Monday Cardinal Couple - UofL women ready for ACC Golf?

MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Cards and ACC women's golf

-Louisville WBB 9-1. Not too shabby.

When the Louisville Cardinals join the ACC in 2014, the women's golf team will have three established veterans on the squad and three promising members of the 2013 recruiting class.

Katie Petrino, Emily Haas and Sara Karlsson will be seniors then and all three have been steady contributors since their arrival on campus. Coach Courtney Trimble has also inked three golfers due to arrive on campus next fall who have very impressive credentials.

Louise Oxner

Louise Oxner, from Greenville, SC is a Palmetto state two time champion. Emily Kurey out of Alpharetta, GA was second in the state last year and has won four major junior golf events throughout the south over the past couple of years. Shannon Gramley, from Shady Side Academy, PA is a two-time Pennsylvania state champ. These three look to be golfers that can come in and contribute right away for Trimble and the Cards and will have a year of experience in their bags when the Cards join the ACC.

Emily Kurey

Women's golf is a little different than the other ACC (and BIG EAST) sports in the nature of the season. Teams play in classics and tournaments and there are no two-team contests...like basketball, softball or field hockey have. The schools gather for a tournament at the end of the season to determine the conference champ...but there is no regular season title at stake.

The ACC had nine schools field teams (including Maryland) in 2012 and Duke won the ACC Women's Golf Championship. Seven of the teams qualified for the NCAA tournament regionals.

Shannon Gramley

Besides Duke...UNC, NC State, Virginia, Florida State, Wake Forest, Miami and Boston College field teams. Duke was ranked #4 as of November 30th...UNC #9, Virginia #16 and NC State #19. Notre Dame will add to ACC strength, ranked #17. The Cards were #58. Future members Syracuse or Pitt do not field field women's golf teams.

Emily Haas

How the tournaments and events that Louisville will participate in over the next couple of years set up probably won't change too much. The level of competition come tournament time, though...looks to be much stronger than the Cards have been facing in the BIG EAST...where they finished third in the tournament this fall.

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The Louisville women's basketball team (9-1) is ranked at #8 in the nation as the Cards prepare to spend a little time on Fall semester finals...then games on Friday and then next Tuesday and Friday before getting 10 days off for Christmas break.

Despite this success, there has been dialouge here (and on other sites) about the effectiveness of Jeff Walz's coaching style. Namely, the game against Kentucky...where the Cats came back from a 14 point deficit to win in the KFC YUM! Center.

Coach Walz will tell you that he will do what he and the staff feel is necessary to win games. We agree and trust fully in the options and style of play that the Lady Cards employ in their contests.

Witness the DePaul Blue Demons. They went into the Kentucky game Friday night with Doug Bruno (DePaul head coach) thinking they could run with UK.

Big mistake. UK 96 - DePaul 64.

Louisville, on the other hand, knew the Cats strength and turned it into a defensive struggle. They held UK to 48 points...their lowest point total of the year. Even Baylor gave up 51 to UK.

(Photo by Charlie Springer - UofL Card Game)

Walz has also developed his bench into players that can come in and produce immediately. Witness the improvement of Jude Schimmel and Nita Slaughter this season. Sherrone Vails and Cortnee Walton had strong games against Valpo and there's nothing to suggest that those two won't continue to contribute as the season goes on.

Still, the griping about Walz continues.

We hope the Louisville women's basketball fans realize what a great coach and staff the Lady Cards have. We hope that they are here a long time. The women's college basketball world realizes it...with Bethann Ord and Michelle Clark-Heard getting head coaching jobs after several years of Walz's tuteledge. Cam Newbauer is being groomed for a head coaching spot down the road as well and so is Samantha Williams. Both will make great head coaches someday. Stephanie Norman has been with Walz since he arrived here. Coach Steph is equally responsible for the Cards success over the last five years and she's probably had offers to have her own program as well. We'd hate to see her go as well.

The old adage is that you don't miss what you've got until it's gone. We hope we don't have to worry about that in regards to the UofL head coach and his staff for a very long time.

Sonja and I have sat through the lean years of Louisville women's basketball in the past. We endured the losses to Western, UK and lesser schools like FIU, Oakland, Evansville and Chattanooga. We have no desire to re-visit those days. We're confident that under the leadership of Jeff and staff, we won't.

