What: Kentucky vs. Penn State
When: Friday, December 7, 2012 (5:00 p.m. ET)
Where: Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, Indiana
Lions Face Wildcats in West Lafayette
We’re guessing the Wildcats (on right) won’t be as placid when they meet the Lions (on left)
The Kentucky Wildcats had a very nice season. The team went 22-10 in the regular season (3rd place in the SEC Eastern Division, 4th place overall), 5-6 Sr. L Stephanie Klefot was named the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year for the third consecutive season (but only Second Team All-SEC — how does that work? Actually, it works the same way it did for Michigan State’s 5-4 So. L Kori Moster, who was named the B1G’s Defensive Player of the Year, but didn’t make 1st Team All- Big Ten. We’d say they came up short, but that would be wrong, for sure), 6-2 Jr. OH Whitney Billings was named to the All-SEC First Team, and 6-3 Fr. MB Sara Schwarzwalder was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.
Given all that, if we were Kentucky, we’d be more than a little annoyed that our team received no votes in the final AVCA Poll, and widespread criticism for receiving a #16 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
They certainly played well against Ohio State in Round Two, downing the Buckeyes 3-1 (18-25, 26-24, 25-15, 25-18) to advance to the Sweet Sixteen in consecutive years for the first time since the 1987-1988 seasons. Here’s Skinner after that match:
Give a lot of credit to Ohio State. Heck of a team, and they brought it to us in game one. We had a great game plan and it didn’t work in game one, but we stuck with it and executed it as the match went on. Our serving and blocking got involved. Then people stepped up. Some great defensive plays by (Stephanie) Klefot, great decisions by our setter (Christine Hartmann) and our attackers put the ball away when we needed them.
Kentucky 2012 Roster
| No. |
|
Name |
|
Ht. |
Pos. |
|
Class |
Hometown (Last School) |
|
6
|
|
Morgan Bergren |
|
6-1 |
Setter |
|
FR |
Muncie, Ind. (Delta) |
|
1
|
|
Whitney Billings |
|
6-2 |
OH |
|
JR |
Helena, Ala. (Pelham) |
|
4
|
|
Ashley Frazier |
|
6-2 |
OH |
|
SR |
Oregon, Ohio (Alabama) |
|
14
|
|
Jessi Greenberg |
|
5-4 |
DS |
|
JR |
Melbourne, Fla. (Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy) |
|
32
|
|
Christine Hartmann |
|
5-11 |
S |
|
SR |
St. Charles, Ill. (Rosary) |
|
11
|
|
Stephanie Klefot |
|
5-6 |
DS/L |
|
SR |
Louisville, Ky. (Assumption) |
|
2
|
|
Alexandra Morgan |
|
6-1 |
MB |
|
JR |
Birmingham, Ala. (Mountain Brook) |
|
15
|
|
Jackie Napper |
|
5-7 |
DS |
|
SO |
Louisville, Ky. (Assumption) |
|
12
|
|
Lauren O’Conner |
|
6-5 |
OH |
|
SO |
Taylor Mill, Ky. (Scott) |
|
9
|
|
Sara Schwarzwalder |
|
6-3 |
Middle Blocker |
|
FR |
North Royalton, Ohio (North Royalton) |
|
13
|
|
Kayla Tronick |
|
6-3 |
MB |
|
RS FR |
Hutchinson, Minn. (Hutchinson) |
|
20
|
|
Desiree Wilkerson |
|
5-11 |
Middle Blocker |
|
JR |
Louisville, Ky. (Marshall) |
|
21
|
|
Kelsey Wolf |
|
5-9 |
Defensive Specialist |
|
FR |
Cincinnati, Ohio (Mount Notre Dame) |
|
10
|
|
Shelby Workman |
|
6-1 |
Opposite Hitter |
|
FR |
Shawnee Mission, Kan. (Bishop Miege) |
|
Penn State 2012 Roster
| Number | Name | Position | Year/
Class | Height | HS
(Club) | State |
01
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Scott,
Ariel
 | Opp/MH | 3/Jr. | 6-04 | Immaculate
Heart
Academy
(Team Complete
Athlete) | NJ |
02
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Caraway,
Lara
 | DS/L | 1/Fr. | 5-04 | Evans City
(Renaissance) | PA |
03
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Pierce,
Kendall
 | DS/L | 1/Fr. | 5-06 | Eden
(Niagara Frontier
Volleyball) | NY |
04
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Gonzalez,
Dominique
 | L | 2/So. | 5-06 | Sandra Day
O'Connor/
(Alamo Volleyball) | TX |
05
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Carpenter,
Kristin
 | DS/L/S | 4/Sr. | 5-06 | Hanover
(Richmond Volleyball Club) | VA |
06
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Martin,
Maddie
 | OH | 3/Jr. | 6-02 | H.B. Plant
(Tampa Bay
Juniors) | FL |
07
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Grant,
Nia
 | MH/OH | 2/So. | 6-02 | Howland
(Cleveland Renaissance
Volleyball
Club) | OH |
08
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Denney,
Erica
 | MH | 2/RS So. | 6-05 | Grandview
(Front Range
Volleyball Club) | CO |
09
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Prieto Cerame,
Paulina
| OH/Opp | 1/Fr. | 6-02 | Palmer
Trinity
(Boomers
Volleyball) | FL |
10
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Racibarskas,
Marika
 | S | 4/Sr. | 6-00 | Chatham
(Team Complete
Athlete) | NJ |
12
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Hancock,
Micha
 | S | 2/So. | 5-11 | Edmond
Memorial
(Oklahoma Peak Performance) | OK |
14
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Whitney,
Aiyana
 | OH/Opp/MH | 2/So. | 6-03 | Northern Valley
Regional
(Downstate Juniors) | NJ |
15
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Harding,
Maggie
 | DS | 2/RS So. | 5-06 | State College
Area | PA |
16
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Slay,
Katie
| MH | 3/Jr. | 6-06 | Wakefield
(Triangle Volleyball
Club) | NC |
17
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Courtney,
Megan
 | OH/S | 1/Fr. | 6-02 | Archbishop Alter
(Team Z) | OH |
18
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | McClendon,
Deja
 | OH | 3/Jr. | 6-01 | Dupont Manual Magnet
(KIVA) | KY |
33
Player
Profile
w/Season
Recap | Fuller,
Lacey
 | DS/L | 2/So. | 5-06 | Torrey Pines
(Coast
Volleyball) | CA |
Updated as of 8-15-2025
