Kentucky
Avery Skinner, who starred for Kentucky Wildcats, wins silver with Team USA volleyball
Simone Biles’ impact looms large over gymnastics, Olympics
After a dominant performance at the Paris Olympics, USA TODAY’s Nancy Armour says Simone Biles has cemented her legacy as the greatest gymnast.
The first Olympics appearance of Avery Skinner’s career was a memorable one. As well as a successful debut.
Skinner, the first former Kentucky volleyball player to ever compete in the Olympic Games, won silver with Team USA on Sunday in Paris. The U.S. lost to Italy, 25-18, 25-20, 25-17, in the championship match. Skinner finished the gold-medal match with seven points on a team-leading 22 attacks.
Starring as an outside hitter for the Wildcats from 2017 to 2021, Skinner was a key cog for UK’s national title-winning squad in 2020, which was held in 2021 after the coronavirus pandemic delayed NCAA championship events in fall sports to the spring.
She won SEC championships all four seasons at Kentucky, earning first-team All-America laurels from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) during her senior season after hitting .366 with 3.77 kills per set. She also was an All-SEC and AVCA Southeast All-Region selection that season. In her maiden campaign with the Wildcats in 2017, Skinner landed on the SEC All-Freshman Team after notching 363 kills, averaging 3.32 kills per set.
A native of Katy, Texas, the 6-foot-1 Skinner comes from a family of athletes.
Her father, Brian Skinner, spent 14 seasons in the NBA. Skinner’s younger sister, Madi Skinner, was part of Kentucky’s volleyball program for two seasons — including winning the NCAA championship with Avery in 2020 — before transferring to Texas.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
Kentucky
Tale of The Tape, Predictions: Louisville vs. Eastern Kentucky
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisville (7-5, 1-1 ACC) is set to face Eastern Kentucky (6-6, 0-0 ASUN) on Saturday, Dec. 28 at 12:00 p.m. EST at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. Here’s how the Cardinals stack up against the Colonels:
*Mobile users can scroll left and right on the tables below*
E. Kentucky |
Louisville |
|
---|---|---|
AP/USAT |
NR/NR |
NR/NR |
SOS |
183rd |
9th |
SOR |
200th |
62nd |
BPI |
254th |
60th |
NET |
198th |
53rd |
RPI |
227th |
26th |
KenPom |
227th |
50th |
Torvik |
154th |
46th |
EvanMiya |
231st |
53rd |
E. Kentucky |
Louisville |
|
---|---|---|
Points |
Devontae Blanton (16.4) |
Chucky Hepburn (15.3) |
Rebounds |
Devontae Blanton (6.1) |
J’Vonne Hadley (7.8) |
Assists |
Devontae Blanton (3. 8) |
Chucky Hepburn (5.1) |
Steals |
George Kimble (2.9) |
Chucky Hepburn (2.9) |
Blocks |
Yvens Paul (1.6) |
James Scott 0.8 |
E. Kentucky |
Louisville |
|
---|---|---|
Points Per Game |
77.0 |
78.0 |
Field Goal % |
41.9% |
43.3% |
FGM/FGA Per Game |
28.2/67.3 |
26.2/60.4 |
Three Point % |
31.8% |
29.8% |
3PTM/3PTA Per Game |
9.4/29.6 |
9.6/32.2 |
Free Throw % |
66.5% |
71.7% |
FTM/FTA Per Game |
11.3/16.9 |
16.1/22.4 |
E. Kentucky |
Louisville |
|
---|---|---|
Rebounds Per Game |
38.3 |
37.3 |
Off. Reb. Per Game |
15.8 |
12.4 |
Def. Reb. Per Game |
22.5 |
24.9 |
Rebound Margin |
0.1 |
3.6 |
E. Kentucky |
Louisville |
|
---|---|---|
Opp. Points Per Game |
75.0 |
71.3 |
Opp. FG% |
46.8% |
45.1% |
Opp. 3PT% |
35.6% |
35.8% |
Steals Per Game |
9.8 |
7.3 |
Blocks Per Game |
3.7 |
2.8 |
Turnovers Forced Per Game |
15.6 |
14.6 |
E. Kentucky |
Louisville |
|
---|---|---|
Assists Per Game |
13.5 |
13.4 |
Turnovers Per Game |
11.2 |
12.1 |
Turnover Margin |
4.4 |
2.5 |
Assist/Turnover Ratio |
1.2 |
1.1 |
– ESPN Prediction: Per ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, Louisville has a 95.6 percent chance to win against Eastern Kentucky. The Cardinals have a BPI rating of 9.8 (60th overall), whereas the Colonels have a BPI rating of -5.3 (254th overall).
