Good morning, BBN!
Kentucky Volleyball coach Craig Skinner is widely regarded as one of the most consistently successful coaches on the University of Kentucky campus, and really all D1 programs.
He has built a culture of excellence that includes nine straight SEC regular-season titles, a recent SEC Tournament championship, 21 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, and multiple Final Four runs.
Mark Pope, entering his second season as Kentucky basketball head coach, asked Skinner on his radio show how he has maintained such high performance year after year.
Skinner said there isn’t a “perfect” answer, but credited his success to surrounding himself with high-quality staff and players, noting that talented people attract other talent.
Early in his tenure, Skinner focused on recruiting consistently strong setters and liberos, volleyball’s equivalents of a point guard and defensive anchor, as foundational pieces before building out the rest of the roster.
Skinner also emphasized the importance of staying true to a team’s identity, saying that one of the most complex parts of coaching is turning away great athletes who don’t fit the program’s culture.
He stressed that present-moment focus, effort on defense and communication, and competitive maturity are key to navigating adversity and sustaining excellence.
Tweet of the Day
The Cats still rack in the viewership.
Headlines
Volleyball Cats Still Have Goal Within Reach – UK Athletics
Come on, Cats, finish it!
Kentucky Ranked No. 9 in WCGA Preseason Poll – UK Athletics
The gymnastics team has built a fantastic program at Kentucky
Terence Crawford retires from boxing: ‘Nothing else left to prove’ – ESPN
GOAT.
Finally.
Can anyone stop Scottie Scheffler in 2026?
No.
Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel contemplating QB change – ESPN
Took a lot of guts to say this.
Sad reality.
Shane Steichen: We didn’t bring Philip Rivers here to sit on the bench – NBC Sports
Awesome.
NBA report: Three incorrect calls favored Nuggets in OT win – ESPN
I never understood the point of coming out with statements like this.
Smart move, he had a lot of momentum to end the year and should be great next year.
