anticipating their attack moves. And, to further back her knowledge skills, we find out the senior has been named the  Arthur Ashe Jr.scholar Award Winner forr Field Hockey.

Kroon came to Louisville from Den Bosch, The Netherlands and was a key contributor to the Cards defense during her time at UofL  She was a part of 15 defensive shutouts in her career at UofL 

2025 wasn't a spectacular season for UofL Field Hockey. They went 8-10 on the season and were 2-6 in the ACC. They were knocked out of the ACC Tournament by UNC and did not qualify for the NCAA DI tournament. .

Since it is Memorial Day weekend, how will you spend it? It is a day we observe to honor the deaths of U.S. servicemen in battle. With travel costs rising, I wonder how many will try to do something a little less expensive and stay regional.  Bernheim Forest is always a great option if you're not into attending picnics or parties. 

Cards Sending 23 to East Regional -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

T&F Well-Represented in Lexington

I'm up at Indy this week so I'm keeping it short and sweet. Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

The NCAA East Regionals will get started in Lexington on May 27th, with trips to the NCAA Championship event on the line. Louisville has 23 total athletes competing, with 13 women taking part in fifteen events. The full list is below: 

Ashley Callahan | Pole Vault

Nancy Chepleting | 5000m, 10000m

Alba Cuns Iglesias | Triple Jump

Sophia Day | Long Jump

Eve Divinity | Long Jump

Emma McGill | 5000m

Eliza Nicholson | 5000m

Anna Panenko | Triple Jump

Sharvari Parulekar | Triple Jump

Athena Peterson | Triple Jump

Lydia Stuart | Pole Vault

Iliana Triantafyllou | Pole Vault

Kaia Tupu-South | Shot Put, Discus Throw

Until next time, Go Cards!

Case

UofL Athletics deep in debt...what will the future bring for college athletics.? -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 A $30 MILLION DOLLAR PROBLEM

You've probably heard the news by now, UofL's athletic program is $30 million dollars in debt. The problem is there...staring right at The Thinker on campus. What is the answer? 

A friend sent me the Eric Crawford article. I can only take a look at some the woeful media moguls for UofL sports information and think about this suggestion. Send them packing like hobos from the railroad yards. They hid the information of the increasing debt far too long. After all, this is a public institution, not some prestigious private college Turn the promotion of UofL athletics over to companies skilled at information reporting who know a little about what they are doing in the advertising and promotion world. Put spending under a magnifying glass. 

It also may be time to start collecting for attendance to some on the non-revenue sports. I know it's a steep cliff to jump off of...attendance could plummet...but these sports are paying coaches, assistant coaches and the S.I.D's just like all the other revenue sports  and are a cost to athletics as well.

Yum! Brands, Texas Roadhouse, Humana and Brown Foreman make big money. Maybe they might have an interest in helping salvage UofL sports more than they currently do. They are based here, after all. 

And, when you are that deep in debt, it's only a matter of time before women's sports start to take some money allocation hits. You know they are gong to try and salvage men's football, basketball and baseball first before they worry about lacrosse, field hockey and volleyball. 

"How did we get this deep in the hole?" 

Maybe take a look at how Texas, Ohio St. Georgia and Michigan are out of the red and into the black in revenue producing. UK was valued at $910 million dollars....fifteenth best in the nation. UofL is at 37th. at $645 million. 

Any other business model that would lose that much would probably be shutdown. And maybe it's time for some of these high pocket professional franchises to realize that their talent comes from college athletics and maybe they need to throw some huge bucks at their source of players. 

I got tired of the way media got pushed around and slighted a few years ago and just stopped attending games. Some were definitely more equal than others . But, being a graduate of the university and fond of many of the women's coaches on campus..it's certainly not the coaches fault that monies spent far exceed revenue produced. And, a student fee for athletics isn't going to solve this dilemma. 

The SEC and Big Ten have 18 of the top 20 revenue producing programs. Notre Dame and Clemson are the only two in that top 20 that are not members of either conference. Both have storied football programs. Both have no problem getting butts in the seats to watch games.  

Maybe one of the most ridiculous things is the makeup of the Atlantic Coast Conference...that has California, Stanford and SMU...hardly on the Atlantic Ocean coast.  The Big 10 has 18 members. 

But, I'm not a numbers cruncher. I just report on the joy and excitement of UofL women's athletics.

 Being $30 million in debt, though, isn't much of a joyful thing, is it? 

pauliie