The Kentucky volleyball team is back to work with championship ambitions after finishing last season as the national runner-up. Head coach Craig Skinner said the Wildcats returned nearly every player from the team that lost to Texas A&M in December, setting up what could be another deep tournament run.

Kentucky was swept 3-0 by Texas A&M in the national championship match, ending a 27-match winning streak. The Wildcats finished that season 30-3 overall. The only significant loss to the roster was outside hitter Eva Hudson, a national player of the year finalist who has since signed with professional team LOVB Atlanta.

"While we only lost one player that started for us last year, it's still a completely new group of people who have to learn how to follow and lead and perform under pressure," Skinner said during a Wednesday media session.

The Wildcats face immediate tests this season. Kentucky will open play in the AVCA First Serve event in Milwaukee against Wisconsin, a team the Cats defeated in the Final Four last season. They'll follow that match against Pittsburgh, another Final Four participant in 2025.

Skinner noted the team's physical improvements during fall practice. "All the returning players are jumping higher, more physical than they were last year," he said. "So, I think knowing that, I think we have a chance to be better defensively, blocking and floor defense."

One area needing adjustment is middle production. "I think our middle production needs to be a little bit better, to balance out some of the kills that we lost," Skinner said.

The program earned a national honor heading into the season: Four Wildcats were named to the AVCA National Player of the Year Watch List. Brooklyn DeLeye, Morgan Gaerte, Kassie O'Brien and Molly Tuozzo were included on that exclusive list, giving Kentucky more players than any school in the country.