Senior Jayden Ulrich is the first Cardinal track and field athlete to represent the U.S. at the Olympics. She’s competing in the women’s discus throw.

“I couldn’t be more excited to represent Team USA at the Olympic Games,” Ulrich said. “It means so much that all the work I’ve put in is finally paying off!”

She won her spot after finishing second in the discus throw at U.S. Olympic Team Trials with a throw of 63.61 meters in the preliminaries and a 62.63 toss in the finals.

Ulrich is the second female Olympian in the history of UofL’s track and field program after Chinwe Okoro ’11 competed in the women’s discus throw for Nigeria at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

UofL is well-represented in Paris, with current student-athletes and alums taking part in swimming, diving, golf and basketball competitions.

Swimming

• Junior Denis Loktev competes for Israel in the 200 free and the freestyle relays.
• Junior Denis Petrashov represents Kyrgyzstan in breaststroke events.
• Junior Murilo Sartori competes for Brazil on the 800 freestyle relay team.
• Graduate student Ilia Sibirtsev swims for Uzbekistan in the 800 free.
• Nicolas Albiero ’21,’22 joins Sartori on the Brazilian team and competes in the 200 fly.
• Andrej Barna ’22 represents Serbia in freestyle events.
• Evgenii Somov ’22 was granted neutral status to swim at the games and competes in the 100 breast.
• Daria Golovaty, who will be a first-year student at UofL in fall 2024, swims for Israel in the 4×200 freestyle relay.

Diving

• Senior Else Praasterink competes in 10M platform for Netherlands.

Golf

• Matthias Schmid ’21 represents Germany.

Basketball

• Former men’s basketball player Carlik Jones represents South Sudan.

A few Cardinals also are working at the Olympics – associate head swimming coach Reed Fujan is coaching the Uzbekistan swimmers in Paris while former field hockey player Suzanne (Irwin) Bush ’06 joins the broadcast team as NBC’s field hockey analyst for the games. Kara Kessans ’03, a former women’s basketball player at UofL, is the head physical therapist and athletic trainer for the U.S. women’s national volleyball team.��

The Paris Olympics run July 26-Aug. 11. Check for more information on Cardinal Olympians.

The vast majority — — of those athletes came from American colleges and universities, including several from the University of Louisville who traded their Cardinal red for red, white and blue.��

This month, several Cardinals will also head to Paris to compete in the summer games.��

So why do so many Olympic athletes come from academia? According to UofL researcher Meg Hancock, who studies college athletics, it comes down to the unique environment and resources available to college athletes that allow them to achieve an elite level of competition.��

“It’s a formula for success that starts with these bright, talented, ambitious students — they’re driven, both on the court and in the classroom, ” said Hancock, an associate professor at the UofL . “When you take a great athlete, and support them with coaches, mentors, health experts and other resources only universities can offer, they become more and more competitive, even on an international stage.”

That ‘formula’ is likely why more than 170 U.S. colleges and universities have produced Olympians, with UofL alone producing around 40 — and some Olympic-level coaches — since 1980. Those athletes, representing 20 different countries, competed in events as wide ranging as rugby, swimming and diving and track and field.

“I think it’s phenomenal that we have folks who are competitive across that breadth,” Hancock said. “It’s an incredible opportunity for these student athletes to compete on a world stage and represent their home countries.”��

UofL, she said, has taken a leading role in supporting student athletes and working to help them improve their Olympic chances. UofL and have been on the forefront in taking a holistic approach to athlete performance, including looking at players’ physical, mental and nutritional health and that helps them minimize risk and improve their technique.

“That holistic approach is part of UofL’s strong commitment to the health, safety, and performance of all of our student athletes,” said Pat Ivey, associate athletic director for student athlete health and performance. “We want to ensure that they’re firing on all cylinders and on all fronts — that we’re helping them achieve not only their athletic or Olympic aspirations, but overall wellbeing.”��

UofL also offers student athletes access to a suite of trainers, health care experts and clinicians via its official care provider, . That care is unique among universities, Hancock said, because it puts heavy focus on mental and emotional health, with UofL Health for student athletes.��

“We have built the nation’s largest team of mental health professionals with a focus on student-athletes. This commitment is directly enhancing individual and team performance in UofL sports,” said Kate O’Bryan, director of the UofL Athletics Mental Health and Performance Team, a partnership with UofL Health. “The integrated approach, alongside our other services in sport science, nutrition, athletic training, and sport performance, positions UofL Athletics as a leading model of high performance for other universities to emulate

Mental health has been a big part of the recent public discussion around Olympic athletic performance, especially since gymnast Simone Biles famously withdrew over concerns at the 2020 Tokyo Games. But even so, some surveys show think mental health is a priority for their athletics department.

