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Post by cbrown1709 on Jul 19, 2023 11:21:42 GMT -5
Just a few weeks away from start of season.. thoughts on 2023 Cats? What freshmen start? Can Sarafa push Grome at all? I'm interested at the depth of arms we have on offense this year. I'd say the two that push for playing time are Deleye and Bultema. |
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Post by wildcat403 on Jul 19, 2023 12:13:47 GMT -5
It's crazy how little info or insightful posts that are out there from the official volleyball account with the season just around the corner.
I'm intrigued to see how Lamb has developed and who between Wilson, Melby, and Deleye push for playing time on the outside.
I'd say there's close to a 0% chance Sarafa overtakes Grome, but could definitely see Bultema and Tuozzo pushing for a spot at MB and DS respectively.
All in all, we should have a really solid team who should be the favorite in the SEC and hopefully have another deep run in them.
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Post by stanfordvb on Jul 19, 2023 12:19:01 GMT -5
Just a few weeks away from start of season.. thoughts on 2023 Cats? What freshmen start? Can Sarafa push Grome at all? I'm interested at the depth of arms we have on offense this year. I'd say the two that push for playing time are Deleye and Bultema. tuozzo could too |
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Post by cbrown1709 on Jul 19, 2023 14:56:01 GMT -5
I'd say the two that push for playing time are Deleye and Bultema. tuozzo could too I hope. |
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Post by 2Close4Missiles on Jul 19, 2023 17:53:18 GMT -5
I'm excited! Should be a fun team, this will probably be the deepest we've been in a while. A lot of arms, our passing and backrow defense should be better, and I think this can be a really good serving team. I expect us to win the conference again and personally I'll be a little disappointed if we don't make the Elite 8.
I'm trying to resist the shiny object syndrome with the freshmen. My prediction is Tuozzo plays early, but the rest I expect (hope?) will take a little time to crack the rotation, if they do at all this year. Z, Rebo, Grome, and Beavin we know what we'll get. Lamb and Williams had solid springs, I think that carries over and they take a step up. Excited to see what Wilson does, she wasn't great in the Spring but whatever, brand new team and it was spring. And I'd love to see Goetzinger and Walker have big senior years, they're both more than capable of it. All that said, if a freshman comes in, kills it and wins a spot, I'll be ecstatic.
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Post by stanfordvb on Jul 23, 2023 21:27:39 GMT -5
don't think this has been posted before but I just realized after some instagram digging that I don't think goetzinger is taking her 5th year... at least not at Kentucky. she posted something about their most recent spring match being 'the last time' she's ever going to play in memorial coliseum (will be under renovation for the 2023 season but ready for 2024). so it seems like as of now she does not intend on staying on kentuckys team after this year, not sure if she plans to use the 5th year somewhere else but she should!!
im just hoping Rutherford stays lol
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Post by cbrown1709 on Jul 23, 2023 23:35:54 GMT -5
don't think this has been posted before but I just realized after some instagram digging that I don't think goetzinger is taking her 5th year... at least not at Kentucky. she posted something about their most recent spring match being 'the last time' she's ever going to play in memorial coliseum (will be under renovation for the 2023 season but ready for 2024). so it seems like as of now she does not intend on staying on kentuckys team after this year, not sure if she plans to use the 5th year somewhere else but she should!! im just hoping Rutherford stays lol Although we have some pretty damn good middles waiting on the bench, I hope she stays. The announcement I read from UK said it should be ready for competition sometime in the fall of '24. Maybe they expect to play two seasons in Rupp. |
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Post by OHVBKING on Jul 24, 2023 14:02:49 GMT -5
I am going to make what will probably be a very unpopular prediction. Unfortunately it would not surprise me if Sarafa ends up transferring at some point. Outside of an injury I don't see how she is going to play that much this season or next season and there are going to be other schools where she can get immediate playing time next season. Hopefully I am wrong but given the state of college athletics a lot of the elite college athletes want to be starting in their freshmen or sophomore season. I think it is safe to say when Sarafa originally committed to Kentucky the thinking at that time was probably she could beat out Grome. I don't see it happening and obviously Grome is getting national recognition as one of the best Setters in the country. With the transfer portal rules and the success that most of the high level players are having in the portal it is really going to be tough for schools to load up at a position like Setter.
