Go Cards – UofL News

Going for Gold: UofL researcher explores why many Olympians are college athletes

Baylee Pulliam — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 12:53:16 +0000

In summer 2021, more than 600 elite athletes made their way to Tokyo as part of the U.S. Olympic team.��

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.”��

Jeff Brohm named 24th head coach at the University of Louisville

UofL Athletics — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 14:45:32 +0000

Jeff Brohm, one of the most accomplished signal callers in school history, returns to his alma mater to lead the University of Louisville football program, UofL Vice-President/Director of Athletics Josh Heird announced on Thursday.

The 24th head coach in school history, Brohm’s No. 11 jersey is one of 26 to be honored by the program throughout its history.

“We’re excited to welcome Head Coach Jeff Brohm and his family home to the University of Louisville,” Heird said. “The Brohms are synonymous with Louisville, and Jeff has made a lasting impact on our city as a high school star, college quarterback, professional athlete and coach. But beyond his ties to the city, what excites me most about Jeff is that he’s had success at the highest level of college football. To put it simply, Jeff is a proven winner. Along the way, he’s done it with an exciting brand of football that remains innovative and entertaining, and he’s done it by making the right decisions with the best interest of his student-athletes at the forefront. I knew we needed to identify a tremendous leader for our program who understood the history of Louisville Football, and who would be committed long-term to this school and this community. There’s not another coach in America who checks those boxes like Jeff Brohm.”

“Today is a great day for the University of Louisville as Jeff Brohm is coming home to the Commonwealth,” said Governor Andy Beshear. “Britainy and I want to personally welcome his family and we know he will not only be a great coach, but also a great member of our Louisville and Kentucky community.”

Brohm ushers in a new era of UofL football after elevating the Purdue program to unprecedented success during his six seasons as head coach.

Hired on Dec. 5, 2016, he guided the Boilermakers to four bowl appearances and the school’s first Big Ten West Divisional title in 2022. The Boilermakers fell to No. 2 Michigan in the Big Ten title game, but Purdue was awarded a trip to the Citrus Bowl.

“My family and I are honored to return home to the University of Louisville, a place we love, which has been so influential in shaping me as a player, a coach and a man,” Brohm said.�� “I am extremely grateful and humbled that Dr. Gonzalez, Dr. Schatzel, Josh Heird and the ULAA Board believe that I am the right person to lead this football program. I promise relentless energy, effort, and hard work every single day on behalf of all our coaches, staff and student-athletes.�� Our goal is to compete for championships while also developing our student-athletes into true leaders on and off the field. These young men will make our university, our community, and our fan base proud to be Louisville Cardinals.�� This city means a great deal to me and my family. Louisville is who we are. Thank you all for welcoming us back home.”

Prior to his arrival in West Lafayette, the Boilermakers won a combined nine games over four seasons. In his six seasons at Purdue, Brohm compiled a 36-34 overall mark with the Boilermakers. He led the program to notable victories, posting three wins over Top 3 teams: No. 2 Ohio State in 2018; No. 2 Iowa in 2021; and, No. 3 Michigan State in 2021.

Over the last two seasons, Brohm’s teams compiled a 17-9 record, including a 9-4 mark in 2021 – the school’s first nine-win season since 2003. The school achieved back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2006-07.

In nine seasons as a head coach, Brohm boasts a career record of 66-44, a .600 winning percentage, and has positioned himself as one of the top offensive minds in the country. His passing offenses have placed in the top 20 in eight of his nine seasons as an FBS coach, which ranked 13th on average over that span.

In his tenure at Purdue, Brohm produced nine National Football League draft picks, highlighted by defensive end George Karlaftis, who was selected as the No. 23 pick in the first round by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022. Wide receiver Rondale Moore was a second-round selection in 2021 by the Arizona Cardinals, and wideout David Bell was taken in the third round by the Cleveland Browns in 2022.

Playing in Brohm’s high-powered offense, several Boilermakers were honored for their accomplishments within the league. Moore and Bell captured back-to-back Big Ten Freshman of the Year awards and Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year awards, while Brycen Hopkins was tabbed the Big Ten Tight End of the Year in 2019. Moore was also the 2018 Paul Hornung Award winner as the nation’s most versatile player.