The Cardinal football team implores you to "get on the train". We ask you to "enjoy the Sho" and quit tearing down the "Walz". (Sorry about the steal from the late President Reagan when he pleaded "Tear down that wall, Mr. Gorbechev" )

9-1. #8 in the nation. Not too shabby, Cardinal fans. Beats a double-digit loss to UNC-Charlotte any day of the week. We recall travelling to Muncie, IN back in 2002 to see the UofL women's team play Ball State in the first round of the WNIT and lose. That's when things were rough. Sometimes a glimpse into the past makes one realize how good you've got it currently. 

You've got it good, Cardinal WBB fans. Appreciate it.
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Women's golf off to impressive start

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THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Louisville Women's golf team firing at the flag

-Really, Matthew?

-Next contest: A goalkeeper match

Emily Haas leading Cards in golf this season

Courtney Trimble

The Louisville women's golf team has participated in four events so far this season and fared well in each. With new head coach Courtney Trimble and assistant Mary Bryan on board, the Cards have finished no worse than 11th. in the four matches they have participated in and won the Cardinal Cup event in Simpsonville.

Mary Bryan

They started the season in Ft.Collins, CO in the Ram Classic and finished tied for fifth. After winning the Cardinal Cup, they travelled to Columbia, MO. and ended up 9th. in the Johnie Imes Invitational. In their most recent outing, the Tar Heel Invitational in Chapel Hill, NC., they came in 11th.

Leading the way for the Cards this season is sophomore Emily Haas. She's had two top-10 finishes in the four Cardinal matches this season and has a team best 74.0 strokes per round. Her lowest score for eighteen holes this year is 69.

Right behind her is Tara Lyons. Lyons has recorded one top-20 finish this year and averages 75.4 in her four starts. Her low round is a 71.

Katie Petrino has averaged 75.7 per round for the Cards and also has a top-20 finish this fall. Her lowest round is 71. The sophomore from Fayetteville, AR. is also
Bobby Petrino's youngest daughter...Bobby being an avid golfer as well.

( Just to show you how our fan base here sometimes works...we recently got an e-mail asking us that if Bobby Petrino accepted the UK head football coaching job, would Katie transfer?)

The Cards tee it up next in San Antonio, TX. for three days of swinging in The Alamo Invitational. First round action begins Oct. 28th.

Can't touch this? Don't want to...

Not sure what's in the water in Lexington, but we offer this clip of UK head women's basketball coach Matthew Mitchell at Big Blue Madness. The Michael Jackson one-glove approach should come in real handy when arguing calls with SEC refs... 

Keep dancing, Matty. Maybe you should be introduced before all the UK home games this way...

A battle of shot stoppers.

Next in our first round matches of Your Favorite Louisville Womens Athletes..we have a goalkeeper showdown.

Chloe Kiefer guards the net for the UofL women's soccer team and has done it quite efficiently over the past couple seasons. With seventeen career shutouts, getting the ball past Kiefer is as difficult as getting a can of beer in Pittsburgh's Heinz Stadium for college football. Not gonna happen.

Erin Conrad dons #90 to protect the net for the University of Louisville field hockey team. She's been there a couple of seasons as well. Against the #1 team in the country (Syracuse) she had five second-half saves. Trying to score on Conrad might be as hard as me duplicating Matthew Mitchell's dance. Not bloody likely...

Chloe or Conrad? You can vote on the infamous left side of the site.
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Wednesday Cardinal Couple -- Golf wins Cardinal Cup

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WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Women's golf captures Cardinal Cup

-We look at: Jude Schimmel

Led by Emily Haas' tournament record-setting 209, the Cards held on in Day Two of the Cardinal Cup at the Cardinal Club in Simpsonville, KY and won the event...edging Missouri by one stroke.

Haas' score also gave her the individual tournament title. The sophomore fired a 71 on the final day to capture the crown by five strokes. 

It is Louisville's first win of their annual tournament since 2009. Other Cardinal golfers results: 

Katie Petrino     225      tied for 18th.
Tara Lyons        228      tied for 27th. 
Candice Wiley   234      tied for 78th.

Three members of the women's golf team competed as individuals and did not affect the team score. Meghan Theiss and Laura Restrepo both had 54-hole scores of 230. Maike Klein finished with a 240. 

Good job, Louisville women's golf team! They return to action on Oct. 1st in the Johnie Imes Invitational in Columbia, MO.

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(Cardinal Couple has been running a series of articles over the summer on the 2012-13 Louisville Womens' Basketball team members. Today, we look at sophomore Jude Schimmel.)

Jude Schimmel began her freshman year at the University of Louisville with no illusions on what her role would be for the Lady Cards. Joining a squad that was heavily-laden with guards, including her older sister Shoni Schimmel, she realized that her freshman year would be a year of learning the Cardinal plays and system, spelling the starters as a back-up point guard and getting used to the pace and tempo of the college game. 