It is no different than college football programs seeing their best backup QBs transfer out. Setter is a very similar position and a lot of these high level recruits are not going to wait two seasons until they start.
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Post by wildcat403 on Jul 24, 2023 14:16:03 GMT -5
I hear what you are saying, but Sarafa stayed committed after Grome won both SEC FOTY and POTY so I think she knew what she was getting into. Kentucky has done extremely well with setters under Skinner and having Lilley on staff now to train them only makes it more enticing for Sarafa to stick around. You never know, but I bet she sticks around.
As for Memorial, I've heard the plan is to play fall matches there in '24 where the arena should be at 80-90% completed and functional for games.
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Post by 2Close4Missiles on Jul 24, 2023 14:23:06 GMT -5
Oh Lordy, the girl hasn't even taken her headshot for the roster page and we're already predicting she'll transfer lol
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Post by OHVBKING on Jul 24, 2023 17:22:58 GMT -5
Oh Lordy, the girl hasn't even taken her headshot for the roster page and we're already predicting she'll transfer lol These same discussions are happening with men's basketball and football. It isn't unique to UK volleyball. We have to acknowledge the state of college athletics. The transfer portal has changed and women's volleyball has been impacted as much as any sport. It is going to be challenging for programs in general to stock pile high level players that are not playing. I just don't think high level recruits are going to wait until year 3 to play. If she doesn't see the court much this season programs are going to be in her ear about transferring because they need a Setter. Skinner has been able to keep players around, but he has also lost some players/transfers and I can't think of any time he has ever had two monster Setters on the squad at the same time. With the transfer portal it makes it very tough to stock pile Setters. |
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Post by ferncreekcat on Jul 24, 2023 18:46:35 GMT -5
It will be interesting to see if she redshirts this year, which would give her three years to start at UK. With Kassie O'Brien coming in 2025, we may have that covered anyway. O'Brien is about as highly rated by multiple services as Sarafa.
More worried about Mid if Goetzinger leaves after this year... would only leave Williams, still coming back from an achilles injury, and Bultema.
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Post by wildcat403 on Jul 24, 2023 20:24:24 GMT -5
Is Dailey moving outside for sure? Could see Craig go after a middle from the portal this off-season for sure.
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Post by cbrown1709 on Jul 24, 2023 20:49:17 GMT -5
Is Dailey moving outside for sure? Could see Craig go after a middle from the portal this off-season for sure. Dailey played OPP all club season. |
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Post by ferncreekcat on Jul 24, 2023 23:14:38 GMT -5
This is what I have for 2024...
Middle Blocker
Jordyn Williams 6-2 Jr. TEXAS
Brooke Bultema 6-3 So. OHIO
Outside Hitter
Erin Lamb 6-3 Sr. MINNESOTA
Megan Wilson 6-4 Sr. TEXAS
Haley Melby 6-2 Jr. INDIANA
Brooklyn DeLeye 6-2 So. KANSAS
Jordyn Dailey 6-2 So. NORTH CAROLINA
*Hannah Benjamin 6-2 Fr. GEORGIA
Defensive Specialist/Libero
Eleanor Beavin 5-5 Sr. Mercy HS
Audrey Whitworth 5-7 Jr. Breckinridge County
Molly Tuozzo 5-7 So. TEXAS
*Asia Thigpen 5-11 Fr. NORTH CAROLINA
Setter
Emma Grome 5-9 Sr. OHIO
Lane Jenkins 5-9 Sr. Lafayette HS
Ava Sarafa 6-0 So. MICHIGAN
Very talented, and deep, at every position except MB.
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