LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Southeastern Conference revealed its television schedule Wednesday, August 9, featuring 42 SEC Volleyball matches on the SEC Network and the ESPN family of networks, with nationally-ranked Kentucky playing in at least eight of those contests.
Six Kentucky matches will be shown live on the SEC Network, including four against 2016 NCAA Tournament teams. UK will face PAC-12 power Utah on the network, as well rival Louisville. In SEC play, the Cats will see Texas A&M, Florida and Alabama on the SEC Network.
SEC matches against Auburn and Florida will appear on ESPNU.
In addition to the televised events, all of UK’s home matches and select conference matches will be available for live streaming through the WatchESPN app on tablets and mobile devices. Fans can also watch the action online at espn.go.com/watchespn.
For a program-record sixth-consecutive year, the Kentucky volleyball team will begin the season ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s preseason Top 25 after the Wildcats earned a No. 14 ranking in the poll released on Wednesday, August 9.
UK’s spot in the Top 25 poll marks the eighth time in the last nine years in which the Wildcats have earned a place in the preseason poll, all under head coach Craig Skinner (pictured).
The poll features five teams UK will face in 2017. In non-conference play, the Cats will face No. 8 Kansas and No. 9 Creighton on the road, while UK will welcome No. 23 Utah in the Bluegrass Battle. In Southeastern Conference play, UK will take on No. 12 Florida and No. 19 Missouri.
Kentucky is slated to return 91.9 percent of its leading kill production, including its top five terminators in Leah Edmond, Kaz Brown, Darian Mack, Emily Franklin and Brooke Morgan. Defensively, UK returns 97.8 percent of its blocking numbers and 84.5 percent of its dig production. Brown, who already holds numerous 25-point rally scoring era records, is UK’s leading returning blocker with 151 rejections a season ago. Ashley Dusek has posted more than 200 digs in all three seasons with the Cats.
With the announcement of the TV schedule, times for all matches are set. The full schedule can be found below.
UK Athletics Photo
