Kentucky Premier Lands Nike Sponsorship

Kentucky Premier was first started in September 2009 by coaches Trent Milby, Jarrad Parmley and David Tapley, who were looking to build a program from the "parents perspective." Since then they've been one of the most successful AAU programs on the circuit. They consistently beat Nike sponsored teams and have won tournaments galore.

2011 Miss Basketball Sara Hammond is one of many distinguished  alumni of the Kentucky Premier program

Since their inception, they've helped every player that wanted to play at the next level sign a college basketball scholarship. This is a list that includes back-to-back Kentucky Miss Basketballs Sydney Moss and Sara Hammond, along with Bre Elder, Lauren Bodine, Danay Fothergill, etc.

Kentucky Premier Co-Founder and Marion County Head Coach Trent Milby

In the last two high school state championship games they've had players on both sides of the action. Co-founder Trent Milby even coached Marion County to the state championship game last year.

Marion County PG Makayla Epps is one of 11 17U Kentucky Premier to have already committed

At the conclusion of this year's AAU season their 17U team boasted a 40-6 record against top flight competition. Of all their 17U players 11 have already committed to play basketball in college. Three to four more players are likely to join that list as well.

Kentucky Premier is now an official Nike Elite Travel Team

After three years they've accomplished something that all AAU programs hope for. They are an official Nike Elite Travel team, one of only 20 in the country. In fact, by Nike's account they're the fastest program to ever reach that status.

This means Kentucky Premier will  face the top AAU programs week in and week out. And it means they'll have the chance to win Nike Nationals, the premier Girls' AAU tournament which concludes each year.

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Looking at the bigger picture though, this means increased exposure not only for Kentucky Premier but for Kentucky girl's high school basketball. Kentucky Premier will continue to feature some of the best talent that Kentucky has to offer. And this sponsorship allows Kentucky players to get maximum exposure and experience. Something that Kentucky Premier's founders have strived for since they began.

Congratulations again to Kentucky Premier, I look forward to covering them for many years to come.


Also since Paul hasn't figured out to embed videos in his posts. Check out this video of former Kentucky Premier star and current Louisville Cardinal Sara Hammond.

You can also check this article out over at my site as well: http://kyhsh.blogspot.com/

( I may not be an embed expert, but I can still proof read and spell check, my fine little chimp...)

Thanks to "The Donald" for this revealing look at K.P. We wish them many wins!

Coach Walz optimistic about upcoming season

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Jeff Walz's enthusiasm about Lady Cards this year something to take hold of.

- Soccer, Volleyball and Field Hockey hit the highway this weekend.

- Yaste article later today.

- Next in the Choose Your Favorite Cardinal womens athlete.



Walz looks forward to Lady Cards 2012-13 season

In a talk before a packed Sportsmen's Supper Club meeting Thursday night at the University Club, Jeff Walz spoke of optimism and the hopes for good results for his 2012-13 Lady Cards basketball team.

" The girls are practicing hard and with enthusiasm as we get ready for the season. Their hard work over the summer is showing and we're excited, as a coaching staff, on what they'll produce this year."

He has every reason to look forward to the upcoming season. Returning an experienced, veteran and talented team...the Lady Cards have been ranked as high as #6 in preseason polls. Add in the return of 2010-11 stalwarts Tia Gibbs and Monique Reid and the picture looks rosy...indeed...for the University of Louisville women's basketball squad.

There is one thing Coach Walz requests of the Lady Cards fan base, though. Fill the KFC YUM! Center when his team faces Texas A&M on Friday, November 9th.

" We'd love to see a sold out crowd in the KFC Yum Center when we play Texas A&M in less than a month. You have no idea what effect that would have on our girls...and I hope that we can sell this game out."

The team deserves no less than that. Louisville women's basketball has come of age over the last couple of years and crowds of over 10,000 are commonplace for Louisville home games now. Let's push it to the next level against the Aggies and put 23,000 in the YUM that Friday night. Season ticket packages are still available and you and your family and friends can catch 17 home games for the ridiculously low price of an evening of upscale dining.

And, we bet you'll have a great time. Call the UofL ticket office at (502) 852-5151 and get on board for what looks to be a rollicking good time watching your Lady Cards in hoops!

