louisville

In addition to her Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor, DeBeer also received numerous accolades this season. She was named the East Region Player of the Year and first team All-East Region, as well as earning a spot on the NCAA All-Regional team. Her impressive performances included a double-double with 19 kills and 13 digs in the Sweet 16 match against Creighton. She also had a career-high 29 kills and 30 points in a match against No. 7 Pittsburgh, along with five aces in a match against Wake Forest. DeBeer also joined the 1,000 Career Kill Club this year.

Kentucky is aiming to get back on track after a runner-up finish at the 2024 Lexington Weekend of the ITA Kickoff Weekend, where they fell to Alabama in the regional final. Leading the way for the Wildcats is sophomore Charlelie Cosnet, who remains undefeated in singles matches this season. The team also boasts a strong group of freshmen, including Jack Loutit, Matt Rankin, and Eli Stephenson, who have a combined 9-1 singles record.

Since the start of the 2017-18 season, Louisville has been on fire with 195 wins and an impressive .848 winning percentage. These numbers rank third and sixth in the NCAA during that span. The team’s defensive prowess was on full display against Pitt, as they extended their winning streak to 43 games when allowing 59 points or less. In fact, over the past nine seasons, the Cardinals have an outstanding record of 150-4 when limiting their opponents to 59 points or less.

Sophomore Ryan Merani, who was named Co-SEC Swimmer of the Week earlier this month, continued to shine with victories in the 200 butterfly and 200 IM. He also set new program top-ten times in the 100 and 200 fly events. Merani’s time of 1:42.50 in the 200 butterfly moved him up to second all-time in the program’s history, just behind Mason Wilby. In addition to his individual successes, Merani scored the most points for the Wildcats, matching the total of Louisville’s Jackson Millard and Christiana Regenauer.

The day started off strong with Noah Koch securing his first event victory as a Cardinal in the men’s weight throw. Koch recorded a throw of 20.32m (66-8), which is the fifth-best toss in school history. Koch’s performance shows promise for his future with the Louisville team.

This clash between the Wildcats and the Cardinals is expected to be a fierce competition, as both the Louisville women’s team and the men’s team are highly ranked in the latest CSCAA polls. The Louisville women’s team is currently ranked No. 8, while the men’s team holds the No. 15 spot.

Louisville, with a record of 3-0, will face LSU in their first match-up on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET. The winner of this match will go on to play the winner of South Carolina vs. Clemson on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The consolation match will take place at 10 a.m. on the same day.

Holt’s selection for this prestigious role comes after his impressive performance as a coach in the 2023 Hockey5s Pan American Cups (PAC) held in Kingston, Jamaica, where he helped guide the USA team to a gold medal victory. This accomplishment solidified Holt’s reputation as a coach with strategic prowess and an exceptional understanding of the game.

Throughout the week, the Cardinals boasted a flawless 3-0 record, with Avendaño playing a crucial role in securing the doubles point in each match. His contribution cannot be overstated, as he consistently stepped up when it mattered most.

Coach Aprile and her team are preparing to kick off the season at the Florida Gulf Coast Kickoff Classic on February 9-10. This will be followed by a midweek matchup at FIU, and a tournament at FAU’s Joan Joyce Classic the following weekend. It’s a challenging start to the season, but the Cardinals are ready to face the competition head-on.