Welcome to the Big Blue Insider. Dick Gabriel with you on a Tuesday edition of our show. It's going to be abbreviated for UK Baseball. Kentucky back to playing on Tuesday night. Although it's not a six to thirty start at Kentucky Proud Park. It's going to be on the SEC network, so it starts at seven o'clock, not the usual six thirty. You'll hear it right here on six thirty WLAP with Darren Hedricks pregame at six forty five. The Wildcats playing Miami of Ohio, trying to kind of
pick themselves back up after a tough weekend. Three really really good competitive games with the Texas Longhorns, but at the end of the weekend the Wildcats has lost two out of three and they've really got to start turning things around now because in tournament time is not too far away and you cannot leave things in the hands of the selections committee. We have learned that through the years.
Fortunately for the Wildcats, they have not had to deal with that kind of, I don't know, miss that kind of uncertainty going into the last couple of weekends because they've done so well. You know, they've hosted regional tournaments and won them and won a Super last year went to Omahall. It's going to be tough to match that this season, but they can still get into the postseason. Got to get into the SEC tournament and then get
to the NCAA. So you got to start protecting the home turf by winning series at home, by winning midweek games at home. And they've lost what their last three, They've lost to Louisville, to Xavier and the Murray State. So it's a good one tonight and Kentucky needs to bounce back. We'll have it for you right here. Talk of the town right now is personnel. Obviously, we'll talk about Georgia Aymoor in just a minute. She had a great night last night, went higher than most people thought
she would go. The predictions were she would go ninth or tenth, and she ended up going sixth to the Washington Mystics, who actually had three draft picks in the first ten. So she is going to play in Washington, not and I think one of the mock drafts, the most popular, had her in either La or Sacramento. So Georgia aymore playing on the East coast and a lot of Kentucky fans will have it a little bit easier
to follow her career page. Bucker's naturally going number one to the Dallas Gems, but Kentucky fans now will also be rooting for the Washington Mystics, So we'll come back to that in just a moment. However, you've got to take a look at what Mark Pope did and his staff amazingly landing another big all the while Brandon Garrison is saying he's coming back. But the lenn Andrea Jeleovich, a Croatian who of course brings that European style to
Kentucky basketball. And when you think about the way the Wildcats play with the offense that Mark Pope runs, it's going to be really fascinating to see how things play out with the depth they have built on that staff and the new faces, not rebuilding the roster. They got five coming back. But that is really the talk right now as to who's coming back and who's leaving. And there's about a week there's one week from today is the portal deadline, and so far all but kerk Kriesa
are coming back. And as I said, you knew about Yellovich before today, but Brandon Garrison saying he's coming back is big and then no point intended. They're all bigs. But Pope rebuilding a roster that a year ago yesterday was a mystery. A year ago yesterday was today Pope was introduced. Well know what happened on that day as the Big Blue Nation filled rupp Arena to welcome Mark Pope. And you know that day has just taken on a personality and a reputation of its own, which is good.
It's important because you know, Kentucky fans like to look at the way the BBN back to its basketball program. It is in many cases unparalleled in terms of college basketball. There are a lot of football programs that can rival UK basketball when it comes to fans support different animals. I realize that stadiums are bigger. Fan bases become more passionate about football because there's only one game a week for what twelve weeks plus postseason, so the passion builds
over time. Well, Kentucky fans, they build that passion in basketball and sustain it from day to day, week to week, season to season. And that day, the Kentucky fans showed up and showed out for Mark Pope takes its place right up there with NCAA tournaments with final fours. The way Kentucky fans showed up and got in, Blue gets in and that day wasn't obviously as challenging when it comes to getting in at first, because the doors were
open and it was free. But as the building filled quickly, it became an insurmountable challenge for literally thousands of people who couldn't get in to Rapperena. They had to close the gates. They had to close the doors just so people could come in and say hello to Mark Pope, the new head coach. And nobody saw that coming, just as I don't think anybody saw this season coming completely.
I think people thought there would be success, but I didn't see anybody predict the number of quad one wins and the way this team played and captured the imagination of the fan base. Nobody predicted that they hope for it, but nobody stood in and said, let me tell you what's going to happen. But now now that's the floor, isn't it. What Pope and his staff and his players accomplished this year is what's going to be expected at least from here on. And you know he's good with that.
