LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky Volleyball picked up its biggest win of the season Sunday and was rewarded with four Southeastern Conference Player of the Week honors Monday afternoon, the league office announced.
Emma Grome took home her third-straight SEC Setter of the Week title, and alongside that was named the league’s overall player of the week. Elise Goetzinger was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week and for the second-straight week, Brooklyn DeLeye was the conference’s freshman of the week.
Emma Grome continued her high-level play Sunday afternoon, pacing the Wildcats past No. 10 Tennessee in a sweep thanks to 42 assists as UK hit .356 in the match for its first sweep of the season. Grome had 12+ assists in every set, as she averaged 14.00 assists per set and also added in six digs to the cause with a solo stuff defensively. The match Sunday was Grome’s fifth-straight match with 40-plus assists, as she continues to pick up her game.
Goetzinger had 12 kills and no errors on 19 swings out of the middle Sunday afternoon as No. 23 Kentucky swept No. 10 Tennessee in Knoxville 3-0. Goetzinger hit .632 on the afternoon, a new season high for the senior middle blocker. Goetzinger averaged a mammoth five points a set, including four point-scoring tallies when UK was at 22 or later in sets looking to close things out. She also had four blocks in the contest, a new career high, topping her three blocks set in September against Georgia in Athens.
Brooklyn DeLeye continued her torrid October on Sunday afternoon, going for a team-best 13 kills on 30 swings to hit .367 for the match as No. 23 Kentucky swept No. 10 Tennessee on Rocky Top. The freshman from Topeka, Kansas also stuffed the stat sheet with an assist, a critical ace at 22-20 in the third set, and eight digs defensively. DeLeye now has 10+ kills in five-straight matches and six of UK’s last seven.
SEC Week 8 Players of the Week
| Co-Offensive | Elise Goetzinger Kentucky and Amina Shackelford, Mississippi State | ||
| Co-Defensive | Maya Sands, Missouri and Morgan Perkins, Texas A&M | ||
| Setter | Emma Grome, Kentucky | ||
| Co-Freshman | Brooklyn DeLeye, Kentucky and Sierra Dudley, Missouri |
The Player of the Week is Emma Grome of Kentucky.
Kentucky Volleyball in Rupp Arena
UK Athletics announced earlier this spring that Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center will serve as the primary home venue for the Kentucky gymnastics, volleyball and women’s basketball teams for the 2023-24 season while Memorial Coliseum undergoes an $82 million renovation.