Four years ago, when Johan Cedergren decided with his wife, Julia, to leave his job with U.S. Bank to become associate head coach of Dartmouth men's soccer, he set forth a plan. He would build experience and his resume and, within three to five years, earn a Division I head coaching position.

Very quickly, he came to realize just how ambitious his plan was. He and his wife adjusted their expectations accordingly, maintaining the same ultimate goal but accepting a lengthened timeframe.

After developing into one of the nation's top assistants in five successful seasons under head coach Jeff Cook, it turns out he was right on with his original plan. Cedergren has been tabbed as the third head coach in the Kentucky men's soccer history.

"Going into it, before knowing what it really takes to get a head job, I had hoped within five years that I would be able to be a head coach," Cedergren said. "Having been in it for five seasons and knowing how many good coaches are out there, I think that this is an unbelievable opportunity to come at this time."

On Thursday, Cedergren was named head coach by Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart, concluding a national search for Ian Collins' replacement. Cedergren, the 2010 National Soccer Coaches of America Assistant Coach of the Year, helped lead Dartmouth to the NCAA Tournament in all five of his seasons with the Big Green. He played collegiately at the University of Cincinnati, so he is familiar with both the area and Conference USA.

"I spent 10 years in the Midwest and I really enjoy it here," Cedergren said. "I think having played in Conference USA and against Kentucky as a player, it's one of the best programs around. It's a dream job for any aspiring head coach in general."

With the reputation Cedergren, a native of Solvesborg, Sweden, developed in the five seasons he spent as Cook's understudy at Dartmouth, it was a matter of time before he had the opportunity to become a head coach. Recognizing what Cedergren can build at UK, Cook is elated for his pupil.

"I am just delighted for him moving forward in his career, but also because I feel like Kentucky is the type of institution that we would hope our assistants move into when they have jobs," Cook said. "It is a great position to leave Dartmouth for. Of course we are sad to see Johan go, this is the right opportunity for him and his career."

Cedergren isn't going to waste any time in capitalizing on the opportunity.

"I think you have to really get going with the team right away," Cedergren said. "I know what I want to do. I want to make sure they get my message right away so they know what's going to go on. I'm going to work with the strength and conditioning staff to make sure we have a program that makes sense and get some really competitive spring games going so we can build the team to get ready for the fall."

His philosophy begins and ends with encouraging growth in his players, both on and off the field. He recognizes the time he has with each student-athlete is limited, so he will be purposeful about everything he does.

"I believe that, if you have a kid for four years, you have to be able to develop the player," Cedergren said. "I think that you want to do things that are positive. You want to create chances, you want to pass the ball, but at the same time you have to minimize risk."

Creating chances might not be too difficult considering the talent UK will return next season on offense. Forwards Tyler Riggs and Matt Lodge formed one of the better attacking duos in the nation a season ago, as they combined for 18 goals in 15 assists in 2011. Combining Riggs and Lodge with returners on defense, it's clear UK's cupboard is far from bare. Cedergren is already familiar with the names on his roster, but the next step will be establishing relationships with them.

"Of course, you have to get to know your team, and I think we have a tremendous team coming back with the two top scorers returning and the starting center back (Dylan Asher) and goalkeeper (Tyler Beadle)," Cedergren said. "I think there's a great opportunity do really great things right off the bat."

UK is in position to win right away, but Cedergren is also balancing that with building for the future. He sees big things in the future, which begins first and foremost on the recruiting trail.

"To get the team right and make sure everyone buys into the message is extremely important, but of course it's college, so every year you lose players," Cedergren said. "Recruiting is equally important and it's a matter of getting out there and making sure you find all the talent."

Finding talent begins within the immediate radius of Lexington. Cedergren says his focus will be on identifying players capable of contributing at this level within six hours of UK's campus, where the Kentucky brand has particular meaning.

"What we're fortunate with here at Kentucky is we have an unbelievable brand name," Cedergren said. "Within those six hours, if you come knocking and you have the UK logo, they're going to open the door and listen to you."