That's what he wanted to do. That's Kentucky basketball, high expectations and delivering at a high level. As he said, we understand the assignment. So the best news right now is the players they brought in and the players they've retained. And I know a lot of people are concerned on the one hand about the local guys, Travis, Perry, Trent Noah, but they're sticking around. Will they play They'll probably play
a little bit more. Depends on injuries, depends on situations, and depends on how much more they improve their game. Perry's got to learn to guard well, that they all do. Noah guarded a little bit better, but he's a little stronger, has a little more size. They just need to elevate
their respective games, and I believe they will. Speaking of elevating your game, Georgia Amore elevated the Kentucky program under Kenny Brooks, and she is the first UK player ever to come in for women's basketball and do the one and done thing to the level that she did it, and she will not be forgotten. I mean, she had a phenomenal season. I know it ended in disappointment, but overall incredible and was taken last night, not just in
the first round, but way up there. In the first round we pick number six by the Washington Mystics, and right after she was drafted, she talked to ESPN's Holly row about the fact that she's not the biggest player out there. It certainly plays big.
You are an athlete. I think people get caught up in size instead of your skill. You played cricket, netball, taekwondo, Australian rules football. You are a competitor at the highest level. How can you bring that to the league.
Yeah, I think just for as long as people have called me too short, I've been working on how to conteract that.
You know.
It's not a shock to me. I know that I have to work in different ways, use my brain a little bit more. But with my competitive background, I think I have a little bit of dog in me that's going to keep me fighting.
Best step back, ever, how did you develop that move? Like literally you gain space?
Yeah?
These quads and Coach Brooks.
All right, thanks for showing them off, Russell westbook, good job showing off the quad.
Thank you, Holly, And of course the Russell Westbrook. Reference was the fact that the NBA player outfitted would they say, styled Georgia Aymore. He created he designed her outfit last night, and there's all kinds of coverage of that. In fact, there's a big article its own line. Vogue magazine covered the process from start to finish. So good on Russell Westbrook for branching out. You know, he's wanted to be
a clothing designer. And Georgia Amore they got together, they talked about it via zoom, and Amore was, she said, delighted with what he came up with. When it comes to the actual game, Washington got someone who could be a real difference maker on day one, and Amoor after the draft, talking to the media, described how she believes she'll be able to improve her game at the next level.
Yeah, I mean iron shopping's iron right. When you get thrown into a situation like that, you eat the Adapto drown, right,
Zumo drown. So I'm excited to go and be challenged and mentally grow my game, Like I know I have the capabilities, I know I have the confidence to do so, and so I'm so excited to do that in a game A part about me that my surprise people, I haven't feel like I've shown the ability to be that PESTI knowing defendo, I think, you know, just being a little bit conservative, knowing I had to be on the
court during my time at Kentucky and Virginia Tech. I'm excited to kind of be able to go ahead and do.
That before we hit the brake as we record. Nothing new on Nico. I am Alieva. There is a parody account on Twitter, and whoever built it did a really nice job. It looks just like an on three post, but it says No. Three and it had Nico going to North Carolina and Bill Belichick. North Carolina has basically said we're out where. We're not going to be in a Nico business. So it's gonna be really really interesting to see if the kid does land at UCLA, what
the money's going to look like. Supposedly, from all the experts I've listened to, he won't get what he will trying to get at Tennessee. In terms of the money. He might get what he was making at Tennessee. What he very likely will not get either is the opportunity to lead a powerful team potentially in a powerful conference or five, depending how you look at it, through the playoffs, and then a great slot, the best slide he could get in the NFL draft. I don't know if this's
going to hurt him. It ain't gonna help him. So this could all backfire on he blow up in his face. And again a lot of athletes, pro and otherwise have come to his defense trying to justify what he did. But what he did was try to hold his program, his coaches, and his teammates hostage. He was not negotiating for a new contract the way coaches do. People want to liken it to coaches leaving going to better deal. Surely do, but not like this, not trying to play
the timing angle they do to a certain degree. Of course, you got to strike while the iron's hot. But show me a coach you said, all right, we got a big tournament coming up. We've got a big game coming up. I'm not going to work for this team unless you cut me a new deal right now. That doesn't happen. So, like I said, this could blow up in his face. I'm not rooting for him or against him. I'm rooting
for college athletics in general. Up next, we're gonna talk to UK volleyball coach Keith Up next, we're gonna talk to UK volleyball coach Craig Skinner. His team already hard at work, they've had scrimmages, they've had public workouts and from some accounts, this could be one of his best teams. The bottom of the hour, we'll hear from Nick Minji own just out of UK Baseball here on six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Blue and Sider coming
on Friday night. It's the Cats and the Cards in volleyball exhibition game and Craig Skinner, the UK coach who has led this team to umpty SEC championships, going to take aim in another one this year. But coach, thanks for joining us and tell me a little bit about these exhibitions and what you have gotten out of the ones you've already played, what you're hoping to get out of this one Friday.