“They’re under a lot of pressure,” Hancock said. “UofL has worked to address that, and now, other colleges are seeing this as a model and thinking about the role mental health and mental performance play in athletics at this level. To compete in the Olympics, you have to consider the whole athlete.”��

The residence hall opened for occupancy this semester and houses student-athletes from men’s basketball, women’s basketball and women’s lacrosse, as well as other UofL students. Named for the Cardinals’ former Hall of Fame men’s basketball coach, the facility is located directly across Floyd Street from the Planet Fitness Kueber Center, the training home of the three sports housed in the new residence hall.
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“Denny Crum Hall represents a first-in-class residence hall,” said UofL Director of Athletics Josh Heird.��“I would argue no other university has put as much energy and attention into an on-campus residence hall as the University of Louisville. … When you have something named in your honor, it tends to commemorate the years of service you’ve dedicated toward something bigger than yourself. And while I’m not sure we could have built a building big enough or nice enough to show our gratitude for all that Denny has given to the UofL community, we tried. Each day, Coach Crum had the opportunity and unique ability to impact lives, help families, serve as a compass to navigate difficult situations, and provide encouragement and advice for those seeking his counsel and expertise.”
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The $23.5 million project is a partnership among UofL Athletics, UofL Campus Housing and a third-party developer consisting of Buffalo Construction Inc. and Investment Property Advisors, who also developed Cardinal Towne, another campus housing project. L&N Federal Credit Union has provided a $2.25 million gift to the Cardinal Athletic Fund to promote the legacy of UofL Athletics through naming the facility in Crum’s honor.
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The five-story, 67-unit facility includes 128 beds, of which UofL Athletics will guarantee occupancy for 63 to remain within the NCAA requirement of no more than 50% of the beds being occupied by student-athletes. UofL Athletics will also guarantee an additional 10 beds to be used by team managers and graduate assistants.��
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The residence hall will also serve as a Living Learning Community (LLC) to bolster its sports administration program and others that involve athletic excellence from a business and operations standpoint. With the LLC including many athletes in action, it offers unparalleled opportunities for athletes and students to work together to innovate in the field of sports.
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“We know what Coach Crum means to the university athletics program and what he means to the university basketball, but he also means so much to us at UofL,” said Louisville Interim President Dr. Lori Gonzalez. “Every Cardinal fan is familiar with all of his accolades – national championships, Final Four appearances and induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. But he’s much more than those awards and accomplishments that happened on the hardwood. He’s also a husband, a father, a mentor and a role model.
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“… For many years and to many people, Denny Crum has been the face of the University of Louisville, and we couldn’t be more proud of that fact.”
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Each apartment features a full kitchen with cabinets, island, solid surface counters, refrigerator, kitchen sink, cooking range, dishwasher, and microwave. Additional features include a single stack-style washer and dryer in each apartment, furnished common living space, and access to a private bedroom, restroom and closet for every occupant.
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Shared amenities on the first floor include:
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• A common kitchen and dining area adjacent to the lobby
• A common area in the lobby with a 164-inch video wall capable of showing up to four screens
• Another media lounge with a 198-inch video wall capable of showing two screens
• A study lounge with a private tutoring area
• A gaming wing with billiards, Pop-A-Shot, arcade games and other games
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Each floor of the residence hall includes multi-purpose rooms, including a Muhammad Ali-themed space on the second floor, as well as an outdoor patio deck on the fifth level. There’s also an outdoor deck attached to the Ali room that wraps around with a great view of the Kueber Center and Cardinal Stadium.
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Those on hand for Thursday’s dedication included the facility’s namesake Crum, who served as UofL’s men’s basketball coach for 30 years (1971-2001), retiring following the 2000-01 season.�� He directed Louisville to the 1980 and the 1986 NCAA Championships, ranking him as one of only 14 coaches in NCAA history to win two or more titles. Six times he guided the Cardinals into the NCAA Final Four, including four times in the decade of the ’80s. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on May 9, 1994.
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After his retirement, Crum continued to work as a special assistant to the UofL president for several years. The KFC Yum! Center court has been named in his honor. Since 2001, The Denny Crum Scholarship Foundation and the Denny Crum Scholarship Fund at UofL have awarded over a million dollars benefiting over 425 students. The San Fernando, Calif., native made Louisville his home and has lent countless hours of his time for charitable causes throughout the community for the past 50 years.��
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Two members of Crum’s first national championship team in 1980, Darrell Griffith and Roger Burkman, spoke Thursday to the wide-reaching impact of their former coach.
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“The most important thing is what Coach has meant to his former players, and that’s evident with all of the former players that are here now,” Griffith said. “Coach is the University of Louisville. He’s the marquee trademark of our brand.”
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“He’s been there for all of us, for this university and for this community,” Burkman said. “He’s that humble guy that you would never know is a legendary superstar of a college basketball coach. He’s always been, without a blemish, a great mentor and role model for all of us. He’s had such a positive impact on everybody’s life that he’s touched, especially mine.”

