The Kentucky volleyball program paid tribute to their four seniors, Elise Goetzinger, Reagan Rutherford, Azhani Tealer, and Riah Walker, before their regular season finale on Saturday. These seniors have been a crucial part of the team’s success during their time in Lexington, but this season stands out as one that brings them the most satisfaction.
Having already been a part of four (or in Tealer’s case, five) consecutive Southeastern Conference championships, as well as the 2020 national championship, won in a COVID-19 bubble in Omaha, this season presented unique challenges for the entire UK team. The Cats were displaced from their home at Memorial Coliseum due to renovations, which resulted in playing the majority of their matches on the road.
Additionally, the team faced a tough schedule, going up against 13 ranked opponents in 26 matches, with nine of those matches taking place on the road. This included challenging matches against then-No. 2 Louisville and then-No. 4 Nebraska. The team had a difficult start, with a 2-6 record, and Rutherford missed several matches due to injury. However, freshmen Brooklyn DeLeye and Molly Tuozzo stepped up to play significant roles for the team.
Despite the obstacles, head coach Craig Skinner and his staff remained committed, as did the Cats. Their perseverance paid off, as they started to rack up victories. On Saturday, Kentucky swept Florida to finish with a 17-1 record in the Southeastern Conference and secure their seventh consecutive SEC championship. Senior Reagan Rutherford acknowledged the team’s challenging journey to this year’s championship.
“I think it’s a little more satisfying than the other ones because it was just a long journey to get here,” Rutherford said. “We really did have to grind for it. This year has been so special.”
Fellow senior Elise Goetzinger emphasized that the tough early schedule ultimately benefited the Cats as the season progressed.
“I think a lot of connecting in that preseason into conference time helped us be ready for conference,” Goetzinger said. “We also knew that we had the hardest preseason (schedule) in the country, so not taking those losses too seriously and not being too hard on ourselves. But also learning from each moment. We have a lot of new people, and how we connected those people into this team took time but now it’s flowing really smoothly.”
Rutherford, who also battled through injury this season, expressed her happiness at being able to contribute to two significant wins at the end of the season.
“It’s hard to sit on the sideline and not being there for my team like I usually am,” Rutherford said. “Being out for most of the year was hard and challenging, but I just believed in myself and in my faith, and it got me where I am. It’s really special to be here celebrating our seventh SEC championship in a row.”
Goetzinger, who has been through this experience four times now, understands the importance of cherishing these special moments.
“Realizing this is a big thing,” Goetzinger said. “Winning a conference championship is hard, and doing it is hard. Even though we’ve done it four times, still finding a way to celebrate it and find joy in it.”
The Cats have had their fair share of victories and celebrations over the past four years, but this championship holds a unique significance compared to the titles that came before.
