Wednesday Headlines: Craig Skinner’s Advice for Mark Pope to Achieve Greatness

SB Nation

Good morning, BBN!

Kentucky Volleyball coach Craig Skinner is widely regarded as one of the most consistently successful coaches on the University of Kentucky campus, and really all D1 programs.

He has built

a culture of excellence that includes nine straight SEC regular-season titles, a recent SEC Tournament championship, 21 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, and multiple Final Four runs.

Mark Pope, entering his second season as Kentucky basketball head coach, asked Skinner on his radio show how he has maintained such high performance year after year.

Skinner said there isn’t a “perfect” answer, but credited his success to surrounding himself with high-quality staff and players, noting that talented people attract other talent.

Early in his tenure, Skinner focused on recruiting consistently strong setters and liberos, volleyball’s equivalents of a point guard and defensive anchor, as foundational pieces before building out the rest of the roster.

Skinner also emphasized the importance of staying true to a team’s identity, saying that one of the most complex parts of coaching is turning away great athletes who don’t fit the program’s culture.

He stressed that present-moment focus, effort on defense and communication, and competitive maturity are key to navigating adversity and sustaining excellence.