However, UK won't turn its back on recruiting internationally under Cedergren. The Wildcats' current roster features 10 players from outside the United States, while Dartmouth had six players from outside American borders a season ago with Cedergren as associate head coach. With his connections and eye for talent, he will look to bring in foreign players, but he'll also be strategic in doing so.

"The core of your team has to be U.S.-based players, then you have a sprinkle of special international talent," Cedergren said. "You don't bring an international player over just because he's international. He has to be an immediate impact player and start the majority of the time, if not all four years."

Regardless whether a player is a returner from a season ago, a newcomer from abroad or a freshman from right down the street, Cedergren's goal is to communicate that he has each one's best interests at heart, both on and off the field. Coming from an Ivy League school like Dartmouth, Cedergren knows what it means to develop well-rounded players. To do that, he knows he must be available at all hours.

"It's very important that the players know that what you're doing is best for them and that your door is always open and the phone is on 24/7," Cedergren said. "No matter what, there no question too small or too big of an issue, we're always here for you."

When Cedergren says "we", he's not only referring to he and his coaching staff. He views his family, which includes his wife and two children, Gavin, 6, and Abigail, six months, as a part of the program as well. In fact, the move to Lexington offers a nice bonus because Julia's family hails from a few miles down I-75 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

"My wife's family is close and, right now, this is the happiest my father-in-law has been about his daughter marrying someone. I'm expecting a nice Christmas gift from him," Cedergren joked.

Being close to family is nice, but it's the job and the school that have Cedergren so energized.

"To be able to combine that with coming here is great," Cedergren said. "If UK was on the West Coast, we would still do that just because of what UK offers. It's just a dream come true to match the athletic and academic profile of UK with the location."

The intersection of Kentucky's fall and winter sports is upon us, meaning we're in for some busy November weekends. Over the next few weeks, I'll be putting together a post each Friday running down the UK teams that will be in action during the weekend and telling readers how best to follow the action.

Football closes three-game home stand against Ole Miss

Believe it or not, UK has just two home games left on the schedule in 2011, the first of which takes place 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium against Ole Miss. Freshman Maxwell Smith will make his first career start and will be looking to lead an offense that has made strides in recent weeks.

How to follow the Cats
TV: ESPNU
Radio: UK IMG Sports Network
Live video: WatchESPN
Live audio: UK Athletics
Live blog: UK Athletics
Text updates

Volleyball continues run at conference title

A win over Southeastern Conference heavyweight Florida last Sunday kept Craig Skinner and the UK volleyball team within a game of first-place Tennessee in the race for the SEC title and in control of their own destiny. The Wildcats will be in action for the first time since the big win on Friday at 7 p.m. at Memorial Coliseum against Mississippi State.

How to follow the Cats
Gametracker
Live video: UK Athletics (subscription)
Live audio: UK Athletics with Dick Gabriel
Text updates

UK Hoops opens season with exhibition

Matthew Mitchell and the Cats will play host to Coker College 2 p.m. Sunday in its lone exhibition of the 2011 season. UK will be breaking a mix of talented returnees and one of the most decorated incoming classes in school history.

How to follow the Cats
Radio: UK IMG Sports Network with Neil Price
Gametracker
Live video: UK Athletics (subscription)
Live audio: UK Athletics
Live blog: UK Athletics

Swimming and diving hosts first meet of season

Fresh off of a dominating performance on the road last weekend, UK swimming and diving will host a double dual meet against Missouri and Southern Illinois beginning 10 a.m. Saturday at the Lancaster Aquatic Center.

How to follow the Cats
Live results: UK Athletics

Men's soccer closes 2011 season at South Carolina

Carrying momentum from a Senior Day upset of No. 15 SMU, Ian Collins and his Wildcats play their final game of 2011 on the road against South Carolina Friday at 6 p.m. UK won a tournament hosted by the Gamecocks earlier this season, so No. 25 USC will have revenge on its mind.

