Niamke to Lindsey Wilson...Rainey receives honor...Mercedes reportedly seen on campus

.
WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE REPORTS:

-Lady Cards Recruit to go NAIA route

-Ashley Rainey receives honor

-Mercedes sighting

-We think it over

According to Jeff Walz, speaking on the radio show Cardinal Insider, French point guard Esther Monny Niamke did not qualify academically and would be attending a NAIA school in Kentucky and would not be with the Lady Cards next season but will be the season after that. WE have learned that Monny will attend Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, KY. If Monny enrolls for the 2011-12 season, she would be a sophomore at UofL in the 2012-13 season. We're not sure if she would have to sit out a season after transferring to UofL after playing a season of NAIA basketball..we know players don't have to if they transfer from an NCAA school to NAIA...but going the other direction...little help here? Thanks to CARDINAL COUPLE reader Kenny S. for the scoop!

This relieves a little of the congestion that the Lady Cards back court was facing in 2011-12...and probably means that Walz won't have to bring in campus traffic control personnel for practices this fall. Ever seen those guys and gals direct traffic after a home football game? Ever watched a Three Stooges movie? We're

hoping Monny has a great NAIA season and comes to Louisville ready to roll.

**********************************************************************************

Speaking of Lindsey Wilson, a former Lady Card had a banner season there last year as a sophomore and has had her jersey put on display in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame's Ring of Honor in Knoxville, TN.

Ashley Rainey joins an elite group of over 100 players' jerseys that will hang in the ring. There are high school and college All-Americans displayed from the 2001-11 season.

The Ring of Honor has become one of the most popular exhibits at the Hall of Fame. Fans can recognize the acheivements of young basketball players in the sport there.

Rainey led the Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders last season with 21.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and was named a NAIA All-American First Team member. She left UofL midway through her freshman season in 2009-10.

It also leads to the question of whether Rainey will re-test the waters of the NCAA DI ranks again in the future. One thing is for certain, Lindsey Wilson's WBB team is going to be a tough opponent for anyone in the upcoming season if both Rainey and Niamke are out there ballin' .

***********************************************************************************

WE'VE received several unconfirmed e-mails that Mercedes Russell did, in fact, pay a unofficial visit to the UofL campus earlier this week. Unofficial = parents paid for it...No official word out of the UofL camp about this and no statement we've been able to find from Mercedes on how it went.

Mexico to Louisville and then back to Oregon...an interesting way to spend your summer vacation from high school. Beats mom and dad driving you to summer camp or Aunt Jenny's farm for a week.

Also, a special thanks to CARDINAL COUPLE reader Jenny O. for her thoughts and news on the Mercedes sighting. You can read Jenny's thoughts in the comments section below...

***********************************************************************************

One of the things we run into when we get reports on UofL women's sports activity via anonymous e-mails is the accuracy and veracity of the reports. We try to get official acknowledgement or verification from either the athlete, program or University but some times that doesn't happen. We understand that. Sometimes, the University cannot comment on these items. Sometimes, they're way too busy to take time to offer an explanation to a website. We have a tough time in the decision making process on whether to report the activities or news. If we receive multiple reports on something and if these reports include comments from a trusted source, we'll go with the story

Sometimes, stories that are out there never make it to these pages out of deference to situations, respect and courtesy.

We're not trying to become a gossip site or take a National Enquirer path here at CARDINAL COUPLE. You, the readers, have told us innumerable times that you want information of UofL women's sports. We try to do this from a fan's viewpoint and we figure that as fans, the news of future, present or past Cardinal women's athletes is of interest. We always welcome corrections to stories we offer here and have received such over the months...including official clarifications, requests and reports out of UofL coaches and staff.
.