UK volleyball benefiting from resilient freshman setter Kassie O’Brien
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- Kentucky stayed unbeaten in SEC with a 3-1 win, pursuing a ninth straight title
- Freshman setter Kassie O’Brien posted 48 assists and her fourth 40+ game
- Coach Skinner credited culture, bench depth and unglorified plays for wins
Despite Auburn’s best efforts to hand No. 3 Kentucky volleyball its first conference loss of the year, the Wildcats remained unbeaten in SEC play Wednesday night with a 3-1 (25-20, 18-25, 25-22, 25-16) defeat of the Tigers.
For a program in hot pursuit of its ninth-straight league title and its second-ever national championship — after hoisting the trophy in 2020 — UK and its head coach, Craig Skinner get everybody’s best shot. They have to stay committed to winning the match despite any hype or notoriety surrounding competitors, below-standard offensive nights or conceding a set.
On a team that returned four of its five 2024 All-SEC honorees, and added accomplished redshirt junior middle blocker Lizzie Carr via the transfer portal, leadership is not lacking for the Wildcats.
However, when UK underwent its first competition for starting setter in nearly 10 years, not many were expecting such strong leadership from true freshman setter Kassie O’Brien, who, with 48 assists against Auburn, recorded her fourth consecutive 40-plus assist match. She also recorded five stuff blocks and a couple of serves which Skinner called “key…that make a difference.”
“I look at the stat sheet,” Skinner said. “And I’m sure there’s plays that Kassie will look at on video and go to work tomorrow and try to make herself better. …And I think the resiliency that a freshman needs to have in that position is significant because it’s impossible to be perfect in our game. But she never lets the last play affect what’s going to happen next.”
O’Brien’s performance came after she earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors for the third time in as many weeks and the fourth time this season, proving her status as a true impact player within the stacked conference.
The Wildcats don’t need O’Brien to be perfect, but Skinner said what the true freshman exemplifies isn’t just rare for rookies — it’s rare for any athlete.
“I’ve said that over and over again,” Skinner said. “And that’s a very uncommon trait for athletes to have, first of all, but a freshman setter in that position, kudos to her.”
Teammates say O’Brien is always trying to improve, both for her own sake, and for her teammates’. Senior outside hitter Eva Hudson spoke more to the freshman’s focus, adding that “Being the setter is hard in general, and then being a freshman setter coming in is just crazy to me.”
“Crazy to me!” Hudson said. “But she is just the hardest worker. She has a bad practice, and she’s after practice doing more reps. And asking me what I need if I hit it out and it’s my fault. She’s like, ‘What do you need from me?’ I’m like, ‘That’s my fault.’ But no, she’s been amazing. Always has a great attitude, and we couldn’t be more grateful for her.”
Kentucky (13-2, 6-0 SEC), one of four SEC teams ranked within the AVCA top 25 alongside No. 2 Texas, No. 10 Texas A&M and No. 16 Tennessee, hasn’t shied away from the best of the best — typical of Skinner’s programs.
So far, the Wildcats have defeated the Aggies, reigning national champion Penn State, top-10 SMU, archrival and 2024 national runner-up Louisville (at the Yum! Center). Only perennial juggernaut — and undefeated — No. 1 Nebraska and 2024 national semifinalist Pittsburgh have knocked off UK.
That’s not to say the impressive victories haven’t been hard-fought. Carr, who commended O’Brien for her preparedness while admitting how difficult it was for her to adjust to her own first season of college volleyball, said O’Brien’s personality and attitude make a big difference.
“I think she brings a big energy to our team,” Carr said. “She’s always dancing and laughing and all that, and she has a big personality, and so I think that’s really cool to add. I redshirted as a freshman, and I just can’t even imagine not having that much time to be able to adjust. Knowing how hard of a role a setter is, on top of being a freshman, and not having that. I know how hard it was for me my sophomore year after having the full entire year to adjust to the speed and level of college volleyball. Especially at this level, too, so it’s really impressive that she’s been able to do it.”
O’Brien’s breakout season reflects Skinner’s consistent culture, which he said he’s observed “in the growth in the different ways that we’ve had to be successful.” One doesn’t have to be considered for All-SEC honors to contribute to the winning tradition of Kentucky volleyball; even a true freshman can come in and change a match.
“Our team’s willingness to do the things that maybe aren’t the glorified things in our sport,” Skinner said. “They’re willing to dive, they’re willing to go for balls, they’re willing to communicate, they’re willing to do the things that don’t necessarily make the headlines. And the other thing is just knowing that I can look down at the bench at any moment in time, pick any one player and say, ‘Your shot,’ and they go in and make a difference.”
This story was originally published October 17, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