Three Boilermakers were named All-Americans during Brohm’s tenure in West Lafayette. Moore became the first true freshman consensus first team All-American in Big Ten history in 2018 before wide receiver David Bell and defensive end George Karlaftis earned All-America honors following the 2021 season. Bell was a consensus All-American, joining Moore as the second under Brohm and the 21st in Purdue history.

The 2021 season featured a 9-4 record, the second-most wins in Purdue history. The Boilermakers tied for second in the Big Ten West, which included a pair of Top 5 victories over No. 2 Iowa and No. 3 Michigan State, which handed both teams their first loss of their respective campaigns. The Boilermakers capped the campaign with a 48-45 overtime victory over Tennessee at the TransPerfect Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn.

Purdue exceeded all expectations in his first season in 2017 and put the program on the map nationally. The Boilermakers won seven games, recaptured both of its rivalry trophies (the Cannon and the Old Oaken Bucket), and finished the season with Foster Farms Bowl victory over Arizona. They followed that up in 2018 with another Bowl appearance, and Top 25 victories over Boston College, Iowa, and a monumental victory over No. 2 Ohio State at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Prior to taking over in West Lafayette, Brohm spent three seasons at Western Kentucky, where he compiled a remarkable 30-10 overall record (.750 winning percentage), including a 19-5 Conference USA mark (.792), from 2014 to 2016. The Hilltoppers were league champions in 2015 and 2016, the school’s first back-to-back titles as an FBS member. They won the 2014 Bahamas Bowl (49-48 over Central Michigan) and the 2015 Miami Beach Bowl (45-35 over Miami), as well as the 2016 Boca Raton Bowl (51-31 over Memphis under interim head coach Nick Holt). Western Kentucky was ranked No. 24 in the final 2015 Associated Press poll.

In his first go-around as a head coach at Western Kentucky, the Hilltoppers were one of the most explosive offensive units in the nation, averaging 44.6 points, 356.6 passing yards and 526.2 yards of total offense per game over three seasons on The Hill.

Under Brohm’s tutelage, WKU’s starting quarterbacks completed 69.2 percent of their passes and threw 131 touchdowns and just 25 interceptions. The offense averaged a hefty 7.3 yards per play, while running 72.1 plays per game. Brohm’s teams re-wrote the WKU record book, breaking more than 75 school offensive records since 2013, when the Louisville native served as assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Western Kentucky ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring offense (No. 6 in 2014, No. 3 in 2015 and No. 1 in 2016), passing offense (No. 2 in 2014, No. 4 in 2015 and No. 5 in 2016) and total offense (No. 4 in 2014, No. 9 in 2015 and No. 5 in 2016) each of Brohm’s three seasons as head coach.

As an assistant at his alma mater (2003-08), Brohm played an integral role in coaching during the high point of Louisville football. Serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2006, with his brother Brian as the quarterback, the Cardinals finished the season with a school best 12-1 record, which was capped by winning the Orange Bowl – the school’s first appearance in the Bowl Championship Series. That season, the offense ranked second nationally in total offense, fourth in scoring offense and were seventh in passing offense and 12th in rushing.

As the offensive coordinator in 2007, Louisville was just as explosive, finishing fourth nationally in passing offense, six in total offense and 18th in scoring.

One of the top quarterbacks in school history, Brohm returns to UofL where he enjoyed an outstanding collegiate career from 1989-93. A three-year starter, he still ranks among the Cardinals’ career leaders in touchdown passes (tied for eighth, 38), total offense (ninth, 5,410), completion percentage (ninth, .562), passing yards (10th, 5,451), and passing efficiency (ninth, 129.97), passing attempts (10th, 715) and completions (10th, 402) through the 2022 season. Brohm was voted the team’s Most Valuable Player during both his junior and senior seasons, and his No. 11 became part of the Louisville Ring of Honor in 2006.

Professionally, Brohm played eight seasons in the NFL, competing with the San Diego Chargers (1994), Washington Redskins (1995-96), San Francisco 49ers (1997-98), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1998), Denver Broncos (1999) and Cleveland Browns (2000). In eight career games – all with the 49ers – he completed 37 of 58 passes (63.8 percent) for 353 yards with one touchdown and one interception. His best game came Oct. 27, 1996, when he completed 19 of 30 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown to lead San Francisco to a 10-9 win over the Houston Oilers. In 2001, Brohm played in the XFL for the Orlando Rage and was named first-team All-XFL.

