Tuesday Cardinal Couple - Tidbits

TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

( JEFF MCADAMS CATCHES US UP ON A FEW THINGS BEFORE HE DEPARTS ON
HIS "WORLDWIDE" TOUR TO SAMPLE COLD BEVERAGES IN A CHEESE STATE...)




We're just a bit over a week away from having some actual, honest-to-goodness results to share.  That also means that teams are hunkering down and really getting down to the work of practicing for the seasons to come.

A couple of tidbits to talk about, though...

Handball

Wait, Handball?  Yes, Handball.  Graduating Senior Katie Walz will be joining the USA National Handball team in December.

Walz was a defensive player for Karen Ferguson-Dayes which means she didn't get too many opportunities to score, playing a sport that is known for its lack of scoring.  Now she'll be scoring frequently in one of the fastest moving sports around.

Olympic Handball is played on a court slightly larger than a basketball court, with a ball roughly the consistency and texture of a soccer ball, but slightly smaller than a volleyball.  There are 7 players on the court for a side...six court players and a goalie.  The goalie has sole domain over a six meter arc around the goal.  The team on offense must dribble or pass the ball within three steps, and cannot hold the ball for more than about three seconds.  On offense, you cannot touch the court within the six meter arc with the ball, you can be within the space within the arc, but you must release the ball before touching the court again.  This leads to some spectacular scoring attacks, with attackers twisting and turning, throwing the ball into the net backwards, and even using spin on the ball on a bounce to "curve" the ball around the goalie.

I have watched some Olympic handball and it can certainly be said that it is a very fast-paced, high scoring
game, and really a lot of fun to watch.

Katie will be training with the team and attempting to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Rowing Schedule Released

The UofL Rowing team, announced their schedule for the coming season.

Things get started with a scrimmage with IU up in Bloomington on September 20th.

Your only real chance to see the Rowing team in action in the Louisville area will be October 4th at the Red & Black Regatta.  This is an intra-squad scrimmage on the Ohio River near Tumbleweed.  The course for the scrimmage will start around where Beargrass Creek joins the Ohio, and finish right next to Tumbleweed.  This is a great event that the Rowing team has held for several years now, and it is a great chance to go see the UofL Rowing Center.  After the races, there will be food and beverages at the boathouse, which will be open for guests to look around, and try out the training tanks...from past experience I can tell you that rowing is definitely harder than it looks.

The Rowing season will begin at the beginning of November, and runs through the beginning of May.  The ACC Championships for Rowing will be held at Clemson, May 15th and 16th of 2015, with the NCAA championships in Gold River, California outside Sacramento, from May 29th through 31st of 2015.

Only two events in the fall, with a break after the middle of November until mid-March when the season resumes with events in which the Cardinal Rowing squad has performed impressively previously in Oak Ridge, TN and Clemson, SC in the mix.

Volleyball Academic Honors

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) has announced the teams that earned the AVCA Team Academic Award.  This award is given to teams that cumulatively maintain a 3.30 GPA (4 point scale).

As always, at Cardinal Couple, we like to make an extra effort to recognize academic achievement of UofL student athletes.

JMCA




USA gets it rolling Wednesday

The 2014 USA U18 women's team gets it started Wednesday in the FIBA Americas. These shots of the roster and coaches...

(I never realized just how short Kim Barnes Arico was...top right..)

2014 USA Women's U18 National Team Roster

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  

Name

Ariel Atkins

Jersey #

7

Pos

G

HGT

5-11

Name

Recee Caldwell

Jersey #

5

Pos

G

HGT

5-8

Name

Napheesa Collier

Jersey #

10

Pos

G/F

HGT

6-1

Name

Paris Kea

Jersey #

4

Pos

G

HGT

5-8

Name

Marina Mabrey

Jersey #

8

Pos

G

HGT

5-11

Name

Teaira McCowan

Jersey #

15

Pos

C

HGT

6-7

Name

Beatrice Mompremier

Jersey #

12

Pos

F/C

HGT

6-4

Name

Mariya Moore

Jersey #

11

Pos

G/F

HGT

6-0

Name

Jessica Shepard

Jersey #

13

Pos

F

HGT

6-4

Name

Brianna Turner

Jersey #

9

Pos

F

HGT

6-3

Name

Destinee Walker

Jersey #

6

Pos

G/F

HGT

5-10

Name

A'ja Wilson

Jersey #

14

Pos

F

HGT

6-4

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..
.

