If you wanted a quiet week to process the end of the volleyball season, you picked the wrong sport.
Just days after Kentucky’s historic 27-match winning streak was snapped in a painful 3-0 National Championship loss to Texas A&M, the program was hit with the full "joy and anguish" of the Transfer Portal era.
Craig Skinner didn't waste time sulking. He went out and landed one of the most dangerous attackers in the country. But in true portal fashion, the news came with a price tag attached. and this one is going to annoy the fanbase.
The Joy: Morgan Gaerte is a problem
First, the massive news. Kentucky announced the signing of Morgan Gaerte, a 6-foot-5 outside hitter from Notre Dame who joins the Wildcats with two years of eligibility remaining.
This isn't a depth piece. This is a legitimate "terminator."
Gaerte was a First Team All-ACC selection in 2025 and an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American. Her numbers at Notre Dame were video game stuff:
- 497 kills (School record for the rally-scoring era)
- 4.64 kills per set (Mammoth production)
- 22 straight matches with 10+ kills
Skinner needs firepower to replace what is leaving, and Gaerte is exactly that. She hails from Indiana (ranked the No. 5 player in the nation coming out of high school) and brings the kind of heavy arm that can take over a fifth set, or even prevent it from going that far.
The anguish: Brooke Bultema to the enemy Cards
Now for the part that requires a deep breath.
Shortly after the Gaerte announcement, sophomore middle blocker Brooke Bultema announced she was entering the portal. Transfers happen. Players want playing time. That is part of the game.
The problem? She is transferring to Louisville.
Bultema was efficient when she played (.264 hitting percentage, 0.96 blocks per set), even though her minutes dipped down the stretch. Losing a productive sophomore hurts; losing her to the Cardinals adds a layer of rivalry bitterness that won't go away quietly.
"Leaving Kentucky was the hardest decision of my life," Bultema said in her statement. "Not only because I was leaving a school I loved, but people that have forever changed my life for the better."
Craig Skinner's message: The fire is lit
Despite the whiplash, Craig Skinner sounded like a coach who is ready to run it back.
"Man. What a ride! This team rejuvenated my fire for coaching," Skinner said, thanking the 38,000 fans who packed Memorial Coliseum this season. "Thank you, BBN, for being with us every step of the way."
The 2025 season ended in heartbreak, and the offseason started with a rivalry trade-off. But adding a weapon like Gaerte proves one thing: Kentucky intends to be right back in the Final Four conversation next December.