A standout at Trinity High, Brohm was awarded the Kentucky Mr. Football Award as a senior in 1988, while leading the Shamrocks to a state championship and undefeated season. Brohm was named the Kentucky High School Player of the Decade for the 1980s and was inducted into the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2014.

A native of Louisville, Brohm, 51, (born April 24, 1971) earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1994. He and his wife, Jennifer, have a son, Brady, and a daughter, Brooke. Jeff is one of four family members to be a football letterwinner at Louisville, along with his father, Oscar (quarterback 1966-69), and brothers, Greg (wide receiver 1989-92) and Brian (quarterback 2004-07). The Brohm family, including mother, Donna, and sister, Kim, was inducted into the Louisville Catholic Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

Eight Cardinals selected for 2022 UofL Hall of Fame class

UofL Athletics — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 14:54:30 +0000

Eight individuals will be inducted into the University of Louisville Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, Nov. 4, in the Angel’s Envy Bourbon Club at Cardinal Stadium.
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The list includes Tony Belt (2005-10), a seven-time NCAA All-American, Andre Black (2005-09), an NCAA Triple Jump Champion; Jazz Covington (2003-07), the school’s fourth all-time scorer; Chris Dominguez, the school’s all-time leader in runs batted in; Dana McCarty (2007-11), a two-time NCAA Champion; Eric Whitlatch (1996-99), winner of eight conference titles; Nicole Youman (2007-10), who holds the school record for assists; and Dr. Ray Shea, long-time football team physician.
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Tony Belt (2005-2010) had a historic career as a member of the track and field program, primarily competing in the long jump and high jump. A seven-time NCAA All-American and a 10-time BIG EAST champion, Belt became the first-ever UofL track and field athlete to win a national title after winning the indoor men’s long jump at the 2007 NCAA Indoor National Championships. His winning mark of 7.97m still stands as the indoor program record. That season, Belt was also named the Southeast Region Men’s Field Athlete of the Year by USTFCCCA in 2007.
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A native of the Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, Belt also became the first Cardinal to earn a World Championship medal at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Beijing, China. His silver-medal performance of 7.95m in the long jump remains UofL’s outdoor school record.��
Belt graduated from UofL in 2010 with a degree in Sport Administration and received his Master’s degree in Community Health in 2012.
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Andre Black (2005-09) was the indoor champion at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships. Black had a historic career during his time at UofL from 2005-09. Notably, he was a three-time NCAA All-American and an eight-time Big East champion.
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A three-year team captain for the Cardinals, he became the second track and field National Champion in program history. Black’s winning mark of 16.29m stood as the school indoor record until the 2015 season. A native of Mobile, Alabama, Black also competed at the 2006 World Junior Championships where he finished 16th in the triple jump.��Black graduated from UofL in 2010 with a degree in Computer Information Systems.
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One of the top women’s basketball players in school history, Jazz Covington helped put the UofL women’s basketball program on the map. During her four seasons, Covington finished her career as the school’s fourth all-time leading scorer with 1,805 points and her 14.4 career scoring average ranks seventh all-time at Louisville. Her career total of 942 rebounds ranks second in school history and her 7.4 career rebounding average stands fifth in school history. Her 33 career double-doubles are the second-most in the school’s annals.
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A first team All-Big EAst performer in 2005-06, Covington led the Cardinals in scoring at 13.7 points per game and was second on the team in rebounding with 6.9 rebounds per game. She was named to the Wooden Award Watch List and was tabbed a preseason Naismith Candidate.
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As a sophomore, Covington led the team with her 17.8 scoring average in 31 games as a starter. A first team All-Conference USA performer that season, Covington was named a WBCA/Kodak All-American Honorable Mention and scored her 1,000th career point in the C-USA Tournament semifinal against Houston.��
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Chris Dominguez (2006-09) was a catalyst for the growth of the UofL baseball program under head coach Dan McDonnell. Dominguez anchored the middle of lineup for four seasons, guiding the 2007 team to the College World Series. During his career with the Cards, Dominguez still stands in the top 10 on many of the school’s all-time lists, ranking first in runs batted in, second all-time in runs and home runs, while standing ninth in hits.
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A two-time All-American in 2008 and 2009, Dominguez became the second player to earn first team All-America accolades. During the 2009 season, Dominguez tied the school record with 25 home runs. He was also tabbed the Big East Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons.��Dominguez was drafted in the third round by the San Francisco Giants in 2009 and made his major league debut in 2014.
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D’Ana McCarty (2007-11) was a two-time NCAA Champion, winning the 2009 title and 2010 championship in the weight throw. McCarty competed for the Cardinals 2007-11 and became the first female student-athlete in program history to earn an NCAA title. During her career, she was a four-time NCAA All-American has earned first-team USTFCCCA All-American honors three times. McCarty also won three-consecutive indoor weight throw titles from 2009-11 and still holds the Big East record in the event at 22.56m set in 2010. She was named the Big East Outstanding Field Performer in 2011 after earning gold in the shot put, discus and hammer.
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McCarty earned the weight throw NCAA Indoor National Championship title in 2009 with a mark of 22.09m and then successfully defended her national title in 2010 with a distance of 22.76m that still stands as the UofL program record. At the 2011 Indoor National Championships, McCarty finished third in the weight throw as well as ninth in the shot put. She concluded her indoor career tied for having the second-most national titles in NCAA History in weight throw, an event that began collegiately in 1996.
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McCarty, who graduated with a degree in communications from UofL in 2011, also saw great success during the outdoor track and field season, finishing 10th in the hammer and ninth in the discus at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships while placing eighth in the hammer and 11th in the shotput in 2011.

