Toppers eyeing a strong sophomore season from Skidmore

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – We are now two days out from the start of Hilltopper volleyball, and all eyes are on head coach Travis Hudson and his group as they aim for yet another strong season.

After going spotless in Conference USA in 2024 and making a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth straight year, WKU watched another CUSA Player of the Year graduate and leave behind a hole in production which is now needing to be filled.

From Alyssa Cavanaugh to Lauren Matthews to Paige Briggs and Kaylee Cox, now Hudson is expecting a member of last year’s All CUSA Freshman Team, Alivia Skidmore, to step up in her sophomore campaign to be the next leader on the court.

Following a first year where Skidmore tallied 344 kills, 38 blocks, 74 digs and nine aces, Hudson is now wanting more out of the Florence, Kentucky native in 2025.

“ Alivia Skidmore is going to have to step forward and carry a bigger load for us. If you watched her evolve last year, even in her freshman year, you know, at the beginning of the year this time last year, this weekend last year, we were platooning her and Faith Young on the left side. We didn’t even know if Alivia would end up in our starting lineup, and she ended up being the freshman of the year of the league and by NCAA Tournament time was carrying almost the same load that Kaylee Cox was carrying offensively for us,” Coach Hudson said. “It’s Liv’s turn. She’s had a great offseason and I think that she’ll impact us in a big way.”