Craig Skinner Would Love To See UK Set Attendance Record Sept. 1

Craig Skinner starts his 19th season at UK Friday. (UK Athletics Photo)

Kentucky starts its volleyball season with two matches in Colorado this weekend before returning home to host Pittsburgh Sept. 1 at Rupp Arena in the “Pack The House Game” in hopes of setting a new attendance record.

“Wisconsin had 17,000 (fans) last year (at a match). I would love to get that number in Rupp,” UK coach Craig Skinner said on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk. “If our fans could do that it would be one of the most rewarding things ever. Our current (UK attendance) record is 9,500. Getting over 10,000 would be a big deal.”

Volleyball exposure is growing nationally and for the second straight season UK’s match with in-state rival Louisville will be on ESPN.

“When ESPN is choosing to put our games on its No. 1 network that is fantastic,” Skinner said. “We had an unbelievable match last year in Memorial (Coliseum). I know there will be a huge crowd (at Louisville) and that kind of spotlight is a big deal.

“Corporate America is getting involved and that brings the revenue we need to keep pushing the envelope.”

Skinner noted that volleyball is the most popular participant sport for high school girls and growth in the “volleyball world” is amazing.
 
“Our national title game is Dec. 17th on ABC (TV),” Skinner said. “What 84Lumber is doing for us (sponsoring the Pack The House Game) is a big deal. Marketers and corporate America are getting on this. We are now getting out of the shadow of football.”

Kentucky beat Western Kentucky, a top 25 team, 3-1 in an exhibition match in Rupp Arena Thursday (UK will play home matches there this season while Memorial Coliseum renovations are being done).

Skinner said playing in Rupp Arena was “awesome and the venue was fantastic.”

The UK coach believes fans can actually get a better appreciation for the speed of the game in Rupp Arena because seats are closer to the court. He also thought having almost 2,000 fans at an exhibition match was a “good start” to the season.

“We’ve had a good preseason. The energy has been really good,” Skinner said. “We have implemented a lot of things we wanted to do. I saw some really impressive things in the exhibition match and also a lot of things we need to improve on.”

Kentucky opens the season Friday night at Colorado State and then plays at Northern Colorado Saturday night.