– KenPom Prediction: Per KenPom.com, the Cardinals have a 94 percent chance to take down the Colonels, with a projected final score of 86-69 in favor of UofL. Louisville has an adjusted efficiency margin of +15.05 (50th overall), whereas Eastern Kentucky has an adjusted efficiency margin of -5.07 (227th overall).
– Torvik Prediction: Per BartTorvik.com, the Cards have a 90 percent chance to take down the Colonels, with a projected final score of 85-69 in favor of UofL. Louisville has a “Barthag” of .8412 (46th overall), whereas Eastern Kentucky has a “Barthag” of .5033 (154th overall).
– Personal Prediction: Louisville 91, Eastern Kentucky 73.
(Photo of Khani Rooth: Sam Upshaw Jr. – Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
You can follow Louisville Cardinals On SI for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram:
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You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter/X and @mattmcgavic.bsky.social on Bluesky
Kentucky
New laws coming to Kentucky starting in 2025
LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — With the new year comes new legislation, and for Kentucky, a number of laws will begin affecting Kentuckians starting on Wednesday, January 1.
Starting in 2025, all Kentucky drivers seeking to renew their license will need to pass a vision screening.The exam will be the same as the one used for first time drivers. Free screenings are provided at driver license regional offices around the state.
The screening takes about a minute, and they do not require additional appointments.
“The important thing is we want you to be able to see well while driving, whether you need corrective lenses or not,” said Lori Weaver Hawkins with AAA Bluegrass.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 19 states already have a similar law as a measure to cut down on accidents.
“We know that vision, having clear vision, is important for drivers to be able to successfully maneuver through traffic and to reduce that incidents of traffic crashes,” said Hawkins.
Also starting January 1, retailers will only be able to sell certain vape products. It’s part of House Bill 11, which was passed in April of this year to curb vaping among young people.
Jerry Wayne, who manages Magic Vape in Jessamine County, said the new law will severely impact his business.
“We will be firing 25 employees, closing 8 locations, and taking that money what we can,” said Wayne, “Basically, we will be out of business.”
The bill states that the FDA must approve vape products that have nicotine, and if they’re not approved, they can’t be sold. Wayne said it cuts the product he can sell from 300 to two.
Medical marijuana can start being sold in 2025 as well. Two lotteries have already happened for growers and distributors. All products must be grown in the Commonwealth.
Kentucky
Alleged Kentucky deadbeat dad who owes over $100K in child support arrested getting off cruise ship in Miami
An alleged deadbeat dad who was on the run and owed more than $100,000 in child support was arrested last week as he exited a cruise ship in Miami, authorities said.
Dominic Weaver, a Kentucky resident, had been on the lam for more than 10 years when his holiday vacation ended after being taken into custody and brought back to Louisville, WDRB-TV reported.
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Detectives from a local child support division flew to Miami and eventually brought Weaver back to the Bluegrass State.
“I don’t know when he left, but he fled the jurisdiction, and from the date of his sentence until today, and even today, he’s not paid one cent of child support,” Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell said.
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Weaver, 47, owes somewhere between $114,000 and $120,000 in child support, according to O’Connell.
O’Connell said Weaver has a total of four cases with the child support division.
“Two more of those are ready for indictment again of more felonies,” O’Connell said.
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O’Connell said he planned to ask a judge to revoke Weaver’s original sentence and ask that he be sentenced to four years in prison.
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