The Louisville Cardinals (also known as the Cards) are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as a traditional power in men's basketball and women's volleyball. In recent years, the football team has also gained national attention with a 38-11 record since 2004 and finishes in the top 6 in both the final Bowl Championship Series and AP polls in two of the last four seasons. On the gridiron, the Cardinals were the 2006 champions of the Big East Conference and the 2007 Orange Bowl.
U of L's fan base is strongest in the greater Louisville area. U of L has cable television and radio affiliates throughout the state of Kentucky.
The total sales of U of L merchandise has tripled since 2001, now ranking 32nd nationally in sales. Since 1997, the school has spent over $150 million, all from private funding, in upgrading its sports facilities. Since 2004, U of L has won conference titles in eight sports. U of L currently fields 13 women's teams and 10 men's teams.
In the Sears Directors' Cup final standings released in June 2007, U of L finished 28th nationally, matching the second-highest finish in the all-sports rankings by any university from Kentucky.
The University of Louisville Cardinals football team is a member of the Big East Conference. The football program is on the rise, having its best success and gaining its greatest prominence over the last decade. Entering the 2007 season, the Cardinals have made nine straight bowl game appearances and have won 41 games over the last four years. UofL went 12-1 in 2006, winning the Big East championship and the Orange Bowl, which was the school's first Bowl Championship Series bowl game. The 2007 Cards, tabbed as the nation's No. 5 team in the 2007 preseason by Sports Illustrated, ended the season 6-6. The football Cardinals have also earned national rankings as high as sixth in 2004 and 2006. The team plays its home games at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.
The Louisville Cardinals basketball team is the 18th winningest college basketball team in NCAA Division I history and has the 16th best winning percentage in the last 7 seasons. Currently coached by Rick Pitino, the Cardinals of the University of Louisville have a tradition of continued success, having been to 33 NCAA tournaments (6th all time) blank">2006-07 Louisville men's basketball media guide . Under _Denny Crum, Louisville was one of the premier program of the 1980s, going to four Final Fours, winning two NCAA championships, and posting the highest NCAA tournament record of the 80s . Louisville's rivalry with the University of Kentucky is considered one of the most intense in college sports, and the basketball game is commonly known as the Battle for the Bluegrass or the Dream Game. Louisville also maintains basketball rivalries with West Virginia, Cincinnati and Marquette.
