The Louisville Cardinals (also known as the Cards) are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville

University of Louisville

The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...

. A member of the Big East Conference

Big East Conference

The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...

 since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball

Louisville Cardinals men's basketball

The Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team is the 18th winningest college basketball team in NCAA Division I history and has the 10th best winning percentage in college basketball history. Currently coached by Rick Pitino, the Cardinals of the University of Louisville have been to 37 NCAA...

, women's volleyball, and dance team. In recent years, the football team

Louisville Cardinals football

The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...

 has also gained national attention with a 80-44 record since 2001, but have only gone 21-27 since playing in the 2007 Orange Bowl.

Since 2000 the Cardinals are the only NCAA team to win a BCS bowl game; to appear in the men's basketball Final Four, the College Baseball World Series (4 times), and the women's basketball Final Four and finish runner's up in the College Cup.

The total sales of U of L merchandise has tripled since 2001, now ranking 32nd nationally in sales.