That's I mean, it's a really cool chance to just kind of gauge where you are currently. And you know, since we do have all of our incoming freshmen came in January or three transfers that came in in January also, so we have basically our whole team for the fall. I don't I don't anticipate, you know, any changes in the May transfer portal window. But we get to see everybody, We get to train together, we get to compete, we get to try different lineups, different systems, and you know,
obviously you're competing to win each and every point. But you know, victory isn't necessarily the goal in the spring. It's really to get better and then figure out, you know, how you're going to play in the fall.
That is kind of new to the too valuable, isn't it a d one volleyball? Y'all haven't done this for you know, all the time you've been at uk.
Uh we we have, we haven't. They haven't been as big a deal. I mean, the you know, because the sport is you know, growing and busting at the seams. I mean, there's so much demand for viewers and people and tickets and and you know, we just did an exhibition at a club facility in Indianapolis and there was
so many people there on the sideline watching. It was crazy, you know, And so you know, it's it's a chance to continue to market our game and and get people connected to the sport and you know, it's it's just a fascinating time. And we have an incredibly exciting team to watch, yeah, this year, And and I certainly encourage our fans to get their tickets because they're going to want to see this group play.
I was going to say that there was a kind of a surprisingly great crowd up in Indy, wasn't there.
Yeah? Yeah, No, it was great and and uh you know there there wasn't a seat to be found, And you know it's again, I think this team has the ability to make plays. It gets people to jump out of their seats, and the athleticism and the competitive juice that this team has think is going to be exciting brands that people are going to want to witness.
Well, I'm going to ask you about the new kids when we talk first about who you've got coming back, starting with Brooklyn Delay, the best player in the conference and one of the best in the country, of course. And when you can build around somebody like that, you know you're you're way ahead of the game, aren't you. Yeah.
I mean she had the ability to carry a lot of weight on our shoulders last year and helped lead us through tough situations. You know, one of four finalists for National Player of the Year last year as a sophomore. You know, and and you know, but now you know, I think we you know, the younger players have gotten better. Are are transfers and incomers can help alleviate, you know, some of the load that she has to take. And if you want to compete, you know, for a national championship,
you can't be one dimensional or two dimensional. You have to have multi facet offense going at teams. And you know, I think we're going to be better at that this year. We've got to get the freshman season and new players, you know, ingrained in our system, but we have a chance to do some things differently at a higher level.
Your national title team was able to attack opponents from more than one or two spots on that front line and the back row as well. How optimistic are you about getting an attack put in place this season just like maybe not just like that, but similar.
Yeah. I mean it's I think we have the chance. I mean, it's going to take some time, you know, to evolve and get the efficiency where it needs to be. I think defensively, this team has a chance to be special, just because the physicality we have at the net and
the size that we have at the net. You know, so if we don't quite reach that efficiency that we had in two thousand, we can make up for potentially defensively, but we'll have the weapons to attack from the front row, back row, left side of that middle portion and the right side. And you know, that's the important piece in our sport. You have to occupy all the zones along the net against the best team, right or they're just
going to shut you down. And so I think that's something that this team has a chance to do, and we're certainly trying to iron that out right now this spring and hopefully get closer to this weekend. But you know, we got a few months to get that sorted out and get them together in the summer and train together to work on some of those pieces.
You also have Molly Tusso coming back, and she took a major step forward last year as Libra won the starting job early in the season, which surprised some of us, but not the way she played. How great a plus.