Eric Whitlatch (1996-99) was a dominant swimmer for the Cardinals from 1996-99, winning eight Southern States individual swimming titles. During his tenure, he owned three conference records and registered school records in the 100 back, 200 back, 100 fly, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay. He won conference championships in the 200 back, 100 fly and 100 back in 1999 and captured titles in 1998 in the 100 back and 200 medley relay. His school record in the 100 back stood for 10 seasons.
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He qualified for the USA National Team from 1996-2000 and the Olympic Trials during that same time frame. Overall, he was a three-time Most Valuable Athlete, three-time Conference Swimmer of the Year, nine-time conference champion and a four-time conference record holder.
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Nicole Youman (2007-10) earned All-American accolades for the UofL Field Hockey program. A four-year starter and two-year captain, Youman was a four-time NFHCA all-West Region and all-Big East selection, Youman owns the school career assist record with 52, stands second with 142 points and third in goals with 45. She also holds the school’s single-season mark for assists with 19 and is second in points with 53 and sixth in goals with 17.
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She was named to the Longstreth/NFHCA Division I All-America second team, becoming the sixth Cardinal player to earn the honor. As a senior, Youman was tabbed the 2010 BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year after dominating the conference in every offensive category, registering 17 goals and 19 assists, while collecting 53 points and averaging 2.79 points per game.
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Dr. Ray Shea served as the UofL football team doctor for 34 years starting in the Howard Schnellenberger era, working for eight different coaches over his career. Shea provided excellent care to the football program over his tenure and was a valuable member of the medical team.��

The Hall of Fame event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and the induction ceremony to follow. ��Tickets are $50 per person, or $500 for a table of 10, and may be purchased online through “My Cardinal Account” at GoCards.com specifically at��. Additional information may be obtained via email at ronee@gocards.com or by calling 502-852-2015.

The inductees will also be recognized at the Cardinals’ Nov, 5 game against James Madison.

Cardinal Football home opener will include new stadium features, Michael Bush jersey celebration

UofL Athletics — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 14:10:53 +0000

The University of Louisville football team’s home opener Sept. 16 against Florida State will include several new features at Cardinal Stadium, designed to enhance the overall fan experience.��

Those new features include:��

Expedited point-of-entry
To assist in expediting the gate entry process, new pedestal ticket scanners will be installed at the two busiest gates (2 and 4). Walk-thru security will also be implemented, using stationary magnetic scanners, replacing the handheld/manual scanners from previous seasons. Fans can now keep phones in hand and keys/wallets in pockets.
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WiFi connectivity
A $5 million investment was made towards installing WiFi access for fans to improve their gameday wireless experience, allowing fans to not only have use of the free Wi-Fi system but also enjoy more in-venue digital engagement opportunities. “CardinalsWiFi” will be available inside the stadium
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Club space upgrades

The Angels Envy Bourbon Club includes LED walls, bourbon oak barrels, a custom bourbon barrel storage system and two private speakeasys.