She succeeded in all three areas. Part of a Cardinal squad that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Jude provided valuable minutes off the bench as a capable point guard and defensive stopper. 

This summer, she's been working with her teammates to prepare for what looks to be an exciting season for Jeff Walz's squad. Her main focus has been to become a steady play-caller from the point, practice her ball-handling skills and shot. 

With the Cards returning four out of their five starters, Jude's role will most likely again be that of a reserve off the bench...needed for stretches when the starters are resting or saddled with fouls. Buoyed by the year of learning, we expect to see the younger Schimmel provide a instant spark off the bench and team leadership when she's on the court. 

Quick...on or off the ball...and blessed with a skill for pin-point passing and leading the transition game, Jude's abilities mesh perfectly with the up-tempo, transition style of basketball the Lady Cards employ. She'll see time, along with reserve guard Shelby Harper primarily at the point...but has shown she can "light it up" from the perimeter and might be needed as a "zone buster" when situations warrant that the Cards bring opponents out of a sagging zone defense. 

We expect to see plenty of Jude in the Cards' pre-conference games and how well she performs in these could be the key to her effectiveness and amount of playing time once the Cards enter BIG EAST Conference play. 

The concept of team chemistry and dedication to the betterment of the squad is an important concept in "Walz Ball" and Jude is a prime example of a player who puts her teammates first and meshes very well in the schematics and philosophy of this concept. 

Popular with the younger Cardinal fans and blessed with a great smile and sparkling personality, Jude embodies the overall appeal and charisma of the 2012-2013 Lady Cards! 

She's certainly popular with our CARDINAL COUPLE readers. We had numerous calls, e-mails and inquiries when she wasn't seen with the other players at several UofL athletic events last weekend. Not to worry, she's doing great and took a little time to attend the big gala event in her hometown...the Pendleton Roundup...which occurs this time every year. 

Jude's numbers

Games played  Minutes per  Pct.  Pts.  Avg. 

2011-12    30            11.7        .328    50     1.7

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Monday Cardinal Couple -- "It's in the cup."

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MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Watson on golf


( Special correspondent David Watson brews the coffee for Cardinal Couple this morning. Today, he discusses a "good walk spoiled" -- the art of golf.)

I read recently that UT's Pat Summitt recorded a hole-in-one while playing golf. She was at the Sevierville Golf Club (Sevierville is in Tennessee and is the first town you run into on Hwy 66 headed south to Gatlinburg once you get off of I-40) Pat used a seven-iron on the Par-3, 112-yard third hole on the course. 

This is either a picture of Pat Summitt or "Auntie Sharon"

I've played this particular course before. We would vacation at times in that area when my kids were younger during the summer vacation months and take the kids to Dollywood, the water parks and other attractions in Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. I would go play either this course, the Gatlinburg Country Club or Cobbly Nob. I usually pulled out the wedge on the hole that Pat aced. I never got close to a hole-in-one, much less stay on the green or get near it. 


I would join up with a two-some or three-some. I played eighteen holes with a guy once who claimed he invented the floppy disc. He should have invested that money he supposedly made in golf lessons. He was a horrible golfer. I haven't been to Sevierville or that area in a few years. I wonder if the divots I left in the fairways down there have healed. 

Pat was golfing with WBB announcer Debbie Antonelli, so we're pretty sure the event happened. She's a pretty credible type. I wonder if the four-some broke out in a rousing rendition of
"Rocky Top" when ball met cup?  


I've golfed for over 35 years. Never had a hole-in-one. I was talking to Paulie, your senile senior columnist here at Cardinal Couple. He had one at the age of 10. He's also bowled a 300 game. He claims to be the only person in history to do both of those things and also marry Sonja. 


Braggart. 

I've gotten close to holes-in-ones before. Last summer I was playing golf with my brother and his buddies in Louisville. We were at Seneca Golf Course and I lofted one up on a par-three there that looked pin-bound. A rarity for me. The ball bounced about ten yards in front of the pin, rolled right by and stopped about two yards from the couple. 


I didn't get the birdie  -- which would make perfect sense to anyone who has ever seen me putt. 

The University of Louisville has a new women's golf coach. She's a cute-looking young gal named Courtney Trimble. She comes from Central Florida and Auburn. She's even bringing her assistant coach with her. I used to like to bring my own caddy when I played. He finally grew up, though, and wanted to get paid for watching me moan, cry, grimace and use words that would get me kicked out of Mass. Kids. Whatcha gonna do with them? He's even threatened to bring in a conflict resolution manager over our current dispute over what a fair wage is for 30 minutes of grass-cutting. He even wants a gas-powered lawnmower. 