• A new steel mezzanine with a double staircase, which connects the club levels, has been added to the center of the room, as an abstract Cardinal sculpture flies above the new structure.
• New steel and glass handrails line the fourth floor and mezzanine.
• Large LED screens flank each end of the club, with new televisions and audio system added throughout the space.
• New extended main bars positioned at each end of the club, with private speakeasy bars tucked away at each end.
• A highlighted focus in the center of the club is the massive K-RAX-built custom bourbon barrel storage system, generously gifted to the project by the Koetter Group Inc.
• New gathering furniture and soft seating have been added. Custom artwork and branding reflect the history of Cardinals Football.
• New finishing upgrades have been added such as flooring, paint, wallcovering and light fixtures throughout the space and at the concession and condiment stations.
• Renovated elevator lobbies and restrooms on the third and fourth floor.

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“We’re so excited to share Angel’s Envy with the many Cardinal fans, alumni and guests who will visit Cardinal Stadium this football season, especially those who will join us in the Angel’s Envy Bourbon Club,” said Gigi DaDan, Angel’s Envy general manager. “Through this partnership with the University of Louisville Athletic Association and Cardinal Stadium, as well as our recent $8.2 million expansion to our downtown Louisville Brand Home, Angel’s Envy is proud to continue to invest in our hometown and support our local community.”
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The club, which spans the length of the football field, is a popular gathering place for fans at UofL football games, and the space is also used throughout the year for various events such as weddings, job fairs, conferences, meetings, awards dinners, registrations for car shows, bridal shows and others. The massive club can accommodate up to 1,500 for receptions, 1,000 in a theatre setting and 700 for banquets.

The two have been playing softball for as long as they can remember. They were teammates in various youth leagues and even through high school. After landing at different colleges, though, they never imagined that they’d find themselves on the same team again.��

Cassady began her college softball career as a Cardinal in 2019, playing 34 games with four starts as a freshman. Carmyn, who is almost two years older, transferred to UofL from Auburn before the 2020 season.��

This past 2022 season – their last together– Carmyn came through holding the school-record .408 career batting average and an All-ACC First Team selection. She was also selected for NFCA All-America and NFCA All-Southeast Region teams.��Cassady was named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll

The sisters’ skill and grit filled the stat sheets while they both earned their degrees. Carmyn earned her marketing degree in 2021 and pursued an MBA. Cassady majored in psychology with a minor in Spanish.

Their impact, however, extended well beyond the classroom and the field. While active on the Cardinals’ roster, the sisters collaborated to sell branded gear for a purpose, donating their Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) earnings to the national nonprofit called.