How to follow the Cats
Gametracker
Live blog: UK Athletics

Quigley, Musialek making runs at National Indoors

Playing its indoor season, the men's tennis team is having a strong follow up to its Elite Eight run last spring. Closing out the fall, seniors Eric Quigley and Alex Musialek, ranked No. 3 and No. 20 in the nation), are playing in the USTA National Indoor Championship this weekend. Both won first round matches on Thursday to advance to the tournament's round of 16 and will play matches each day starting on Friday until they lose. http://t.co/ApmkCfrE

How to follow the Cats
Live scoring updates
Live chat: ITAtennis.com
Twitter updates: @UKMensTennis

It can be hard to keep up with everything going on in the University of Kentucky's 22 varsity sports. With that in mind, we will highlight the best from around Kentucky sports each week. We'll recognize the best performances from Wildcat teams and players, we'll show you the coolest videos and photos that you may have missed and we'll mix in some new stuff along the way. Here are your award winners for this week:

Team of the week - Rifle posts NCAA-record score, returns to No. 1

The defending national champion UK rifle team started out the season ranked first in the nation. However, West Virginia eclipsed Kentucky in the national rankings two weeks into the season even though the Cats had been impressive in a pair of season-opening wins. In their first match after falling to second, the Wildcats responded in a big way.

Against conference foe Memphis, UK tallied a score of 4711, breaking their own NCAA-record score set during last season's tournament run. Emily Holsopple led the way with a score of 597 in air rifle as the Cats turned in a performance that returned them to the top of the polls.

Player of the week - Luis Orta stands out at SEC Championships

Cross Country junior Luis Orta has been one of the stars of the fall sports season at UK, winning SEC Men's Runner of the Week honors on three separate occasions. Teams throughout the SEC met in Maryville, Tenn., for the conference championships and Orta showed just how deserving he was of all those accolades.

Orta finished fifth among all runners, leading the men's cross country team to a fourth-place finish, the program's best since 1992. The Venezuela native also earned first-team All-SEC honors for his performance, becoming UK's first runner to earn that distinction since Thomas Morgan in 2003.

Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart took to Twitter to congratulate Orta on his success.

"Really proud of Luis Orta for earning (first) team All-SEC honors at the SEC Championships," Barnhart tweeted. "He finished (fifth and) led the team to (fourth) place. Luis really embodies what being a student-athlete at UK means. He doesn't only excel on the field, but also in the classroom and community."

Game of the week - Volleyball defeats No. 13 Florida in five

Mired in a conference title race with top-20 opponents Tennessee and Florida, every match the Wildcats play down the stretch is a big one, but Sunday's match against Florida felt just a bit bigger. Tied at seven midway through the decisive fifth, UK scored eight of the match's final 10 points to upset the No. 13 Gators and maintain control of its own destiny in the race for the SEC title.

UK won the first and third sets, but Florida responded both times to even things up at two entering the final game. The Wildcats then kicked things into another gear to win in the fifth. As an observer, seeing the intensity of the team during that final stretch and the jubilation they displayed once they got the job done was pretty amazing.

Whitney Billings and Ashley Frazier led the attack with 17 and 16 kills, respectively. Billings also joined Christine Hartmann as one of two Cats to post a double-double. Stephanie Klefot had a career-high 28 digs in the win, carrying her to SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Play of the week - Josh Mulvany scores a beautiful goal on Senior Day



Facing off against No. 15 SMU on Senior Day, UK got a pair of goals from departing seniors and held on for a 2-0 upset victory to send the class out in style. The second of those goals was from Josh Mulvany, who came up with a loose ball about 25 yards from goal and spotted the Mustang keeper too far off his line. He volleyed a shot high into the left "upper V" and over the outstretched arms of the beaten keeper.

Mulvany's goal takes place at the seven-second mark of the above video.

