E DOMINANCE CONTINUES IN SHOT PUT IN ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS -- SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

HENDERSON RULES AGAIN IN SHOT PUT

If you were going to try and describe Emmonnie Henderson's success in track and field throwing events in horse racing terms...you might call her the American Pharoah of the shot put. Or the Secretariat of the discus. However you choose to describe her accomplishments in sending objects flying through the air...the term 'winner' needs to be included in the details. 

Henderson took the shot put competition at the ACC Championships yesterday in Tallahassee, FL on the FSU campus yesterday with a toss of 16.55 meters/54-3.75 feet. She was the only participant on the women's side to clear 16 meters...the closest competitor managing 15.92. To break that down by the meters vs feet comparison (1 meter = 3.28 feet) her toss was over two feet better that the next best throw. It is the second year in a row she has led the field. 

She was the only Cardinal women's track and field participant to win an event at the meet. She'll enter the circle again today to hurl the discus...which is probably the better of the two events she participates in skill-wise...in search of another first place. She also won that last year at the ACC Championships. 

The dream to participate in the Olympics in Rio lives on for the Edwardsville, IL. field specialist. She knows the competition to gain a spot on the squad will be tough. She practices and is mentored on the Cardinal squad by another very good thrower...staff member Jere Summers...who also dominated the tossing events during her time at UofL as a student-athlete. 

In horse racing terms (again) they make a great entry. 

We wish "E" the best of luck as she rotates through the final day of the ACC championships and heads to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. She looks to go onward and the competition should be well-warned that she is coming, she will beat you and she will go further.

Further. It fits her resume well.

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RADIO REBROADCAST

In case you missed the live broadcast of THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR yesterday on WCHQ 100.9 FM...there's no need to go screaming in the streets in despair. (Sure, you could...but that might draw a little unwanted attention.)

Instead...we recommend you listen to the SoundCloud rebroadcast at the link below:

LINK: https://soundcloud.com/chradio/cardinal-couple-20160514

WE tried to borrow coach's green tie for
the broadcast but couldn't find him (or the tie)

We had a fun-filled show with Jared Anderson live via phone from an amusement park, audio from Cortnee Daley, Brittany Sims, Megan Hensley, Sandy Pearsall, Olivia Cason and a review of UofL women's sports action from last week. 

Worldwide made his first studio appearance in four weeks, Monk flubbed up the audio again, we got several sirens and airplanes in our interviews and Punkin got a treat. 

Need more info? 

Well, off to the broadcast you should go! 

paulie
xxxxx

 

Louisville women's basketball -- Henderson to concentrate on track next year per Walz -- Wednesday CARDINAL COUPLE

HENDERSON TO STICK TO THE SHOT AND DISCUS

I started getting the messages and e-mails around 7:30 p.m. last night...

"Walz saying Henderson won't be back?" 

"E won't be playing hoops next year"

"Emmonnie staying with field events according to Walz." 

And, so...what a lot of people have been speculating has come to pass. Apparently. A check of a few other sites and sources confirms that:

1) Jeff Walz was on the radio last night for the Coach Walz show. 
2) He was asked a question on that show  about Emmonnie Henderson.
3) He spoke of her sticking with track and field and foregoing basketball next year.

It makes sense.

She has a chance to be in the Olympics this summer...most likely in the discus...but the shot put isn't entirely out of the question. She could very well have a successful 5-10 years after graduation throwing professionally and around the world. She definitely wasn't a WNBA candidate in hoops. You play to your strengths. 

I've never trained for throwing events in track and field but I have a friend who threw shot and discus in high school and he indicated to me that the training for basketball and training for field throwing events is different. It's also a different body physique and structure. He tried to do both one year. He told me the running killed him in hoops. He lost weight and it affected his ability to throw for awhile the following spring. 

Louisville probably could have used "E" and her strength inside and ability to score inside a few times this year. I'd rather see her "go for what she knows" though...maybe we'll see her on the podium in Rio in 2016. Hopefully, we'll see her winning a bunch of ACC and NCAA events as the sport transitions from the indoor to the outdoor season. She's already won several shot put throws during the indoor season.