A generous $4-million gift from Angel’s Envy led the way towards renovating the former Brown & Williamson Club located on the west side of the stadium into the expansive 18,000-square feet Angel’s Envy Bourbon Club. The renovated club was officially unveiled last week. Learn more��.
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Concessions improvements
In an effort to improve concessions, grab-and-go stations labeled “On the Fly” have been installed in key areas to make high-demand options more readily available to assist in reducing wait times. Other fan-favorite concessions offerings will include the introduction of 4-dollar beer options in select spaces throughout the concourse and the return of half-priced drinks from the times gates open until kickoff as part of “Happy Hour and a Half.” Additionally, a complimentary concessions item is now available during certain times of each game in all club spaces.

Returning features

Also, features returning this year include mobile ticketing (gocards.com/cardsmobile); clear bag policy; parking lots opening five hours prior to kickoff; Card March Tailgating provided by RevelXP; and The Alley by Buffalo Construction, Inc.��

Michael Bush to be honored��

Michael Bush

Michael Bush, one of the school’s all-time leading rushers, will have his No. 19 jersey honored at the Florida State game on Friday night. It will be the 26th jersey to be celebrated in program history.

The Louisville native, played for the Cardinals from 2003-06 and guided the Cardinals to three-straight bowl appearances, including a win over No. 10 Boise State in the 2004 Liberty Bowl. He rushed 12 times for 96 yards in the win over the Broncos. The Cardinals finished that season 11-1 and captured a Conference USA title.

One of the most highly recruited players to ever sign with the Cardinals, Bush��rushed for 2,508 yards, which still stands eighth all-time in school history, while his 39 career touchdowns are third-most in school history. As a receiver out of the backfield, Bush caught 50 passes for 651 yards and two touchdowns during his three seasons with the Cardinals.

The former Male High product was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round, and played four years for the Raiders and two with the Chicago Bears. Over his six-year NFL stint, Bush rushed 3,250 yards rushing with 29 touchdowns and 1,010 yards receiving with two touchdowns. His best season came in 2011 with the Raiders when he ran for 977 yards and seven scores.��

Red Out

Finally, Friday’s game against Florida State will be a Red Out and Educator Appreciation Day. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.��

UofL alums, and sisters, left their impact on the softball field, the classroom and beyond

Gabrielle Lawless — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 18:39:03 +0000

It’s been just a few months since the Greenwood sisters graduated from UofL and wrapped up their final softball season in Louisville. During their time at the university, the duo captured hearts with their endearing bond, impressive performance and generosity.

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.”

UofL places 417 student-athletes on ACC Honor Roll

UofL Athletics — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 15:51:04 +0000

The University of Louisville Athletics Department placed 417 student-athletes on the Atlantic Coast Conference 2021-22 Academic Honor Roll released by the league on Friday.
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The ACC Academic Honor Roll is comprised of student-athletes who participated in a varsity-level sport and registered a grade point average of 3.0 or better for the full academic year.
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Louisville was one of six schools with more than 400 student-athletes earning recognition.
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Women’s soccer’s Gabby Kouzelos was one of nine student-athletes conference-wide to make the ACC Honor Roll for the sixth time.
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All UofL student athletes combined to produce an average GPA of 3.0 or better for the 23^rd��straight semester.��Cardinal student-athletes achieved an impressive 3.256 collective GPA for 2022 spring semester.
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In recent national graduation rates released by the NCAA, UofL student-athletes achieved a record 91 percent graduation rate to match the Cardinals’ best mark in the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) Report.
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Five Louisville athletic teams – men’s and women’s basketball, women’s cross country, women’s golf and volleyball – received public recognition through the NCAA Academic Performance Program for ranking in the top 10 percent in the 2015-19 most recent multiyear Academic Progress Rate scores, which measures academic eligibility, retention, and graduation for student-athletes.�� Fourteen UofL programs produced perfect APR scores for the most recent single-year figures.

