For the second straight year, the coronavirus robbed sports fans in the commonwealth of prime-time Kentucky-Louisville rivalry competition.
The 2021-22 school year went without a UK-U of L men's basketball game when the scheduled Cats-Cards meeting on Dec. 22 was canceled due to a COVID-19 "pause" in the Cardinals program.
In the previous school year, COVID and the efforts to contain it knocked the Kentucky-Louisville football, volleyball and women's basketball games off the schedules.
Yet even with no UK-U of L men's hoops game in 2021-22, the most intriguing action in the Cats-Cards sports rivalry this year came in that sport.
Louisville's hiring of longtime, former Kentucky assistant Kenny Payne to lead the Cardinals program spices up the Cats-Cards rivalry dynamic in unpredictable ways.
The personable Payne was all but universally-liked by the Big Blue Nation during his tenure (2010 through 2020) on John Calipari's UK coaching staff.
Now that the ex-Louisville Cardinals forward (1985-89) has flipped back to the red, it will be fascinating to see how UK backers handle the presence of a coach they have liked on the sideline of a school they do not like.
What shapes up as a highly charged Kentucky vs. Louisville recruiting battle for prized class of 2023 guard DJ Wagner — a player whose family has strong, preexisting ties to both Calipari and Payne — figures to stoke the flames of the Cats-Cards men's hoops rivalry regardless of how it turns out.
Though the hiring of Payne is the single most intriguing facet of the UK-U of L rivalry in 2021-22, the actual games between Cats and Cards have provided some stellar moments, too.
In men's sports, Kentucky holds the upper hand three victories to two over Louisville.
The Wildcats won in football, soccer and tennis.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals earned victories in baseball and swimming.
On the women's side, Louisville holds a 3-1 edge.
The Cardinals won in basketball, swimming and volleyball, while the Wildcats prevailed in softball.
Overall, Louisville has a 5-4 advantage over Kentucky in head-to-head meetings in 2021-22.
During the past five school years combined, UK is 24-21-1 overall vs. U of L in all sports.
Rivalry MVPs
If awards were handed out to the players and coaches who made the most dramatic impact on our state's marquee college sports rivalry in 2021-22, the winners would be:
Kentucky men's sports rivalry MVP: Cameron Wheeler, soccer. The former Louisville Cardinals midfielder returned to The Ville Sept. 7 and scored one of three goals for UK in a 3-1 victory. After scoring, the ex-Card dropped an emphatic "L's Down," too.
Louisville men's sports rivalry MVP: Nick Albiero, swimming. In U of L's dominating 208.5 to 88.5 victory over UK on Jan. 22, Albiero was part of four event wins — 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly, 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay.
Kentucky women's sports rivalry MVP: Stephanie Schoonover, softball. The UK pitcher threw a no-hitter as the Wildcats blanked the Cardinals 9-0 on April 12 in a game shortened to five innings by the run-rule.
Louisville women's sports rivalry MVP: Gabi Albiero, swimming. In U of L's streak-busting 174-126 victory over UK on Jan. 22, Albiero was part of four event wins — 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 500 freestyle and 200 medley relay. (Nick and Gabi Albiero are siblings and the children of Louisville swim coach Arthur Albiero).
Kentucky rivalry coach of the year: Mark Stoops, football. Led UK to a 52-21 pulverization of U of L on Nov. 27. In the past three meetings between Cats and Cards — all dominating Kentucky wins — Stoops' troops have outscored Louisville 153-44.
Louisville rivalry coach of the year: Dani Busboom Kelly, volleyball. Snapped a seven-match UK win streak in the series by coaching the No. 5 Cardinals to a 17-25, 25-20, 25-22, 20-25, 15-9 victory over the No. 8 Wildcats on Sept. 15.
Tracking the trends in men's sports
Baseball: Louisville has won 12 of the past 15 meetings.
Basketball: With no game in 2021-22, the status quo held: U of L has won one in a row, but Kentucky has claimed 11 of the past 14 meetings.
Football: Kentucky has won three straight and four out of the past five.
Soccer: UK's victory this year gave the Cats a 5-4-1 edge over the Cards in the past 10 meetings.
Swimming: Louisville has defeated Kentucky in 13 of the past 14 head-to-head meets.
Tennis: UK has won its past 28 matches vs. U of L.
Tracking the trends in women's sports
Basketball: U of L's 64-58 victory over UK on Dec. 12 was the fifth straight for Jeff Walz's program over the Wildcats.
Soccer: For the third straight season, the teams did not play. Louisville has won two straight in the series.
Softball: Kentucky has won nine of the past 11 vs. U of L.
Swimming: Louisville's victory in 2021-22 snapped a four-match UK win streak.
Volleyball: Even allowing for U of L's five-set win over Kentucky in 2021-22, the Wildcats have won seven of eight and nine of 11 vs. the Cardinals.
