Edmond and Lilley Invited to USA Volleyball Spring Training

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky volleyball players Leah Edmond and Madison Lilley were among 17 players invited by the United States Women’s National Volleyball Team to participate in a spring training block March 16-23. Kentucky’s duo is among 10 collegiate players who were selected for the training, which will be held in Anaheim, California, the host city of both the men’s and women’s national teams.
 
All 17 athletes will be evaluated for additional training this summer with the full U.S. Women’s National Team with the opportunity to earn selection to the an international roster spot including the Pan American Games and the Pan American Cup. For the 10 collegiate athletes, the training block serves as an extended tryout in compliance with NCAA rules.
 
“For those of us on the U.S. Women’s National Team staff, every day we get to work with dedicated people pursuing mastery is a great day,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We’re pumped for the opportunity to work with this group, and excited to see how they all develop over the next several years. Finally, a gratitude shout out: for all those people with remaining college eligibility, a big thank you to all of their college programs whose support made this training camp possible.”

Edmond and Lilley were critical pieces to Kentucky’s second straight Southeastern Conference title in 2018. The duo hauled in second-team American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America honors as well as All-SEC nods. Edmond was the league’s player of the year, while Lilley was the AVCA All-Southeast Region Player of the Year.
 
Both players have competed within the Team USA system in previous summers. Lilley competed with the Collegiate National Team in China in 2018, marking her fourth time appearance on a national team. She also participated in the 2017 Women’s U20 Pan Am Cup, and both the 2016 and 2015 Youth National Teams.
 
Edmond participated on the CNT that traveled to Europe in 2018. She also played on the FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship team in 2017.
 
In addition to this week’s training, Edmond and Lilley will be back in action for the Wildcats during the spring slate of exhibition matches.
 
The spring schedule features four weeks of play, and concludes with an exciting home match. The Cats will start the spring season on March 29 as they travel to take on rival Louisville at 6 p.m. ET.
 
Kentucky will also travel on April 6 for the annual KIVA Tournament held in Louisville, Kentucky. On April 12, the Wildcats will play NCAA Tournament participant, Pittsburgh, in Hilliard, Ohio, at Hilliard-Davidson High School which is the former home of Kendyl Paris. First serve for that match is set for 6 p.m. ET.
 
The Wildcats will conclude spring action with a home contest against Tennessee who finished as the runner-up in the SEC standings in 2018. The two teams will meet April 18 in Memorial Coliseum for a 6:30 p.m. ET first serve. Fans are encouraged to attend the home match. Admission will be free and the doors will open one hour prior to first serve.
 
As a team, Kentucky finished the year 27-5 and won the SEC Championship for the second season in a row. It marked the first time since 1987-88 the Wildcats won the championship in successive seasons. Kentucky advanced to the NCAA Regional Semifinals for the fifth time under head coach Craig Skinner and the Wildcats put together a 23-match winning streak, the second longest in program history.

 For the latest on the Kentucky volleyball team, follow @KentuckyVB on Twitter and Kentucky Volleyball on Facebook and Instagram and on the web at UKathletics.com.