Photo of the week - Volleyball celebrates Florida win


Alumnus/alumna of the week - Andrew Albers pitches Team Canada to Pan American gold

Former Kentucky left-handed pitcher Andrew Albers became the second Wildcat in as many weeks to earn a gold medal at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, following Molly Johnson. Albers started the gold medal game for Canada against Team USA, pitching 6.2 innings and allowing just a single run in picking up the win for his native country.

Facing an American team that featured some of baseball's top prospects, Albers struck out eight batters while walking none, helping Canada to its first gold medal in a senior national event in its history.

Happy Halloween everybody! I hope everyone enjoys the festivities tonight on this last day of October (that's hard to believe, isn't it?), but I feel more like talking about a big 5-1 weekend in UK Athletics.

• If you missed it Sunday afternoon, the Kentucky volleyball team picked up a huge upset win over No. 13 Florida in an exciting five-set match. I wrote a column yesterday evening about the victory, which keeps UK right in the thick of a close Southeastern Conference race, and below is a video with highlights from the match and some comments from Craig Skinner.

• Volleyball wasn't the only UK team to pick up a win over a top-15 opponent on Sunday. On Senior Day, men's soccer got two goals in the first eight minutes from seniors C.J. Tappel and Josh Mulvany en route to a 2-0 victory in the Cats' last home match of the season. UK had to play the final 62 minutes of the game a man down, but the UK defense withstood No. 15 SMU. Here is what Ian Collins had to say about his team's effort.

• If you were worried about UK rifle resting on their laurels after a national championship last season, you can forget about that. The Cats are off to a perfect 3-0 start to the season, with each win coming against foes from the Great American Rifle Conference. Their latest victory was at home over Memphis on Sunday, with UK posting a new school and NCAA-record team score of 4711. UK's previous record of 4700 was set during the NCAA Tournament run a season ago. Sophomore Emily Holsopple also set a school record with a nearly perfect score of 597 in air rifle. The Wildcats were ranked No. 2 in the nation coming into the weekend, but Sunday's performance vaulted them ahead of West Virginia and into the top spot in the latest rankings released on Monday.

• Jon Lipsitz and the women's soccer team brought their 2011 regular season to a close with a dynamic 4-2 road win against Vanderbilt. Caitlin Landis put in two goals for the Cats, setting up a rematch with Tennessee in the first round of the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Ala., on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. UK (13-6-0, 6-5-0 SEC) defeated Tennessee in double overtime just weeks ago and will be looking to further strengthen its already strong NCAA Tournament profile.

• The swimming and diving team put together a dominating performance in a weekend sweep of Western Kentucky and Vanderbilt, winning 18 of 32 events. It was a balanced effort from both the divers and swimmers, with sophomore Greg Ferrucci leading the way with a school-record score of 387.37 in the one-meter diving event.

• Men's basketball is preparing for the first of two exhibition games on Wednesday against Transylvania and John Calipari is having his team scrimmage more and more. Calipari has seven players he views as capable of starting (Darius Miller, Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb, Marquis Teague, Kyle Wiltjer, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Anthony Davis) and has taken to putting two of those seven on a team together against the other five as a means to challenge them. That's what he did on Sunday with Jones and Kidd-Gilchrist. The pair responded and actually won. Eric Lindsey of CoachCal.com has a report from the practice I encourage you to check out if you haven't already.

• With UK playing Transy this week, Jon Scott from BigBlueHistory.net has a comprehensive history of the rivalry between the two schools, which he calls "the oldest and most embittered rivalry" UK has ever had. There's a ton of great information there and you can also read his story from Sunday's Lexington Herald-Leader about the same topic.

• Media day for UK Hoops is nearly upon us. Matthew Mitchell and members of the UK women's basketball team will be available for interviews on Tuesday. We'll have features, video and notes beginning tomorrow afternoon.

Tomorrow, Cat Scratches will be traveling with the men's soccer team for the Wildcats' game against the No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers (8-3-2) in Bloomington, Ind.  Brent Ingram and I will have a live blog of the action beginning a few minutes before Wednesday's 7 p.m. ET kickoff.  IU is arguably the most tradition-rich soccer school in the nation, so seeing their facilities, team and fan support should be very interesting.

