LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- How do you follow up the best season in school history? If you're the University of Louisville volleyball team, you don't back down from expectations.
"I don't think we'll ever talk about wins and losses and that type of expectation, but I do expect this team to be in the hunt," Coach Dani Busboom Kelly said." So are we in the hunt in November to win the ACC? Are we in the hunt to get a top 16 seed?
"And then when you get in the tournament anything can happen. We've talked about National Championship and Final Four and I don't say that's an expectation but I would say it's definitely a goal and something we're talking about."
The Cardinals coming off a top national ranking and a final four appearance.
The Cardinals lost two First-Team All-Americans in Tori Dilfer and Anna Stevenson from the group that won the ACC Championship and went 32-1 last season. But there are transfers, other newcomers and lots of returning talent.
"We've been able to hit the ground running and get really competitive in practice," Busboom Kelly said. "I think our team understands now what it takes to get to the final four and to win a national championship so it's been pretty great just to be around a team that wants to be great."
The exposure from last year's No. 1 ranking and Final Four run has helped in recruiting and in other ways. Heading into the 2022 season, the Cardinals are ranked No. 4 in the country.
"It's been awesome with the community and I know these guys have felt it," Busboom Kelly said. "When we're out at a restaurant, somebody will come up and say 'great season coach' or 'it's so fun to watch your team.' So I've seen these guys feel the same way. It's cool. You know, you're out to eat and somebody asks for your autograph if you're Elena (Scott) and kids want to be like her."
The Cardinals have a Red-White scrimmage Saturday at 2 p.m, then they play their first four regular season games on the road before returning to L&N Federal Credit Union Arena Sept. 2 for the home opener at 7 p.m. against San Diego. That's part of the Cardinal Classic.
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