Leah Edmond, Kaz Brown return to Lexington for face-off against Kentucky VB

It’ll be a Homecoming night on Thursday when Athletes Unlimited takes the Memorial Coliseum floor in a spring matchup against Kentucky volleyball.

Kaz Brown and Leah Edmond, two former Wildcat volleyball stars, won’t be sporting Kentucky on their uniforms this time around in Lexington. Brown and Edmond are a part of Athletes Unlimited, which is a professional team that’ll be playing top colleges throughout the spring. Kentucky is one of the names drawn to AU’s schedule.

Thursday night’s contest will be Kentucky’s only home match during its spring schedule. The ‘Cats dropped their first match of the spring at Louisville, but now look to bounce back against a professional squad. It’ll be interesting to see how UK can match up in this “get-back” spot.

While the Louisville match showcased the familiar quality of multiple Kentucky veterans such as Reagan Rutherford and Eleanor Beavin, a new face emerged for the Wildcats. Oklahoma transfer, Megan Wilson, was given a start and demonstrated her abilities. Expect another heavy rotation of players from head coach Craig Skinner on Thursday night.

Homecoming in-depth

Brown and Edmond’s returns should be celebrated considering their successful careers at Kentucky. The tandem put up marvelous numbers during their years in Lexington and built this volleyball program into what it is today. I don’t think it’s too far-fetched to say that both Brown and Edmond had more to do with the 2020 National Championship than people think — even if they weren’t a part of that squad.

Edmond was a Kentucky star from 2016-2019, leading her teams to four NCAA Tournament appearances. Three trips to the Sweet 16 and one to the Elite Eight — a pretty damn impressive resume. Individually, Edmond won SEC Player of the Year back-to-back in 2018 and 2019. She was also a four-time All-American during her time as a Wildcat. On top of her professional career for AU, Edmond has been commentating on college volleyball matches as well. Truly a walking talent show, her time in Lexington hasn’t been forgotten.

Brown, on the other hand, was a Wildcat two years before Edmond. Brown’s career spanned from 2014-2017, where she also made the Big Dance four separate times. She’s also a top-10 machine in Kentucky history, ranking high in multiple categories. Brown ranks first in Kentucky’s all-time hitting percentage, block assists, and total blocks. Not to mention, her ranking in sets played and kills is also top-10 of any Wildcat.

So yes, queue those warm welcomes for Edmond and Brown.

Hype train

It really should be a hype train for Kentucky’s clash with Athletes Unlimited. If you need a refresher on what this team contains this offseason, listen closely.

The ‘Cats are coming off an SEC Championship and Sweet 16 season. Reigning SEC Player of the Year Emma Grome is back for Kentucky. All-SEC players, Azhani Tealer and Rutherford will also be in action. Add in the experience of Beavin and Riah Walker, who are also back. Wilson should be an interesting piece to keep an eye on this spring after coming in via the transfer portal. Coach Skinner hit a home run with Adanna Rollins last season, who was also a transfer, so the expectations for Wilson will be high.

Finally, who doesn’t love a good homecoming? Brown and Edmond get a fitting welcome back, even if they are the competitors this time. Tickets are also free at Memorial Coliseum for the showdown. Should be some fireworks Thursday night!

Ready to welcome these two 😺 back 🏠 on Thursday!

🕖 7pm ET
📍 Memorial Coliseum
🎟 Free
📺 SEC Network+@leahedmond13 x @kazbrown_ pic.twitter.com/ugvxcRuVOH

— Kentucky Volleyball (@KentuckyVB) March 27, 2023