The match is UK's final non-conference affair of the season, so it won't affect UK's late-season run at making the Conference USA Tournament. However, a win would significantly strengthen the Cats' NCAA Tournament resume and would build confidence entering UK's crucial three-match C-USA stretch to close the regular season.

Here are five storylines to watch entering Wednesday's game:

1. UK looking to sustain offensive momentum - UK started the season on an offensive tear and were ranked second in the nation in goals scored for much of the early portion of 2011. However, the Cats went through a three-match stretch that saw them struggle mightily to put the ball in the goal. After scoring a goal in the 14th minute against UCF, UK did not score the rest of that match or the following two against Florida International and Marshall. The Cats lost all three matches and didn't score for the first 36 minutes of their next match against UAB.

Since that 331-minute scoreless streak, the UK offense has returned to form and then some. Ian Collins' team scored two goals in the final 24 minutes against UAB and posted three in the following match against Tulsa. Having scored five goals in just over 114 minutes, UK will be looking to keep its offense going.

UK will be tested by a stingy IU defense that has allowed just 0.85 goals per game, including six shutouts. The Hoosiers have outscored its opponents 24-11 on the year, but have only narrowly outshot their opponents. IU has just a 66-65 edge in shots on goal for the season, but goalkeeper Luis Soffner has saved 82.5-percent of the shots that have come his way.

What that tells me is UK's dynamic offense led by Matt Lodge and Tyler Riggs should be able to create chances. The question will be whether they are quality chances and whether they can beat the 6-foot-4 Soffner in goal.

2. Cats well rested - A major reason for UK's offensive struggles of a couple weeks ago was the brutal schedule the team had played. Over 23 days, UK played eight games spread across California, South Carolina, Nebraska, Kentucky and Florida. By the end of it, the Cats couldn't help but lose a step. Once they were finally able to settle in at home for a few days, the offense returned.

Now, for the first time since the season started in August, UK will have had an entire week without a game when the match kicks off tomorrow. Bloomington is a relatively quick drive from Lexington, so UK should be rested and ready on Wednesday, especially since Collins has mandated the team take some time off from training over the last week. IU is a quality opponent and makes for a difficult game, but the fact the Cats are well rested means they will be able to give it their best shot.

3. Weather to be a factor - Looking up the forecast tomorrow, the Cats and Hoosiers will be playing in conditions bordering on frigid. The temperature will be in the mid-40's with the wind chill barely climbing out of the 30's. There is a 70-percent chance of rain and the wind will be whipping at close to 20 miles an hour. The weather will make ball control difficult, but will also create opportunities for the offense. Defenders trying to react to the ball could have trouble getting their feet and it won't be easy for keepers to hold on to saves.

4. IU boasts tough home field - UK already dealt with one of the nation's best home environments this season in a trip to Creighton, but Bill Armstrong Stadium, IU's home, is an extremely tough place to play as well. In five home games this season, an average of over 2,800 fans has packed the venue. However, two of the Hoosiers' three losses this season have come at home so it can be done.

5. UK needs top defensive form - UK's three-goal output against Tulsa last week was certainly good to see, but it was the Wildcats' defensive performance that caused Collins to call the game the Cats' best performance of the season. Goalkeeper Tyler Beadle made four saves and only a disputed penalty call in the 87th minute ruined his clean sheet.

Dylan Asher's return from injury has gone a long way in steadying the UK defense and the team effort the Cats turned in last Wednesday will need to be duplicated.

It can be hard to keep up with everything going on in the University of Kentucky's 22 varsity sports. With that in mind, we will highlight the best from around Kentucky sports each week. We'll recognize the best performances from Wildcat teams and players, we'll show you the coolest videos and photos that you may have missed and we'll mix in some new stuff along the way. Here are your award winners for this week:

Team of the week - Men's soccer turns in best performance of season

Sitting at 0-4 in conference play, Ian Collins and the men's soccer team needed to get in the win column badly. With their Conference USA Tournament and NCAA Tournament future at stake, the Cats played their best match of the season against rival Tulsa en route to a crucial 3-1 victory. Charles Pettys had the first two-goal game of his UK career and Josh Mulvany added another goal. It was also a stalwart defensive effort as Tulsa's only goal came on a disputed penalty call.

