UofL Drama -- Volleyball -- Kelsi Worrell Dahlia -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

what's next?

Louisville's spaghetti junction featuring I-65, I-64, and I-71

Ever looked at spaghetti junction from an aerial view? Trying to follow what's going on at Louisville between the president Dr. Neeli Bendapudi, athletic director Vince Tyra, and football coach Scott Satterfield has felt like that.

We don't cover football here at Cardinal Couple but the happenings of Tyra and Dr. Bendapudi certainly impact UofL women's athletics. That being said, we've kept our eyes on these recent events including a Board of Trustees meeting last night that was behind closed doors (and some media challenged the BOT's authority on that) and a meeting with UofL Athletics this morning at 9:00. All we heard from the Board of Trustees meeting is that the BOT is taking no action.

Something big is happening. Usually something like this involves personnel issues at a high level that could range form bringing someone new on board to a higher-up departing. If you've been on social media lately, you've probably seen 100 theories and assumptions with many involving certain personnel packing their bags. Because none of these have proven true at this moment in time we won't share those here. We're here to give you the truth.

It is important to remember that our primary objective here at Cardinal Couple is to bring you the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports. That'll never change.

We will bring you more on this as it happens and how it may affect UofL women's sports.

Volleyball

Louisville's old basketball arena- Freedom Hall

So let's talk volleyball instead. 1-seed Louisville Volleyball is still dancing. They'll host one of the NCAA Regionals this weekend and here's what you need to know:

Location: Freedom Hall, Louisville Fair and Exposition Center

Date/Time: Thursday Dec. 9 and Saturday Dec. 11

Teams: 1-seed Louisville, 16-seed Florida, 8-seed Georgia Tech, 9-seed Ohio State

TV: ESPNU or ESPN+ depending on match

Freedom Hall during the Kentucky State Fair guarded by Freddy Farm Bureau

Louisville will face Florida on Thursday in one of the first matches of the NCAA Regional semifinals at 1:00 p.m. As the 1-seed, Louisville did not get any favors from the NCAA since the last match of this round starts at 7:30 p.m. Unlike the opening two rounds, this one will be aired on tv. You can catch the entirety of this match on ESPNU as well as streaming on the ESPN app.

Georgia Tech and Ohio State, which will begin approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of the former match, was not given justice as this is one of two matches on the day aired at ESPN+. 

We will break the Louisville vs Florida match down later this week, but we'll go on and start discussing this match some. Louisville is 0-8 all-time against Florida (1985, 1988, 1991, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2018, 2019). Florida went a combined 53-12 with a pair of Sweet Sixteen appearances in 2018 and 2019.

The Gators are 22-8 this season and finished third in the SEC with a 14-4 conference mark.

Kelsi Worrell Dahlia

Photo courtesy of @minekasapoglu

In the mix of all the craziness yesterday we saw a familiar face with some exciting news. Kelsi Worrell Dahlia is now a world record holder! The Cardinal alum recently set the world record for the 100m butterfly with a time of 54.59. Her record time happened at the Pieter van den Hoogenband Zwemstadion in Eindhoven, Netherlands. The Olympic gold medalist did great things at UofL and continues to do great things!

Happy Tuesday and Go Cards!

Jared

Sunday Cardinal Couple - Restlessness

The Cardinal Couple mission has always been to share the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports.  Sometimes that is hard to do due to events in the greater world.

This is definitely one of those times.  In addition to the ongoing challenges of the current coronavirus pandemic, we are now experiencing dramatic turmoil in Louisville as anger over systemic iniquity boils over.

Cardinal Couple is not the place to address those issues directly, but we can't ignore that the mission of this site puts it squarely on the side of cheering and supporting those who don't get all of the same advantages as others.

There have been several statements made by leaders at UofL, and I wanted to share those with our readers today.

Neeli Bendaputi

The first, several days ago, came from UofL President Dr. Neeli Bendaputi (this was originally a four
tweet thread):

Friends and family,

As an educator and a leader in higher education, I want to share some context around a phrase you are no doubt hearing and that many are misunderstanding. 

#BlackLivesMatter.

