Senior Eleanor Beavin, center, could pursue a professional volleyball career or she might try either coaching or sports journalism. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Eleanor Beavin was the 2021 Gatorade Kentucky Volleyball Player of the Year and was the Southeastern Conference Libero of the Year her fist season at Kentucky. She has over 1,300 digs and almost 300 assists in her UK career but isn’t sure what she might do when her UK playing career ends.
“I might want to play in the PVF (Pro Volleyball Federation). I haven’t really decided on that yet,” Beavin said. “I kind of want to go into coaching, that could be an alley for me, too. Or with sports journalism, I’d love to be an announcer for games, doing side stories with athletes, interviewing athletes, I think that’s really cool.
“I think I’ll decide whether I want to go down the coaching and volleyball route or stick to sports but go with more like my major.”
Beavin, who played on four state high school runner-up teams at Louisville Mercy, has enjoyed working as a student journalist and has especially enjoyed covering gymnastics, tennis and golf.
“College gymnastics would be really cool, then tennis and golf would be on the pro stage. I like that they are individual sports. It’s different from what I know as a team sport, so I’ve enjoyed watching those and I think those would be really fun to cover,” Beavin said.
Currently Beavin is focused on making her senior special season. Kentucky is looking for an eighth straight SEC title, a task made much more difficult by the arrival of two-time defending national champion Texas in the SEC this season.
“That is just a kind of expectation or standard we have at this point. Texas coming in is more of a challenge and Florida will also be a tough team but we believe in our own program,” Beavin said. “We can win another SEC title and hopefully get a natty (national title).
“For me, being consistent is the biggest goal. I do want to go out with a big bang, though, and just have fun.”
All-American teammate Emma Grome is in her fourth season with Beavin and continues to be “amazed” by things she sees her do.
“She has gotten a lot better, too, and that is the cool part about it. You think it is your senior year and you can not improve that much but somehow she has,” Grome said. “Nothing hits the floor around her.
“The passing has been amazing. She is a very strong piece for us.”
Kentucky assistant coach Madison Lilley was the nation’s most outstanding player when UK won its only national championship four years ago. She says Beavin has “some of the best touch and feel for the game” she has ever seen.
“It’s hard to describe. You can tell how easy it is for her. She makes it look easy even when she is diving for a ball eight feet away and you wonder how does she do it,” Lilley said. “Her IQ is so awesome and she also does a great job just leading by example.”
Beavin is also the ultimate team player. Coach Craig Skinner started sophomore Molly Tuozzo at libero recently while Beavin took over her defensive specialist spot.
“They are both elite and we are just looking at things but Eleanor is always so smooth and consistent and will be no matter where we play her,” Skinner said.