And tell 'em Coach Walz and CARDINAL COUPLE sent you...

Dugan comes from FAU to take over
the Lady Knights.

Also speaking at the dinner were Bellarmine basketball coaches Scotty Davenport and new WBB head coach Chancellor Dugan. From what we heard last night, both BU hoops teams are expecting great things out of their upcoming seasons.

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Soccer, Field Hockey and Volleyball take to the road this weekend.

If there's a scarcity of ladies on the Belknap Campus this upcoming weekend, it's because the Field Hockey, Volleyball and Women's Soccer teams have hit the highway to participate in BIG EAST and other action.

Women's soccer does the Jersey tour with games at Seton Hall and Rutgers. Field Hockey stops at Rutgers and Wake Forest over the next few days. And Anne Kordes' Volleyball squad hits St. John's and UConn.

Keep it on CARDINAL COUPLE for updates and results on your favorite UofL women's sports teams!

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Donny takes the wheel

Be sure to check back later today..as we get a report from correspondent Donny Yaste on the Kentucky Premier AAU squad.

Have you checked out Donny's site at Kentucky High School Hoops? You can find a link for it on the left side of the site. Donny provides great coverage of the movers and shakers here in the local area high school basketball scene and we heartily recommend you make his site a part of your regular reading!

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NEXT in the Choose Your Favorite Cardinal Women's Athlete

OK, it was probably an undeserved mismatch for Krissie Brandenburg, but someone had to go up against Shoni in the contest since there are no byes.

The elder Schimmel wins easily and advances to the Great Eight.

Our next duel could go right down to the wire. We pit softball's Caralisa Connell against soccer's Christine Exeter.

CONNELL, one of the starting pitchers on last year's excellent 55-5 squad and the only returning pitcher from last year with time in the Ulmer Stadium circle, will lead the Cards into play as the probable "ace" of the staff. Her record last year for the Cards was an eye-popping 19-1. She had a great fall exhibition rotation and Sandy Pearsall and the staff expect great things out of her in the upcoming season.

EXETER was the mainstay and leading scorer on the Louisville women's soccer team last season and has performed well for the Cards again this season. She was selected pre-season ALL-BIG EAST and...despite a late start in joining the Cards because of Team Canada commitments...has given Louisville productive minutes on the turf since her return. 


Two players enter, one exits as the winner. You can vote over on the "infamous" left side of the site through Monday.
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Kentucky High School Hoops: Kentucky's 2012 Class (Girls) Where Are They Going...

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Donny has been busy.


-Reader submitted article: Casey Smith


-We read (and sometimes post) your mail


We lead Friday CARDINAL COUPLE off with a great story from Donny Yaste on his blog Kentucky High School Hoops. 

The Donald

We've had the pleasure of knowing young Mr. Yaste for several years now and we're quite impressed with his knowledge on all things Cardinal sports related. He's taken a step further and now has a site devoted to Kentucky high school basketball. 

Donny after announcing he, Shannon Ruffra, Josh Tinch
and the guy on the right were going to see if they could
replace Steve Kragthorpe's defensive line in 2009. 

We still have Donny listed on the CARDINAL COUPLE staff as an administrator. He's had to administer us back into our website a couple of times when we got locked out during the infamous hacker attack of January 2012. He's also written some great pieces for us, CARD GAME, CARDINAL DOMINANCE and THE LOUISVILLE CARDINAL student newspaper. 


Donny is on track to get an Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Louisville. That means he'll have expert knowledge on how to insert plugs into electrical outlets, change light bulbs and how to turn breaker switches on and off. 

Many people get Donny and Monkees bass guitarist Peter
Tork confused. Donny actually plays the bass better than
Peter but declined an offer to star in a planned
remake of The Monkees sitcom. 

We invite you to check out the link below where Donny lists where the Kentucky high school girl basketball players are headed to college.


And, check his site out regularly for great information on both boys and girls high school hoops in Kentucky. We appreciate and heartily approve of him giving coverage to both sexes. We wish more sites would. 


Kentucky High School Hoops 


We're sure you'll make his site a daily routine to stop at on your internet travels. He's on Twitter, too. Link below. 

Kentucky High School Hoops: Kentucky's 2012 Class (Girls) Where Are They Going...: I've put together a list where many of the top 2012 players from Kentucky will be playing next year. There are some that I couldn't find a d...

