< Previous8 University of Louisville n gocards.com CARDS Tradition 27 NCAA Appearances | 20 Conference Titles | 21 Professional Players 16 Conference Tournament Championships | 24 All-Americans | 15 Conference Tournament MVPs 22 National Team Members | 9 Players of the Year | 5 Thirty-win Seasons | 4 Sweet Sixteens In 41 years of volleyball the Cards have 33 winning seasonsgocards.com n University of Louisville 910 University of Louisville n gocards.com Lola Arslanbekova Lancheras Catano, Puerto Rico Anastasia Artemeva Baki-Azeryol Baku, Azerbaijan National Team Lecia Brown Pilskie Towarzystwo Pilki Siatkowej Poland Tess Clark Club Voleibol Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain Jennifer Craven Alicante, Spain Svetlana Dukule EVB Evreux, France Erin Fairs CSM Targoviste Romania Kaitlynn James Sollentuna, Sweden Jennifer Hoffman Alicante, Spain Justine Landi Stod IL, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway Tanya Lukyanenko Karaganda,Kazakstan Gosia Lech KS Piecobiogaz Murowana Goslina, Poland Jana Matiasovska Atom Trefl Sopot - Klub Kibica, Poland Kelly McClain TSV Bayer Leverkusen, Germany Sonja Percan Montichiari Volley Femminile, Italy Elena Pilnikova OBLSports-Penza, Russia Wilma Rivera Las Amazonas, Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico Gwen Rucker Canakkale Belediyespor, Turkey Ana Stewart Balakova, Russia Lena Ustymenko VakıfBank Spor Kulübü, Turkey Sonja Percan Lena Ustymenko Jana Matiasovska Gosia Lech Lola Arslanbekova Below is the list of former Cardinals who have played professional volleyball and where they played. Gwen Rucker CARDS Professionalsgocards.com n University of Louisville 11 Sonja Percan Lola Arslanbekova Gwen Rucker Erin Fairs Tess Clark Erin Fairs Anastasia Artemeva Jana Matiasovska Wilma Rivera12 University of Louisville n gocards.com CARDS Where Are They Now “I am constantly in competition with all types of individuals, some with more experience or more seasoned, I have learned to work harder, practice, and empower myself with knowledge. It takes a strong disci- pline and commitment. I absolutely believe that is the same work ethic required to be successful in college athletics. I guess I have been in training for a while.” n Kelly McClain, VP, Fifth Third Bank “I think being a player at UofL opened the many avenues I have in my life especially with LAMB (my non-profit) being able to host camps in Jamaica, Kenya and Senegal. Due to the high standard of volleyball I was taught and the legacy of the program, when people research my past, my credentials as a Cardinal provide me with more support when implementing programs. “ n Dr. Lecia Brown , Founder of the LAMB Foundation “I’m so blessed to have gone there and played. It was the best decision I ever made. The people there truly care about your well-being and are behind you 100 percent – win or lose. That’s why all of our programs are successful. We have constant support and love for all of our sports teams. You feel such a great sense of pride while competing. I truly appreciate my time as a collegiate athlete and I wish I could re-live my time here spent on the court.’’ n Kaitlynn James, Professional Volleyball Player “If all of us could put into our careers and vocations the effort, drive, and teamwork we poured into our athletic endeavors, imagine how different our world would be. I will be forever grateful for my opportu- nity to participate as a Cardinal volleyball player and the life lessons I gained from the University of Louisville.” n Judith McDonald Burkman, Circuit Court Judgegocards.com n University of Louisville 13 “The experiences I had and skills I learned while being a student-athlete at the University of Louisville provided me with the ultimate base for my career. Learning to work together as a team and grow confidence in my abilities and in the abilities of others is something I worked on everyday as a student-ath- lete and that has paid off tremendously throughout my career. That confidence, partnered with effective communication and the ability to lead, which I also learned at UofL, have allowed me to continue to excel in my career. I am a proud second generation UofL vol- leyball alumna and know I would not be where I am today without my time as a Cardinal.” n Kristie Wetterer Phillips, General Counsel of Confluent Health, LLC “The discipline, work ethic and competitive drive that I devel- oped while playing volleyball at the University of Louisville has helped me into my gradu- ate education and prepared me for the work force. I am confi- dent that the leadership skills I acquired while competing at UofL will continue to help me in my future,” n Emily Juhl, UofL School of Dentistry “The commitment and sacrifice you readily accept each day to be a better athlete extends far beyond the realm of athletic competi- tion. Cardinal volleyball required discipline and hard work that has translated into success both personally and professionally for which I am eternally grateful." n Jennifer Hoffman Fowler, ESPNU Analyst “We sacrifice a great deal as we strive to be high level collegiate athletes. But the reward is a priceless gift when you compete as a Cardinal. Louisville cultivates the intangible personal characteris- tics that prepare you to succeed in all facets of life. The lessons I learned competing as a UofL volleyball player are invaluable as I pursue my post college career. I cannot thank the athletic depart- ment enough for the care and support they provided me during my four year career as a Cardinal.” n Katie George, ACC Network Anchor/Analyst Brooke Mattingly Member of A2 National Team Sonja Percan Member of Croatian National Team Gwen Rucker Member of A2 National Team Piper Roe Member of US Collegiate National Team Jana Matiasovska Member of Slovakian National Team Hannah Kvitle Member of A2 National Team Tori Dilfer Member of US Collegiate National Team Sarah Drury Member of USA National Team Taylor Brauneis Member of A2 National Team Lecia Brown Member of Jamaican National Team Tess Clark Member of US Collegiate National Team Jasmine Bennett Member of US Collegiate National Team Erin Fairs Member of USA National Collegiate Team Jennifer Hoffman Member of USA Training National Team Katie George Member of USA National Collegiate Team Janelle Jenkins Member of US Collegiate National Team Amanda Green US Collegiate National Team US Collegiate National Team – Europe Caitlin Welch Member of A2 National Team Lena Ustymenko Member of Ukraine National Team Molly Sauer USA Junior National Team US Collegiate National Team Cardinals who were members of their national teams. 