Getting her back, Well, she's she's just an elite special athlete in the libero position. I mean, when you have your libero that can she jump touches nine to eleven, which is basically just below the rim. I mean it's crazy. And so that type of range and that position gets people's attention. And you know, she had a phenomenal year. You know, her and Eleanor e Bevan and the backcourt together, we're one of our biggest strengths. And USA Volleyballs taken oaths.
They invited her to go train with the U twenty one team this summer, you know, so she'll get a chance to compete with them and show what she's capable of. But you know, special talent for sure, and someone that has this an incredible enthusiasm for the game more would UK.
Volleyball coach Craig Skinner on the other side of the break here on six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Blueing Sider. We're talking with UK Volleyball coach Craig Skinner and we were talking in the first segment about the established players who are coming back, but you got new faces coming in.
As you said, I mean the two ones that jump out are the transfer from Purdue. You know, you know, Eva Hudson led the big Tenant Kills last year. She's she's the stud. And Lizzie Carr, Andrew Carr's sister is six seven, and I think we're going to reap the benefits for just really coming into her abilities. I mean, she you know, it's a huge presence of the net, can attack in a lot of different places, and that a height above the net that most people need a
ladder to get to know. So two special players and great people too that really kind of bought into Kentucky volleyball. And Molly Breswitz, who was starting Leberro at Marquette which is a sweet sixteen team last year, and great defender and great you know volleyball family, and and you know we had our older sister, Mattie was a player on her team, and so it's you know, it's a it's
a hell of a group. And then three freshmen that elite athletes and Cassie O'Brien et cetera, and Georgia Watson as a right tide player in the Trinity ward of Leberro from Kiva, you know club program that's you know, have a long history and tradition of putting out great players in that position. So a lot of competition for spots a lot of great kids. And you know, it's again, I cannot encourage our fans and quickly enough to get their tickets because they're going to want to see this team play.
What about they want to see the team play Friday over in Louisville.
Yeah, exhibition against the Birds on at six o'clock on Friday night and the Allen n Center on campus. I do think there's a major track meet going on there as well. There's going to be a lot of chaos with people roaming around the buildings. So if you're going to go, get there early, find a parking spot maybe at the football stadium, and get a shuttle over. But I have no doubt that place will be packed.
I's going to say traffic in that area can be kind of nuts. We haven't talked about Asia thing Penn either. She's back, right, she is.
She's back and you know, blazing guns and blazing as usual with Asia and certainly brings the heat and the fire to our group. And you know she's having a
great spring as well. It's it's you know, it's just such a fun team to coach and work with, and our staff is really looking forward each and every day and sometimes this time of year, it's the dog days of spring and get attire looking forward to the spring and finals and getting home for you know, the summer for or at least the May term, you know, with our kids. But this group is really, even in our last week, you know, playing with a lot of enthusiasms. So it's it's fun.
Kind of of an obvious question, but when you're grinding through these tough days, how great is it to have these exhibitions that you can build up to it not just another day in the gym. But it's hey, even if you have to get on the bus and go, it's it's different, and it's it's a different jersey you're staring at across the net.
Yeah, it'shoe. It's huge. I mean, you know, if we didn't have this mass to look forward to this week, that the feel and vibe and practice might be a little bit different. So, you know, having having a match against the arrival and a great team obviously with the history of their successes, you know, easy for our players to get jacked up and motivate to play, and you know, I think they'll be pumped to kind of you know,
see what they're capable of. This week before they shut it down for a few weeks, you know, the finals in the May and and uh you know, so you know, for those who get a chance to watch and play, I can't wait to hear what you think.
Yeah, well, people, I know we've already seen you play. Can't get over the the explosiveness that this team, at least the potential that it has. Before I let you go, I got to ask you had more staff turnover. I guess that's that's a good thing. When other programs want to poach your assistance, they've been doing that. But you've got a new associate head coach, don't you.
Yeah, Kyle Lulongos who played at Pepperdine for a legendary coach named Mark Dumpy and coached at Pepperdine for a few years, and it's been at TCU the last six is you know, wealth and knowledge and great coach already fit in really well with our team and staff, and
it's been awesome transition with him. And then, you know, speaking of poaching, Nate sstinat poaching Madison Lily over to Spain while he's playing professional they're engaged to be married this summer, and so I got to give him something about taking no. But you know, we're all happy for for Mads. But Amia Tillman, you know, play at Louisville and the Final four team and All American player at
Louisville wanted to get into coaching. So we stole her away from the NCAA and do an internship there and she's fitting great and players love her and you know, so it's it's been a really cool transition the last last month or so.
