Kentucky Volleyball Releases 2017 Schedule

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky volleyball team is set for the 2017 season as head coach Craig Skinner announced his team’s upcoming 2017 schedule. UK will face 10 opponents who participated in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats will see action in three nonconference tournaments this season, including an opening weekend tournament at home. 

“We love our schedule,” Skinner said. “We will be tested in many different ways and each match has its own challenge.  There are many great opportunities for us throughout the pre-conference and SEC.  it will allow us to compete against some of the best teams from eight different leagues, which will prepare us for the SEC season.”

The Wildcats ended the 2016 season with a 23-8 record, and finished second in the Southeastern Conference at 15-3. For the ninth time in 10 seasons, UK reached the 20-win mark. The Cats are set to begin the 2017 season with eight players who participated in at least 25 matches a season ago, with seven starting at least 13 contests.

For the first time in program history, Kentucky will begin the season with an exhibition match. UK will face in-state foe Western Kentucky, who finished the season ranked No. 20 in the nation, Aug. 16. 

The Wildcats will stay at home to open the regular season as well in the Bluegrass Battle, where the Cats will welcome Utah Aug. 25, and Arkansas State and Cincinnati for a doubleheader the next day.  The Utes finished the season in the top 25. 

The first road trip of the season will come at the Creighton Tournament, where UK will face the host Bluejays Sept. 1, and will follow that match with contests against Northern Iowa and USC. It’s the fourth-consecutive season the four teams will compete in a nonconference tournament. All four teams in the Creighton Tournament were receiving votes or finished the season in the top 25, while Creighton advanced to the Elite Eight of the 2016 tournament. 

Kentucky will head to second-round participant Kansas Sept. 4 before playing in its last regular-season tournament of the year. UK will see Loyola Sept. 9 and host Marquette Sept. 10 in the three-team Marquette Tournament. 

UK will wrap up the nonconference portion of the schedule with home contests against Louisville and Kennesaw State Sept. 15 and 16, respectively.  

The Cats will open league play on the road with a rare Wednesday match at Sweet 16 participant Missouri. UK will return home against LSU to open home SEC action Sept. 24. 

After a week off, the Cats will head to Starkville, Mississippi, to face Mississippi State on the road for the second-straight season Oct. 1. The following weekend, UK will host Alabama and Auburn Oct. 6 and 8 before wrapping up a three-match homestand Oct. 11 against Texas A&M. 

After heading to reigning SEC Champion Florida Oct. 15. UK will host rival Tennessee Oct. 22. The Cats will hit the road once against at LSU Oct. 27 and Texas A&M Oct. 29.

Kentucky will then face Florida for the second time in three weeks, this time for another Wednesday match in Memorial Coliseum Nov. 1. UK will wrap up the weekend at home facing South Carolina Nov. 5.

After welcoming Alabama and Auburn to begin the conference schedule, UK will travel to Alabama and Auburn Nov. 8 and 12, respectively. 

UK will wrap up the home portion of the schedule Nov. 17 and 19, when UK takes on Georgia and Ole Miss. Kentucky finishes the regular season on the road, playing Arkansas Nov. 22 and Georgia Nov. 24. 

Times of matches and the TV schedule will be announced at a later date. More information about season tickets will be available later this summer. Fans interested in learning more about purchasing season tickets are encouraged to contact the UK Athletics Ticket Office at (859) 257-1818 or by visiting UKathletics.com/Tickets for updates as more information becomes available.

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