Louisville women's track and field has had a long history of excellence in throwing events. One of Louisville's best, Jere Summers, a two-time All-American...is on campus as director of operations and on campus recruiting for track and field. We would also surmise that she's spending a few hours with the Cardinal throwers. Cardinal track and field head coach Dale Cowper also serves as the throws coach.

So...what exactly are "throws"? 

The classification involves five different events...the weight, hammer, shot put, discus and javelin throws. Louisville lists 11 student-athletes on the roster as throwers. You can expect to see the names Dolly Nyemah, Rachel Serafin, Caitlin Gilmore and Megan Brooks garnering high place finishes in events this year. 

Nyemah finished second in the weight throw at the Akron Invitational over the weekend. Henderson finished 4th in the shot...in the open division and facing several throwers who were either unattached or throwing for the prestigious New York Athletic Club. Summers even got into the act and finished second in the discus.

As Worldwide and I discussed on the radio last week, the discus isn't an indoor event due to space limitations. We'll continue to monitor her indoor season and we look forward to the outdoor season and watch how things go for her. 

If you're driving down Floyd Street this spring, keep an eye out when you get near the YUM! Practice Facility. The throws field is nestled behind it. Airbourne objects may be closer than they appear...and the Cards definitely have an aerial attack on campus. 

paulie
xxxxx

"E" GEARING UP FOR INDOOR TRACK SEASON -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

HENDERSON HAS CAREER BEST THROW IN OPENING INDOOR SEASON AT VANDY

Although Cardinal WBB fans miss seeing her prowling the court at the KFC YUM! Center...Emmonnie is still indoors...just in a different venue. She started her 2015-16 Track and Field indoor season last weekend at Vanderbilt. The time taken off from punishing people on the hardwood to advance her throws career has been beneficial...she won the shot put with a throw of 53-1 (16.18m) which was a personal best for her in indoor track events. 

Since most indoor venues aren't exactly suitable for the distance needed to throw the discus (imagine the plate landing in front of the relay team or a hurdler...) Henderson tried her hand at the weight throw. She finished sixth behind another rising field events star at UofL...Dolly Nyemah...who won the event with a impressive toss of 64-9.25 (19.74m)  

The indoor season runs through early March...culminating with the NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, AL on 3/11/16. Louisville will do some extensive travelling up to then....participating in meets at UK, Notre Dame, Indiana, Akron, Samford and the ACC Indoor Championships in Boston on 2/25. 

A week after the NCAA Championships, the outdoor season begins for the Cards....at the USF Bulls Invitational. 

Louisville recently added a former great at the throws when Jere Summers was named track and field's Director of Operations and on campus recruiting coordinator. Jere knew a thing or two about tossing objects long distances....she was selected the Big East Most Outstanding Field Performer in 2008, 2009 and 2010. 

We suspect she may also get over to the throws complex off Floyd Street and have a few heaves with the squad...her hammer toss of 63.20m is still at the top of the list in UofL history and she is an Olympic hopeful as well...she's currently ranked #10 in the women's discus.  

paulie
xxxxx

Summers gets third in Hammer throw

Senior Jere' Summers finished third in the hammer throw Thursday at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, OR. She was one of three Cardinals to participate in the event. Junior D'Ana McCarty finished 10th and senior Lindsay Cook ended up 11th.
Both Summers and McCarty received All-American honors for their efforts, since they finished in the top ten.

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It's on. With Colorado leaving the Big 12 and joining the Pac 10, get ready for sizeable earthquakes in the conference alignments. Nebraska, Missouri, Texas, Notre Dame are all candidates to fill out forwarding address cards in this rebuild of the college conference landscape.

The Colorado move makes sense from a geographical standpoint. No big stretch to go to Los Angeles or Phoenix for games than it was to hit Columbia, MO or Austin, TX.
The dollars were there, the invitation on the porch step and they took it.

The next moves could be quite interesting. The ripple effect of four or five teams going from their previous alignments to new pastures will affect all the BCS conferences.