UK's explosive offensive had been stymied of late, but forward Matt Lodge led the way to an explosion against Tulsa. Although he didn't score a goal, Lodge was the offensive star. He tied a school record with three assists, moving him into second place all-time on the single season assist list with 10 so far in 2011.

Player of the week  - Luis Orta posts yet another top-10 finish

There hasn't been a single UK student-athlete this fall who has been more consistent than junior cross country runner Luis Orta. The Venezuela native finished in fifth place at the Panorama Farms Invitational this weekend, marking his fourth top 10 finish in as many races in 2011. His strong finish paced the Cats to fourth place as a team in the race and has already been named SEC Men's Runner of the Week three times in 2011. Cross country has a couple weeks off before post-season meets begin with the SEC Championships on Oct. 31.

Game of the week - Volleyball upends No. 18 Tennessee in thriller

It's difficult to imagine a midseason volleyball clash meaning more than last Wednesday's match between then-No. 25 UK and No. 18 Tennessee. First place in the Southeastern Conference standings was at stake and ESPNU was broadcasting the match to a national television audience. Adding fuel to the fire was a raucous crowd participating in a "White out" and the fact that UK hadn't beaten the rival Lady Vols in five tries.

Safe to say, Craig Skinner's team responded to the pressure. In a heart-stopping five-set victory, the Cats emerged victorious and pulled into a tie for first in the SEC. In an evenly-matched affair, Whitney Billings filled the stat sheet. The sophomore had 15 kills at a .367 hitting clip along with six blocks and eight digs. Senior Becky Pavan had a team-high 16 kills.

Play of the week - Horner scores golden goal in double OT



With women's soccer teams in the SEC jockeying for position in the conference tournament in Orange Beach, Ala., UK hosted No. 14 Tennessee on Friday in a key match. The Cats played exceptionally well, outshooting Tennessee 22-11, but could not find a way to net a goal. It was a scoreless tie in double overtime when Kelsey Hunyadi found Natalie Horner in the right side of the box. Horner dribbled past a defender and shot into the top of the net for the game-winning goal. Go to the 30-second mark of the video above to see the goal.

Photo of the week - Silhouette shot of Matthew Mitchell as Michael Jackson

Alumnus/alumna of the week - Molly Johnson stars for Team USA in Pan American Games

A couple weeks ago, it was announced that former star UK shortstop and current softball assistant coach Molly Johnson would play for Team USA in the 2011 Pan American Games. Last week, the team played a few exhibitions to prepare for the tournament and Johnson earned a starting spot. The Americans played their opener in tournament play on Monday, earning a 10-0 win over Venezuela, and Johnson was at the middle of it all. She was 3-for-3 at the plate, including two doubles and four RBI.

Team USA plays a pair of games on Tuesday, facing off against the Dominican Republic at 2 p.m. ET and tournament host Mexico at 9 p.m.

Video of the week - Big Blue Madness introduction

Every Tuesday, UK Athletics recognizes outstanding performances for our student-athletes. These are the honorees for the week ending Sunday, Oct. 16:

Men's golf: Joseph Barr

• Junior Joseph Barr carded a career-best round of 66 (-5) in the first round of the Bearcat Invitational on Oct. 10.
• Barr followed up his first round 66 with a 2-under par 69 in the second round to hold the lead entering the tournament's final round.
• Barr finished the tournament in a tie for third, his best result of the season thus far, and helped lead Kentucky to a second-place finish.

