Asia Thigpen Has Grown Into Her Role at UK

Asia Thigpen had eight kills in UK's Elite Eight win over Creighton. (Vicky Graff Photo)

How did Asia Thigpen spend Sunday after helping Kentucky volleyball reach the Final Four by sweeping Creighton in the Elite Eight Saturday?

The sophomore outside hitter spent time studying for a semester final exam she had Monday.

“It’s a little hard to balance everything right now,” Thigpen said on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk. “I am super excited we get to go to the Final Four and get to experience that atmosphere together.

The sophomore has 127 kills, including 10 in the Southeastern Conference Tournament title game win over Texas and eight against Creighton in the Elite Eight. That’s fourth on the team behind All-Americans Brooklyn DeLeye and Eva Hudson along with middle LIzzie Carr. She also has 44 digs and 38 blocks.

Thigpen credited UK’s passers, especially setter Kassie O’Brien, for setting her up to succeed against Creighton and reach the Final Four where it will play Wisconsin Thursday night.

“It’s very surreal because this was such a big goal that we’ve been working towards since January. We got the transfers and the freshmen in early January. It’s very rare to have the same people for that long. It was awesome to watch our chemistry and our overall bond on the court grow,” Thigpen said.

Thigpen came to UK as a libero after her prep/club career in North Carolina. She thought she would be used like former Nebraska star Kenzie Knuckles, a libero who moved to the defensive specialist spot and would take swings out of the back row.

“Things happened and I am a right side (hitter). I played outside through club so the switch was no biggie but the move to the right side was a little bit harder because it is completely different (from the left side) and I had never played that position. I am a little bit shorter (5-foot-11) but a lot of feedback from coaches and watching film with coaches definitely helped my growth,” Thigpen said. “The coaches help pour so much confidence into you and then the girls offer so much support.”

Thigpen, who made the all-SEC freshman team in 2024, plays with no fear. Her father, Tommy, is a former college and professional football player who has also coached at the collegiate and professional levels. However, she believes her confident play comes from trusting her preparation and the work she puts in.

Kentucky coach Craig Skinner says Thigpen puts in “relentless work” regularly.

“That kid works her ass off all the time,” Skinner said after UK’s win over Creighton. “Last summer she was in the gym working on something. This week she was in the gym before and after practice and asking coaches to watch video. The kid is a hard worker and it pays off. She is living her dream because she put the effort into it. Nothing was given to that kid.”

Thigpen called Kentucky her “dream school” when she signed with the Wildcats. She said the coaches, players and staff at Kentucky are “amazing” in all aspects.

“Everyone just pours so much effort and love into our program. Then the championship mentality of Craig and the program for every year. The standard we aspire to is to go to the Final Four versus some programs that I talked to who just wanted to make the (NCAA) tournament. I wanted to go to the Final Four and win a natty (national championship),” Thigpen said.

Kentucky was one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament after winning both the SEC regular season and tournament championships. It lost only to Nebraska and Pittsburgh, two other No. 1 NCAA seeds.

“I think we really just focus on finding the joy in each other. Knowing that we only have a few more days with (senior teammate) Eva (Hudson), Thigpen said. “Our team is going to look a little bit different after she’s gone. So we just want to focus on being joyful.”

Skinner had Kentucky baseball coach Nick Mingione, known for his inspirational talks, speak to the team a few weeks ago.

“Coach Minge talked to us about how it is more important how we play and not who we play,” Thigpen said. “He’s a talker, but he was good. There’s an understanding that there’s no more games given. It’s playing for survival and this same group will never be together again.”

The 5-foot-11 Thigpen knows she will be targeted by opposing hitters at the Final Four just like she has been most of the season.

“Teams go after me but I feel like I play a lot taller than I am,” she said. “I definitely like hitting more but I’ve grown to enjoy defense a lot more.”

She credits assistant coach Amaya Tillman, a Kansas native who was a two-time All-American middle blocker at Louisville, for her new perspective on defense.

“I am much better at blocking now. She’s brought that blocking knowledge to our team and I’ve learned so much from her,” Thigpen said.

The sophomore’s father is not currently coaching and that has enabled him to watch her play most of the season.

“He’s learned a lot about volleyball recently. He knows volleyball lingo now and he knows all the big players, which is super exciting for me,” Thigpen said. “He usually couldn’t come to my matches when I was younger and it has been awesome to have him around. You can usually hear him screaming from the side (during matches). He’s keeping up with games and teams we play which he never had time to do before.”