I guess Ralphie the Buffalo will need to sport some shades for his L.A. visits and get ready for rainy Seattle down the road. I wonder if he and Bevo text each other?

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Friday Night Racing at Churchill Downs. Post time at 6 p.m. and it's disco theme night. If you go, expect big crowds and a lot of polyester. They're tossing in a happy hour as well from 4-6 p.m. with reduced prices on Budweiser products, frozen drinks and hot dogs.

I'm going to pass on the bell bottoms, flowered shirt and heels with the goldfish in them. It's gonna be 90 degrees out there and shorts, t-shirt and sandals will do just fine.

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Kentucky High School Girls' Softball Tournament begins today in Owensboro, KY. Sixteen teams will go thru the double elimination format over the next two days to determine the state champ. Local schools PRP and Mercy are involved, so best of luck to the Panthers and Jaguars! We'll have a full recap of the first day of action here at CARDINAL COUPLE tomorrow.

Cards represented in NCAA Track and Field Championships

(Thanks to Karen for the great picture of this cardinal couple)

Day One of the NCAA Track and Field Championships in Eugene, OR has come to a close and one UofL womens' participant has already made her mark. D'Ana McCarty finished ninth in the discus throw. She'll also take part in the hammer throw Thursday with Cardinal teammates Jere' Summers and Lindsey Cook.

Charachesica Lockhart will compete in the long jump for UofL Thursday also.

For the men, senior Andre Black took fourth place honors in the triple jump. Steeplechase star Matt Hughes will run in the 3,000 meter finals after winning his preliminary heat yesterday. Hughes has the nation's best time in the event with a smoking 8:34:37.

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Much excitement about RACHEL ALEXANDRA's entry in the Fluer De Lis Handicap race this Saturday at Churchill Downs. The 4 yr. old mare will face 4 challengers and is expected to go off at 2/5 odds. Rachel has been training beautifully for her race and will draw the services of Churchill favorite Calvin Borel as jockey.

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Churchill is presenting the first Friday night of racing this Spring Meet tomorrow.
These events were attended quite well last year...with over 30,000 in attendance for each night of racing. Seeing the Downs under the lights is a great experience if you've never been. There will be plenty of live entertainment, drink specials and good fields for the Friday night card. First post is 6 p.m.

Two more from UofL Women's Track in Championships

(A brief tribute to the brilliant actor Dennis Hopper, who passed away from prostate cancer. His roles in "Easy Rider", "Blue Velvet" and "Speed" will always be remembered as some of the best character portrayls in cinema. We had the distinct pleasure of seeing him at the Kentucky Derby several years ago and spent the rest of the afternoon making up subplot stories on how some of his best character roles would have behaved at the Run for the Roses.)

Rest ye well, Dennis.

Two more Cardinals have qualified for the NCAA Championships. D'Ana McCarty finished ninth in the discus during Day Two of the East Regionals and Characheicia Lockhard finished in the top twelve in the long jump to move to the next level.

Jere' Summers fouled on all of her discus attempts and will not advance.

Louisville will have four participants in the upcoming Championships.

-D'ana McCarty (Hammer, discus)
-Jere' Summers (Hammer)
-Lindsey Cook (Hammer)
-Characheicia Lockhart (Long Jump)

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The amamzing Angel McCoughtry unleashed 32 points on the L.A. Sparks Sunday to lead the Atlanta Dream to a 101-82 win. Our friend Sue has a great recap of the Dream's win on her site "They're Playing Basketball." You can access it over on the left hand side of our site under SITES WE RECOMMEND."

Atlanta is now 6-0 and according to McCoughtry:

"When we're playing off of our defense, we can't be beat."

A few points from McCoughtry don't hurt either.

What impact has McCoughtry had on the Dream since she arrived in the WNBA last year? Before Angel, Atlanta was the worst team in the WNBA. When she arrived...and she became a starter....they reached the playoffs. She made Chamique Holdsclaw expendable and eventually released.

Angel, obviously, hasn't done it all by herself. But...like her teammates at UofL realized when she showed up on the UofL campus as a freshman...her court actions make everyone else a little better and the team excellent.

