Volleyball Seniors Ready for Final Season
Gabby Curry, Madison Lilley, Kendyl Paris and Avery Skinner came to the Kentucky volleyball program four years ago with high promise and great expectations. Now approaching their senior seasons in Lexington, the quartet has fulfilled much of that promise, but they remain hungry for more.
The 2020-21 senior class has elevated the UK volleyball program to new heights during their time in Lexington. UK has won three straight SEC championships since the group arrived on campus. As freshmen, the quartet took the Cats to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for just the third time in program history. They have been to the Sweet 16 all three years that the group has been here.
Their accolades are impressive and numerous. Curry is the two-time defending SEC Libero of the Year and an honorable mention All-American. Lilley has been an All-American in all three of her seasons at UK. Skinner was named to the SEC All-Freshmen team. Paris has been a member of the All-SEC Academic Team.
Now, this group is ready for one last go-around in what will be a season like no other. The Cats are scheduled to play eight SEC matches this fall, then an undetermined number of matches in the spring of 2021. The NCAA volleyball tournament is tentatively scheduled for the spring. But, as with everything in the COVID-19 world, that’s subject to change.
The UK seniors are undeterred by those potential obstacles. Instead, they are ready to get this campaign rolling on Friday night in their opening match of the season when the Cats host Tennessee at Memorial Coliseum. It’s been a long road to get to this point, but the UK seniors are ready to get the season going.
As high school players, and during the recruiting process, the foursome became close and have stayed that way since their arrival on the UK campus.
“It’s so crazy to see how far we’ve come because we were all so close as juniors and seniors in high school and now, five or six years later, it’s so crazy to see how we’ve developed as not only players but people off the court,” Lilley said. “Talking about post-graduation plans and staying in touch. It’s so crazy because you really do develop relationships that go beyond the court. We really are blessed to have such a close senior class.”
Skinner agrees with her classmate.
“We have all just become so close, we’re planning trips together after college and I’m just so excited that we’re so close and that we’re going to continue those relationships,” Skinner said. “Obviously, that helps on the court, off the court, whatever that might be. Friendships that we will keep forever.”
Curry is thankful that she’s been able to navigate the pandemic with her teammates. That has allowed the group to continue moving toward their team goals.
“It has helped so incredibly much. Number one, just making sure we’re on the same page,” Curry said. “We’ve had to do Zoom calls together. There’s been so much communication that we haven’t had to do in the past, but that we’ve set up so we can be successful leading our teammates. I’m so thankful that I’ve been able to go through this thing with a group of girls who are so stable, so authentic and motivated.”
As for this year’s team, Paris knows that this group could lead the Cats to new heights.
“I think this team is a very special team, probably the most special team I’ve been a part of,” Paris said. “With everything that has happened, I don’t think that will stop us from trying to win a national championship. And with this team, that’s very possible. We have a lot of really good young players and a lot of leadership in our older classes.”
One of the challenges that this year’s team will face is playing eight matches in the fall, then having a break before the season resumes in the winter/spring. Having to maintain that focus for such a long period of time is something that will be new for each of them.
“I think I’m still trying to figure that out, personally,” Curry said. “I know that it’s been super hard mentally on us seniors because, if you’re a junior or (younger) you know where you’re going to be next year. And you know for a fact and you’ve known that since the beginning of quarantine. But for us, we didn’t know if we were going to have a season at all. That uncertainly really weighed down on us mentally. I think that with so much maturity on our team, by us setting the tone and getting one percent better each day, that will help us keep our focus.”
Paris and the Cats have had to adjust the way they do things, as well as their approach to the upcoming season.
“I think for me, it’s been tough to not be in the volleyball mindset all day, every day,” Paris said. “I think it’s been very important for me to focus on giving everything I have when I’m there and being all in when I’m there. There have been so many questions, and I like having a set schedule, I’ve had to work on unknowns and doing things I’m not comfortable with for the betterment of the team.”
Lilley, who already holds the UK record for career assists during the rally-scoring era, knows that it’s the little things that could put this team over the top.
“(UK head coach) Craig (Skinner) always talks about details and fine tuning our skills. That takes a lot of energy and focus, so we’re really working on coming in the gym every day and pinpointing what we want to get better at,” Lilley said. “We know we have to get better as the small things to make that next stride. We all come in with laser focus every day. It’s going to be a fun year.”
Skinner likes the makeup of this year’s team and thinks that this roster could be the one that sets new standards for the program.
“The difference this year is our depth,” Skinner said. “Craig talks about it all the time, but the competition we have in practice is like no other. No other team in the country has the chance to compete so hard in practice. We’re all pushing each other and people can step up and step in.”
This year’s senior class had to wait, but the group is ready to lead this year’s Kentucky team into a season unlike any other. And they also hope to add to their legacy as one of the most successful classes in school history.