Some people read this as a statement that only black lives matter. And so they are likely to respond with 'All Lives Matter' or a similar sentiment. But that is not the intent.

Just as celebrating Mother’s Day does not mean that fathers don’t matter or having a Breast Cancer Awareness event doesn’t minimize other diseases, the declaration that Black Lives Matter is a rallying cry, a plea, an exhortation to acknowledge that black lives matter, too.

It is both a reminder that our black families are suffering disproportionately and a call to do something to end these ongoing inequities and injustices. 

This is why I say, #BlackLivesMatter.

Scott Satterfield

The next significant statement, came from Coach Scott Satterfield, head coach of UofL Football (in a graphic posted to Twitter):

I am saddened to see so much hate and injustice so close to home.  My prayers are with those who are hurting right now, who feel helpless, who are dealing with loss, specifically with people of color.  I will never understand what goes on in this world filled with so much hate.

I do know that we love our players and we are committed to stand against any form of racism.  We will continue to listen and support our team and treat everyone in our program with love and respect, players, coaches, and staff alike.

We are all created in God's image and He intends for us to thrive in unity!

1st John 2:9

"Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness."

(signed) Scott Satterfield

Jeff Walz

Most recently, posted late last night, UofL Women's Basketball Coach Jeff Walz (a thread of three
tweets):

Our captains, Dana and Kianna, and I wanted to release the following statement on behalf of our team:

Our team had a great discussion on our Zoom call this week. We believe in communication. We address issues, large and small. We don’t think what’s going on is right. We can’t accept a world that isn’t safe for all. We stand with the black community.

We will be getting back to campus soon, and we are committed to working together to better our Louisville community with empathy, compassion, and respect for all people. We plan to make a difference through our actions. @UofLWBB will be part of the solution. #ONE

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

A full house...well, not really, we're on a Skype so we could have a lot more people on the call but the usual four were on the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour. technically...but the normal four...no, none of us are normal.

Case, Jared, Paulie, and I briefly discussed the events transpiring in Louisville currently, but then went on to talk about women's basketball, and the success of UofL players in the pros, particularly with the NY Liberty.  We also talked about the awarding of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award to Mercedes Pastor of UofL Field Hockey and Brenna Shanahan of UofL Lacrosse.  Matthias Schmid of Men's Golf was also awarded.

Jared, returning after a two week absence, successfully defended his win streak in the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Quiz, knocking off previous two-time winner Case. I haven't seen the winner's circle yet since we re-established the quiz. Jared made a request for a mascot quiz, so that could be next -- who knows what will come out of the c mind of Paulie next?. 

Check out the 5/29/20 broadcast below.

Joy on Sunday -- SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

It's been a crazy, although remarkably non-sucky, week for CardNation, so let's get back a bit to just some unabashedly joyous things, and steer clear of politics and scandals for a bit.  We can call it a bit of Cardinal Couple self care, if you like.

Madame President

Let's start with Dr. Neeli Bendapudi, though.  No, not that topic, we're steering clear of that, remember?  Dr. Bendapudi made an appearance last night at Forecastle, one of the largest music festivals in the Louisville area.  While we, at Cardinal Couple, are partial to Poorcastle with it benefiting our wonderful radio hosts at WCHQ FM, Forecastle is a cultural touchpoint for Louisville every year.  While I've never attended, I certainly respect and honor the impact it has, both culturally, and financially, on our city.  Many people make appearances at Forecastle for what is, at it's core, a rock music festival, that you wouldn't expect.  Jecorey Arthur, known also by his stage name, 1200, has been a regular Hip-hop performer at the festival.  Perhaps counter-intuitively, Arthur leads to Teddy Abrams, The Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra, who this year, was asked to curate the line-up for the WFPK Port Stage at the festival.  Abrams is slated to perform 3 times on the stage, along with 1200 (not the first time those two have teamed up), the Louisville Leopards (another beneficiary of Poorcastle), The River City Drum Corp, Ben Sollee (another frequent collaborator with Abrams), Houndmouth, Wax Fang, and plenty more local acts.  Many of these performers can also be heard on WCHQ, with its laser focus on local music.

