Watson, Jewell Set to Face Hometown Rivals
Perhaps no student-athlete at the University of Kentucky has a better appreciation for the rivalry between Kentucky and Louisville than UK volleyball standout McKenzie Watson. And that’s because Watson grew up in a particular type of household.
“I grew up in a Louisville fan family,” said Watson, who grew up in the Derby City. “Every human in my family is a Louisville fan.”
So when Watson and her Kentucky teammates face the archrival Cardinals on Friday night (7 p.m., Memorial Coliseum), will Watson’s family have divided interests?
“They are still Louisville fans outside of volleyball,” Watson said. “But (they are) huge Kentucky volleyball fans.”
Watson, who played for powerhouse Assumption High School in Louisville, will have the opportunity to face a pair of former teammates who are now on the Cardinals’ roster. Both junior Molly Sauer and freshman Alexis Hamilton play libero at Louisville, and Watson knows them both very well.
“I grew up playing with Molly, we were on the same team since we were 11 years old,” Watson said. “It’s really, really cool to be able to play against her. We played next to each other all the time, so to be across the net from her is a really cool experience. It’s really cool to see how we both have grown. Coming from such a strong program such as Assumption and KIVA (Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Academy), to see how both of us are developing in our own conferences is really awesome.”
As for Hamilton, Watson thinks she has a bright future.
“Alexis was a freshman when I was a senior at Assumption, so I only played with her one year,” Watson said. “She’s honestly one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen. It’s really cool to watch her grown and excel. It’s also really cool to play against her. It’s going to be a fun night.”
Fellow Wildcat Merideth Jewell also grew up in Louisville, but her experience with the Kentucky-Louisville rivalry was a bit different than Watson’s.
“It was a little bit of both,” Jewell said of her family’s divided loyalties. “My mom and stepmom are Cardinal fans and my stepdad and dad are Kentucky fans.”
As for Jewell, she’s excited about the chance to face Louisville.
“It is a little different because I’m playing against my hometown, there’s a few people I know on that team,” Jewell said. “So I’m excited to play people that I know, people I played against in high school. It will be exciting.”
This will be Jewell’s first Kentucky-Louisville game since she transferred to UK from Morehead State. The junior is excited to be part of the rivalry.
“Now that I get to be a part of it and get to be a part of it, that adds to it,” Jewell said. “I’ve been to a Louisville-Kentucky game and seen the atmosphere, so it’s cool to be down on the court and be a part of it. I’m so, so excited.”
Kentucky has won the last four meetings between the rivals, and the Wildcats lead the all-time series 29-25. UK head coach Craig Skinner is 6-3 against the Cardinals during his tenure at Kentucky, and is looking forward to Friday’s matchup.
“You can’t say it’s just another game, because it’s a rivalry game,” Skinner said. “I think it’s fun to play these games. It’s always competitive regardless of team’s records and results. It’s just a fun deal because volleyball is big in Louisville, volleyball has tradition here at Kentucky. It makes for a great night for our fans. It’s a showcase event for the Commonwealth in our sport.”
The Wildcats enter Friday’s match with a 7-2 mark on the season, with both losses coming on the road against Top 10 teams (Creighton and Kansas). The Wildcats feel that the team has come together quickly, which has given them an early-season boost.
“I think the biggest thing with us right now is that our chemistry is on point,” Watson said. “We all enjoy playing next to each other and we’re playing at a really high level. It’s also cool to know that we’re playing at a high level right now, but we haven’t even reached what we know we can.”
Skinner agrees with Watson’s assessment.
“It was a high level offensively,” Skinner said of the Wildcats’ wins over Loyola and Marquette last weekend. “A lot of credit to our players for executing. We continue to set the bar high for ourselves.”
Louisville is 5-3 on the season after sweeping three matches in the UNLV Challenge last weekend. First-year coach Dani Busboom Kelly has seen her squad win five of six after dropping their first two matches of the season.
As for Watson, she has no doubt where her family’s loyalty lies.
“My family had to do a bit of adjusting,” Watson said. “But they love (UK volleyball) now.”
