Several News and Notes Items -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

With there being few sports going on right now we don't have as much to report from a game-by-game perspective but the news coming out of Louisville athletics has been coming in waves lately.  Today we have all the news for you ranging from new rankings, to All-Americans, to new records, to coach resignations.

WBB Moves Up in the Rankings 

The AP Poll moved the Cards up to #4 in their most recent rankings, but the Coaches Poll did UofL one better in their updated rankings.  Louisville is now #3 in the nation in the most recent Coaches Poll.

UConn (9-0) and Notre Dame (8-1) hold the top two spots followed by our beloved Cards.  Baylor (7-0) and Mississippi State (9-0) round out the Top Five.  Louisville joins NC State and Maryland as the only teams to reach 10-0 on the season so far.

  Louisville is also one of 18 remaining undefeated teams out of the 351 D1 programs.


Women's Soccer All-Americans

Emina Ekic and Maisie Whitsett were named All-Americans by Top Drawer Soccer.  Ekic was named a third-team All-American while Whitsett was named to the All-Freshman team.

Ekic was also named an All-American by the United Soccer Coaches Poll earlier this year.  She scored seven goals and had five assists for a total of 19 points during her sophomore campaign.

Whitsett earned her first ever All-American honors.  The freshman led the team with nine goals while also adding two assists for 20 points.


Mallory Comerford Sets American Record

It comes as no surprise as Mallory Comerford continues to make waves with her record breaking performances.  I'd continue with my clever water jokes but many of you don't even laugh at my dry humor so we'll move on.

Comerford took home the silver medal in the 200 free with a time of 1:51.81.  She topped her own record set during the preliminaries which was 1:52.52.  Knocking that much time off in such a short span is nearly unthinkable.

She is accompanied by her UofL companions Zach Harting, Marcelo Acosta, and Carlos Claverie at the 14th FINA Short Course World Swimming Championships in Hangzhou, China.

Ken Lolla Resigns

It is rare for UofL to come out with news that appears to have come from left field, but it happened yesterday.  It was announced that Ken Lolla would be stepping down as the men's soccer head coach effective immediately.  Fans and media alike scrambled to find answers as there was very little known about it upfront.

I spoke with a few of the players as well as some of our colleagues in Daryl Foust, Paige Sherrard, and Mike Gilpatrick.  No one knew anything of it as it came as a surprise to all.

I had speculated early on that it was either to take a position with a professional team or to pursue something with his religious affiliations.  The latter turned out to be true as more media releases came in the evening.

"Thirteen years ago, God blessed Tina and I with the opportunity to come to Louisville and be a part of this amazing Cardinal family and the Louisville community.  We are forever grateful for the acceptance, support, and love we have received from the Louisville community.  It has been an honor and a privilege to represent such an outstanding institution and special community.  Recently, we have received similar promptings from God that it is time to seek new challenges.  We have always been faithful to those promptings and we will move forward faithfully, knowing there is a calling we are to fulfill," said Lolla.

Although their future is uncertain, Ken and Tina Lolla are confident that they are being led in the right direction as they continue to help everything and everyone around them.  Lolla built Akron into a national powerhouse before coming to Louisville and taking the Cards to 11 NCAA Tournaments appearances in his 13 years and owning 45% of all of the wins in program history.

Many of us have a favorite coach and Coach Lolla has been mine.  He and his family have been some of the biggest supporters of everything I have done post-graduation and I thank them for that.  Best wishes to the Lolla family wherever life may take them.

Men's Basketball Hosts Lipscomb

Coming off a loss at Indiana over the weekend, the men's basketball team hosts Lipscomb for a midweek match-up.  Perhaps we can lend them Asia Durr for a game or two as the senior on Jeff Walz's squad continues to show why she is the best player in women's basketball.

Sorry Muffet, but you're wrong.

From what appeared to be a season on the rebuild forr the men's squad when Chris Mack to the job, there is now talk among fans and media that the Cards just might take the men's version of the Battle of the Bluegrass against the Kentucky Wildcats. Mack has certainly taken the program and fans by storm.

Saturday Reminder

Just as an early reminder, UofL women's basketball tips off at 11:30 a.m., against Northern Kentucky this Saturday.  Yes, that is morning as in before lunchtime.  Because of the conflict it also means we will not be in studio this Saturday, but we will be playing highlights from the "Best of 2018" during the 11-12 hour.

Happy Wednesday and Go Cards!