Back to Bendapudi, though.  She appeared there with Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, who has some background in music promotion and is a regular at numerous music festivals around the city.  While I suspect Bendapudi's appearance was relatively brief, you have to applaud her ongoing efforts to reach out to UofL's core constituency, the students (who, I'm sure, make up a significant demographic at Forecastle).

Thank you, Dr. Bendapudi for bringing some of the joy back to being a UofL fan.

New Cardinals

And a moment to celebrate one of the most joyous moments possible.  Hendricks Lee Meske is the newest arrival to the CardNation family...literally.  Born yesterday afternoon at a whopping 9lbs 1oz, Hendricks is the 3rd child (all boys) of Dan and Laurel Meske.  Dan is the Associate Head Coach of the UofL Volleyball team.

I have had the joy of getting to chat with both Dan and Laurel on several occasions, and both were a delightful pleasure to talk to.

Congratulations to the Meske's and welcome to CardNation Hendricks.  I'll share with the Meskes a bit of wisdom I picked up somewhere along the way..."When you get the 3, you have to switch to zone defense."

Minor Changes for CCRH

If you tuned in yesterday, you noticed a few minor changes for the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour.  The
show continues, and we'll still have all the normal knuckleheads in the studio whenever possible.

If you watch the Facebook livestream, though, you might have noticed the seating arrangement was a bit different that typical.  Kathy, the station manger, who has graciously engineered the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour from the very beginning, expressed a desire to reclaim her Saturday mornings due to some personal reasons.  Our appreciation for "The Monk" cannot be overstated, she effectively created WCHQ from it's very beginning, and has continued to engineer our show even as the station has grown and other shows switched to other engineers.

We're grateful for her efforts over the years. We'll miss her and Punkin' in the studio and maybe they'll stop in for a visit from time-to-time! 

Going forward, I'll be doing my best to engineer the show.  This is involving learning the systems of WCHQ, including the Facebook Live streaming.  Kathy has done an excellent job of making it all easy to run, but there's still plenty to learn.

If you want to check out the first attempt at this, this is basically how the show was engineered yesterday, with Kathy mostly sitting beside me making sure I flipped all the right switched and clicked all the right buttons.  Overall, I think it went pretty well.

You can check out the results via Facebook Live at:

https://www.facebook.com/WCHQfm/videos/2112430285446910/

Thanks for joining us, as always!

-- 

JMcA

UofL President Shows Commitment to Improvement -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Louisville Football to Play in "Cardinal Stadium"

The major news around town yesterday came during an impromptu press conference just after lunch, when new UofL President, Neeli Bendapudi, announced that the University of Louisville would be renaming former Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. The announcement showed that this move was not about attacking a company or making a rash decision, but that the University was committed to inclusion at the both the school and citywide level. There was no room for UofL to promote a name with such a toxic association. Additionally, Dr. Bendapudi made it clear that the company, Papa John's, is not to blame, and that the hundreds of thousands of employees should not be made to suffer for the comments of one man. He has been removed from his position at the company and his comments were not reflective of the company as a whole.

This article isn't to go on about the name change or the comments made by Schnatter (who, by the way, was supportive and understanding in the process of the name change). Instead, it is to talk about how Dr. Bendapudi has put herself on a path to changing the culture at UofL for the better. Coming into the UofL presidency took some guts, as this was not a good position in many people's minds. The controversies surrounding the athletic program, the financial management, and the state leadership made UofL look rough from the exterior. The University needed to hire someone that had the ability to make change and wasn't afraid to do so swiftly. They appear to have gotten that with Dr. Bendapudi.

The name change decision is not particularly groundbreaking. The student-athletes wanted it, many fans wanted it, and all eyes in the city, state, and beyond were watching this unfold intently. The change almost HAD to be made. Dr. Bendapudi not only made the right (only?) choice, but she did it quickly and decisively. There was no waiting around for meeting after meeting of superfluous discussion or hemming and hawing over the decision. She knew what needed to be done, chose to do it, and discussed it with those that mattered. She had the guts to tell John Schnatter about the decision herself, and then gave an empowered press conference about the issue. How refreshing is that after the last two years at UofL?