Blessings in a Backpack collects food for school children who are fed during the week through federally-funded Free and Reduced Meal Program and who are at risk of going hungry on the weekends. The sisters, who volunteered at the organization’s Louisville office, created a logo and brand for Team Greenwood to generate proceeds for this cause.��

The Greenwood sisters have moved on to the next chapters in their journey.��Carmyn is working at a Bush Keller Sporting Goods store in Indiana, and has also had the chance to play professionally with Florida Vibe in Bradenton, Florida. Cassady is now attending the University of Alabama at Birmingham to pursue a masters degree. Her softball career continues.

Even though their time as Cardinals has come to an end, both maintain a deep fondness for UofL.��

“I would like to thank Louisville for supporting me and cheering us on no matter what the outcome ended up being. I’m glad I am going to be able to be a Card forever,” Carmyn said.��

“The love we felt from the fans made representing Louisville easy,” Cassady added. “I also want to thank the support staff in the athletic department because there is not a program in the country that dedicates as much time as they do to the overall wellness of their athletes.”

The annual award recognizes the contributions of an extraordinary University of Louisville staff member who exemplifies the traits of its namesake George J. Howe (humility, generosity and excellence in leadership) as well as the Cardinal Principles. This staff member’s career has had an exceptional impact on the university and its vision of being a great place to learn, work and in which to invest.

Mitchell, senior associate athletic director for student services and diversity, was presented with the award at the 2022 Presidential Excellence Awards banquet, which took place April 18. At its April 21 meeting, the University of Louisville Board of Trustees, along with Interim Athletic Director Josh Heird, acknowledged the award and thanked Mitchell for his service.

“What Marvin means to this university and how much respect his staff have for him, how much respect students have for him, it’s just unbelievable,” said Heird. “To think about the lives he has touched and the student athletes who have come through this place over the past 22 years, I can promise you every one of them remembers, knows and cares about Marvin; but more importantly Marvin remembers, knows and cares about every one of them.”

Mitchell serves as the department’s chief diversity officer and has oversight of academic services, continuing eligibility, student development, student-athlete programming and the Thorntons Academic Center of Excellence operations. He also is the sport administrator for the Cardinals’ track and field and cross-country programs.

“I want to thank everyone who nominated me and recognized the work that I have done over the years,” said Mitchell, who was the school’s first associate athletic director in academics. “I received a lot of special notes from students since the award was announced, and it’s really something to see how my work has impacted so many people.”

Under Mitchell’s leadership, academic success for student-athletes has flourished at UofL. More than half of all student-athletes are consistently named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for maintaining a 3.0 grade-point average each semester. Graduation rates for student-athletes have improved to all-time highs. Computer access, tutorial services, objective-based study halls and a new student retention program are among the significant advancements since Mitchell’s arrival.

and join us in congratulating him for his ongoing success.

Swimmer Kaylee Wheeler��works predominately with adaptive sports and programs served as an undergraduate research assistant with University of Louisville research and was a disabilities ministry volunteer. This is her second appearance on the Top Six Award List.

Field Hockey player Katie Schneider has��acted as a College Mentors for Kids as well as logged hours at the National Girls and Women in Sports Events and Martin Luther King Day initiatives.

Lacrosse player Ashley Osborne has been active with Bless The Block (Change Today, Change Tomorrow), Operationa Brightside Clean Up, Martin Luther King Day initiatives as well as the Jack O’ Lantern Stroll.

Men’s Soccer player Bradley Sample logged��hours at the Family Scholar House and games, Churchill Park Elementary games and student mentoring. He also took part in Martin Luther King day initiatives, Adaptative Sports Programming and served as a student mentor at Newburg Middle School.
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Kaden Kozlowski, a member of UofL’s co-ed cheer squad, has been active with Adaptive sports, Thanksgiving meal shopping packing and delivery, MLK initiatives and has served as a swim meet timer.��
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Dawson Orlowski, a member of UofL’s co-ed cheer squad, has been dedicated to providing inclusion through Adaptive Sports. He assisted with Thanksgiving meal shopping, packing, and delivery. He took part in Martin Luther King Day initiatives, acted as a swim meet timer, and assisted with the Feed the West (Change Today, Change Tomorrow) program.

With the ability to reach over 50,000 student-athletes across 23 sports and 109 schools, the new NIL program will give eligible student-athletes of all genders the opportunity, directly with adidas, to become paid affiliate brand ambassadors. Launching in four phases over the next 12 months, the network will begin with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Power-5 conference partners in Fall 2022, scaling across all schools by April 2023.

