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  • Big Volleyball Day today for UK, and big news shared a few minutes ago

    by
    Darrell KSR
    Published on 11-25-2022 11:11 AM
    6 Comments Comments
    Kentucky (18-7, 13-3) splitting the match in Gainesville last weekend placed us in good position to receive a share of the SEC championship this year, which would be our sixth consecutive championship. If Kentucky wins both of their matches this weekend and Florida (21-5, 13-3) wins both of their matches this weekend in Oxford against Ole Miss (11-15, 7-9; matches scheduled tonight at 7:30 PM and tomorrow at 5 PM), as I understand it, Florida would receive the automatic bid due to a tiebreaker rule that would go down to the third step, points one between the two teams. Florida defeated us by more points than we defeated them, so they would get the automatic bid. Doesn't really matter, as both teams obviously will be invited to the NCAA Tournament, and both teams would be designated co-champions this season anyway.


    The Wildcat helped with the Azhani Tealer announcement

    But it begins today. Kentucky has to do their part by defeating South Carolina (13-13, 7-9) today at 4 PM, on Senior Day. We play them again tomorrow at 1 PM (Kentucky Athletics will be providing a shuttle between volleyball and the football game tomorrow for a nominal charge of $1.)

    As to the "big news," remember, today is Senior Day. Kentucky's uber-athletic middle blocker/hitter Azhani Tealer and Kentucky Volleyball released an announcement today, just a few minutes ago that Tealer will take advantage and will return to Kentucky for a fifth year. She is an integral, critical, super important part of Kentucky's success the last few seasons, and having her back for a fifth year is awesome.
    Comments 6 Comments
    1. Darrell KSR's Avatar
      Darrell KSR - 11-25-2022, 11:40 AM
      With Azhani's announcement, I thought I would take a look at Kentucky's roster and see just how many Senior players we had. I assume that any other Senior who has completed their normal four years of eligibility will not be returning.

      Basically, it is a fairly young team. Players listed as Seniors on the roster are:

      Maddie Berezowitz, Libero – she has seen some time, but she's not our main player. Has started one match this season. She's behind both Eleanor Beavin and Riah Walker. Still, she has played in 18 matches this season, and has considerable experience. Since she is behind underclassmen, she may not be motivated to return and want to go ahead and complete her collegiate experience.

      Adanna Rollins, Outside Hitter – major player, the transfer from Penn State. This is her fifth season, so she cannot return. She's had a good season for Kentucky and has been just what we needed when she transferred here for her final season.

      Azhani Tealer, Middle Blocker – she will be returning for her fifth year next year, major player for Kentucky. Although she's only 5 foot 10 (on a good day), her jumping ability, strength and quickness have made her one of the top middle blockers in the country. Rarely do you see someone as athletic as she is play that position.

      Kelly Franxman, Outside Hitter – has seen limited playing time in 4 matches. This is her fifth season as well, so she is not eligible to return.
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN - 11-25-2022, 12:37 PM
      Getting Tealer back is the biggest recruiting score Skinner could hope to get. We were much weaker when she was out this year, it's obvious the difference she makes on and off the court.

      I'm also glad they made today senior day versus tomorrow. Sure for the football game, but also bc of anther reason that gripes me a bit.

      B/c of the situation with the game tomorrow (reason I was given), tomorrrow is open and free seating. I have no problem with them making the regular tickets free, great idea and probably good to do more often, but...

      they also didn't protect season ticket holder's seats for the Saturday game. That gripes me a bit as I pay for season tickets, and REALLY like my seats, and now if we go we have to either go early enough to get good seats or not sit in our really nice seats in all probability. I can tell you numerous times a year I have to ask people to move who have taken our seats as we often arrive right at the start of the game due to our schedules. I'm sure Saturday will be no different if we don't get there.

      It's not the end of my world, but I find it to not be very thoughtful of the people who are really supporting the program both by attending regularly but also by spending albeit small amounts of money (tickets are like $85 a seat for the year, about what water and popcorn cost at Rupp for a game lol).

      I called to verify that was the case and UK confirmed it. I'm not "mad", and I want good attendance at all the games, but this is a conference game and is in fact the last game of the year. They would never ever do that to men's basketball ticket holders would they?

      I'll get over it, but I just thought it wasn't well thought out. I would think you would simply issue regular season tickets and then just have the other seats be open seating. I could probably still get someone to move, but I am not the kind to make a scene. For the other football conflict this year they were so short handed they didn't even have ticket scanners at the gates but I at least still had ticketed proof those were my seats. I'm OK with that too.

      Just an aside mild rant (I hope). My girl really loves our seats and going to games. Brings her pom poms and cheers and stands, she's a really good fan. I think she deserves the thoughtfulness of the ticket office to think how the season ticket holders may take those decisions.

      But I am glad senior day is officially today so we can for sure see it.

      Thrilled Tealer is returning. Great player, and one of my girl's favorites so an extra bonus.
    1. Darrell KSR's Avatar
      Darrell KSR - 11-25-2022, 12:56 PM
      That's very irritating about the season ticket holders, CBBN. It's not the amount of money you paid for the season tickets, it's the commitment you (and others) made for those tickets, to support the team, and to be there for most games for a sport that traditionally struggles to garner sustained support. That's a fumble by UK, IMHO. No reason to leave a sour taste in the mouth of season ticket holders the last game of the season, and before next year they come to you asking for a renewal.
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN - 11-25-2022, 01:05 PM
      I thought it was just bad thinking on their part. I'm going to ask the guys next to me today their opinion of it, we chat enough for me to ask, but I was put off by it.

      They would never ever do that to basketball or football ticket holders, so why is it OK to do it for non-revenue sports? Don't you want to cater and sell those people too or do they really just not matter to you at all?

      Not the end of my world, but as you said it well, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth of your season ticket holders, which can't be a good thing.

      they had an open practice before the season started that was not ticketed, and that was fine. I get it, and wasn't a big deal to me. It was practice, it was to try to mostly get students to maybe come and check it out, or some random fans. It was never anticipated to be in the season ticket package by me so my expectations were in line with that decision.

      This is a conference game and last game of the year at home, so my expectations are that such a thing would be in the ticket package.

      UK's marketing and thinking on these things isn't the best. It's not like there aren't plenty of non-season tickets open for the games that could be offered for free today. Most people who come either just love volleyball or you see a lot of high school volleyball groups there during the year, plus parents and friends of the team and some random students. You probably won't ever attract a lot of new random fans to the games with this move but you can potentially leave a bad impression on some of those who do come regularly.
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN - 11-25-2022, 01:06 PM
      FWIW I'll renew b/c my girl loves to go and I like watching old school college sports without all the modern trappings of being all but a pro league, but it doesn't necessarily encourage me to go above and beyond for them either in donations etc.
    1. dan_bgblue's Avatar
      dan_bgblue - 11-25-2022, 03:58 PM
      They would never ever do that to basketball or football ticket holders, so why is it OK to do it for non-revenue sports? Don't you want to cater and sell those people too or do they really just not matter to you at all?
      When they renovated Kroger, and reduced the number of available seats, I seem to remember that UK screwed a lot of fans out of their preferred seating that they had occupied for centuries.

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