Volleyball: Whitney Billings

Sophomore Whitney Billings continued her dynamic play in Southeastern Conference action. Billings was the difference maker in UK's upset of No. 18 Tennessee - its first loss of the SEC schedule. Billings struck for 15 kills, the highest total this season, on a sizzling .367 hitting percentage. She was the only UK attacker to post an above .350 attacking percentage in the victory. Billings' all-around play continues as she also notched a squad-high six blocks and added four assists in the win. Against Mississippi State she totaled her 10th match of the season with 10 or more scoops with 14 digs in the three-set match for an average of 4.67 scoops per stanza. Furthermore, Billings was served at 24 times for the week and she did not commit an error.

Women's soccer: Natalie Horner

Natalie Horner netted the golden-goal in Kentucky's 1-0 double-overtime upset of 14th ranked Tennessee Friday night. It was Horner's second goal of the season and her first in conference play.

Men's soccer: Matt Lodge

Junior forward Matt Lodge shined in a shellacking of UK rival Tulsa on Wednesday, assisting on a school-record three goals in the 3-1 win over the Golden Hurricane ... Lodge's three assists are the most in a single-game in school annals, marking the fourth time in UK history a player has accomplished that feat and the first since Barry Rice in 2006 ... Now owns 10 assists on the year, the second-most assists in UK single-season history, just three shy of Jamal Shteiwi's school-best 13 in 2003 ... Has added seven goals and 62 shots, with his shot total ranking as the second-most shots in UK single-season history ... 16 games deep into his junior season, Loge owns 17 goals and 15 assists (49 points), ranking among the career leaders in points (seventh), goals (eighth), assists (fifth), shots (137; fifth) and game-winning goals (six; seventh) ... With 24 points in 2011, Lodge ranks fifth in UK single-season history ...A Rossington, England, native and a 2009 Freshman All-America honoree, Lodge ranks among the C-USA leaders in shots (first, 62), points (fourth, 24), points per game (sixth, 1.50), goals (sixth, 7) and assists (first, 10).

Volleyball: Jackie Napper

Freshman Jackie Napper has been the epitome of consistency for the Wildcats with seven or more digs in six consecutive matches for the Louisville, Ky., product. Napper put together one of her best performances of the season in the upset victory over No. 18 Tennessee. Napper charted eight scoops, but it was her demeanor on the receiving end of serves that helped propel UK to the win. Napper was served at an astounding 42 times in the match and did not make a single error. Napper then went on to post seven scoops in three sets of action, for 2.33 scoops per set, well above her season average.

Cross country: Luis Orta

• Luis Orta earned his fourth top-10 finish in as many races this season.
• The junior from Caracas, Venezuela finished in fifth at the Panorama Farms Invitational, crossing the finish line at the 8,000-meter race in 24:29.74.
• Orta has led UK in every race this season and has been named Southeastern Conference Men's Runner of the Week three times already.

Men's soccer: Charles Pettys

Junior midfielder Charles Pettys notched his first career two-goal game, in leading UK to a 3-1 beatdown of Conference USA powerhouse Tulsa on Wednesday ... Pettys notched both of UK's two goals to start of the game, getting his first in the 13th minute and adding his second in the 27th frame ... On the year, Pettys owns three goals and seven assists, ranking fourth in the league in assists and ninth in the conference in points (13) ... Pettys' first career two-goal game marked the 57th all-time two-goal outing from a UK player in program history ... In his two-year UK career, Pettys - a native of Los Angeles, Calif. - has played in 29 games with 20 starts, posting four goals and eight assists.

Women's soccer: Kayla Price

Freshman Kayla Price notched her fifth shutout of the season in the upset of Tennessee. She currently second among all-time UK freshmen in shutouts and her 1.19 GAA is the third lowest among freshmen in program history.

Women's tennis: Jessica Stiles and Khristina Blajkevitch

• Junior Jessica Stiles and sophomore Khristina Blajkevitch have paired up for doubles play at the USTA/ITA Women's Tennis Ohio Valley Regional's and have yet to lose a match. Their impressive play has earned them a spot in the semi-finals in the main draw.