Kentucky volleyball: Skinner’s Winners built for championship title

While Kentucky volleyball may not be the first sport that comes to mind for many Wildcat fans it should be in your top five. The excitement level rises with every point, set, and match that has coach Craig Skinner’s “Winners”  making history.

Kentucky is digging and killing in unchartered territory but has been setting themselves up for history when they play for the first time Thursday in the NCAA Final Four. They could then ace the big prize Saturday hoping to hoist the title trophy in Omaha and hang a banner in Lexington.

This team is built for success but has fun at the same time.

In this NCAA tournament run, they have yet to drop a set sweep UNLV, Western Kentucky, and Purdue in straight sets running their record to 22-1, their only loss coming to Florida 25-18, 25-27, 25-17, 16-25, 15-17 who bowed out Monday against top seed Wisconsin.

Skinner started from scratch but immediately a winner

Skinner always credits his previous teams that have laid the foundation for this incredible season. The Ball State alum began his coaching career sitting with another of the final four coaches Kelly Sheffield of Wisconsin when they began their careers coaching JV volleyball.

The UK coach is happy to share the story of how it began and just how far he has come with anyone who loves a good story both as described in Volleyball Magazine.

"“Muncie is a 75,000 (population) blue-collar, industrial city with a cross culture of Ball State University and industry, and it’s fascinating, to be honest with you. In 1989-90 we’re sitting in a thousand-square-foot gym coaching JV volleyball together and eighth-grade volleyball and being an assistant to the most legendary volleyball coach in the state of Indiana (Steve Shondell)."

Fast forward to 2004 where he was hired to coach the Kentucky volleyball program taking over a UK program that had not experienced a winning season in the previous five years and had not made an NCAA Tournament appearance since 1993.

So the building process began at the ground level. Now 16 seasons later he has amassed 375 wins and just 126 losses.

It didn’t take long to see Skinner had a plan and he hasn’t stopped now reaching the summit where four teams remain hoping to be the last one standing at the peak. He spoke about the dream and reality earlier this week.

"“It’s certainly been a dream. Being able to compete in the Final Four as a player, being able to coach in the Final Four in the past. I just want our players to feel what that’s like and to understand the reward of the effort you put in to get to this point. The amount of effort this team has put in is unbelievable. To cap it off going to a Final Four and a chance to go win a national championship is huge. We always wanted to have a dream to get to that point to be mentioned in the same sentence as other teams that have been in the Final Four and have won national championships in the past.”"

Just hours before the opening serve against Washington he was named the Amerian Volleyball Coaches Association Coach of the Year.

• He is UK all-time winningest coach
• Three-time SEC Champion (2017, 2018, 2019)
• 15 straight NCAA Tournament appearances
• 2011 AVCA All-South Region Coach of the Year
• 2020, 2018, 2017, and 2015 SEC Coach of the Year
• 2006 USA Junior National Team Head Coach

A top ranked recruiting class rounds out this team

Despite Covid affecting every sport and program, Skinner brought in what would be a stellar recruiting class that earned No. 1 honor as the best in the nation by Prep Volleyball ahead of two others in this Final Four No. 3 Texas and No. 4 Wisconsin.

That class included outside hitters Madi Skinner and Sophie Fisher, middle blocker Elise Goetzinger, opposite/setter Reagan Rutherford, and libero Riaha Walker.

The previous year it was middle blocker Bella Belle, defensive specialist Maddie Berezowitz, and outside hitter Azhani Tealer.

A pair of juniors hails from nearby Louisville Mercy in libero Lauren Tharp and across the river from Floyds Knobs Indiana is superstar Alli Stumler.

It starts though with the seniors in setter Madison Lilley, libero Gabby Curry, and outside hitter Avery Skinner, yes big sister to Madi.

You don’t have to be a true volleyball aficionado to appreciate the skill level at which these ladies perform at. They play and practice year-round also battling injuries and playing through aches and pains like all athletes.

They lay it all on the line and if you saw what Stumler did against Purdue digging a ball off the floor, jumping up, and driving a kill on the ensuing set it was something that left the announcers and Big Blue faithful in attendance gasping.

Curry is the one that makes it happen by returning serves and setting up her big hitters. She is a machine working magic on the floor with a team-leading 272 digs on the year and second on the team in assists with 74 and second in service aces with 19.

But the outstanding play and leadership come from Lilley who today was named the 2020-21 American Volleyball Coaches Association National Player of the Year.

The 2021-21 SEC Player of the Year, AVCA All-Southeast Region Player of the Year, and First Team All-American from Overland Park, Kansas was named the winner of the award via a vote from head coaches around the country who make up the All-American committee of the AVCA.

Lilley, the school’s all-time leader in assists, is averaging an SEC-high 12.1 assists per set this season, with just under one kill per set, 2.36 digs per set and 0.65 blocks per set. She was named the SEC’s Player of the Week four times this season and the league’s Setter of the Week on seven different occasions.

Lilley came to the Kentucky volleyball camp as a seventh-grader from Kansas and Skinner and his coaches were so impressed noting she was the best player at the camp of anyone and they knew they wanted her. She remembered the love she felt and the ultimate goal.

"“It seems like a long time coming. I remember being recruited and saying I want to win, I want to compete for a national championship, I’m coming to Kentucky and we’re going to make history,. Gabby and I, the seniors and our whole entire team, this is what we’ve been training for. Finally being here is super surreal. We’re going to enjoy it for tonight but we’re hungry for Thursday and we’re excited for what’s to come. We’re here to make history.”"

She leads the team in assists with 911 on the year, third with 177 digs plus a team-high 29 aces.

Stumler talked about how much fun it is to have Lilley beside her on the court.

"“It doesn’t take much to realize how reliable, consistent, level-headed Alli is. She’s kind of our glue. To have somebody on the court like that is huge. There’s not enough words to describe what her all-around game does for us. There’s nothing she can’t do. It’s so much fun to play next to Alli. She’s a really rare player and we’re really happy to have her on our team.”"

It can be hard to keep up with Stumler since the 6-foot-1 player is all over the floor having crushed a team-high 325 kills on the year and recorded 181 digs. But no matter the outcome of a point she bounces right up with a smile and encouragement.

Avery Skinner has stepped up big as well with 241 kills and 107 assists, while Madi has 142 kills.

But everyone on this team contributes to a team that is known for its power and athleticism.

So if you haven’t watched volleyball make sure to wear your Kentucky gear and tune in at 7 pm tonight on ESPN because you will be in for a real treat.