Ms. Trimble is taking over a pretty good returning nucleus of Lady Card golfers. Emily Haas and Katie Petrino will be sophomores this fall and were BIG EAST selections as freshmen. They lose two seniors, but Sara Karlsson, Maike Klein, Tara Lyons and Candace Wiley return also.

"On the tee for the Cards....Kaaaaatiieeee
Petrinoooooo!" 

I've never attended a UofL womens golf match. I wonder if the cheerleaders, LadyBirds and Louie the Cardinal Bird show up? Does Sean Moth or Jared Stillman introduce the starters as they take the first tee? Does the Kroger Crew run up and down the fairways tossing out golf towels and tees to the spectators? Is there a halftime intermission after nine holes where the coach stands in front of a white-board and designs shots and addresses putting? 


I'm putting attending a UofL golf match on my bucket list. Hopefully, they'll let me ride in a cart and shout out encouragement with a mouthful of nachos and a cold can of Ensure. 


"Be the ball, Katie! OOOOHHHH P---A---R---S!" 

I also wonder how long Tom Jurich looked for a coach. I've hear that Bobby Petrino is a pretty good golfer. He's available these days. Also, Pat Summitt might have considered the position. I'd love to see that icy stare of hers after Emily recorded a bogie or someone talked too loud during Tara's back-swing. I hope that Courtney does a good job coaching golf for the Cards. And, can you get thrown out of a golf event like you can in basketball or baseball? Are there "technicals" or sideline warnings? 


Someone once described golf has a "good walk spoiled". Some days, it's a pretty apt description. Then, there are those rare moments when a long putt drops or you nail one perfectly down the middle of the fairway. 


I played eighteen Saturday before the Belmont Stakes. Shot a 94 and a had a couple of pars. I was satisfied with that. I counted every stroke, too. Then, my golfing buddies and I went to a local establishment we like and had a few beverages and watched the race. The comradeship was great. The results of the race let something to be desired, despite the exciting finish. 

I'm spending today searching for Optimizer. My hope is that Paulie didn't get the voice-mail I left him about putting my Kentucky Derby winnings he still hasn't paid me for on the D. Wayne Lukas horse. Maybe I could buy Optimizer and ride him around the golf course instead of renting a cart. 


I wonder how comfortable he'd be spending time with me in the woods looking for errant tee shots? I've be-friended most of the squirrels and chipmunks where I normally play but I'm still convinced they hide my tee shots when they land deep in the oak and maple trees. 


Have a good week, CARDINAL COUPLE readers, and don't raise your head when you're in your downswing. 


--David Watson


( Thanks for the commentary, David! Not many know this about David, but he actually played eighteen holes once with a croquet mallet, pool cue and jack-hammer. He still hasn't beat that score. Tuesday Cardinal Couple features Sandy Walker. We're not sure if she plays golf, but we'd bet she'd beat David...regardless.)
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Monday Cardinal Couple -- Recruiting: the Watson theory

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MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Watson looks at recruiting


-Cards name Courtney Trimble new women's golf coach


(David Watson is a special contributing writer to CARDINAL COUPLE)

There is a story that a retired professor friend of mine loves to tell. He taught a higher-level finance class that was traditionally filled with business majors. One semester, though, he had a curvaceous, blonde haired beauty from the cheer-leading squad as one of his students. After the first couple of classes, he did some research and found out she was majoring in exercise science. She was rarely attentive in class, making eyes at most of the guys enrolled with her. 


He asked her to stay after class a couple of days later. His intent was to determine why she was enrolled in this class when it basically had nothing to do with her intended major and she seemed to have no interest in the topic matter.

"Well, you see...this is where all the smart guys hang out. Guys that will probably be making lots of money down the road. It's research on my part." she gleefully replied. "I'm scouting out potential husbands." 


He thought about that for a moment and then answered:


"You have figured out the cardinal rule of finance, then. To make the big money, hang out where the big money does." 


He let her stay in the class and even though she dropped out after the first major exam --several years later he received a wedding invitation from her and a up and coming banker he had taught during the same time she was in his class. She recruited well.


And, it seems college sports recruiting is the same way. Hang out, play with the great program and players and reap the rewards of titles, championships, success and recognition. If you can make it there, you're going to do well. If you don't, pack your bags and look for playing time elsewhere.  