- Jared -

Contract Questions - SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

UofL Boards Cause Headscratching

Following the University of Louisville recently has been a trip. I don't mean the successes and failures of athletics teams, although those have been the subject of roller coasters of emotion as well, but rather the events unfolding daily at the highest levels of the University. People at the top, those tasked with making some of the most important decisions the University faces, cannot get out of their own way. David Watson had a great article this week about the general ineptitude of a certain few, which eventually led to the legal counsel for the University being terminated. As many have mentioned, it has now been 555 days since UofL has had a full time president in charge. I, along with many others, have the signature of an interim president (and a pretty bad one at that) on my degree. This is, frankly, unacceptable, and the ripple effect that this growing "interim" tenure has continues.

Yesterday, three associate athletic directors were fired. No, the UofL Athletic Association didn't wait to hire a new, full-time athletic director who could make this decision. Instead, they released three assistants--Julianne Waldron, Mark Jurich, and Kim Maffett--who have had huge impacts on the success of Louisville Athletics. As one writer put it aptly, yesterday, "the clown show continues."

The reason I bring this up today, though, is that other interesting news came out of the ULAA executive session on Thursday. Per Holden Kurwicki of WHAS on Twitter, the ULAA discussed "revising the volleyball coach's contract, an amended contract for the women's soccer coach, and a revised employment contract for the men's soccer coach". Since one can only assume that an athletic department facing larger and larger deficits does not want to give out more money, this raises important questions about the details of these contracts.

Of course, there won't be any news about these deals until something concrete happens. Since this was just a discussion phase, there is a good chance that nothing will happen. But this wraps back around to the same issue of firing associate athletic directors; there is not a full time athletic director to contribute to these conversations or make these decisions. While I fully support Vince Tyra, and I believe that he has done a fantastic job, he has not been awarded the full time position. If he does, that is great. If he doesn't, it is sorely irresponsible to put so much on an interim athletic director that is going to be immediately replaced. Allow people with skin in the game, i.e. a permanent position on the line, to make the most important decisions.

Many are in disagreement about the successes or failures of Karen Ferguson-Dayes, and we don't know much about her current contract, but she has been a consistent leader of the program for many years. Is it really valuable to start contract negotiations with such a coach right now?

On the other hand, no one can argue the successes that Ken Lolla and Dani Busboom-Kelly have had with their teams. Lolla lacks just finishing the season with a national title. Any program would be thrilled to sneak him away from Louisville if discussions turn sour. Coach DBK came into a volleyball program that has known success, but was wading through some troubling times. She promptly turned the team around and put up more success in her first season than any could have expected in their wildest dreams. Louisville is lucky to have landed a coach of her caliber and they'd be foolish to start spitting in her face now.

My bottom line is this: Stop making decisions without full time decision makers in place. If Tyra is ultimately the full time AD, that's wonderful. He can have all of these contract discussions and make hiring and firing decisions at that point. But we shouldn't even know whether or not he will get the gig until after a president has been found and hired. 555 days is unbelievable, and it's unacceptable. Fans are fed up. Students are fed up. Alumni are fed up. The University needs to get things figured out, or the lack of donations and support is only going to get worse.

Fix it.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

Now that I've gotten that little rant out, maybe I'll be able to avoid getting worked up on today's radio show. As is standard, I am tasked with promoting the weekly Cardinal Couple Radio Hour.

We'll be coming to you live at 11 AM from Mellwood Avenue, broadcast by our very good friends at WCHQ FM. You can find the show to hear our conversations about the joy and excitement of Louisville women's sports at 100.9 FM in the local area or on the WCHQ App or WCHQFM.com anywhere at all.

REBROADCAST OF THE 2/3/18 SHOW:   https://soundcloud.com/chradio/cardinal-couple-20180203

Until next time, Go Cards!

-CH-

Men's Soccer in NCAA Championship Game

SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE:

-Soccer defeats UNC 2-1, goes to Championship game

-Lady Cards face Dayton in YUM doubleheader

-Rockcastle, Marion County girls win

(Photo by Mark J. Terrel/Associated Press)

It's not often that a University of Louisville sports team play for the national title, but Ken Lolla's Louisville men's soccer team will get that chance Sunday at 4 p.m. in Santa Barbara, CA. after defeating UNC 2-1 last night inthe semifinals of the NCAA College Cup. The Cards got the win in the final minute of the match when Aaron Horton broke free from a wall of TarHeel defenders and corralled a pass from Ryan Smith. Horton drove to the net and tapped a shot past UNC goalie Scott Goodwin with 52 seconds left in regulation.

Louisville (20-0-3) will face Akron (21-1-2) in the title match. Akron defeated Michigan in the semis 2-1. Akron played but lost in the championship game last year. ESPN 2 will televise the Louisville vs. Akron game.

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Jeff Walz's Lady Cards host Dayton today in the KFC YUM Center at 5 p.m. The game is the second of a Louisville basketball doubleheader...Pitino's men face UNLV in the first game at noon. For Walz and the Cards, it's a return to competition after defeating Kentucky 78-52 last Sunday in the YUM.

