LEXINGTON, Ky. – Another week, another award for Emma Grome and Brooklyn DeLeye. On Monday afternoon, Grome was named the Southeastern Conference’s Setter of the Week for the sixth time this season, while DeLeye was crowned with her league-leading fourth SEC Freshman of the Week award.
Grome’s exceptional performance on the court this week added to her NCAA-leading average of 12.00 assists per set. She played a pivotal role in leading the UK offense to a .372 hitting percentage in two matches combined, registering 12.88 assists per set during the week. Grome’s standout performance included 55 assists against Texas A&M and 48 assists against Mizzou. She also showcased her defensive skills with six digs in each match, and her decision-making and leadership were instrumental in the Wildcats’ three total sets where they hit .500 or above as a team.
Freshman outside hitter Brooklyn DelEye continued to shine in her freshman season, impressing with 4.75 kills per set over the weekend. DelEye became the first freshman at Kentucky since Leah Edmond in 2016 to achieve three 20-plus kill performances in her debut season. In the win over the Aggies, DelEye recorded 18 kills and eight digs, while she tallied 20 kills against Missouri. With a block and out-of-system kill thrown in as well, DelEye displayed her versatility and currently leads Kentucky with an average of 3.64 kills per set for all matches this year.
With a season record of 17-7 overall, the Wildcats hold a strong 15-1 record in the Southeastern Conference. They currently sit one game ahead of both Arkansas and Tennessee in the conference standings and have the opportunity to clinch an SEC Championship with a win in either of their final two matches. Kentucky’s first chance to claim the title will come on the road against No. 9 Arkansas on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET.
In addition to Grome and DelEye, the SEC Players of the Week for Week 13 include Jill Gillen from Arkansas as Offensive Player of the Week, Raeven Chase from Tennessee as Defensive Player of the Week, and co-Freshmen of the Week Brooklyn DelEye from Kentucky and Caroline Kerr from Tennessee.
For the latest updates on UK Volleyball, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @KentuckyVB.
