LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Thursday marked a win for the Wildcats, a win for Lexington, and a win for women's sports as Rupp Arena hosted two games of the first round of the women's NCAA volleyball tournament.
Volleyball fans took downtown by storm as Rupp welcomed JMU, Baylor, and Wofford alongside the Wildcats on Thursday.
Fans arrived from all over the country. Kelli Eubanks and her niece, Charli Heaton, traveled from South Carolina to catch the tournament.
"My daughter plays for [Wofford] and my niece [is] a female athlete herself. We're big supporters of female sports," Eubanks said.
This year marked a big season for college volleyball. ESPN revealed this was the most-watched season of all time, with over 466 million minutes of the regular season viewed.
The most-viewed @NCAAVolleyball regular season EVER! 👏
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) November 30, 2023
🏐 466M minutes watched across ESPN platforms#NCAAWVB pic.twitter.com/pUxWoFkA6Y
The growth of the sport is showing up in a variety of ways, including economic.
According to VisitLEX, the city anticipates the tournament drawing in about $125,000 to $130,000 of revenue to the city.
Meanwhile, the UK women's volleyball team's usual court at Memorial Coliseum is undergoing an $83 million renovation.
The growing spotlight on women's sports is exciting fans and athletes alike, who say it's a long time coming.
"Growing up, especially being a girl playing sports, it's never gotten the same appreciation. But especially in the past year, I think that trend's moving," said UK student Savannah O'Neill.
The NCAA tournament continues Friday night at Rupp Arena when the Kentucky Wildcats face off with the Baylor Bears.
