Dec. 21, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the second time in three seasons the Kentucky volleyball team has finished the season ranked among the nation’s top-15 according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll. UK closes out the 2011 season as the nation’s No. 13 rated team.
UK coach Craig Skinner has led three teams to a final ranking with all three coming in three of the last four seasons. Kentucky was ranked No. 12 according to the AVCA in 2009. During Skinner’s tenure, the Wildcats have been ranked for 41 total polls including 10 consecutively this season.
Kentucky is one of three Southeastern Conference teams that finished the season ranked among the nation’s top 25. Florida capped the season at No. 11 and Tennessee was ranked No. 19.
In addition to the final ranking, Kentucky also closed out the season among the nation’s leaders in several statistical categories.
UK finished the season as the 18th best team in the nation in kills per set with an average of 14.25. Kentucky’s 13.19 assists per set was ranked as the 23rd best in the country. UK owned a hitting percentage of .250 which was the 35th best mark in the country. Finally, the Wildcats led the conference and finished 39th nationally with an average of 2.56 blocks per set.
Three players ranked among the top 80 in the country in three different categories. Setter Christine Hartmann’s average of 11.27 assists per set was the 23rd highest in the country. Second-team All-America selection, Stephanie Klefot, was 65th with 4.83 digs per set. Senior middle blocker Becky Pavan who finished as just the fourth player in school history to tally 400 or more block assists ranked 80th win an average of 1.11 blocks per set in her final campaign.
Finally, Kentucky’s Memorial Coliseum ranked among the nation’s leaders for the fourth consecutive season with an average of 1,421 fans per match. UK’s NCAA Regional match-up with Texas drew a crowd of 4,022 which is the single-highest total in the Skinner era and ranks as the fourth-best crowd in school history.
Visit UKathletics.com for the most up-to-date information on the UK volleyball team and all of Kentucky’s 22 teams.