Monday Cardinal Couple -- Brooks lists Louisville in Top 5

MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Troyian Brooks names Louisville to her final five 

Every couple of days or so...it seems another talented player in the 2015 girls basketball elite has named Louisville in their top five or top ten list. 

Add the name Troyian Brooks to the list of stars that are looking at Louisville as a possible destination to continue their academic and athletic pursuits. This Helen Cox H.S. star from New Orleans can go as a foward or wing. 

Don't go rushing off to look at her junior year stats, though:

Troyian Brooks, a highly recruited junior, was suspended by head coach Weary-Cox for violation of team rules the first semester and missed the second semester because of academic reasons.

Her list is impressive and includes a couple of schools that would bring her into the KFC YUM! Center even if she doesn't end up here. 

6'2 W/F Troyian Brooks has a list of five. West Virginia, Louisville, Kentucky, North Carolina & Texas Tech.


The summer club tournaments are probably more important in getting a player recognition that their high schools careers.

So...how are her skills? Walz will have more wings on campus than your local KFC Restaurant outlet in 2015. Here's what she showed at a recent skills camp:

6'2" Troyian Brooks, a New Orleans native, literally shined bright all day. The lefty has long arms and is very long athletically with a nice array of skill sets. She runs the floor extremely well and pushes the ball on the dribble. She finishes well in the paint and has a smooth stroke that extends out to the three-point range. Brooks is adept at attacking off the dribble and finishing in the paint. She has good handles, is a good on-ball defender, rebounds well and is a high energy player with great hops. Her game and future are extremely bright and she's a player definitely worth keeping your eyes on.

SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Despite All-Star success...Schimmel still sits

Shoni Schimmel followed up her WNBA All-Star Game record 29 points scored July 19 by matching her career high July 22 against the Minnesota Lynx with 17.

Since then, though, the former University of Louisville star has returned to her role with the Atlanta Dream — as an option off the bench who can score and distribute, but who needs a high volume of shots to do it.

Schimmel has scored a total of seven points in her last four games. She has committed as many turnovers (eight) as assists. And unlike with the aggressive, "rez ball" style Schimmel U of L fans got to know over four years, she hasn't made it to the free-throw line since the break.

SlamOnline.com caught up with Schimmel after the All-Star Break, curious as to why the college star wasn't getting consistent playing time. As writer Mirin Fader points out, sometimes Schimmel plays 25 minutes and others not even 10.

"At first I tried not to worry about it," Schimmel said. "Just to sit there and go out there and play basketball and have fun, and then it just kind of kept going and I just didn't really know how to handle it. It's really frustrating, but at the same time, you know, if we're winning, I can't sit there and be mad about not starting or not playing much because you know, hey, at least we're winning

That's hard to argue against. The Dream are 4 ½ games ahead of the Indiana Fever, at 17-9 overall,
atop the WNBA's Eastern Conference.

So what's keeping Schimmel off the court? Coach Karleen Thompson, filling in for Dream head coach Michael Cooper while he's on medical leave, said it's defense.

Ball handlers too easily do to Schimmel what she does to them — cross over, get by and score in a one-on-one situation. Schimmel is plenty eager to fix that.

"She's sitting right beside me all the time so I can see that," Thompson told SlamOnline.com. "She's always ready, she's watching the game, she's a student of the game, she knows what's needed when she gets in there. She's just always ready."



