CHICAGO (November 30, 2022) – The Loyola University Chicago women's volleyball team (25-8, 17-1 A-10) will play 12th-seeded University of Kentucky (20-7, 15-3 SEC) in Thursday's First Round of the 2022 NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship. First serve is set for 6:30 p.m. CT inside Memorial Coliseum as the Wildcats play host to the Ramblers, with both teams coming off regular-season conference titles. Loyola, which makes it sixth NCAA Championship appearance, claimed an automatic bid to the big dance after winning the Atlantic 10 Championship.
 
Riding a five-match win streak and only one loss in its previous 20 outings, Loyola recorded its highest win total since 2002 (27 wins) and reached the 20-win mark for the third time in five seasons under head coach Amanda Berkley, who was named A-10 Co-Coach of the Year.
 
The Ramblers also feature the A-10 Player of the Year, Karlie McNabb, and Setter of the Year, Bree Borum.
 
McNabb, who was also named to the All-Conference First Team, ranked third in the league and led the Ramblers in kills per set (3.20) and points per set (3.74). Her digs per set (2.28) ranked third at Loyola. An outside hitter from Sun Prairie, Wis., she was named A-10 Player of the Week on Oct. 3. McNabb is coming off a dominant performance in the A-10 Championship match where she recorded a career-high 21 kills.
 
Borum, a setter from Sterling, Ill., was fourth in the Atlantic 10 in assists with 8.09 per set and second in total assists with 946, helping Loyola Chicago rank first nationally in team assists. She was named the setter for the All-Conference First Team.
 
Additionally, Taylor Venuto and Emily Banitt were voted second-team all-conference honorees. Venuto joined Grace Hinchman on the All-Academic Team.
 
Loyola wrapped up the regular season undefeated in Gentile Arena (12-0) for the first time in program history, while going unbeaten at home for the first time since 1993 (14-0) at Alumni Gym. Loyola is a combined 23-1 inside Gentile over the past two seasons, with 13 straight home victories.
 
Loyola led the A-10 in team hitting percentage (.246) and kills per set (13.73), along with assists (12.61), digs (12.47) and fewest kills allowed (11.01). The Ramblers rank fourth in the nation in team kills (1,606), seventh in aces (211) and third in assists (1,475).
 
Since the start of the 2020-21 campaign, Loyola is 52-3 (.945) when winning the first set of a match.
 
Last Time Out
The top-seeded Ramblers won the A-10 Championship with a thrilling four-set victory over No. 3 seed Dayton 25-16, 23-25, 25-15, 25-23. A-10 Player of the Year Karlie McNabb led with a career-high 21 kills (.312), along with Addie Barnes (17 kills/.316) and Taylor Venuto (12 kills/.526). Loyola tied its sixth-highest team hitting percentage of the season (.333), while Dayton hit .321 overall as a team, the second-highest opponent total in a Loyola victory this season.
 
Borum finished with 50 assists, 14 digs, 3 kills and 4 block assists for her 17th double double. She hit the 50-assist mark for the third time this season and back-to-back matches in the A-10 Championship. McNabb reached a new career high in kills for the second straight outing, posting back-to-back 20-kill performances in A-10 Championship to surpass the 300 kills mark this season. Barnes recorded a season-high 17 kills for the third time this season. Venuto reached the 200 kills mark on the season and logged her fifth consecutive match with 10 or more kills.
 
Scouting Kentucky
Loyola and Kentucky have met once before, with UK recording a 3-0 victory in a neutral-site match played in Milwaukee during the 2017 season. Ranked No. 16 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25, Kentucky closed the regular season at 20-7 overall, going 15-3 in Southeastern Conference (SEC) action to earn a share of the league's regular season crown. The Wildcats have been a tough out inside Memorial Coliseum, rattling off eight straight wins on their home floor. UK leads the nation in kills per set (14.77) and ranks 14th in hitting percentage (.285) and 30th in blocks per set (2.58). Setter Emma Grome earned SEC Player of the Year as UK won the award for the fifth straight season. Outside hitter Adanna Rollins, opposite Reagan Rutherford and middle blocker Azhani Tealer were also named All-SEC performers.

Up Next
The winner of Thursday's match will play the winner of Western Kentucky/Bowling Green in the Second Round Friday at 6 p.m. CT inside Memorial Coliseum.