To undertake something so large when she hasn't even had her "inauguration" ceremony yet shows that Dr. Bendapudi is ready to bring UofL back to the heights it once enjoyed. Her support of the student-athletes on campus and commitment to diversity and inclusion will only bode well for the future of the University. While the name change doesn't affect any of the UofL women's sports directly, seeing how their new president handled this situation is sure to be uplifting to players and coaches alike. A president with the well-being of the University and Athletics alike on her agenda is what Cardinal fans and students have been hoping for since this whole saga began.

I was very excited when this hire was announced, and I'm only more excited about it now. For the first time in awhile, I feel very proud of my alma mater. I would never say that I was embarrassed for having graduated from the University of Louisville, but recent decisions definitely had me shaking my head. It feels like those days may be on their way out. Sure, this issue was set up on a tee for Dr. Bendapudi to knock out of the park, but the way she stepped up to the plate inspired confidence for how she will handle future issues as they arise. There is still a long way to go for UofL to get out of the mire in which they currently find themselves, but the leadership appears to be on the right track to doing so.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

We're all back in the studio this morning for the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour. There is sure to be further discussion on the name change and Dr. Bendapudi, as well as updates on the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports. We'll also have a wonderful quiz about who knows what. Be sure to tune in to WCHQ at 11AM with whatever means you like to listen to radio. The station broadcasts to LPFM on 100.9 but is also available online at wchqfm.com, the WCHQ App, and you can watch on Facebook Live on the WCHQ FM Facebook page.

Until next time, Go Cards!

-CH-

UofL Announces Yard Sale -- Women's Golf Leaves for Stillwater -- Days Without a President? ZERO -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

UofL Announces Yard Sale

A college having a yard sale?  You heard that right!  Well, sort of.  Athletics has announced that their annual spring cleaning yard sale will be this Saturday.  The event will be hosted from 9:00 a.m., to 2:00 p.m. in the Bronze Lot of the Papa John's Cardinal Stadium football parking lot.

Folks looking to find some nice UofL gear can find them at extremely discounted rates.  There will be also sorts of gear available to purchase ranging from shirts, to shoes, the whole galore.  If you want to look like the players, coaches, or me on a daily basis this is the place to go!

For me, this has always been a good place to go to find my size 15 shoes.  And who can say "no" to an extra shirt repping the Cards?  Swing by before or after the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour to see if they have anything that might suit you.

Women's Golf Departs for Stillwater, Oklahoma

Women's golf at UofL baseball vs Indiana

If you're looking to get away from the allergen-ripe city of Louisville then I suggest you head out west for a little golf action.  After their big day three rally in the San Francisco Regional, Louisville women's golf placed high enough to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Stillwater, OK is the venue.

They will begin action on Friday for a three-day first round.  The Top 15 teams out of the 24-team field will advance to Monday's action and possibly see themselves still playing next Tuesday and Wednesday.

Molly Skapik (senior), Olivia Cason (junior), Lauren Hartlage (sophomore), Delaney Shah (sophomore), and Kristin Engle (freshman) will accompany Coach Courtney Trimble in the program's second NCAA Championships appearance.

We wish the women's golf team a safe travels and good luck! Let's hope the Cards can stay "out of the water" in Stillwater!

Dr. Neeli Bendapudi Starts Day One

Hensley and Bendapudi

Louisville has a president!  Dr. Bendapudi's first day was full of action, starting with quite a crowd at Grawemeyer Hall, awaiting her arrival to work.  She gave a speech in front of the student faculty, and media as she tried to contain her excitement.

Dr. Bendapudi then joined the crowd at the baseball game.  Originally scheduled to throw out the opening pitch, our motivated president was battling a rotator cuff injury from unpacking.  In her stead, Megan Hensley threw a strike in front of the roar crowd.  The duo exchanged laughs and smiles as they walked off the field to see Coach McDonnell.

I had the opportunity Louisville's newest star last week when she found herself walking in the front door at my work.  Believe me when I say that she is going to fix Louisville and make this university one of the best in the country.

Other News and Notes

Worldwide posing for an album cover?