(this article previously appeared in the Courier-Journal)

SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Lynx take to the runway to  support Breast Health Awareness Week

- Radio today

In the middle of a pressure-packed season where the Lynx are chasing the number one spot in the Western Conference and their third WNBA Championship in four years, players and coaches admit that they can get a little caught up in the season.

That’s why, on Tuesday night, the whole team and coaching staff was on hand at the Mall of America to have a little fun and raise awareness for breast health. The Lynx hosted their sixth-annual Catwalk for a Cure event, a fashion show where Lynx players and coaches get dressed up and walk the runway in front of fans for a good cause.

“Just to take a minute to celebrate not only our community but remember the people that are benefitting from this cause that we’re just trying to bring attention to and support to,” Maya Moore said after the event. “We always want to make sure that we don’t get caught up in our own world and trying to win a Championship that we don’t take the time to use our platform to bring awareness to awesome noble causes.”


This is an event that fans look forward to every year, getting glimpses of the players’ real
personalities outside of basketball. Players get to pick the clothes they model down the runway, and then they stick around to sign autographs after the event.


The goal is to raise money for breast health awareness, an initiative that is much more than just Tuesday night’s event. The Lynx hosted Breast Health Awareness Week that stretched from July 22-29. During that period, the team had a Breast Health Awareness Game against the San Antonio Stars, and players’ pink jerseys were auctioned off after the game—this year raising a total of over $27,000.

This week also included the Catwalk event on Tuesday night. Coach Cheryl Reeve said afterward that the week as a whole is an important initiative, and that events like Catwalk couldn’t happen without the support of the fans.

“I think our fans are tremendous,” Reeve said. “This is something that doesn’t go off as big without the fans. We’re at the Mall of American at the rotunda—the biggest area in the Mall of America where a lot of performers come. And people flock to see it. We’ve got people up on all the different levels kind of watching, and it brings great attention to it.”

As far as players go, Janel McCarville won the audience over with her out-of-character dress choice and her heeled shoes. McCarville said the outfits were her teammates’ ideas, and that she was a little uncertain about them before she walked the runway.

“It's a little nerve wracking,” McCarville said. “It's not something we do on the regular. We play in front of people but that's a whole different ballgame than somebody just watching us walk down the runway. But it's great.”

Although Reeve usually has the last laugh, finishing the show in the most absurd outfits she can think up, this year it was assistant coach Jim Petersen’s turn.

Petersen came down the catwalk in his throwback Rockets warmups, eventually ripping off the jacket and pants to reveal his uniform underneath. It was a show from him that no one expected, but everyone loved.“By far stole the show,” Reeve said of Petersen. “I didn’t know if I was going to be able to come out I was laughing so hard. I was doubled over. He was awesome—he got talked into it last minute and I’m really glad he did.”

“I’m still a little out of breath from Jim Petersen,” Moore said. “I really don’t know what to say other than that is the definition of throwback.”

The event and the week overall was great, and the Lynx are looking forward to another successful Catwalk next year

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We take to the internet radio tomorrow at 11 a.m. for yet another stirring edition of Cardinal Couple. We'll discuss hoops, volleyball, field hockey, soccer...we have a great interview from Asia Taylor...and see if you can beat Worldwide in our weekly quiz.

Radio without boundaries...

Link below:

HEY...WHO CHANGED THE CHANNEL?



paulie

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Friday Cardinal Couple -- Rivalries

- ACC: Many long-established rivalries

-  Ogunbowale narrows list.

When we think of rivalries here at Louisville...our annual battles against Kentucky come to mind first. Over the years, the Cards have also established rivalries against Memphis, Cincinnati and Western Kentucky. These tend to transcend into other sports besides football and basketball. We'd also be remiss if we didn't mention the Louisville vs. UConn rivalry that exists in basketball. One that has been pretty much one-sided on the women's side, and pretty heated on the men's side.

Most Cardinal fans will identify with various responses when the names Auriemma, Calhoun, Cronin, Huggins, Dana Kirk, Mitchell or Calipari are brought up in conversation.

