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. 

Smart Cards, Spring Schedule, and Rankings -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Cards Fall to 20th in AP Poll

Louisville women's basketball stayed in the top-25 this week after Sunday's loss but dropped to 20th in the latest AP poll. The Cards slipped to the lowest of the ranked ACC teams, a quintet that now includes two top-ten teams. NC State is sixth, while the league-leading Hokies moved up to eighth. The remaining trio is locked in close proximity in the rankings, just as they are in the ACC standings. Syracuse, alone in second in the ACC with a half-game advantage on NC State, moves up to 17th. Notre Dame, fighting UNC and Florida State with one more loss in the ACC than Louisville, sits one spot ahead of the Cards at 19th in the latest poll. 

Officially, Louisville has just one ranked game remaining: the matchup with Notre Dame in the Joyce Center on March 3rd. As we saw with the game against BC, though, their road game against Georgia Tech will likely be no walk in the park. Meanwhile, Virginia has shown some scrap on the road, winning three of their four conference games away from home. Florida State is sure to give the Cards a fight on Leap Day, as always. 

Volleyball Announces Spring Match Schedule

Louisville volleyball will play four matches this spring, all with plenty of local buzz. The Cards will take on Dayton, Purdue, UK, and Tennessee over a span just longer than a month. The Flyers and Volunteers will bookend the four-match set in the L&N Federal Credit Union Arena while the Boilermakers and Wildcats play hosts. This season's spring matches will be ticketed. Season ticket holders will get first-right-of-refusal on the matches against Dayton and Tennessee in a window from February 26th to 28th before the tickets open to the public. Fans can get tickets to the March 8th match against Dayton starting on March 1st, and the sale will open on April 5th for the Tennessee match on April 13th. Louisville will face Purdue on March 29th and UK on April 5th.

Five Cardinals Named NFHCA Scholars of Distinction

Louisville field hockey had five players earn the NFHCA's Scholar of Distinction award this season. The Scholar of Distinction requires players to maintain a 3.9 GPA during the semester of play. This year's honorees were Aimee Plumb, Minna Tremonti, Filippa Niebuhr, Tatum Kroon, and Lara Niebler. Plumb and Tremonti have earned the award in four straight seasons, while Niebuhr earned her third this year. Sophomore Kroon and Tatum, a freshman, both picked up their first Scholar of Distinction. These five are part of Louisville's 22 players named to the D1 National Academic Squad.

Until next time, Go Cards!

Case