Avery Skinner among Top 30 honorees for NCAA Woman of the Year Award

A former Kentucky Volleyball star is in the running for one of the NCAA’s most prestigious awards. Avery Skinner, a 2020 NCAA Champion and 2021 UK graduate, is one of 30 honorees for the 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. The award recognizes female college athletes who have exhausted their NCAA eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service, and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.

Skinner graduated from Kentucky with Summa Cum Laude honors this past spring, earning a degree in Communications Sciences and Disorders. She is currently pursuing her graduate degree at Baylor, where she plays for the Bears. She was a unanimous preseason All-Big 12 selection. Her little sister, Madi, is a sophomore on Kentucky’s current squad.

During her senior season at Kentucky, Avery Skinner was named an AVCA All-American and an All-SEC performer. She played a key role in the Cats’ national championship run. Over her four-year career in Lexington, she recorded 178 digs, 91 blocks, and 10 service aces. She was also a four-time SEC Champion and a four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member. During her time in Lexington, Skinner also completed over 250 community service hours and was a member of the 2019 and 2020 SEC Volleyball Community Service Teams.

The Top 30 honorees include 10 from each of the three NCAA divisions. The selection committee will determine the top three honorees in each division from the Top 30, and the nine finalists will be announced this fall. From those nine finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will choose the 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 9 during a virtual awards ceremony.