6  Leah Hinkey Class: Junior Hometown: Glenwood Springs, Colo. High School: Glenwood Springs Height: 6-1 Position: MB Birthdate: 04/27/1988

PATRICK ON HINKEY:

"As a two-year starter, Leah brings tremendous experience to our middle blocker position, which will help our team with the number of young players who are expected to challenge for time on the court this season. She is also one of the most effective leaders on our team and, without the time and energy that Leah has spent on providing leadership during the past year, our program would not be where it is today. She also has put in a lot of hard work to better herself on the court, taking both her blocking and attacking skills to another level. I am very excited to see her play this year, and I think her increased offensive ability will surprise a number of our opponents."

2007 (SOPHOMORE):

Recorded double-digit kills in 20 of the team's 29 matches in 2007...Helped lead UT to a 1-1 record at the AVCA Showcase with solid performances against both No. 1 Nebraska and No. 21 Utah...Tallied six kills versus the Huskers and seven against the Utes...Also added the fourth-highest single-match block total in school history in the five-match win over Utah with 13 putbacks...Named the MVP of the Comcast Lady Vol Classic after hitting a team-best .509 in the tournament...Collected 32 kills in the tournament, the second most on the team...Five aces against Appalachian State demolished her previous career high of two set against Auburn and Florida last season...Also recorded a personal best in hitting percentage with an amazing .619 mark (14-1-21) in UT's victory over Belmont...Added another all-tournament performance at the State Farm Illini Classic, Sept. 7-8...Put down a career-high 16 kills in a personal-best 31 swings versus Creighton before recording the first double-double of her career against Marquette with 10 kills and 10 blocks...Has played well in conference action, accumulating double digits in kills 14 times in 18 matches, including a career-high tying 16-kill performance in a 3-1 triumph at Auburn and her second career double-double (13 kills, 10 blocks) versus Auburn on Oct. 28...Notched her third double-double with 14 kills and career-high 14 blocks versus South Carolina on Nov. 11...Matched her career best with 16 kills and set a personal high with 40 attacks versus Kentucky on Nov. 14...Hinkey's success carried over to the classroom as well, as she earned a spot on the 2007 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

2006 (FRESHMAN):

Earned mention on the 2006 SEC All-Freshman Team following a stellar rookie campaign...Made a significant impact, starting in 28 of the team's 31 matches...Her 133 blocks ranked her third on the team, while her 221 kills were good enough for fifth...Blocks per game average of 1.19 ranked seventh in the SEC...Recorded double-digit kill totals in 10 matches...Opened her career with a bang, tallying 13 kills, four blocks and a .458 hitting percentage in the team's season-opener against Virginia on Aug. 25...Followed that up with a 12-kill, six-block performance against Miami (Ohio) the following day...Posted three consective double-digit kill efforts against Arkansas, Louisville and Ole Miss from Sept. 17-22...Also set personal bests in all three contests, recording eight block assists against the Lady Backs, 28 attacks versus the Cardinals and a .526 hitting percentage against the Rebels...Closed out the season with career highs in kills and digs with 14 and four, respectively, against Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament...Traveled to Italy and Croatia with the USA/Bring it Promotions u20 Development Team coached by UT head coach Rob Patrick to compete in the 2007 European Global Games, July 22-26.

HIGH SCHOOL:

Ranked 74th among high school seniors by PrepVolleyball.com...Spent two years as captain of the Glenwood Springs High School squad...Named to the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News first-team all-state lists...Also earned accolades as a member of the first team All-Western Slope Conference...Helped lead GSHS to the Colorado 4A (the second-highest level) state tournament in 2003, 2004 and 2005...Competed with the Colorado Juniors club team, which qualified for the Junior Olympic national championships... Saw success on the track team as well, helping the 4x100 and 4x200-meter relay squads to school-record times...Named to the academic honor roll.

PERSONAL:

Majoring in psychology...Highest sports ambition is to earn All-SEC and All-America honors as well as win a national championship...Lists her father as the biggest influence in her sports career and life...Chose Tennessee because of the great coaching staff and the support that women's athletics receives...Has one brother, Trevor, 24...Leah Elizabeth Hinkey, the daughter of Bob and Mary Hinkey, was born on April 27, 1988, in Glenwood Springs, Colo.