As a former Lady Card who spent one season with her said:

"We've come to expect the unexpected out of her... anything she does isn't surprising. I'm lucky. I get a front row seat on the bench to watch her work."

Women's throwers "put the hammer down" in Regionals

Senior discus and hammer athelete Jere' Summers was one of three UofL women's track and field members to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

Summers, D'Ana McCarty and Lindsey Cook all are headed to the Championships in the hammer event after first day action in the NCAA East Regional at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro.

Summers was 3rd out of 48 entries in the hammer toss with just one qualifying throw in the event. Senior Lindsey Cook finished 5th and junior D'Ana McCarty secured 10th place for the Cards. The top 12 finishers made it to the championships.

Both Summers and McCarty will also participate in the discus on Day Two of the regionals. Given their domination of the recent Big East Championships, both should easily score well enough to participate in the championships in this event also.

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How about Angel McCoughtry! The Atlanta Dream are 5-0 in the WNBA Eastern Division and McCoughtry leads the league in scoring average with 21 points a game. They had to work late to take the latest one when they faced the Phoenix Mercury. Atlanta stormed out to a 65-46 halftime lead but then had to withstand a late 16-0 run by Phoenix. With the score 96-93 Atlanta, guard Diana Taursi missed a game tying 3 pointer at the buzzer for the Mercury and the Dream escaped with the win.

McCoughtry had 28 points to lead the Dream. They face the always tough Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday.

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A bit off our usual subject matter here, but CARDINAL COUPLE spent Saturday afternoon with several fans and former players from the Arkansas State football team over at Churchill Downs.

They are eagerly anticipating Charlie Strong bringing the Cards to Jonesboro, Arkansas in early October. With the group were a couple of former cheerleaders for ASU and a current assistant trainer for the athletic program.

They share a common thread with Cardinal fans. They absolutely love the city of Louisvile and they're not exactly enamored with Lexington nor UK. A lot of positive comments about the Downtown Arena construction and the Papa John Cardinal Stadium expansion.

A nice afternoon discussing college sports, watching the horses and enjoying the beautiful weather. Have a safe trip home, folks...but remember...Cardinal Football will arrive in Jonesboro in October and leave with a win.

Cards, Collins corral Bulls 5-0

(One last look at the 136th Kentucky Derby...a great shot from above the starting gate.)

Tori Collins pitched her second shoutout in as many days Sunday...blanking the USF Bulls in Tampa. Collins tossed a no-hitter for the first six innings of the game and finished allowing only two hits and striking out six. The win for Louisville (34-16, 13-6) cements a 3rd place standing in the Big East as they travel to UConn later this week to end the regular season.

For the Cards, another scenario of pouncing the opponent early. They started the top of the second with 4 straight singles by Colby Wherry, Jennifer Esteban, Alicja Wolny and Katelyn Mann to take a 1-0 lead, got another run on a dropped ball and used a Melissa Roth single to make it 3-0. The final run of the inning came when Vanessa James scored on a wild pitch.

The Cards tacked on an insurance run in the fifth when an Esteban single got home Mann who had earlier singled.

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Louisville lacrosse got a win on the road at Villanova on Sunday. Bergan Foley netted 7 goals and Katie Oliverio contributed 5 assists in the Cards 19-6 win over the Wildcats to end the season.

Louisville scored the first 4 goals of the game and never trailed the Wildcats. The Cards end the year with a 11-6 record and 4-4 in the Big East. The Cards lose only four seniors and have a strong nucleus returning next season with Oliverio, Foley, Liz Lovejoy, Emily Dashiell and Danielle Pawliw all returning for Kellie Young's squad.

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The UofL women's track and field team won their third straight Big East Championship in Cincinnati on Sunday. Jere Summers won the discus and hammer throws and was selected field MOP of the championship. The Cards finished 1-2-3 in the discus...D'Ana McCarty earning second spot and Lindsey Cook third. Theresa Lewis got third in the 100 meter hurdles and Chelsea Brown fourth in the 400 meter hurdles.

Written by Sonja
5/3/10