I know you've been on the Pepperdine campus. I visited once. Can you imagine going to school there, you know, and you turn around and there's a Pacific ocean right there. Yeah, Lexion is a little different, but but yeah, he wanted to play. He wanted to be a part of a big time program. Wrap it up with this. Georgia Amore drafted last night, and I know that it's the kind
of the rising tide that lifts all ships. I know you were happy because anything that puts the UK out their front and center helps everybody, doesn't it.
Yeah, And I mean, obviously it's cool to see their successes first year and Georgia, you know, getting to know her, what a what a special kid. And just someone that has a ton of enthusiasm not only for you know, her team, but just the university. And she was in the stands watching our games and vice versa for them. And you know, so when you see great people get great opportunities, you can't help but feel, you know, some pride for you know, our school and department and the
people here that really make this thing. So can't be more excited for her. And and uh, you know the pro situation for women and women and basketball and now volleyball is you know another thing that's booming. So it's you know, it's cool. I've had a match in Atlanta to see Leah Edmunds play and and there was you know, five hundred people wait in line to get tickets on the you know campus to see that match. So it's it's it's a pretty cool deal.
Yeah, I'm happy for Leah as well one of my broadcast partners. But that's so much, so much fun to watch here. And that league is taken off. Uh do you know when your complete schedule is going to be released?
We're getting closer. Just out of a match yesterday. Well it's not contracted yet, but the team in the Pacific Northwest is potentially coming to Lexington the last match of pre conference, so we're getting closer and but we certainly won't disappoint the fans. With some high level matches, I'll get a chance to see us playing it.
Yeah, you never do you disappoint coach. Thank you so much, good luck Friday.
Night, appreciate it, Thanks so much.
That's great. And before we step away for pregame covers of UK baseball after the game on Sunday, the one that Kentucky lost five to four against Texas, second ranked team in the country. Wildcats had beaten them the day before, but the Longhorns win the rubber game. In the match five to four, Kentucky had the tying run on base in the bottom of the ninth inning, but just couldn't push it across. Same deal on Friday, just couldn't quite
make things happen. Minjeon was talked about what it's going to take for this ball club, which has been so close in so many games, to really get over the hump, and he talked about better situational hitting, like just as to.
Lay down a couple more like well executed months, you know, but man, they're right there they're right there, man, I want it for these guys so bad.
And that's what he said about his last couple of teams, the teams that won the regional titles, and they stayed together for a couple of years. But keep in mind that Kentucky this time last year, of course, had the great middle infielders and Petray and and they've got really good middle infielders right now. That's not the problem. Luke Lawrence and Tyler Bell. They're doing really well both offensively
and defensively. But keep in mind, and I'm not pointing fingers at anybody, but at this time last year, Ryan Waltschmid, who had been good the year before, was becoming great, you know. I mean first round draft pick great, playing left field defensively and offensively. And Cole Hage has been solid transferring in from Columbia the IVY League. Struggling with breaking pitches, but everybody does when they first get to
the SEC. But he's an outstanding defender. He's really fast, he's got the only real pop in his bad the only power in the Kentucky lineup right now. But he's not Ryan Walshmid good. And wals Schmidt was so good and of course made everybody in the lineup around him better. Devin Burks is having a better year offensively this year than he had last year. But Nola McCarthy's gone from center.
Griffin Cameron's doing a really good job. They lose their starting center fielder early in the season and Cameron steps in and is doing well. But they just lack something. And it's the little things that MinJe Ow talked about there, especially getting bunched down or just moving runners period. You know, on Friday night twice actually it was Saturday, the game they won, they had runners at first and second and nobody out twice and didn't move them. So good teams
are able to do that, great teams do it consistently. Well. This team's kind of knocking on the door. Their pitching's coming around, their bullpen was outstanding the last three weekends. But they just got to put it all together and they got to get this one tonight. I know it's Miami of Ohio against an SEC team, but again, Kentucky has lost midweek games this year that it cannot afford to lose with the postseason coming up fast. It always does.
Stay tuned out for Kentucky Baseball Darren Hedwicks that pre game next on six point thirty WLA.
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