The University of Kentucky volleyball team will travel to Louisville to participate inthe Conference USA Challenge this weekend. The Cats face Marquette University onFriday, Nov. 24 at 5 p.m. at Cardinal Arena on the campus of the University ofLouisville, then close out their 2000 schedule against the Louisville Cardinals Saturdaynight.

Teams competing in the Conference USA Challenge include Louisville andMarquette from Conference USA, Kentucky from the Southeastern Conference, andEastern Kentucky from the Ohio Valley Conference.

UK (5-20, 3-11 SEC) has been idle since knocking off Tennessee in the SEC finaleon Nov. 12. In that match, the Cats hit for a season-best .281 en route to recording 94kills in the 3-1 win.

Kentucky’s offensive execution has been impressive throughout much of the latterpart of the season. Against UT, five Cats reached double-figures in kills, led bysophomore Liz McCaslin’s career-high 23.

Megan Weiskircher continues to pace the Cats in kills and digs. The middleblocker has recorded 354 kills and 234 digs on the campaign and was recognized forher outstanding play by being named second team All-SEC last week.

UK seniors Weiskircher and Melissa Kracht will be playing their final two games forthe Big Blue. Fellow seniors Stacey Wallace and Stephenie Taylor continue to besidelined rehabilitating their injured knees.

Marquette enters the contest with a record of 8-22. The Golden Eagles fell to St.Louis in the opening round of last weekend’s Conference USA tournament. UM is ledby C-USA second team selection Mehgan Devine and senior setter Liz Egasti.

Egasti is the all-time Conference USA assists leader. Marquette leads the all-time series with the Wildcats 1-0 as a result of their victorylast season.