Kentucky hosts Bucs at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday in Memorial Coliseum
Former University of Dayton standout Mandy Robbe begins her second season as the Director of Operations after joining the staff in March of 2012.
In Robbe's first season with the team the Wildcats earned a 22-11 overall record and hosted the First and Second Rounds of the NCAA Tournament while advancing to the Sweet 16 for the second-straight season.
Robbe serves as the color analyst for UKathletics.com audio broadcasts of all home matches. Furthermore, she served as the coordinator for the AVCA All-America banquet at the 2012 NCAA Final Four in Louisville.
"We are thrilled to have Mandy on board," UK coach Craig Skinner said upon her hiring. "Her passion for volleyball is evident in her experiences as a player and coach. She has a blue-collar work ethic and has shown great leadership in this sport. Kentucky volleyball will benefit greatly from what Mandy will bring to this program."
Robbe is a former four-year letter winner for the Dayton Flyers who advanced to three NCAA Tournaments and won a combined five Atlantic 10 titles during her tenure.
"I am extremely excited to get started here at Kentucky," Robbe said. "Coach Skinner and his staff run an elite program, and I am honored to be a part of this team." An exceptional all-around player, Robbe spilt time on the Flyers as a defensive specialist and an attacker. She was voted a team captain in her final season in 2008. Robbe's talents were abundant, as she was also an outstanding student earning a Presidential scholarship for academics in all four years of college.
Robbe's experience exceeds from the court of play, as she has coached on varying levels including Dayton Flyer camps and the Kingdom and Dayton Juniors Volleyball Clubs. For the previous three seasons she has also served as color analyst on the Dayton volleyball radio broadcast.
"This is a great hire for Kentucky and a great fit for Mandy," Dayton coach Kelly Sheffield said. "They are getting a tireless worker, and someone that will do anything for the sake of the team. Mandy will make the other coaches jobs easier, the players will absolutely love her, and I think she will enjoy working for Coach Skinner. I really enjoyed coaching Mandy and getting to know her even better following her playing career here at Dayton."
