Coaches enjoy veteran leadership, and they also love players with a defensive mindset. University of Memphis head coach Sean Burdette got both when junior Kinkaid Padgett became a Tiger in the off-season. The libero/defensive specialist transferred to Memphis after playing two seasons at Georgia State.
At Georgia State, Padgett collected nearly 350 digs and had 13 matches in which she rolled up double-digit digs. She has brought that solid defense to the Blue and Gray in 2019, and her play has been pivotal in Memphis' early-season success that includes last weekend's Saluki Invitational championship run.