Upgrades to be made to UofL’s Patterson Stadium

UofL Athletics — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 17:22:26 +0000

The University of Louisville Athletic Association Board of Directors has approved an expenditure of up to $1 million for upgrades to the front entrance and concourse at Jim Patterson Stadium, home of the Cardinals’ baseball team since 2005.
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Improvements will be made to the front entrance and third base concourse at Jim Patterson Stadium.�� The front entrance façade will be renovated, and the gates will be extended outward several feet, allowing enhanced access to the stadium.�� Six new columns with arched entry ways between them will be constructed at the new entry gate.�� New 42-inch-tall tempered glass railings will be installed at the upper balcony within the front gate.
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The concourse on the third base side of the stadium will be widened, providing additional space for concessions while improving the flow of patrons.�� A new ticket booth and space for concessions will be constructed within 20-feet storage units.�� New fencing will be erected around the renovated structure.
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Funding for the development has been secured through private donations, including a gift from Jim Patterson, namesake for the facility and a former UofL baseball student-athlete.�� The project will be completed in advance of the 2023 season.
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Since opening the gates at Jim Patterson Stadium in 2005, the Cardinals have won nearly 78 percent of their games in the ballpark posting a 466-132 record (.779 winning percentage), including an impressive 33-7 mark this season at the corner of Third and Central.
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Jim Patterson Stadium has hosted nine NCAA Regionals (2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022) and six NCAA Super Regionals (2007, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019). In NCAA Championship games at Jim Patterson Stadium, the Cardinals have produced a 37-10 record overall.
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The board also approved upgrades to men’s basketball internal spaces at the Planet Fitness Kueber Center, not to exceed $750,000.�� The project will include upgrading locker rooms, lounge spaces, offices, front entry and signage throughout the facility.�� With an anticipated completion date of Oct. 1, funding for the project has been secured from private donations.

Kenny Klein, UofL’s senior associate athletic director, Kenny Klein announces retirement after over 40 years

UofL Athletics — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 18:02:42 +0000

Kenny Klein,��a veteran administrator of over 40 years in collegiate athletics including the last 39 at the University of Louisville, will retire at the end of June.
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Klein currently serves as senior associate athletic director on the Cardinals’ senior leadership team and as Sports Information Director. Following his retirement, he is expected to continue to work in another role with the UofL men’s basketball team.
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Klein joined the Cardinals’ staff in July of 1983 after nearly two seasons as sports information director at Morehead State University. Prior to that stint, Klein spent four years as an undergraduate and graduate assistant at Murray State University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1981. At the time of his appointment at UofL, he was the youngest SID at an NCAA Division I football institution at 23.
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A 2015 inductee into the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Hall of Fame, Klein also worked one season as a student assistant in sports information at Austin Peay State University and was a sports writer for the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle.
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Klein’s career dedication led to his induction into the state’s Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.�� He received the 2012 Katha Quinn Award, presented by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association in recognition for providing outstanding service to media covering college basketball.
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Among his administrative roles as the primary men’s basketball contact for the Cardinals, Klein has worked every UofL men’s basketball event, a stretch of 1,309 consecutive games. During that time, the Cardinals posted a combined 888-421 on-court record and achieved numerous conference and national titles.
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Klein has coordinated the computerized statistics operation for 36 NCAA Final Fours. In his initial season with the Cardinals, Klein edited the 1983-84 UofL basketball guide which was judged second in the nation by CoSIDA. Klein, who edited UofL’s 352-page basketball history book��Above the Rim, has also received multiple other publication awards while at UofL and Murray State.
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He served as the media coordinator for the 1987 USA Pan American Games men’s basketball team, has served on the NCAA Final Four media coordination committee and annually assists in media operations for the Kentucky Derby. He was the local media center committee chairman for the 1996, 2000 and 2014 PGA Championships in Louisville, and served in a similar capacity for the 2008 Ryder Cup and 2004 and 2011 Senior PGA Championships. He also assisted in the media operations at the 1999 Ryder Cup in Boston.
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Klein serves as vice-chairman of the CoSIDA Scholarship Committee and is the athletic department’s representative for multimedia rights with the ACC, including oversight of the Cardinals’ broadcast operations for the ACC Network.

UofL to retire Lamar Jackson’s No. 8 jersey

UofL Athletics — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 17:56:41 +0000

University of Louisville legend Lamar Jackson will have his No. 8 jersey number retired��on Nov. 13��during a ceremony at the Cardinals’ home game versus Syracuse, Vice President/Director of Athletics Vince Tyra announced last week.��
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Jackson will join Johnny Unitas as the only other player in UofL history to have his number retired. Unitas’ No. 16 was retired in 2003.��

“Lamar earned the Heisman and then the NFL MVP, and he’s not even 25 years old.�� Even more remarkable, he’s only getting better. He was born shortly before Tom Brady entered the league so has the time to go beyond anything we’ve seen before. His humble heart and grounded approach endears him to his teammates, his coaches and any staff he’s ever been around. He knows it takes 11 to be successful on offense, not one. We’re so proud to retire his number 8 for what he has accomplished so far but are equally excited about what’s to come. This city has big Ls up for our guy,” Tyra said.

