Kentucky volleyball learns its NCAA Tournament path. Here’s what’s ahead for the Wildcats.

After another stellar regular season that featured a seventh straight SEC championship, the Kentucky volleyball program now knows what awaits in the NCAA Tournament.

On Sunday night, the Wildcats were awarded a No. 2 seed in the bracket.

UK, which went 19-7 overall in the regular season with a sparkling 17-1 mark in SEC play (enough to win the conference title outright), will host first- and second-round matches in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday and Friday at Rupp Arena.

On Thursday, James Madison will play Baylor (4:30 p.m.) and Kentucky will play Wofford (7:30 p.m.) in first-round matches in Lexington. The winners of those matches will play in the second round at 7 p.m. Friday.

Kentucky, the No. 8 overall seed for the national postseason, is in the same quarter of the bracket as No. 1 overall seed Nebraska.

This is UK’s 19th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, and the Cats are one of eight SEC teams in the 64-team field.

“We’ve been pretty hungry all year long. They’ve continued to improve from day one,” said UK head coach Craig Skinner, who watched the NCAA Tournament Selection Show with his team Sunday night in an event open to the media at Rupp Arena.

“… You can see it in their eyes: They’re ready to go.”

The Wildcats had the SEC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after securing their fourth outright league title in seven years with a three-set sweep of Florida on Saturday at Rupp Arena in front of more than 4,000 fans.

UK has won 16 straight matches — the longest active NCAA winning streak — and hasn’t lost since a Sept. 24 home defeat to Tennessee, UK’s only blemish in SEC play.

“The positive thing about this group is we’re pretty balanced,” added Skinner, who has led UK to the NCAA Sweet 16 on eight occasions and was one of four coaches named SEC Coach of the Year on Sunday.

“We have a lot of people that can score. We’ve been getting better and better defensively, which helps complement our offense that’s been clicking for most of the year. We’re serving well. I think to make a long run in the tournament you have to be good in all phases … . As long as we have that balance and don’t have to rely on one or two players, then we have a chance.”

With the NCAA Tournament just days away from starting, here’s what you need to know as Kentucky looks to repeat its heroics from April 2021 and emerge with a second national championship in volleyball.

Kentucky vs. Wofford in the first round

Kentucky’s first opponent in this quest will be Wofford, which is making its NCAA Tournament debut. Wofford went 23-7 overall, setting a Division I era program record for wins, and won the Southern Conference Tournament as the league’s No. 3 seed.

The Terriers have a balanced offensive attack, with six players who average at least two kills per set. Wofford also boasts two setters — freshman Taylor Pecht and senior Emily Hodsdon — with at least 500 assists this season. Senior middle blocker Sarah Barham has a team-best 88 blocks.

On the other side of the net though, the Terriers will have their hands full with the Wildcats.

Kentucky outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye, the SEC Freshman of the Year, leads the Wildcats in kills (349) and kills per set (3.67).

“I’m so honored to get that award out of all the amazing freshmen that are in our conference, but I wouldn’t be where I am without the amazing team behind me,” DeLeye said, while crediting her experienced teammates with helping her adjust to college volleyball.

Fifth-year middle blocker Azhani Tealer, an All-American last season, leads UK in hitting percentage (.385).

Senior outside hitter Reagan Rutherford averages 3.55 kills per set with a .317 hitting percentage. Rutherford led the Cats with 15 kills in Saturday’s win over Florida.

“Everyone on our team knows how to put the ball away and get the ball up,” DeLeye said of UK’s offensive balance. “So I think just being unpredictable is just really key when we move forward.”

Junior setter Emma Grome has more than 1,100 assists this season and has continued her strong play after being named the 2022 SEC Player of the Year.

Defensively, junior libero Eleanor Beavin (4.01) and freshman Molly Tuozzo (2.20) lead UK in digs per set. At the net, three Wildcats have at least 60 blocks: Tealer (86), senior middle blocker Elise Goetzinger (67) and Rutherford (63).

Beavin, DeLeye, Grome, Rutherford and Tealer all earned spots on the 2023 All-SEC team.

Louisville, WKU also learn NCAA Tournament paths

Kentucky isn’t the only school in the commonwealth that will be part of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Both Louisville and Western Kentucky were also safely into the 64-team field after impressive regular seasons.

Louisville went 24-4 overall and 15-3 in ACC play and was awarded a No. 2 seed.

Louisville will host Wright State in the first round, and the winner of that match will face the winner of Western Michigan and Auburn in the second round in the Derby City.

Last year, the Cardinals reached the NCAA Tournament championship match before losing 3-0 to Texas. U of L has made the Final Four in each of the last two tournaments.

Western Kentucky went 29-4 overall and a perfect 16-0 in Conference USA. The Hilltoppers collected both the C-USA regular season and tournament titles.

WKU was given a No. 6 seed and will play Coastal Carolina in the first round Friday afternoon in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the winner of that match will face the winner of High Point and host Tennessee.

This is the 16th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history for the Hilltoppers (and their ninth postseason berth in the last 10 seasons).

Last year, WKU lost in the second round at Kentucky in a three-set sweep.

Across the country, first- and second-round NCAA Tournament matches will be played from Thursday through Sunday. The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds will be contested from Dec. 7-9.

The national semifinals will be played Dec. 14 with the national championship match on Dec. 17. The semifinals and championship match will be at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

After winning another SEC title, Kentucky volleyball is set for an NCAA Tournament run

After slow start, Kentucky volleyball continues gold standard with another SEC championship