Kentucky beat Texas in the title game to win its first volleyball national championship in April. (NCAA Photo)
Volleyball coach Craig Skinner and softball coach Rachel Lawson have both made their teams annual NCAA Tournament participants and significantly upgraded their programs to where they both are nationally recognized. Skinner’s team finally won its first national championship this season. Lawson has not got her program to that pinnacle yet but is there any way the volleyball team’s championship could help her program.
“Volleyball’s championship will have a carryover with our current athletes,” Lawson said. “They train together, use the same strength coaches, have the same academic advisors, eat in the same places in normal years.
“A friendship develops. During the summer all the female athletes at Kentucky work out together. It’s such a cool environment.”
Lawson says it was not unusual for her players to tell her practice needed to end by a certain time so they could watch volleyball matches.
“The energy is there. Stars want to play with stars,” the UK softball coach said. “In recruiting, softball players could care less if volleyball wins the national championship. But if you put all the stars in one place it does elevate your program. Stars want to be around other star players.”
That’s why Lawson says UK does well in the Learfield IMG College Directors’ Cup standings based on a school’s performance in all sports. She credits athletics director Mitch Barnhart for creating that “championship environment” at UK for women’s sports.
“That’s why he’s one of the best. He makes sure we have what we need to succeed,” Lawson said.