Congratulations to our very own Worldwide.  Mr. Jeff McAdams has accepted a new job and will begin here in a few weeks.  If you follow him on social media you've probably already heard, but if not then you will have to wait on Worldwide to give us his own update. We're lobbying the station we broadcast from (WCHQ FM) to get his smash CD "The Best of Worldwide: Vol. 1" regular air time on the playlist.

It may not be the type of music you hear on WCHQ FM 100.9 , but if you want to hear some local music come check out the Louisville Winds in their spring concert at Iroquois Amphitheater this Saturday at 7:30 p.m.  It'll feature songs from the 1930's and 1940's including songs such as The Wizard of Oz medley, Disney medley, 76 Trombones (from The Music Man), Sing, Sing, Sing, and more!

Today's holidays include loving trees (the do help us breathe) and nickel day (very fitting for us bankers).  It's also a great day to enjoy a mimosa or two without feeling guilty.

Paulie wrote a great article on veteran race horse W.B.Smudge over at his other site...HANDICAPPING HEROES...that is a great read on a horse and his refusal to retire. You should go check it out at

HANDICAPPING HEROES

Go back for his Preakness picks also, they should be available on Thursday. Our misguided leader made you a lot of money on Oaks and Derby if you followed the site.

Happy Wednesday and Go Cards!

- Jared -

Louisville women's basketball -- Pay the Man -- Hines-Allen in the WNBA draft -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

WALZ, TYRA GETTING NEAR A DEAL? 

You might remember the television commercial. The NTRA (National Thoroughbred Racing Association) put it out a few year back.

It centered on actress Lori Petty. She was at a race track. Here come the horses. She's yelling "Go, Baby..Go!!" The horses run by her as she is running down the concrete apron in front of the track. She kisses the tickets, yells "YES!", holds her tickets high in the air and starts peeling them off one by one. Cute concept. 


"Pay the lady. Pay the lady. Pay the Lady" she brags. And the commercial ends with a  sardonic, almost scary laugh from her. 

LINK: PAY THE LADY

These days, the term "Lady" has fallen out of fashion. So has Lori Petty, apparently. But getting paid? Still in fashion.

Jeff Walz and permanent athletic director Vince Tyra will sit down, have sat down and will iron out a deal to extend Jeff Walz's contract at Louisville. I doubt Walz sprints out to Churchill Downs with the deal and holds it skyward...screaming "Pay the Man. Pay the Man."...but the University, athletic department, board, president and Tyra would be wise to give Walz what is right and fair. Give him something to yell about.

We kind of do things backward here at Louisville. First it's the men's basketball coach, then the athletic director and finally the President that get hired.  But, waiting until the President got hired was probably smart in going into negotiations with Walz. The board, being what it is...and a board that won't exactly be on one of the floats at the Pegasus Parade this May...must realize that Walz isn't holding a gun, wearing a mask and asking them to reach for the sky. The UofL WBB squad will be on a float Pegasus Parade day. We'll assume Walz will be on there with them. Maybe with Lola and Lucy. Hopefully, with a new contract. Hey...the guy likes Louisville and coaching basketball here. He's pretty good at it. The fan base loves him. The players love him. This isn't rocket science. Get 'er done. 

The man wants stability and an extension. Certainly not too much to ask for a guy who has taken the WBB program to three Final Fours since he's been here. Is one win short of 300 in 11 years of coaching at Louisville. The winningest coach in program history. The Rookie Coach of the Year his first year at Louisville. Top ten rankings in five of the 11 years. A missed foul away from another championship game appearance. 

And someone who wants to be here. 

Mind you, Coach isn't exactly on poverty-level wages currently.  In 2016, he "re-upped" for $1.15 mil a year. There was a $180,000 incentive bonus attached to the Final Four run. $25,000 for being named ACC Coach of the Year. $550,000 for a longevity bonus for being employed on April 1st. He's the fourth highest paid coach, by all accounts, in women's college basketball...behind Geno, Muffet and Kim Mulkey. He wants an extension. Wants to know the school is behind him. That's not too much to ask, right? An affirmation of his accomplishments? 

Walz is looking for a seven-year deal that would pretty much ensure that Louisville is his last stop. At 46, the question arises...would he retire at 54? 

Maybe. 

