Cats Embrace Pressure, Claim Ninth Consecutive SEC Title
Kentucky volleyball head coach has a phrase that he uses often with his team – pressure is a privilege. Skinner means that in order to be under pressure, you must have earned the right to be in that position.
Kentucky felt that pressure this season. Playing at Penn State the night the Nittany Lions hung their national championship banner from last season. Playing in front of hostile crowds at Louisville, Texas and Texas A&M. And on Friday night, trailing Oklahoma two sets to none.
In each of those cases, the Cats were able to pull out victories. And on Sunday, UK closed out a perfect Southeastern Conference season with a sweep of Arkansas. Senior Eva Hudson spoke about the program’s success following Sunday’s match.
“It’s such a legacy to live up to and I’m just proud of these girls for gritting it out,” Hudson said. “The pressure is such an honor, so we’re just really happy to be here.”
Grit was a word that junior Brooklyn DeLeye also mentioned about this team.
“We’ve just had so much grit all season,” she said. “We truly didn’t know if this was possible, so it’s just unreal to be here right now.”
Freshman setter Kassie O’Brien knew what she was stepping into playing for Kentucky and she embraced it.
“Coming into a program that’s won the SEC the past eight years, it brings a lot of pressure, especially being a freshman,” O’Brien said. “I’ve used that pressure as a privilege. It feels so amazing right now.”
Junior Lizzie Carr said that the expectations are clear for the players in this program.
“It’s laid out very, very quickly and it’s very clear what’s expected of us,” Carr said. “That standard is really high and it’s something that’s really amazing to be a part of.”
Skinner talked about the type of players he recruits and how they fit into the legacy of the program.
“We recruit players that know what our expectations are,” Skinner said. “We can’t guarantee that but we can guarantee you’re going to be in a culture and a foundation that brings out the best in others and we celebrate the success of other people, too. It’s not about me, it’s about us.”
Kentucky has now won nine consecutive SEC championships, and the Cats are looking for more.
“We still have so much more to prove,” DeLeye said. “It’s going to be exciting.”
Accepting that pressure is a privilege is part of what has made the UK program what it is today. And on Sunday, that meant yet another SEC championship.