As UofL enters the ACC, they join a conference that has many rivalries...both in-conference and OOC. Let's take a look at a few by school:

Boston College. The Eagles and Syracuse have developed a good rivalry over the years and the meetings between BC and Notre Dame are referred to as "The Holy Wars". 

Louisville's chances of establishing a rivalry against BC are slim...distance between schools and talent level the main factors. 

Clemson. The Tigers have a big in-state rivalry with South Carolina and there's no love lost when Clemson and Florida State get together. Events against Furman also draw considerable interest in the Palmetto State. 

Any potential rivalry between the Cards and Tigers would be remote...the football battle this year will be a game of great interest, though, down there...and Clemson WBB does have a former Card in Charmaine Tay. 

Florida State. Miami and Fla. St. are main rivals and the Seminoles don't have a lot of respect for Notre Dame, either. Of particular note in WBB, Louisville had lost 10 consecutive games to the Lady 'Noles before Jeff Walz rolled into town. Sue Semereu hasn't been able to beat him or the Cards since. 

We'll probably never become main rivals with FSU...but any games will draw considerable interest since both schools are usually highly nationally ranked in the sports they participate in. 

Georgia Tech. The Ramblin' Wreck has a decent rivalry

going with in-state foe Georgia...other than that, not much. 

This has potential to be a minor rivalry for the Cards...especially in hoops...where the memory of Bobby Cremins lives on in many Cardinal fans' recollection and the relatively short drive between the two schools. 

Notre Dame. It seems the Fighting Irish are rivals with just about anyone that meet. Michigan State, Michigan, USC, Purdue, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Florida State...the list goes on & on.

The Cards and Irish have also established some fierce competition lines over the years and those will pick right up where they left off now that we're conference foes again. 




Duke. Duke and North Carolina is maybe the largest rivalry in college sports. The Blue Devils are another of those schools that everyone seems to take great delight in beating. 

Kentucky, Louisville, all the Carolina schools, Florida State, Syracuse and the entire Catholic contingent...well, the list goes on and on. Coach K. and Coach Joanne P. are hot button items and Louisville ex-Field Hockey head coach Pam Bustin will raise a little dust when they show up in the 'Ville in October. 

Other rivalries we'll see...

Pitt - Penn St., West Virginia
North Carolina - Duke, NC State, Wake Forest and Virginia
Virginia Tech - Virginia
NC State - Wake Forest, Duke, UNC

Which of these 14 schools in the ACC will become a "rivalry game" for Louisville down the road, years from now? Only time will tell...but the competition frenzy will be just as intense as it was back in the days of the Metro, CUSA and Big East. 

Which rivalries do you see as the biggest in the ACC? Which ACC schools do you see the Cards having a chance to establish a rivalry with? Let us know in the comments section.

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Milwaukee Prep Star considering Louisville WBB

Add another name to the 2015 Louisville WBB wish list.

 

Arike Ogunbowale has two loves...soccer and basketball. There are many colleges and universities that would love to have the 2015 prospect on campus playing either.

 

She has turned her focus directly to hoops, though... and has indicated that Jeff Walz and the Cards are in her top five.

 

Arike is a top-10 prospect in the 2015 class and the 5'9" guard has narrowed it down to Ohio State, UCLA, Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Louisville.

 

She's had a busy and productive summer. A member of the USA U 17 squad that won the FIBA World Championships...she averaged almost 11 points and four rebounds a game in the USA's 7-0 run.

 

Her plans are to visit all five schools if possible and then sit down with family members and narrow the list.

 

On Louisville, she comments:

 

" I can't wait to see what Louisville has to offer. I like Walz as a coach. I like the city of Louisville. They have a great program and great facilities. It'll be a tough decision."

ESPNW says:

Strong, athletic off-guard with a scorer's mentality; physical off the bounce, elevates and finishes with consistency in mid-range game; developing deep threat game.


We at CARDINAL COUPLE say...scoring guards who can jump and hit the three are always welcome on Belknap Campus.

 

 

 

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paulie