The UK Volleyball Team is Exactly what the BBN Needs Right Now

Craig Skinner has turned the UK volleyball team into a consistent winner, but this year’s team is taking success to unprecedented new heights. A dominant team since the summer, they’ve been at their best in the NCAA Tournament. Every point evokes emotion, bringing joy to the BBN in a variety of ways when Kentucky fans need it most. Seeking to be the first SEC team to win a National Championship in the sport of volleyball, here’s how they’ve reached the brink of history.

Efficient Offense

Every outsider hitter can smack the hell out of the ball. Nobody did it better than Leah Edmond. These Wildcats do not overwhelm opponents with power by attacking from the front row, but they are the most efficient offense in America.

Efficiency is measured by hitting percentage. It’s basically a batting average, calculated by kills per swings (there’s more to it, but that’s the basic gist of it). Azhani Tealer had 19 kills on 26 swings Thursday night for a .385 hitting percentage. A good score is .300 and UK leads the nation by hitting .361. The Wildcats attack from different spots on the floor to pick apart defenses, thanks in large part to Madison Lilley, the AVCA National Player of the Year.

‘How Did They Do That?’ Defense

Most collegiate defenders can get a ball up whenever an opponent brings the hurricane and whams an attack. What makes Kentucky’s defense so incredible is that they’re able to rally even when the opponent finds a seemingly bare spot on the floor. So many times I expect the ball to drop, yet there’s another hand laying down a pancake to pop the ball back up and keep the rally alive.

Defense on defense! 🙀#NCAAVB x @KentuckyVB pic.twitter.com/O7idaf0v6W

— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) April 23, 2021

WHAT A SAVE! 😱 @averyskinnerr
#NCAAVB x @KentuckyVB pic.twitter.com/BzRHp1sxtG

— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) April 23, 2021

Alli Stumler is Everywhere

Kentucky’s superstar outside hitter is so much more than an offensive weapon. From just across the Ohio River in Floyds Knobs, Stumler can do it all for the Cats. Most hitters will rotate out of the lineup when it’s their turn to play defense in the back row; not Stumler. An exceptional passer, her hustle can be perfectly exemplified with one play.

So, this Alli Stumler kid … Not bad. Not bad. #WeAreUK | #NCAAVB pic.twitter.com/dtt3avYLME

— Kentucky Volleyball (@KentuckyVB) April 20, 2021

Spectacular Celebrations

No sport has better stats or celebrations than volleyball. Touchdown dances feel forced. Bat flips are too subtle. Every point in the game of volleyball feels like a championship victory.

There’s always some sort of screaming, followed by a fist pump or a pat on the butt. The best celebrations feature some sort of passive aggression to the opponent as a way to talk trash without directly talking trash.

Azhani Tealer’s celebrations pop more than the rest. Her eyes bring a “WOW” that tells the opponent to “eat it.” The eye-popping celebrations are even better after the 5-foot-10 leaper blocks someone five inches taller at the net. There’s a tinge of, “That’s what you get for thinking you can hit over the short girl.” I love every second of it.

Lilley DUMP

Madison Lilley was named AVCA National Player of the Year for being the nation’s best point guard on the volleyball court. The straw that stirs the Wildcats’ drink, her unpredictability keeps defenses on their toes. The setter quite literally sets up her teammates to score, with one exception.

Another great volleyball term is the “dump.” Instead of passing to her teammates for the hit, the setter will sneakily slide the ball over the net for a point. Once Washington pulled off the play in the third set, Lilley could not resist. She dumped it to perfection, giving the Cats the lead and retaking the match’s momentum for good. The dump is the ultimate middle finger in the game of volleyball and Lilley threw up double birds to send the Cats to the title.

The Skinner Sisters

Imagine playing for a National Championship alongside your sibling. It’s so damn cool. I wish there was a more profound way to put it, but finding the right words is hard sometimes, especially now.

A Team to Rally Behind

The joy of Kentucky’s Final Four win was overshadowed by tragedy. As the BBN mourns the loss of Terrence Clarke, Craig Skinner’s Cats can lift us up with an extraordinary win over a perennial powerhouse in the National Championship. Now is a time for Kentucky fans to come together. This is the team that can do it.