When we look at women's college basketball, the trend is especially true. UConn, Baylor, Stanford, Notre Dame aren't just exceptionally lucky or have the best recruiting coaches and methods around. 


They win games and they attract great players who want to play with equally great players. As it was said years ago -- competition builds character, but winning solves a lot of problems. 

A look at the University of Louisville women's basketball program is a good example. Although the Cards were competitive and played decent hoops for many years, it wasn't until players like Angel McCoughtry and Candace Bingham started showing up on campus that the NCAA appearances became more prevalent, other potential players took notice and wanted to be a part of the success. 


In the four years before Angel, Louisville women's basketball was 74-46. A nice record and 61.6% wins.  During her four years, the Cards went 106-33. A bit better. 76.2% wins. They went to the "Big Dance" twice, losing in the first round each time before Angel. With Angel, they went all four years and made a Final Four appearance, the sweet sixteen the year before and into the second round her second year. 


It is interesting, though, that in the three years after Angel, Louisville womens' basketball is 59-41. 59% wins.


(Editor commentary. It is important to point out that the Cards were wrecked with injuries and a short roster in the 2009-10 season. It may have been the toughest coaching job Jeff Walz ever had season. The girls that were able to go gave it their all, though and we're very proud of each and every one of them who fought against insurmountable odds as the season progressed. They did have wins over Cincy, Providence, Villanova, Marquette, Seton Hall and Pitt that year. 


If you take that season out, UofL is 45-13. 78%. 
Everyone gets a mulligan, right? WE'LL never forget how little Shelby Harper battled each night against BIG EAST point guards and never backed down. )

The names that consider Louisville now are names which are ones that are being highly recruited. Monique Reid, Tia Gibbs, Asia Taylor, Shoni Schimmel, Sara Hammond, Bria Smith, Cortnee Walton, Megan Deines, Rebecca Greenwell, Mercedes Russell. Just to name a few. 


It has to be maddening, though, to be in the running for the elite, the best of the best and lose a few. It's happened to Coach Walz and it's happened to Geno, Tara, Muffet and Kim. It'll continue happening. 


It's recruiting. Expect the unexpected.

The case of the recent recruiting coup at North Carolina for Sylvia Hatchell squad is interesting but also carries some doubts. Rutgers has had classes close to this quality in their freshmen classes before. They splintered, transferred and faltered. Never a sure thing, this game called recruiting. Can the fearsome foursome headed to Chapel Hill remain together four years? Will all four even end up there?  


There are many who follow recruiting with tons of zest, appeal, curiosity and anticipation. I've always seen it as a prelude to the real test. 


What will you do once you get there? 

We've seen recruits come in highly lauded, ranked and promoted before and end up seated during games or eventually transferring. They get forgotten by a fan base eagerly looking to see whose in the next class or the class after that. I call it the "Thanks for the bike, Dad. When can I have a car?" syndrome. Fans forget.


This recruiting can be tricky business. 


I hope my Lady Cards can continue to recruit well. I hope the names we see as considering Louisville continue to shock, awe & impress us. 


But, in recruiting, there are no guarantees. Just verbal courting and promises until the fax arrives and the announcement is made. And even that isn't a guarantee. It's when they lace up the shoes and hit the court the first time you know for sure. 


It's a wonder more coaches aren't in therapy. 


-David Watson


( David Watson will be our featured Monday columnist for the next couple of months. Enjoy!) 


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WE mentioned to you several weeks ago that we had heard Kelly Meyers Rothberg was no longer the women's golf coach at UofL.


Today...Louisville has named Courtney Trimble as the new women's golf coach. Trimble comes to Louisville from UCF...where she spent three years as the head coach. 

The Knights made the NCAA tournament this spring and Trimble will bring a 13th. place finish in the East Regional with her...as well as her assistant coach Mary Bryan. She was also an assistant at Auburn and a top notch golfer there. 


Trimble has a nice returning nucleus to work with here at Louisville. Freshmen Emily Haas and Katie Petrino were recently named All-Big East and Louisville finished third in the BIG EAST Tournament. The Cards graduate just two:  Anna-Karin Llungstrom and Maria Castallanos.

Courtney becomes the second golf coach in the history of women's golf at UofL. Kelly Meyers Rothberg started the program in 1999.  


Good call, T.J! We were hoping for Chevy Chase...(be the ball, Danny) but we'll take this coup by landing Trimble. She may not be the most recognized Trimble on campus for now...(Jordan, of softball fame, gets that nod) but we're sure she'll have the Cards writing down birdies and avoiding sand traps!
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