Cards Kickoff 2014 Season witih Bullpen Club Dinner
January 26, 2014 | Softball
Jan. 26, 2014
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville softball team held its seventh annual Bullpen Club Dinner Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Brown and Williamson Club at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. The dinner featured USA Olympian and Silver Medalist Monica Abbott as the keynote speaker.
This year's dinner drew nearly 300 attendees, including several alumnae as 2014 team was introduced. Along with welcoming the new season, the Cardinals celebrated the 2013 season and honored NFCA All-America honorees Alicja Wolny and Katie Keller.
A special presentation was also made to 2001 alum Tara McClure Isable, who recently became the first softball player to be inducted into the University of Louisville Athletic Department Hall of Fame.
The UofL softball team is ranked No. 19 in the USA Today/NFCA preseason top 25 after posting a 47-13 overall record in 2013 and finishing the season at No .19 in the USA Today/NFCA rankings and No. 23 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball coaches' poll. The Cardinals return eight letterwinners from that team, including 2013 All-America selection Katie Keller, All-BIG EAST team members: Whitney Arion, Caralisa Connell, Hannah Kiyohara, Rachel LeCoq and Maggie Ruckenbrod; and 2012 All-America selection Taner Fowler.
Sandy Pearsall enters her 15th season as UofL's head coach. After building the program from scratch in 2000, Pearsall has guided the Cardinals to five conference championships. Under her watch, Louisville has made 10 consecutive NCAA regional appearances and served as a host site in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Louisville will open the 2014 season in Boca Raton, Fla., at the FAU "Kickoff" Classic Feb. 7-9.
