Kentucky volleyball added three players through the transfer portal, with the program hoping the thrio will help fill the void left behind by last year’s extremely talented senior class.
The first player to commit after the portal opened was Lizzie Carr from Purdue. Carr is a 6-foot-6 middle blocker with two years of eligibility remaining.
Last year at Purdue, Carr averaged 1.52 kills per set on a .301% hitting percentage. She also provided a great defensive presence thanks to her height, recording .63 blocks per set.
Her towering presence makes her the tallest player on the roster. Carr was preceded at the University of Kentucky by her older brother Andrew Carr, a member of the men’s basketball team who committed to Kentucky in April 2024. Carr is a strong addition to the Wildcats’ front line following the losses of Megan Wilson and Erin Lamb.
Five days after Carr’s commitment, she was followed by fellow Purdue teammate Eva Hudson. Hudson is a 6-foot-1 outside hitter with one remaining year of eligibility.
Hudson led the Big Ten in kills for three consecutive years, finishing within the top 10 in the nation last year. Hudson’s 4.81 kills per set ranked 10th in the nation last year, putting her just behind new teammate Brooklyn DeLeye (4.87), who ranked ninth.
Hudson was named First Team All-Big Ten in all three of her years at Purdue. She was also an AVCA First Team All-American in 2023 and Second Team All-American last year.
The 2024 AVCA Midwest Region Player of the Year will make a large impact for the Wildcats next season. Hudson is likely to fill the void left by the departure of Wilson, playing across from DeLeye and providing offensive support.
The third and final transfer was Molly Berezowitz from Marquette. Berezowitz is a 5-foot-7 libero/defensive specialist with two years remaining eligibility.
Last year at Marquette, Berezowitz averaged 1.97 digs per set and 0.4 assists per set. She recorded a career-high of 21 digs in Marquette’s second-round victory over Utah in the NCAA Tournament, her ninth of 10 games with more than 10 digs last year.
Molly Berezowitz is the younger sister of Maddie Berezowitz, who played volleyball at Kentucky from 2019 through 2022 and was a member of the 2020 National Championship team. Berezowitz will likely compete with Molly Tuozzo for the starting nod as the Wildcats’ libero.
The defense and playmaking provided by Berezowitz will help the Wildcats fill the hole left by Kentucky all-time assist leader Emma Grome.
These three players are expected to make a large impact as the Wildcats eye their ninth consecutive SEC Title with hopes of another deep NCAA Tournament run next season.