Kentucky has long been accused of being a basketball school, and maybe rightfully so. However, if Kentucky volleyball wins against Arkansas on Sunday, it may be time to consider Kentucky a volleyball school. If they beat the Razorbacks this weekend, they will at least share the SEC conference title, making this their eighth straight title.
No. The longest streak is 7 straight from 1946-52. https://t.co/su8r6f6DKD
— TheCatsPause247 (@TheCatsPause247) November 21, 2024
Kentucky is in a league all their own in volleyball dominance. They are now ranked #12 in the nation and have won nine straight games. They are cruising through their SEC schedule and are on the brink of the record books. This isn't to say that the SEC is some sort of weak volleyball conference, and Kentucky is beating up on them. There are three other ranked SEC schools: Texas (14), Florida (20), and Missouri (25). Texas A&M is just on the outside looking in of the rankings, receiving 15 votes.
What puts them in a league all their own is that this is a historic run, year after year, of volleyball supremacy in the SEC. Coach Craig Skinner has built a powerhouse of a program, and while this year didn't start out the way he had hoped it would, losing four straight matches in September and landing at .500 after 12 games, this team battled back to go on this impressive run and now eye their next SEC banner.
Their sites are set simply on another SEC banner, though they are hoping this SEC season has set them up for a run in the NCAA volleyball tournament. There are two final games of the regular season left; the first is at home against Arkansas, and then they end the year on the road, playing Missouri. If they can pull off the win over Arkansas, Florida, which is second in the standings, won't be able to catch them; the Gators will only be able to tie them. If Kentucky can win out, they hold the title all to themselves. If Kentucky wins this weekend and Florida loses, it's also a solo title for the Wildcats.