Louisville fans will love Pat Kelsey’s message about the program’s future

Just a few seasons ago, Louisville basketball was at the bottom of the ACC. The Cardinals won just 12 games in the two seasons before Kelsey arrived and went a depressing 5-35 in conference play.

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Now that Kelsey has arrived, he has flipped the script, resurrected this program, and put Louisville at the top of the conference. Kelsey has not only kept Louisville competing in the ACC, but has also brought Louisville back to the NCAA Tournament for two straight seasons and ended multiple droughts for the program, including winning a March Madness game for the first time since 2017.

However, Kelsey isn’t satisfied, and neither are these fans. Kelsey had his media day yesterday, and he made it clear that he is “chasing the standard,” and he wants to give these Cardinals fans what they deserve.

Pat Kelsey is chasing the Louisville standard

Louisville basketball is one of the most historic college basketball programs. This program has an extremely rich history and some of the most loyal fans in all of college basketball. And Pat Kelsey understands that.

So, while Louisville has made enormous strides over the past couple of seasons under Kelsey, he knows Louisville isn’t satisfied yet, and he won’t get the keys to the city until the Cardinals hang another banner in the rafters.

“The last two years have been good, and the trajectory of the program is going here, and we got to keep it going,” stated Kelsey. “But the standard at the University of Louisville is looking up in those rafters and is challenging to put banners up there. And I am well aware of that.”

The Cardinals have built a roster that should not only contend in the ACC, but contend for a National Championship. Kelsey has elevated this program's recruiting in the Transfer Portal and in high school recruiting. He has landed two top-three portal classes in consecutive years, along with at least one 5-star recruit in consecutive recruiting classes.

Now, Kelsey is challenged not just to bring Louisville back to the NCAA Tournament, but to take Louisville to its first Elite Eight since 2015 and its first Final Four since 2013. After the Cardinals' loss to Michigan State in the second round, Kelsey made it crystal clear he knows the standard at Louisville, and losing in the second round isn’t it.

"We're well aware at the University of Louisville what the standard is in our city for our program," stated Kelsey after the loss. "Losing at this round in this game is not the standard, and we understand that."

Now, Kelsey reminded fans that he isn’t pleased with the Cardinals' performance last year, and he is chasing greatness and Louisville’s standard: a Final Four run and a National Championship.

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