He recently said that "I'd retire tomorrow if i could."  There's no question he'd like to spend more time with his family. He has two daughters under the age of five. Two other children approaching their teenage years. His grandfather is in his late-nineties. He's fond of skiing and Colorado. He told me a few years ago: 

"I grew up cutting grass. I love yard work. How great would it be to just concentrate on that and have some fun and pride in it? And, you get the winter off. You don't have to recruit yards." 

If there was any concern about the change-overs at Athletic Director and President at UofL, I think Walz can safely put those fears and queries away. If the rumor-mongers that blindly prognosticated on a unverified rumor that Walz was leaving Louisville would shut up just a minute of two, hear this: 

Your Coach wants to stay. He wants to retire here. Yes, there is gratitude and respect in huge numbers for the man who brought him here. Tom Jurich. I still have great respect for that man also. But, it doesn't mean you can't keep that respect and also cooperate with who's calling the shots in 2018. 

Walz will do the right thing by his assistants as well. When you look at the three of them...Stephanie Norman, Samantha Williams, Sam Purcell and his (whatever her title is today) Beth Burns....you have one of the best associate and assistant coaches plus collective minds-formation in college basketball right here on campus. You don't waste good.  The trainers, support staff...they aren't just "real lucky". They work hard at what they do. It shows. It's a team effort. 

Maybe the deal is done by Friday. Maybe it isn't. Know this. The University of Louisville, for all their past blunders and controversial moves over the last several years, needs to line this one up, step right up and put it right in the cup, to use a golf description. 

Who is this in this photo with Coach Walz? First correct
answer gets entered for a $25 Panera Card drawing !!!!

Vince Tyra is a fair and honest man. He realizes just what and who he has across the table from him. He'll get this done and done right. 

Neeli Bendapudi may be new at her job also as University President but she's a seasoned and well-qualified person to hold the position. She also realizes good. There's no "blind-eye" toward public sentiment going on here. This one's a "gimmie". Sink it and move on to other pressing issues, Neeli.   

After all, the man plays Powerball each week when it gets to a certain astronomical level. If he were to hit it, he just might buy the University.

Pay the Man. Keep the Man. Extend the Man's contract. He's earned it. 




WNBA DRAFT

With the 2018 WNBA Draft coming up Thursday night, local attention turns also to where Louisville senior forward Myisha Hines-Allen might end up. The general consensus is that she'll most likely be used as a wing, or small forward where-ever she ends up...the 6'2" size just a bit under the average for the "4"s, or power forwards, and "5"s (centers) that are currently in "the league". 

We saw her outside shot improve a lot her senior season. Did the WNBA GM's see the same thing, though? 

Some projections see Hines-Allen as a remote late first round and probable-early second round pick. 

SB Nation doesn't have her going in the first round. Neither does the AP, Draft Site or Fan Sided, three other sites that watch things like this. 

There is a ton of talent available this draft. The more one looks at the names, the more one is impressed. A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Mitchell, Victoria Vivians, Azura Stevens, Diamond DeShields, Jordin Canada, Mercedes Russell, Lexie Brown, Kia Nurse, Ariel Atkins, Steph Mavunga, Monique Billings, Marie Gulich and Maria Vadeeva.

Can Hines-Allen replace one of those for the first team picks of the 12 teams? 

And, what do the 12 WNBA teams need?

Here's my take: 

Guard: Minnesota, Phoenix  .

Post/Height: LA, Indiana and Seattle.

Bench Strength: Washington, Chicago, San Antonio

Multiple Needs: Atlanta, New York, Connecticut, Houston

It should be interesting Thursday night. I'd like to see Myisha end up in Indy, for selfish reasons, so Cardinal fans could see her play in person more than in a Seattle or Sacramento, to just name a couple.

Indiana?  They have the 9th, 26th, 38th and 40th picks in the first three rounds

Atlanta?  To team up with Angel? Unfortunately, the Dream traded all their first three round picks away, so that probably won't happen. 

Washington? With Elena and Asia? The Mystics have the 8th and 19th picks. 

Wherever "Dooblay" lands, she'll have her work cut out for her...but she's embodied hard work as a Cardinal. Skills too. Someone's getting a gold mine.

