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Kentucky Volleyball Picked to Win SEC, Three Preseason All-Conference

UK Athletics

Wildcats get seven first-place votes in league voting

LEXINGTON, Ky. – August 18, 2021

The Kentucky Volleyball team was picked by Southeastern Conference head coaches to win the SEC for a fifth-straight year, the league office announced Wednesday. In addition to being picked first, three UK players were named preseason All-SEC, Madi Skinner, Alli Stumler and Azhani Tealer.

Kentucky garnered seven first-place votes with Florida, picked to finish second, receiving the other six first-place nods. LSU, Tennessee and Arkansas rounded out the projected top five with LSU.

The SEC All-Preseason Team was comprised of nine players, coming from three teams, UK, LSU and Florida. Sophomore outside hitter Madi Skinner, senior outside hitter Alli Stumler and junior middle blocker Azhani Tealer were all in the top nine of the coaches’ vote, thus earning a spot on the All-SEC Preseason Team.

Florida led the way with four players on the All-Preseason Team, followed by the final two spots coming from the LSU Tigers.

Kentucky will play its lone exhibition match of the preseason Thursday night at 6 p.m. ET against Western Kentucky in Bowling Green, Ky. Tickets to the match inside Diddle Arena are free.

The regular season kicks off Friday, Aug. 27 in Dayton, Ohio as UK will play Texas State at 10:30 a.m. ET followed by a 7 p.m. ET match against the host Dayton Flyers.

Big Blue Nation can purchase both season and single-match tickets on UKathletics.com/tickets. Beginning Monday Aug. 9, masks will be required inside of all University of Kentucky indoor spaces, including both our academic and medical campuses, regardless of an individual’s vaccination status.

Preseason Coaches’ Poll

(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)

PlaceSchoolPoints
1.Kentucky (7)139
2.Florida (6)138
3.LSU118
4.Tennessee100
5.Arkansas98
6.South Carolina93
7.Texas A&M77
8.Georgia67
 Missouri67
10.Alabama43
11.Ole Miss32
12.Mississippi State30
13.Auburn12

Volleyball Preseason All-SEC Team

Name, SchoolPos.Yr.Ht.Hometown
T’ara Ceasar, FloridaOHR-Sr.6-1Panama City, Fla.
Lauren Forte, FloridaMBR-Sr.6-3Tempe, Ariz.
Thayer Hall, FloridaOHSr.6-3Spartanburg, S.C.
Marlie Monserez, FloridaSSr.6-0Windermere, Fla.
Madi Skinner, KentuckyOHSo.6-2Katy, Texas
Alli Stumler, KentuckyOHSr.6-1Floyds Knobs, Ind.
Azhani Tealer, KentuckyMBJr.5-10Grand Prairie, Texas
Taylor Bannister, LSURSSr.6-5Missouri City, Texas
Kylie Deberg, LSUOHGr.6-4Hudson, Iowa

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