Pitt
#15 Kentucky
No. 10 Panthers to Take on No. 15 Kentucky in 84 Lumber Classic
8/31/2023 11:00:00 AM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH – The No. 10 Pitt volleyball team (2-1, 0-0 ACC) is set to play No. 15 Kentucky (1-1, 0-0 SEC) for a home-and-home this weekend at the 84 Lumber Classic. The Panthers will take on the Wildcats on Friday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. ET before hosting Kentucky for the season opener on Sunday, Sept. 3 at noon in the Petersen Events Center. Both matches will be streamed on SEC Network and ACC Network, respectively. The Panthers will be given their 2022 ACC Championship Rings by Forever Panthers at Sunday's match.
Pitt and Kentucky will play for only the seventh time in program history. The most recent meeting between the two dates to Aug. 29, 2008 where the Wildcats edged Pitt 3-2 in Lexington. The all-time series is tied 3-3, and the Panthers have won three of the last four matches.
The 2020 National Champion Wildcats come into the match with a 1-1 record, dropping their season opener to Colorado State in four sets. The Wildcats are led by senior right side hitter Reagan Rutherford who leads the team with 31 kills and 25 digs alongside All-American setter Emma Grome who is tenth in the nation in assists per set (11.62).
Junior middle blocker Bre Kelley and freshman outside hitter Torrey Stafford lead the Panthers in total kills with 22 while Kelley also is first in total blocks (12) through the first weekend of play.
FRESHMEN DEBUT
• The highly anticipated freshmen class didn't disappoint in Pitt's season opening weekend.
• The four combined for 54 kills, 18 blocks and 27 digs.
• Olivia Babcock was named to the Ellesyn Invitational All-Tournament Team after her impressive first weekend in blue and gold.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
• The Panthers welcome the highest ranked freshman class in program history (No. 8 according to prepvolleyball.com) in Torrey Stafford, Blaire Bayless, Olivia Babcock and Haiti Tautua'a.
• All four student-athletes are rated Top 70 in their class and have numerous accolades to their name.
• Stafford, Bayless and Babcock were named Under Armour First-Team All-Americans and competed in the annual match against the best senior volleyball players in the nation.
• Stafford was named MVP of the match and Babcock was named MVP of her squad.
• Tautua'a is the No. 1 recruit out of Hawaii and is a staple at the USA Volleyball NTDP. She won the 2022 TransPacific Championships with her club, Spike and Serve.
CHIA'S BACK!
• Graduate middle blocker Chiamaka Nwokolo announced that she will return for her fifth and final year of eligibility for the 2023 season.
• A consistent presence in the middle, Nwokolo was named to the 2022 All ACC Second-Team after hitting nearly .375 and registering 166 kills and 118 total blocks.
TERRIFIC TRANSFERS
• Head Coach Dan Fisher and the Panthers add three talented transfers in Emma Monks, Logan Mosely and Bre Kelly to the squad.
• Graduate middle blocker Emma Monks joins the Panthers from Michigan State after playing in 69 sets, registering 133 kills and 72 blocks.
• Junior middle blocker Bre Kelley comes to Pitt from the University of Florida, playing in every match and notching 203 kills and 124 blocks. She competed on the U.S. U21 team under Head Coach Dan Fisher.
FISHER, FAIRBANKS, KELLEY WIN GOLD
• Head Coach Dan Fisher, All-American Rachel Fairbanks and new Panther Bre Kelley helped the U.S. U21 team to gold in the Pan American Cup this summer.
• Fairbanks captained the squad and was named Tournament Best Setter.