Wide receiver Tyler Harrell and defensive lineman Henry Bryant,��who are currently wearing that number this season, will have the opportunity to finish the season in that jersey before the number will be officially retired at the end of the year.
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Jackson, a three-year letterwinner for the Cardinals from 2015-17,��became the youngest player ever (19 years, 337 days) to win the Heisman Trophy Award in 2016 and was named a finalist for the award in 2017. He won multiple national awards, including the Maxwell Award (2016), Walter Camp Player of the Year (2016), Associated Press Player of the Year (2016), CBS Sports Player of the Year (2016), The Sporting News Player of the Year (2016), ACC Player of the Year (2016, 2017) and ACC Offensive Player of the Year (2016, 2017) – the first time in league history a player won back-to-back awards.

The Pompano Beach, Florida, native set or tied 42 Louisville single-game, season, and career records during his time in the Derby City and owns seven Atlantic Coast Conference marks.

“We couldn’t ask for a better representative of our football program. Lamar’s influence goes far beyond our campus — he’s got this entire city behind him every day and we can’t wait to welcome him home,” said UofL Head Football Coach Scott Satterfield.��

Jackson��passed for 9,043 yards, 69 touchdowns and rushed 655 times for a school record 4,132 yards (6.3 avg.) and 50 touchdowns. He finished his career ranking sixth in the FBS for career rushing yards (4,132) by a quarterback and became the third player in FBS history to record 50 career rushing and 50 career passing touchdowns in a career.��

Playing only three seasons, Jackson is the only player in FBS history to rush for at least 1,500 yards and pass for at least 3,500 yards in a season (accomplished the feat in both 2016 & 2017).��Playing in only 38 career games at UofL, Jackson owns school records for total yards (13,175) and total yards per game (346.7 ypg – ACC record).
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Jackson was selected No. 32 in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens and has become one of the top quarterbacks in the league. In his fourth season, Jackson was named��the Associated Press and PFWA NFL MVP (2019) and PFWA Offensive Player of the Year (2019).��

During his MVP season, Jackson threw for 3,127 yards and a league high 36 TDs (also a franchise record). He added 1,206 rushing yards (sixth in the league), the most by a QB in NFL single-season history and helped Baltimore set a new NFL single-season team record for rushing yards (3,296).

The UofL Athletics Department will announce additional information regarding fan engagement in the weeks leading up to that game. Tickets for the Syracuse game can be purchased by visiting��gocards.com/tickets.
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Six Cardinals named to 2021 UofL Athletics Hall of Fame class

UofL Athletics — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 19:20:39 +0000

Six former UofL student-athletes will be inducted into the University of Louisville Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 22 in the Brown & Williamson Club of Cardinal Stadium.
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The 2021 Athletics Hall of Fame class includes:

Harry Douglas, an All-American wide receiver who is second in career receiving yards at UofL and owns the school record for receiving yards in a game;
Elvis Dumervil, a consensus All-America defensive end who won the Bronco Nagurski Award as the nation’s top defensive player when he led the nation in sacks in 2005;
Bergan Foley, UofL’s first All-American in women’s lacrosse as an attacker in 2011 who set the Louisville record for career and single-season goals;
Joanna Haig, an All-American goalie for the UofL women’s soccer team who is the UofL career leader in goals against average and second in career shutouts;
Logan Johnson, the Cardinals’ career leader in doubles who as a second baseman helped lead UofL to its first College World Series appearance in 2007; and
Melissa Roth, a catcher who is the only two-time All-American in UofL softball history and owns multiple Cardinal career and season records, including the school’s top season batting average.

The event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and the induction ceremony to follow. Tickets are $50 per person, or $500 for a table of 10, and may be purchased online through “My Cardinal Account” at GoCards.com, specifically at��.��
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“We are pleased to honor this exceptional Hall of Fame class who each achieved national acclaim while representing Cardinal Athletics,” said Vince Tyra, UofL vice president/director of Athletics. “We look forward to welcoming back and recognizing these elite student-athletes who elevated their respective programs and UofL Athletics.”

More information about these Cardinals’ storied UofL careers .��