Sept. 13, 2010

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Kentucky freshman Whitney Billings was named the Southeastern Conference’s Freshman of the Week after averaging 3.28 kills per set and earning UK Invitational All-Tournament team honors it was announced by the league office Monday.

Billings has started 9-of-10 matches for the Blue and White this season and is UK’s top offensive performer with over 3.20 kills per frame. She broke out this weekend for a career-best 23-kill performance against No. 17 Florida State. Billings became the first Kentucky player this season to record 20 or more kills in a match and did so on a career best .360 hitting percentage.

During Kentucky’s 2-2 week, she reached double-figures in three matches and had a pair of double-double efforts including a 14-kill, 16-dig effort in a five-set win over Kansas State. Her 16 scoops against the other Wildcats is a career-high. Billings is becoming more efficient offensively, as her hitting percentage was nearly 100 points higher than her season average and she hit over .300 in two of the four matches this week for the Blue and White.

Billings is the first UK player to earn an SEC Player of the Week award in 2010. Under the direction of Coach Craig Skinner, the Wildcats have had at least one player earn an SEC Freshman of the Week award in each of his six seasons coaching.

Kentucky opens SEC play this week with a pair of home dates. UK welcomes No. 4 Florida to Memorial Coliseum, Fri. Sept 17 for a 7 p.m. ET start. Sunday, Kentucky will square off with South Carolina at 1 p.m. ET. That match will air live on CWKYT.

Follow along all season long with the Wildcats at UKathletics.com.