The Cards will enjoy Dayton's style of hoops because it mirrors theirs...pushing the ball in transition and creating turnovers with defensive pressure. The Cards (6-3, 0-0) face a Dayton team (5-3) that has four starters back from last year and that went to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Dayton defeated BIG EAST member Cincinnati earlier in the season and is currently on a three game winning streak.

No word yet on whether sophomore forward Asia Taylor will dress and play in this afternoon's contest. The Columbus, OH. forward did not participate in the Kentucky win and watched the game in street clothes in the seats instead of on the bench.

Shoni Schimmel and Becky Burke won't be the only three point specialists on the Denny Crum Court this afternoon. Dayton has six players that are fond of the "long ball"and the Flyers attempt a mind boggling 32 threes a game. They are 66-170 on the season with the trifecta, good for 38% and Justine Raterman, Kristin and Kari Daughtery, Louisville Manual's Brittany Wilson, Patrice Lalol and Aundrea Lindsay will put it up without hesitation.

Headed to the 'Bucket'...see ya there.

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Sara Hammond had 16 points and 15 boards in #3 Rockcastle County's 77-52 win over Scott County last night. Marion County got balanced scoring in their 74-38 dismantling of Washington County. Marion County returns to the floor tonight.

Dieng steals the show in the YUM Weds. night

CARDINAL COUPLE - SPECIAL WEDNESDAY NIGHT REPORT
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-UofL Men, Dieng romp FIU 92-55
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(Photo by Charlie Springer-UofL Card Game)
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Gorgui Dieng, pronounce it however you like..we go with (gor-ghee zhang) speaks five languages. They need to add a sixth to that resume. Basketball.
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The 6'10" UofL freshman was a walking highlight reel tonight in the KFC YUM Center, helping lead UofL to a 92-55 win over Florida International University.
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Consider what he accomplished in a mere 18 minutes of playing time:
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-15 points.
-5 rebounds
-7 blocked shots
-5 fouls

Yes, Dieng did have to leave the contest with 21 seconds to go...to a warm round of applause from the 5000 or so still left in the YUM center...but visions of Gorgui dancing in their heads may replace any Christmas dreams or holiday thoughts.
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It's hard to believe the way he moves for a guy that tall. Quick, good passing and spacing and the arm span of Rhode Island. A smooth mid-range jumper and strong around the rim. And, yeah...the guy can block a shot if you're foolish to try and put it up within a 2 county radius of him.
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See Gorgui pass. A fake, spin and deft bounce pass to 'Bullet' Justice for a layup. No black hole here when the ball goes into him.
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Gorgui Dieng is just a freshman. This could be a fun next 4 years....
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Another diaper dandy on this Pitino team is Elisha "Bullet" Justice. A solid 12 points tonight for the Shelby Valley freshman who plays like a junior. He is the not a guy that puts a lot of fear into opposing guards when he first walks on the court. They soon learn that the Bullet will put you down. Smooth outside shot, accurate passing and hustle whenever he's on the Denny Crum Court. Another reason to look forward to Cardinal hoops the next four years.
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Preston Knowles led the Cards with 18 points tonight and he had the "three ball" working early. Louisville got an incredible 30 points off turnovers tonight. The Cards have a talented back court and Knowles is perhaps the best of them.
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The biggest rounds of applause tonight in the YUM were for head soccer coach Ken Lolla and football coach Charlie Strong. You might have heard of these two guys, Lolla's soccer squad faces UCLA Sunday night in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Championships. A trip to the final four in Santa Barbara, CA. awaits the winner. Expect another crowd of 5000+ out at Cardinal Park for this one.
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Charlie Strong awaits the bowl assignment. He also likes basketball. Strong visibly enjoyed watching the Cardinal hoopsters tonight in the Bucket (sorry...it's catching on as a nickname for the KFC YUM Center) and greeted the crowd with Lolla during one of the timeouts tonight.
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Speculation that the Cards are headed to the Sun Bowl in El Paso, TX is gaining momentum...obviously most fans would prefer something closer and the timing of this game absolutely is the worse...with the UofL vs. UK basketball game the same day...but, hey...a bowl bid after three years in the dark is a good thing...whether it be El Paso, Birmingham or St. Pete.
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(We'll resume normal women's sports coverage with the Thursday edition of CARDINAL COUPLE...don't adjust your terminals or call your local ISP...This one tonight is for all you that say we should cover "the guys" now and then...and also because of the situation and accessibility.)
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Congratulations...Louisville Soccer!

The men advance to the Elite Eight with a win over OSU tonight 2-1. Charlie Campbell with a header in the first half, Austin Berry with one in the second. Atta boy, Cards!
Mission accomplished. UCLA next...Saturday in Cardinal Park.