Gracison Saylors might be from Georgia but she always wanted to play volleyball at Kentucky. (Daniel Peeples Photo)
Junior middle hitter Gracison Saylors of Calhoun, Ga., said it was not a hard decision to make when she verbally committed to play for coach Craig Skinner at Kentucky.
“It was always my dream school. I love the coaching staff and all they have done at Kentucky,” Saylors said. “It’s close to home but also far enough away. When Kentucky offered, I knew it was the one place I wanted to go.”
She knows UK freshman outside hitter Hannah Benjamin, who is redshirting this season due to an injury, but has been to enough UK matches to also appreciate the environment Skinner has created.
“I know how much the UK players love the game and the fight they have. If you are in the gym or even watching on TV you can tell the excitement and enthusiasm the players have and how much the coaches enjoy watching them reach their goals,” Saylors said. “And the fans always look so excited.
“I went to the UK camp for the first time this year and the coaches made it seem like a college practice. They made it very relatable but also a lot of fun while we were learning.”
Saylors, 16, had other offers when Skinner offered but she wasted no time telling him yes. She admits she was an easy sell for Skinner.
“I had some backup offers but Kentucky is what I wanted,” she said.
The 6-3 Saylors didn’t start “high level volleyball” until last year and knows she has plenty of room to improve before getting to Kentucky.
“I am pretty good at running things with my setters but I need work on my blocking,” she said. “I have a strong arm. I think I am pretty good at making shots when the setter is off and still wants me as an option.”
She was a swimmer until age 12 but she loved volleyball and dropped swimming in middle school. She joined a better volleyball travel team last year to push her more and plans to keep doing that.
Saylors has a 4.0 grade-point average and says she “puts a lot of pressure on myself” to maintain high grades.
“I hold myself to a high standard,” the UK commit said.
When she has a chance to do something other than play volleyball, she likes to bake with her family, play pickleball or go hiking.
“I just like being outside. I am not the best at pickleball but if it is an outside sport, I’ll do it,” she said.
