Beavin, Cats Looking for Quick Start to 2024 Season
The Kentucky volleyball team faced a tough early schedule in 2023. The Cats faced nationally-ranked opponents Pittsburgh (twice), Houston, Purdue, Nebraska and Louisville early in the season and got off to a 2-6 record. It wasn’t the start that the Cats were looking for, but it’s something they hope to improve on this season, according to senior libero Eleanor Beavin.
“I hope that we have a better season at the forefront than last year,” Beavin said. “I hope we can pick up some big wins against some ranked opponents at the beginning, give us some confidence in SEC play. It’s going to be tougher this year, I think. SEC championship is our main goal and moving into the tournament, we’d like to get farther than the Sweet 16. I think we’re capable of it.”
The Cats took a trip to Japan in May, where they were able to play a few matches and to spend some time together. Beavin believes that the trip is already paying dividends as fall camp is underway.
“We already look so much better,” Beavin said. “The freshmen already know the system so now we’re already to put it in play instead of just talking about it because we already had essentially two weeks of practice before this. So, it was very, very helpful and we were able to work on it in open gym over the summer. We look really, really good right now.”
Beavin, who was the Southeastern Conference Libero of the Year as a freshman in 2021, is looking forward to her senior year.
“Individually, I think just being consistent is biggest goal,” Beavin said. “Going out with a bang, senior year. Looking to have a lot of fun, honestly.”
As she looks forward to what lies ahead, Beavin has a number of options. She’s not exactly which path she will choose at this point.
“There’s so many routes, I haven’t decided yet,” Beavin said. “I might want to play in the PVF (Pro Volleyball Federation), I haven’t really decided on that yet. I kind of want to go into coaching, that could be an alley for me, too. Or with sports journalism, I’d love to be an announcer for games, doing side stories with athletes, interviewing athletes, I think that’s really cool. Going into my last year with school, I think I’ll decide whether I want to go down the coaching and volleyball route or stick to sports but go with more like my major.”
Beavin has enjoyed getting to know other sports, covering them as a student journalist. Has she found some that she likes best?
“I love gymnastics or tennis and golf. Those are the ones I love watching and I think I know the most about, other than volleyball, so I would love to cover those,” Beavin said. “College gymnastics would be really cool, then tennis and golf would be on the pro stage. I like that they are individual sports. It’s different from what I know as a team sport, so I’ve enjoyed watching those and I think those would be really fun to cover.”
Beavin has proven herself as a valuable member of the Kentucky volleyball team for three years. Whatever she decides to do in the future, there’s little doubt that she will be a success.
