Juneau BIG EAST Golfer of the year, Bria Smith news, Rowing ready for BIG EAST.

SATURDAY with CARDINAL COUPLE:

Anna-Karin Ljungstorm joined Juneau
and Laura Anderson on the All-
BIG EAST first team.

-Sara-Maude named BIG EAST Golfer of the Year

-Bria Smith gets a visit from Sherry Coale

-Louisville rowing ready for BIG EAST Championships

Louisville senior Sara-Maude Juneau earned her second straight BIG EAST Player of the Year honor, announced by the conference office on Friday. Fellow senior Laura Anderson and sophomore Anna-Karin Ljungstrom joined her on the All-BIG EAST team.

Juneau led the BIG EAST with a 73.15 scoring average and was ranked #19 in the country. She participated in nine tournament this year...winning the Irish Invitational and gathering five top five finishes.

Anderson made the All-BIG EAST team for the fourth straight year.
She was third on the team in stroke average. She had three top twenty finishes this season and one in the top ten.

Anna-Karin Ljungstrom gathers her second straight BIG EAST honor. She had two top five finishes on the links and came in second in the BIG EAST Championships...losing in a sudden death playoff.

The Cards will participate in the NCAA Championships, ranked #13 in the East Regional. They tee it up beginning Friday, May 5th.

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Sherry Coale, head coach at Oklahoma, made a surprise visit to Bria Smith's Christ the King high school on Thursday. Coale got a talk in with head coach Bob Mackey and Smith and then left. Smith's reaction to the visit?

"It means they want you." A lot of people do. Mackey referred to the fact he had talked to over 100 coaches since Smith de-committed from Virginia following Debbie Ryan's retirement. Smith has made two visits...to Tennessee and Louisville and says she could visit two more schools before she makes her decision. That decision could come at the NY Daily News basketball awards dinner at B.B. King Blues Club on May 10th. Who's the leaders for her services?

Sherri Coale is the head coach at Oklahoma. She
paid an unannounced visit to Bria Smith and her coach.

"I'm not really sure. I made two trips this spring break, I think that's enough for spring break. I just have to think about what I'm going to do next." Smith has said she loved her trips to Louisville and Tennessee and that Oklahoma is in the picture now, as well. Smith's mother said that Bria has also expressed an interest in Georgia.

"I just have to make the process of finding a new school fun," she commented. "Hopefully, by next year, I'll be at a new school with a championship under my feet."

(Portions of this report came from Mitch Abramson's article in the New York Daily News, Friday April 29th, 2011.)

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Cardinal women's rowing enters the BIG EAST Championships at Mercer Lake in West Windsor, NJ with the #1 seed in the varsity eight and varsity four races. They'll practice today and hold the races Sunday. Louisville head rowing coach Laura Aubrey commented on the team and the preparation.

Louisville rowing opened a brand new facility
earlier this month by the Ohio River. It's nice!

"This team is very prepared for the BIG EAST Championships and despite the horrific Ohio River conditions, the morale, focus and determination of the team has not faltered for one second. They remain hungry, enthusiastic and prepared to perform at their absolute best this upcoming weekend. I am very proud of this team right now. We stress all year about taking care of the little things, building trust amongst each other, making good and selfless decisions and staying accountable for all of your actions. Right now, we are definitely feeling the benefits of the commitment we made to those principals.....I know this team is ready for their BIG EAST Championship and nothing is going to get in their way or stop them from reaching their goal."

(Good thing that the BIG EAST Championships aren't in Louisville this weekend. The Ohio River is way over flood stage and the rowers would have to contend with swift currents, trees and other debris floating down the muddy Ohio. Good luck girls, bring home the title and trophy.)

BIG EAST recognizes Volleyball, Red and Black Saturday

TUESDAY AT CARDINAL COUPLE:

-Volleyball's Emily Juhl named Freshman of the Week

-Red and Black Day for Rowing Saturday

-Ben is a little upset...

Laura Aubrey, pictured right, would like to invite Cardinal fans to the Red and Black Day for rowing on Saturday. The event features several intra-squad races followed by a cookout with Cardinal rowing team and staff members.

