U of L’s George readies for ‘intense’ UK match
When the University of Louisville’s volleyball team renews its rivalry with the University of Kentucky Tuesday, the Cardinals should have the confidence Katie George will set them up for success.
George, U of L’s junior setter and a former star at Assumption High School, has become a clear leader for the Cards as her career has progressed, and she’s looking forward to helping the team through this big in-state rivalry match and later its first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
“I have so much experience over the past two years that it’s something I’m grateful for, and it makes me someone my teammates look up to because I’ve been there and been in pressure situations,” said George, who played in 222 sets over her first two years. “I think my leadership role has expanded as I’ve gotten older, which I love. I want to be the leader for them on the court.”
U of L coach Anne Kordes said George, whose team will face UK at 7 p.m. at the KFC Yum! Center, means “everything” to the Cards. She praised her instincts and split-second decision-making and said George helps younger teammates stay calm because she's so confident and composed.
“I’m excited for her to just completely have the reins the next two years," Kordes said. "There’s no cap on how good we can be with her because she believes we can win a national championship — believes we can win the ACC. She believes in herself and her teammates that much.”
No. 16 UK (5-1) is up next for the Cards (3-2) in an intense rivalry between teams that know each other well. The last meeting at the Yum! Center in 2012 drew a crowd of 5,007. UK leads the series 26-25.
“It’s huge,” Kordes said. “… We’re going to see a phenomenal crowd, two really good teams playing against each other. … For both teams, we put everything into it. And it goes beyond the RPI and NCAA Tournament seeding. It’s a big rivalry match. Volleyball is big in this state. We recruit the same kids, so it’s always trying to get that edge up on each other.”
There are five Kentuckians — three for U of L and two for UK — in this year’s match, including three Assumption products: George and Courtney Robison for the Cards and Jackie Napper for the Wildcats.
“We know the rivalry runs hot, and people outside of Kentucky don’t really understand how intense of a rivalry it is,” said George, who was not recruited by UK out of high school. “These girls on the team, I’m trying to explain to them, this is probably the highest intensity match you’ll play in this year because this rivalry is such a big deal. I love it. … You’re not going to get a rivalry match like this anywhere else.”
George led U of L with 966 assists and 30 service aces last year in making the All-American Athletic Conference first team and helping the Cards go 18-0 in AAC play.
She spent two weeks in July in Croatia, Slovenia and Italy playing for the U.S. Collegiate National Team on a tour of Europe. George made the all-tournament team playing libero as the Americans earned the silver medal in the European Global Challenge.
She was named preseason All-ACC this year, but individual accolades are not her concern.
“What I strive for is to make everyone around me better,” George said. “I can take care of myself, take care of my setting, but if I’m not making those around me better, I’m not doing my job.”
Tuesday night’s match is another chance for George, who comes from a family of U of L fans, to soak in a home crowd that appreciates her as a Louisville kid playing for the hometown team.
“I’m truly grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given to play here, especially in front of my family and friends,” she said. “It’s really cool being from Louisville because this community is so supportive in volleyball. I think they really care and love their hometown kids because we share something in common. That makes them root for us.”
Steve Jones can be reached at (502) 582-7176 and followed on Twitter at @SteveJones_CJ.