14 University of Louisville n gocards.com CARDS National Teamgocards.com n University of Louisville 15 Injuries are a part of sports - they come with every aspect of the game. Dealing with athletic injuries falls into the capable hands of the University of Louisville Sports Medicine Staff. The Department of Sports Medicine at the University of Louisville is a team of health care professionals dedicated to athlete care, research and education. Located in state-of-the-art facilities at Car- dinal Park, the department features a sophis- ticated array of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment. UofL has entered into a unique partnership with Jewish Hospital and Frazier Rehab, giving access of their facilities and medical personnel to our athletes in a man- ner unmatched by any other such agreement. The philosophy of the sports medicine staff is twofold; to help prevent injuries as much as possible through effective preventa- tive programs, and to facilitate an effective rehabilitation program after an injury. In all cases, the ultimate well-being of each indi- vidual is considered the top priority. Integration of the sports medicine staff into all aspects of year-round nutrition, cardiovascular conditioning, psychological preparation and visual training give the University of Louisville intercollegiate sports teams the competitive edge. Research con- ducted by the staff and associated depart- ments keep UofL coaches and athletes on the cutting edge of innovation. In addition, the Sports Medicine staff routinely partici- pates in regional and national meetings pre- sented in the sports medicine field. Allegra Lucia Sports Medicine Sports Medicine16 University of Louisville n gocards.com Mission To deliver the finest collegiate sports perfor- mance program in the nation- professionally implemented- to reduce injury risk, optimize athlete development, and increase team suc- cess. Philosophy We are committed to building great athletes and preparing championship teams! Adhering to an holistic approach we address the entire anatomy of a championbody, mind and spirit. Our comprehensive training system and assess- ment-driven program design simultaneously impacts prevention and performance, and our creative and competitive methods challenge athletes mentally and physically. Our programs are built on a founda- tion of education, and are implemented using state-of-the art equip- ment and leading technology in a world-class facility. High-Performance Training Principles 1. Character Becoming a champion requires more than talent and training. A foundation of discipline, courage, perseverance and selflessness is essential for true success. These qualities must be emphasized, mod- eled, developed and rewarded in all team members. 2. Sport-Specific Training To be effective a training program must prepare athletes to per- form sport-specific movements safely, efficiently and explosively. It must develop energy systems appropriately and promote muscular adaptations that lead to superior sport performance. 3. Multiple Joint Movements In sport, the entire body works synergistically to produce com- plex movements. Running, jumping, shooting, kicking and throwing all require multiple joint actions (musculoskeletal system) timed in synchronized recruitment patterns (nervous system). To improve movement quality and overall performance- while reducing injury riskintegrated movements (not individual muscles) must be trained. Louisville Sports Performance 4. Multiple Plane Movements Sport- by nature- is multi-plane. Movements occurs in the sagittal (forward-backward), frontal (side-to-side) and transverse (rotational) planes- and combinations of the three. Resistance training and move- ment training (speed/agility) must incorporate exercises and drills that develop starting and stopping strength and overall efficiency all planes. 5. Ground-Based Movements Most sport skills are initiated by applying force in to the ground, on one leg or two. The more force an athlete can apply against the ground, the faster they will accelerate, the higher they will jump and the more speed they will generate performing sport-specific movements- making them more effective in sport. Exercises must be selected that enhance this ability to generate force at high rates of speed. 6. Explosive Training The ability to generate force at high rates of speed (power) is cru- cial in sport. Power output is the result of motor unit recruitment by the nervous system. There are two types of motor units- fast and slow- that vary greatly in their ability to generate force. Training explosively, using ground-based, multiple joint movements trains the body to preferentially recruit fast motor units at high rates of speed. This, in turn, improves performance potential. 7. Periodization/Planning Short and long-term planning is critical for sport success. With elite athletes performance gains will quickly plateau (and even diminish) if the training prescription is not effectively planned and progressed. Non-linear periodization is a proven model that manipu- lates training variables (ie: volume, load, relative intensity, frequency, rest, tempo, exercise selection) to progressively overload the body at times, and unload the body at other times, to bring about specific adaptations. 8. Performance Nutrition & Regeneration No training program can be successful without a commitment to nutrition and recovery. This includes high performance eating, high quality sleeping, and the consistent use of regeneration tools and techniques (stretching, massage, ART, nutrient timing, hydrotherapy and vibration). Without question, the time and energy invested in nutrition and regeneration creates an inside “edge”- making these items a top priority for the LSP staff. Sean Smith Strength and Conditioning Coach Louisville Sports PerformanceThe state-of-the-art Thorntons Academic Center of Excellence houses academic operations and provides a central location for all student-athletes and academic staff, further assisting UofL student-athletes to excel in the classroom. The over 40,000-square-foot center fea- tures tutorial areas, a high-performance training table to feed the student-athletes, computer laboratories, and office and class- room space that will serve over 750 student- athletes across the Cardinals’ 23 sports on a daily basis. A massive artistic video wall greets visitors upon entry in the Republic Bank Atrium and segmented spaces through- out the facility are numerous. The 204-seat auditorium is equipped with an 18.5 feet by 10.5 feet screen and projection system. gocards.com n University of Louisville 17 Thorntons Academic CenterNext >