Stay tuned. 

Team	Associated Press	DraftSite	FanSided
1:	Las Vegas	A’ja Wilson, C, South Carolina	A’ja Wilson, C, South Carolina	A’ja Wilson, C, South Carolina
2:	Indiana	Kelsey Mitchell, G, Ohio State	Azura Stevens, C, Connecticut	Kelsey Mitchell, G, Ohio State
3:	Chicago (from Atlanta)	Diamond DeShields, G, Tennessee	Kelsey Mitchell, G, Ohio State	Diamond DeShields, G, Tennessee
4:	Chicago	Azura Stevens, C, Connecticut	Diamond DeShields, G, Tennessee	Azura Stevens, C, Connecticut
5:	Seattle	Jordin Canada, G, UCLA	Jordin Canada, G, UCLA	Jordin Canada, G, UCLA
6:	Dallas	Gabby Williams, F, Connecticut	Mercedes Russell, C, Tennessee	Lexie Brown, G, Duke
7:	Washington	Victoria Vivians, G, Mississippi St	Gabby Williams, F, Connecticut	Gabby Williams, F, Connecticut
8:	Indiana (from Phoenix)	Maria Vadeeva, C, Russia	Kia Nurse, G, Connecticut	Victoria Vivians, G, Mississippi St
9:	Connecticut	Kia Nurse, G, Connecticut	Lexie Brown, G, Duke	Kia Nurse, G, Connecticut
10:	New York	Ariel Atkins, G, Texas	Victoria Vivians, G, Mississippi St	Maria Vadeeva, C, Russia
11:	Los Angeles	Stephanie Mavunga, F, Ohio State	Monique Billings, F, UCLA	Stephanie Mavunga, F, Ohio State
12:	Phoenix (from Minnesota)	Marie Gulich, C, Oregon State	Marie Gulich, C, Oregon State	Monique Billings, F, UCLA

Paulie
xxxxx

Softball to UK -- WBB Review -- New Pres -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Softball Tries to Break an Even Series

If you're looking for something to do tonight head down I-64 to Lexington and catch Louisville softball take on rival Kentucky tonight at 7:00 p.m.  Their baseball counterparts fell to the Wildcats last night 8-5.

Nicole Pufahl cranks one to the outfield

Louisville enters the match-up with a record of 24-11 and are in the receiving votes category for the Top 25 in at least one poll for a fifth straight week.  The Cards have lost two straight to the team in blue, including the controversial thunderstorm delay in 2016.  The series is tied 19-19.

#21 Kentucky is 21-11 on the year after run-ruling EKU 10-0 last night.  They have lost five of their last seven games, but had a 10-game win streak right before.

The Wildcats' offense is the real deal, averaging almost six runs per game.  Six players bat above .300 (40 at bats min.) with Bailey Vick batting .419 and Katie Reed batting .410 to lead the way.  Kentucky has outhit opponents 25-183 and outscored opponents 182-102.  Abby Cheek is a threat at the plate with nine home runs and 33 rbi's this season.  She is one of nine Wildcats, who have combined for 28 dingers, to hit a home run.

Kentucky's bullpen is tough, but is where Louisville hopes to make its mark.  Five pitchers have seen action for Kentucky and have a combined ERA of 2.86.  They have limited opposing team's hits to 183, but have surrendered 102 runs off of those.  The strikeout-walk ratio as an even 2:1.  If Grace Baalman takes the circle the Cards will have their work cut out for them.  She posts a 1.95 ERA with 65 strikeouts and a 10-3 record.

Depending if the Cards wake up or not they could upset Kentucky on their home turf.  This team is looking for a resume building win and a victory over a non-conference rival sure would help.

I will be down there to document the events with my trusty Nikon and will get those posted as soon as possible.

Recapping Women's Basketball

I have been a women's basketball fan since I first became a Louisville fan in the fall of 2012.  The style of game play and the excitement from the sport quickly drew my interest.  Jeff Walz is the type of guy to tell you as it is and doesn't beat around the bush with excuses, which I like.

