Madison Lilley, left, and her teammates hope to be celebrating a national title tonight. (NCAA Photo)
What better way for four-time All-American setter Madison Lilley to end her Kentucky career than in the national championship game like she will do tonight against Texas? Lilley, the first SEC player to be named the American Volleyball Coaches Association Player of the year, had a season-high 63 assists in the national semifinal win over Washington Thursday.
She could come back for another season thanks to the NCAA COVID do-over policy but made it clear Friday that won’t happen.
“I am moving on,” Lilley said.
She’s not sure about her future plans because Friday she was focused on winning UK’s first national title. After that, she plans a “debriefing” and taking time to enjoy the end of her college life.
“It is okay to not know (about future plans) and to be different,” Lilley said. “The rest of the senior class might have plans but I am okay not having a plan right now. My plan is no plan I guess.”
Lilley attended coach Craig Skinner’s camp at UK as a seventh-grader basically as a road trip with others from Kansas City who carpooled to the event. Skinner fell in love with her and she verbally committed to UK as a freshman.
“Madison saw a vision. She could have gone a number of plays and been an All-American and done great things for so many programs,” Skinner said. “She has an ability to highlight people’s strengths and use to her advantage as a setter.”
Skinner said she also had a rare knack for taking accountability if things do not go her way and showing humility but also leadership at the same time.
“It goes without saying we are in a completely different spot now than when she arrived,” the UK coach said.
Lilley was certain UK could win a national title when she came to Kentucky. The Cats had chances but could not break through until this year. Before the season started she openly talked about “when” not if UK would be in the Final Four this year.
“It is a long time coming. To think about when I started coming to camp and when I committed. I am 22 and this is my last season here at Kentucky after making history,” she said.
She said she knew years ago Kentucky was the “perfect fit” for her and said it was “wild to think” about all her years in Kentucky blue going back to her commitment, watching UK play when she was in high school, and setting her eyes on making history.
“Coming here was a dream come true,” she said.
Now it is time for the perfect ending with a national title for Lilley and the Cats.
