Craig Skinner Named Finalist for Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year
LEXINGTON, Ky.– Kentucky Volleyball head coach Craig Skinner was announced as one of 10 finalists for the 2021 Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year, Mark Story of the Lexington Herald-Leader revealed Tuesday night.
Skinner was named the 2020 American Volleyball Coaches’ Association national coach of the year as part of UK’s run to the national championship, in addition to being awarded the 2020-21 Southeastern Conference coach of the year and the AVCA region coach of the year.
Kentucky went 24-1 en route to its national title in 2020-21, recording the best season in program history. Skinner then followed that up with a 25-5 season in 2021 after losing four starters from the national championship season and winning the SEC title for the fifth season in a row, a new program best.
He will enter his 18th season in 2022 with an all-time record of 401-131.
Skinner has directed the Wildcats to 17 consecutive NCAA Tournaments – a feat only nine other schools in the nation have achieved. That run includes seven Sweet Sixteen appearances since 2009, two Elite Eight appearances, the 2020 NCAA Final Four and back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back SEC titles in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020-21 and 2021. Furthermore, the Wildcats have captured 17 or more victories in all 17 seasons under Skinner’s direction, including tallying 20 or more wins in 13 of the last 15 seasons.
The Herald-Leader will reveal the winner of the 2021 Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year Award on Kentucky.com on Tuesday, Jan. 25, around 9 a.m. with full profiles of the winner, capsules on the Top 10 & all voting results in the Jan. 26 newspaper.
Follow along with the Wildcats on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
