Not that we were quite ready for it to be over, but another year in the books.
Not another Year of the Cardinal but a satisfying year in which University of Louisville competing at the highest level in every sport.
Baseball in the College World Series, men’s and woman’s basketball to Elite Eights, football to the Russel Athletic Bowl, soccer to second round of the NCAA tournament, the lacrosse team to the NCAA for the first time, softball returning, and numerous team and individual honors in the track and field, swimming and tennis programs.
The UofL brand continuing to flourish, improving on the past, anticipating the future, commanding respect, reaping the benefits of the school’s commitment to excellence on every front. The coaches always on the recruiting trails, near and far, taking advantage of the improving national perception to compete at even higher levels in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Completion of the new soccer stadium is anticipated in late August. Tom Jurich is hinting of another expansion of Jim Pattererson Stadium, and the results of the feasibility study for expanding Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium will be on his desk soon. Fundraising for the new academic center continues, and Jurich also hinted during the past year that UofL could add still another sport. He’s not about to let up anytime soon.
Fans, on the other hand, getting a break from the intensity levels during the summer months . The constant edge-of-your-seat grind, with all the ups and downs, from September through early June takes an emotional toll. What would they be like without the annual three-month hiatus? A little time to get away from sports, pursue other individual and family interests. Forgetting about it for a while, at least getting away from the competition.
Kinda nice, actually, not having to worry about the next game for a while. September will be here soon enough.
* * *
Rick Pitino, ever the promoter, was on the Terry Meiners Show on WHAS radio the other day, providing an update on UofL basketball.
Worth singling out is swimmer De Lucca’s accomplishments. As summarized by UofL Sports:
“De Lucca added two more individual National Championships to his resume at the 2014 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in March. He won the 100- and 200-freestyle events to defend his title in the 200-freestyle. De Lucca is the first swimmer since 1995 to sweep the 100- and 200-freestyle disciplines at the National Championships.”
Thanks for the reminder, Tom. UofL swimming is moving up quickly is that sport.