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Since it is "reader submitted articles" Friday here at CARDINAL COUPLE...we wanted to share this article sent to us and written by 11 yr. old Casey Smith. Casey likes UofL women's basketball, volleyball and softball. She hopes to play for UofL someday and hopes to try out for her middle school team this fall.
She has never been to a UofL sporting event (distance issues) but hopes to see the Cardinal women in action this fall.


My Favorite UofL women's athletes
by Casey Smith

My name is Casey Smith and I am a fan of Louisville women's sports. I started watching Louisville women's sports back when Angel McCoughtry played for the basketball team and I have been a fan ever since. I have never been to a UofL women's game before but I have seen the basketball, volleyball and softball teams play on television. I love them all! I would also like to see the women's soccer, field hockey and other teams play someday and hope that they will be on television. I live too far away from Louisville to come to a game but my Dad told me that we might be able to come to Louisville one weekend this fall and go watch a basketball or volleyball game. I hope so! 


I like all of the players that play on the Louisville women's sports teams but I do have some favorites. 
Shoni and Monique are my favorite basketball players. Shoni can do anything on the basketball court! I bet she's going to be in the WNBA someday. Monique Reid can score anytime she wants to when she gets the ball under the basket. I missed not seeing her play last year and I hope she has recovered from her injury and does well again this year. 

In volleyball, I like Lola because she can spike the ball very well and she is always excited and fired up on the volleyball court. I also like Emily because she is another player that gets points and plays well. 


I have learned a lot about Louisville women's sports from the internet and all my friends know I am a big UofL fan. 
I would like to play for UofL someday in basketball or volleyball. I like reading Cardinal Couple and other Louisville sports sites and I hope you will use my article on one of your Fridays. Go CARDS! 


Casey Smith


( Our pleasure to run your article Casey and
keep cheering for those CARDS. If you get to Louisville for a game, be sure to let us know and we'll try to get you seats next to some great UofL fans we know!) 


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Finally, this rather interesting e-mail ( author's name and location withheld by request). 


Many people in the Louisville area that are University of Louisville fans are upset that West Virginia was chosen for the BIG 12 instead of Louisville. I am a WVU lifelong fan that AGREES with you. I wish you would have gotten the slot and we were staying in the BIG EAST or going to the ACC. It was easy for me and my family to travel to away games against schools like Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Louisville and Cincinnati. Now, travel to away games is going to be much harder and more expensive. We have no tradition or rivalry built up with schools in the BIG 12 and I have no interest in travelling to places like Lawrence, Waco, Stillwater or Lubbock. If we were in the ACC, road games to Virginia, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Duke, NC, NC State and such would be a lot shorter and more fun. 

A lot of people criticize our fan base as being rude, unfriendly and "hillbillies". As a WVU fan since the early seventies, I can tell you that we do have our share of "rowdies" but I have found that most of the schools I have traveled to for away games have their share of them, too. I'll miss trips to Louisville. 


Your football fans are knowledgeable, passionate about their team and we found some great people to tailgate with over the years. What Louisville has done with women's basketball over the years is amazing, too. We've been to Freedom Hall and the KFC YUM! Center to watch women's basketball and consider your fan base among the best in the nation. The legendary coaches you've had. Crum, Pitino, Schnellenberger, Corso. All great men who are respected and admired world-wide. Louisville is known for great basketball. West Virginia? Jury's still out on that one.


You have your share of "rowdies" too. Maybe we can both agree that we're not as bad as the Memphis or East Carolina fans?


I like your CARDINAL COUPLE site. You cover women's sports very well and you aren't afraid to poke fun at yourself or tease about other programs. I wish we had something like it covering West Virginia women's sports. You wouldn't consider moving to Morgantown, would you?


So,  farewell to the BIG EAST. I'll still read your site. I hope you beat Pittsburgh one last time before they take off to the ACC. It should be us going there, instead, if you look at it geographically and logically. Who knows anymore about all this conference re-alignment. Maybe you'll come and join us in the BIG 12 down the road. Those Louisville road trips are road trips I'd love to take again. 


( Not much chance in us moving to Morgantown but thanks for the nice words and Good Luck in the BIG 12. Maybe we'll get there someday...)
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