“At adidas, we are committed to creating change through sport and recognize the important role student-athletes play in shaping the future,” said Rupert Campbell, president of adidas North America. “Our groundbreaking NIL program advances our commitments toward building inclusivity in sport and inspires athletes to realize a more equitable world. I can’t wait to see it come to life.”

According to adidas, to illustrate the importance of a more inclusive environment for student-athletes, women’s and men’s teams at March Madness will be seen wearing t-shirts with ‘More Is Possible’ on the front and Title IX passage on the back, along with notable athlete partners who join together to support the program.��

Payne’s six-year contract with the Cardinals extends through the 2027-28 season. The University of Louisville Athletic Association Board of Directors approved the terms of his contract this morning.
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“As I stated when we began this process in early February, the University of Louisville is a destination job and the strength of our candidate pool proved this out,” Heird said. “After a thorough national search during which we sat down with a number of expectational coaches, it was clear that Kenny Payne was what we need. His basketball knowledge, his passion for his student-athletes, his vision for our program and his understanding of what Louisville Basketball means to our city and to our institution, are evident. I am thrilled to welcome Kenny and Michelle, and their children, Alexis and Zan, to the University of Louisville.”
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Payne has 17 years of coaching experience, most recently serving as an assistant coach with the NBA’s New York Knicks after 15 years as a college assistant or associate head coach with both the University of Oregon and the University of Kentucky.

He will be just the sixth head coach to guide the Cardinals in the last 48 years, following Denny Crum (1971-2001), Rick Pitino (2001-17), David Padgett (2017-18, interim), Chris Mack (2018-22) and Mike Pegues��(2021-22, interim). Payne is the 23rd head coach in Louisville’s 108-year history and the ninth in the past 77 years (fourth since 1971, excluding interim coaches).
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“I want to thank President (Lori) Gonzalez and Josh Heird��for this incredible opportunity to return to a place that means so much to me to lead our storied basketball program,”�� Payne said. “While there are challenges, I see opportunities, and if we are united and aligned, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish. Our fans and community deserve a championship basketball program fueled by exceptional and high-character student-athletes, and it is my responsibility to deliver on that vision. I cannot wait to get started.” ��
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The Knicks posted a 41-31 record in 2020-21, finishing fourth in the NBA’s Eastern Conference and are currently 29-40 this season.�� While at Oregon and Kentucky, Payne was part of four Final Four teams, 10 NCAA Tournaments and won six conference titles. Payne was honored in the��A STEP UP��Assistant Coaches Hall of Fame Class of 2020 for his track record of success and contributions to the game, as well as his high character, integrity and respect among colleagues. He has been nationally recognized for his player development, helping dozens of players achieve their dreams of playing in the NBA.
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As a student-athlete at UofL, Payne scored 1,083 points in his career (1985-86), connecting on 40.1% of his career three-point attempts (85-of-212, fourth-highest in UofL history). He was a member of Louisville’s 1986 NCAA Championship team as a freshman and throughout his collegiate career, Louisville participated in three NCAA Sweet Sixteens, won three Metro Conference championships and three Metro tournament titles. As a senior playing under Hall of Fame Coach Denny Crum, Payne averaged 14.5 points and 5.7 rebounds and was named to the All-Metro Conference Second Team.
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Payne was selected in the first round of the 1989 NBA Draft as the 19^th��overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers, where he played four seasons (1989-93). He continued to play professional basketball abroad and in the Continental Basketball Association until 2000, with stops at the CBA Tri-Cities (Washington) and with teams in Italy, Japan, Brazil, the Philippines, Cypress, China, Argentina and Australia.
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Payne earned a Bachelor of Science degree in sport administration from the University of Louisville in 2003.
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He and his wife, Michelle, have two children: Alexis and Alexander (Zan), who currently plays on the Kentucky men’s basketball team.
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Kenny Payne Coaching Career
2022, Head Coach, University of Louisville
2020-22, Assistant coach, New York Knicks
2014-20, Associate Head Coach, University of Kentucky
2010-14, Assistant Coach, University of Kentucky
2004-09, Assistant Coach, University of Oregon
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