UK Volleyball Team Ranked No. 10 In Preseason Poll
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The American Volleyball Coaches’ Association preseason Top 25 rankings were revealed Tuesday afternoon, with Kentucky slotted at No. 10 to begin the 2023 season. The Wildcats are the highest-ranked team from the Southeastern Conference to commence the year.
This is the fifth time overall and fourth time in the last five years that Kentucky has been ranked inside the top 10 to begin a season. The Wildcats have been ranked as high as No. 2, when it won the 2020 NCAA national championship later that season.
Defending national champion Texas was the top-ranked team in the country, receiving 44 of 50 first-place votes in the opening rankings. The Wildcats are slated to play No. 4 Louisville, No. 5 Pittsburgh (twice), No. 11 Florida (twice) and Arkansas in the 2023 season.
AVCA/Taraflex Volleyball Preseason Top-25 Poll
1. Texas
2. Wisconsin
3. Stanford
4. Louisville
T5. Nebraska
T5. Pittsburgh
7. Minnesota
8. Penn State
9. Oregon
10. KENTUCKY
11. Florida
12. Marquette
13. San Diego
14. Ohio State
15. Baylor
16. Purdue
17. BYU
18. Creighton
19. Houston
20. Georgia Tech
21. Washington State
22. Southern Cal
23. Rice
24. Western Kentucky
25. Arkansas
Volleyball Team to Appear on ESPN Networks 10 Times in 2023
The UK Volleyball team will be featured in 10 matches that will air on the ESPN family of networks, ESPN announced Tuesday afternoon. The fall schedule for women’s soccer and volleyball was announced as part of ESPN’s longstanding relationship with the Southeastern Conference in which SEC Network televises 36 volleyball matches and 26 soccer matches throughout the fall.
UK will play on ESPN for the second time in the regular season in program history as it travels to Louisville on Sept. 13 for a match against the Cardinals at 8 p.m. on the main ESPN channel. Additionally, UK’s match vs. Tennessee on Sept. 24 inside Rupp Arena is an ESPN/ESPN2 flex game, with the channel designation to be announced later this fall.
Kentucky will appear six times across the SEC Network airwaves, including three road matches and three home matches inside of Rupp Arena. The Wildcats lone non-conference match to be featured on the 2023 slate is against Pittsburgh in the 84 Lumber Volleyball Classic as part of a two-legged attendance challenge between the Wildcats and Panthers.
The other two home matches on SEC Network for Kentucky in 2023 are vs. NCAA Tournament team from 2022, Arkansas, on Oct. 22 at 1 p.m. ET and a Nov. 12 match against Georgia at 1 p.m. ET, as well.
UK’s matches at Georgia (Sept. 29, 7 p.m. ET), Tennessee (Oct. 15, 5 p.m. ET) and LSU (Oct. 27, 9 p.m. ET) will also be shown live on the SECN air.
On Sunday, November 19, the SEC Network holds two ‘wild card’ selections, where it will pick the most relative matches to the championship race to air on its network in the 1 p.m. ET and 3 p.m. ET timeslots. Kentucky is scheduled to play Missouri that day with a projected 1:30 p.m. ET start in Rupp Arena.
ESPN will announce its schedule for its other channels at a later date including main ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and other ESPN subsidiaries.
UK Television Schedule:
Friday, Sept. 1 vs. Pitt; 7 p.m. ET; Lexington, Ky. (SEC Network)
Sunday, Sept. 3 vs. Pitt; Noon ET; Pittsburgh, Pa. (ACC Network)
Wednesday, Sept. 13 vs. Louisville; 8 p.m. ET; Louisville, Ky. (ESPN)
Sunday, Sept. 24 vs. Tennessee; 3 p.m. ET; Lexington, Ky. (ESPN or ESPN2)
Friday, Sept. 29 at Georgia; 7 p.m. ET; Athens, Ga. (SEC Network)
Sunday, Oct. 15 at Tennessee; 5 p.m. ET, Knoxville, Tenn. (SEC Network)
Sunday, Oct. 22 vs. Arkansas; 1 p.m. ET; Fayetteville, Ark. (SEC Network)
Friday, Oct. 27 at LSU; 9 p.m. ET; Baton Rouge, La. (SEC Network)
Sunday, Nov. 5 at Florida; 4 p.m. ET; Gainesville, Fla. (ESPN2)
Sunday, Nov. 12 vs. Georgia; 1 p.m. ET; Lexington, Ky. (SEC Network)
UK announced earlier this spring that Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center will serve as the primary home venue for the Kentucky gymnastics, volleyball and women’s basketball teams for the 2023-24 season while Memorial Coliseum undergoes an $82 million renovation.
Kentucky Hosts WKU for Exhibition and Fan Day Thursday
The Kentucky Volleyball team will play its lone exhibition match of the season Thursday night at 6 p.m. ET inside Rupp Arena against Western Kentucky in a rematch of the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2022.
After the match, there will be a fan day component to the evening, with all UK Volleyball players and coaches available for autographs and photos along the concourses of Rupp Arena with free posters being distributed, as well.
The match will be free admission to all fans, with free parking also provided by UK Athletics at the Rupp Arena parking lots surrounding the arena downtown.
Kentucky will be debuting six newcomers to its roster that returns 2022 SEC Player of the Year, Emma Grome in addition to American Volleyball Coaches’ Association All-Americans, Azhani Tealer and Reagan Rutherford.
Parking
Fans will be allowed to park at Rupp Arena free of charge with a purchased match ticket. Fans will be asked to show their match ticket upon entry into the parking lots of Rupp Arena for free entrance. Lots will be open three hours prior to first serve and cars are asked to enter through gate two of the High Street Lots for entrance into the lots.
Gates
Gates to Rupp Arena will open one hour to first serve time of the match.
Requested Entrances to Rupp Arena for Volleyball
All fans – High Street and Vine Street
Students – High Street, Main Street, Vine Street
Player Guest – High Street
Ticket Sales – High Street
Will Call & Ticket Resolution – High Street
Tickets
Season tickets for the 2023 home schedule are available for purchase now.
Single match tickets are also available by visiting this link.
The normal men’s basketball/women’s basketball ticket office location at Rupp Arena will also serve as the box office for volleyball matches.
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