Things kick off on the Ohio River at 11 a.m. with a welcome and introduction. Six rowing contests follow, beginning at noon, including a varsity vs. alumni race and International vs. USA contest.

The Cardinal Boathouse is located on River Road at Waterfront Park. They are directly across from Stop Light Liquors and near the Tumbleweed on River Road. It's a chance to meet your 2010-11 UofL rowing team, see the Cardinal Bird and UofL Pep Band (under the direction of Al Greener) and chow down. Louisville rowing gear and merchandise will also be available for purchase.

Rowing on the River. Sounds like a fun few hours. Load up the kids, that cranky neighbor next door and that guy that says you never call him to do stuff with you and hit the Park for great times!

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We knew Emily Juhl could spike a volleyball through a concrete wall. The BIG EAST has recognized her talents and named her Freshman of the Week. Juhl helped lead the Cards to a victory Saturday with 16 kills and 12 digs against Notre Dame. She also had 11 kills and seven digs against DePaul on Sunday. Juhl leads BIG EAST freshmen with 3.86 kills per set.

Also, Lola Arsenbeckova has been named to the BIG EAST honor roll for her double-double performance against UND and huge game against the Blue Demons. Lola knows a thing or two about Volleyball and, in the words of Emil Faber:

"Knowledge is good."

The Volley Cards defend Cardinal Arena Saturday when perennial BIG EAST power Cincinnati (17-3, 6-0) comes calling. Louisville (10-5, 5-1) defeated the Bearcats for the BIG EAST tournament title last year. These 'Cats are coming in looking for a little revenge and this is one match that you don't wanna miss. The volleying starts at 2 p.m.

Hmmm...Cardinal Football Friday Night vs. the Bearcats. Saturday Volleyball vs. the Bearcats. Sounds like the perfect time to get out the broom and sweep the weekend games against the UC invaders.

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WE review mail occasionally here at CARDINAL COUPLE...if we can get to it before Bill the goat recycles it...but decided we needed to address this rather terse communication we got right away, instead of waiting for the normal "We Read your Mail" segment.

CARDINAL COUPLE:

I like your site and I check it almost every day. I'm writing about a rather unpleasant incident I had recently while attending a UofL sporting event. I took my young daughter to this event and she was treated rather harshly by one of those Yellow Shirted people that monitor and assist at UofL sporting events. We were their (sic) way before game time and she was trying to get the attention of the players warming up so she could get an item signed. She was approached by this Yellow Shirt and told that she could not be in this area and had to go sit down. She came running back to me in tears and it traumatized her so much that we had to leave. Is this the way that Cardinal Athletics usually treats fans? I won't be back.

Ben (last name withheld by request)

DEAR BEN:

The CARDS CARE personnel (the Yellow Shirts) are voluntary fans who are there to provide information, seating help and assist fans during UofL sporting events. I know several of these volunteers and can only tell you that they are fine people, dedicated to making your Cardinal sporting event experience as enjoyable as possible. Even Jack Wimsett. They also have responsibilities to ensure the safety of all Cardinal fans. Without knowing all the details here, perhaps it was a case of where your daughter might have potentially been in harm's way or there was a concern about her being unattended.

That being said, I am sure that the University of Louisville is definitely not in the business of driving fans away or terrorizing them at athletic events. If you'll get me some more details, I'd be happy to contact the S.I.D. that covers that particular sport and see if I can arrange for your daughter to meet the players and get her autographs.

I'm not an autograph seeker...but I'm pretty sure that at most Cardinal sporting events, there is a time where fans can approach the players and get autographs. I've seen it at UofL women's basketball games...for example...the Lady Cards basketball players absolutely love to talk to the young fans after a game and sign, pose for pictures and such. Chauntise Wright really looked forward to and loved this aspect of being a Cardinal and she was great with the kids.

Let me know if I can help.

Paul
cardinalcouple@insightbb.com


I can understand Ben's frustration here but have to wonder if it might be a case of over-reaction to a possible safety issue. I also remember years ago when I tried to get Wesley Cox's autograph after a UofL men's basketball game and was denied access. Maybe it was because I was trying to get him to sign a UK poster. Go figure.