Kentucky Volleyball: What's next following 2021 marathon season

The defending champion Kentucky Volleyball team saw its title defense snapped short this past weekend in a surprising loss to Illinois in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. While the sting of the unexpected loss lingers, the body of work from this program and the strides it made in 2021 should be applauded. So let’s clap.

2021 Year in Review

Kentucky Volleyball played a ridiculous 47 games in the 2021 calendar year. Which included the entire 30-game 2021 season this fall and 17 games that were technically part of the 2020 season back in spring.

Of those 47 games, Kentucky won 41, good for a .872% winning percentage. Of course, they also recorded their first Final Four and National Championship. The historic run to the title — played exclusively in Omaha, Nebraska — was a six-game spring that lasted until mid-April.

Then they said goodbye to the program’s GOAT and, in my opinion, the greatest female athlete in University of Kentucky history; Madison Lilley–a three-time All-American setter, 2020-21 National Player of the Year and Final Four Most Outstanding Player. They also bid farewell to All-Americans Avery Skinner and Gabby Curry, the primary hitter and libero of the championship team.

Four months and another No. 1 recruiting class later, Craig Skinner’s team began practicing for the next season. With only two seniors in the rotation, just half of the starting lineup returning and twice as many underclassmen as upperclassmen, it was quite the rebuilding challenge.

Sure, this fall the ‘Cats weren’t quite as strong as the champs, but they won their fifth straight SEC title (and the second of the calendar year) and earned another national seed in the tournament. Arguably, Skinner’s most impressive coaching job came in the latter half of the year.

They did fall to Illinois in somewhat shocking fashion. UK was clearly the worse team in Memorial Coliseum that night. But again, let’s look at the bigger picture.

For those who were there, the tournament atmosphere at Memorial was amazing. Just as it was for the title celebration in the spring. In 2021, Kentucky woke up a volleyball fan base that may have always existed but came alive to rally around a winner after experiencing losing seasons in both football and basketball in 2020-21. Yes, we’re a volleyball school now.

To the 2021 UK Volleyball team(s), thank you! Now, what’s next?

Who leaves?

The most crushing part of the Illinois loss wasn’t the loss itself. It was seeing seniors Alli Stumler and Lauren Tharp wave goodbye and depart their home court for the final time in tears. Stumler is a soon-to-be three-time All-American and the player responsible for the final kill in Kentucky’s win over Texas in the national championship.

And Tharp, a steady rotation piece that steadily climbed into playing a major role on and off the court for the program.

Two players and people that will be missed extremely.

The other senior on the team was setter Cameron Scheitzach, who helped talented freshman Emma Grome grow into her role as Madison Lilley’s replacement throughout the season and was well-liked by her teammates.

Looking ahead

Stumler and Tharp are big losses, and Stumler’s offense will be very difficult to replace heading into the 2022 season. But this season’s group was extraordinarily young and returns a ton of talent.

Let’s start with the freshmen, whose development was a driving force in Kentucky’s improvement from August to December. Replacing Lilley and Curry as setter and libero were two first-year players: Emma Grome and Eleanor Beavin.

Both had enormous responsibilities on their plate having to replace those two while trying to uphold the standards they set. But Grome and Beavin had admirable freshman campaigns. Neither were penciled in as starters at the beginning of the season. As the preseason and first few weeks of the season wore on, they earned their jobs. Not because of their recruiting pedigree. Because of their play.

Grome arguably had her most impressive match of the year vs. an Illinois team that targeted her defensively all night, and Beavin was the steadiest presence Kentucky had in the back row. Those girls may be the cornerstones of the next UK team to compete for a national championship.

In the front, Kentucky’s only starter remaining from the title-winners this spring is Azhani Tealer, a fan favorite in Lexington. She’s somewhat small for a middle blocker at 5-10 but she can jump out of the gym. With her infectious energy and obvious leadership on the court, it’s easy to see her sliding into a role as the leader on next year’s team.

The hitters that flank Tealer and Grome are likely to be as talented as usual even with Stumler’s departure. Madi Skinner was Kentucky’s most efficient hitter this fall and will step right into the primary attacking spot as a junior. I’d expect an All-American campaign from her in year three.

Reagan Rutherford and Erin Lamb also return. The lefty Rutherford was a staple as a right-side hitter this fall and I’d expect her to occupy the same role next year.

Lamb mostly sat the bench as a freshman, but in her limited reps, she looked as talented as anyone on the team as an attacker. In fact, she won SEC Player of the Week and SEC Freshman of the Week after subbing in for Madi Skinner and leading the team in kills in a match on the road against a ranked Tennessee team. She’s got some elite talent. Can’t wait to see her get a shot in 2021.

Alongside Tealer, the sophomore tandem of Bella Bell and Elise Goetzinger return as well as blockers. Touted 2021 recruit Jordyn Williams also figures to slide into the rotation somehow. Unfortunately, she missed her freshman year with an Achilles tear suffered in the preseason.

In the back row, Tharp is a loss, but Beavin returns alongside Riah Walker. Between the three of them, the back row unit was a strong point for the ‘Cats. Plus, Beavin and Walker each have at least two years of eligibility remaining.

What Kentucky is really going to need to find a replacement for is Alli Stumler, who was a capable six-rotation player; she could play both the front and back rows and didn’t require Skinner to substitute another player in for her.

This is where the only other projected senior on the roster aside from Tealer may factor in. Maddie Berezowitz, by far the most joyous sideline presence for the ‘Cats and a player that’s mostly played spot minutes during her career. Hoping she gets a shot to take Tharp/Stumler’s spot in the back row.

This team is in safe hands. Despite the losses of Stumler and Tharp, 2022 may offer a group with an even higher ceiling than this fall.

Lastly, thanks to all of those who followed along with our coverage of the team here at KSR. I’ve been on the beat for about a year and it’s been an absolute blast of a journey. So thanks for helping make volleyball a consistent part of the Kentucky sports landscape.