Myisha Hines-Allen

Later that basketball season I found myself with twenty-nine other pep band members plus Al Greener in New Orleans competing for a national championship.  The final result of that game did not turn out as we wanted, but that season really drew me into the women's basketball program.

This year was by far my favorite UofL WBB season in the six years I have followed them.  What stood out to me most was how close this team was.  In the past, there have been cases of the 'me' players that spent more time worrying about themselves or what they were doing on the court than the team as a whole.  This team cared nothing for the amount of playing time they got or the number of points or rebounds they got.

Arica Carter and Asia Durr

Asia goes off for another 20+ point performance... they all love it.  Myisha posts another double-double... the team beats Walz to her for congratulations.  Jess hits a three... the bench is jumping out of their chairs screaming.  Dana breaks five defenders' ankles on a drive to the basket... the team has their jaws on the floor and are still cheering.  This team supported one another and cared about each other more than any other team I have seen this season.

My favorite win of the year was the 33-point victory over Notre Dame.  For a Top-5 game I expected a tight battle.  I never thought we would see the razzle dazzle performance our Cards would end up putting on.

Unlike sports such as field hockey, softball, and lacrosse, covering women's basketball is a ticketed event.  Yes, so is volleyball, but there aren't 20 different photographers in attendance at Cardinal Arena every home game.

Charlie S, Al B, Paul

It was a pleasant surprise when their SID, Nick Evans, was gracious enough to grant the Cardinal Couple team two media passes and one photographer pass (Sonya joined us on the weekends).  While Paulie manned media row next to former mayor Jerry Abramson, I joined the ranks of the stressed out photographers hoping not to get another closeup of the ref's rear end.

Although I was not able to go to the first two rounds of the NCAA because of work I was available to cover the postseason games that followed.  It was a lovely treat to join our site's captain in Lexington and Columbus for more exciting basketball whether the photo spots were on the floor or hiding somewhere way above the 200 sections.

Jaz Jones and Sam Fuehring

Some of my photos this year were pretty solid and some of them look like the came from a flip phone.  From the first game of the season to the final one I believe the pictures improved as my experience with shooting the game and what to look for progressed.

I would like to thank all of you at Cardinal Couple, and especially Paulie (!!!) for the wonderful opportunity to photograph all of the action, celebrations, and emotions from this season.

UofL Hires a President

Days without a full-time president: 0.  Well, sort of.  Yesterday, the University of Louisville announced that Dr. Neeli Bendapudi would become the next president.  Bendapudi is currently the provost at Kansas University.  It is only fitting that two hundred twenty years to the day Louisville adds another president to the university's long history, this one being the eighteenth.  Bendapudi is also Louisville's first woman president.  I know many of you are happy to see Greg Postel go.

Neeli Bendapudi

Bendaupdi will begin her time as a Cardinal on May 15.  Her initial contract is six years with a base salary of $650,000 and a potential bonus of $125,000.  To compare, her salary is much less than Vince Tyra ($850,000, Courier Journal), Bobby Petrino ($3.9 million, USA Today), Chris Mack ($4 million, Courier Journal), Jeff Walz ($1.15 million + bonuses, Courier Journal), and Dan McDonnell ($1.15 million, Courier Journal).

Bendapudi plans to use the university-owned house on Longest Ave. as her place of residence.


Fall Sports Try Their Hands and Feet at Spring


If you have been dying to see some fall sports action again tonight is your night!  Women's soccer will face Butler at 8:30 p.m.  Being a spring game there should not be overtime, golden goal, or PK's in the event of a draw at the end of regulation.  The game has been advertised as free admission.

You can get a chance to see next year's volleyball team in action in town this Saturday.  They will showcase their talents and skills at the KIVA / Ohio Valley Volleyball Complex by the zoo in a series of matches throughout the day.  The facilities website has admission listed as $5 and there has not been anything said otherwise by UofL.

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With the hiring of a full-time university president, athletic director, and men's basketball coach 2018 is finally starting to shape up into something good for UofL.  The successes of many of the winter and spring teams add to the good news.  Perhaps we will see some more on the softball diamond tonight.

Happy 404 (4/04) day!  Hopefully you encounter no errors!

Happy Wednesday and Go Cards!

- Jared -