Skip to main content
KSRKSR Plus
KSBoard
kentucky logo

Brooklyn DeLeye named SEC Volleyball Player of the Year, Craig Skinner wins Coach of the Year

Zack Geogheganby:Zack Geoghegan•12/01/24•

ZGeogheganKSR

Brooklyn DeLeye - Camryn Williams, UK Athletics
Brooklyn DeLeye - Camryn Williams, UK Athletics

After winning the program’s eighth straight Southeastern Conference championship, Kentucky volleyball took home several conference awards.

On Sunday afternoon, just a few hours ahead of Selection Sunday, the SEC rolled out its post-regular season honors. Sophomore outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye was the big winner, receiving SEC Player of the Year one season after winning SEC Freshman of the Year. She is the sixth different Wildcat and seventh total to win SEC Player of the Year. UK has produced an SEC Player of the Year winner across six of the previous seven seasons.

DeLeye also cracked the All-SEC First Team, as did senior setter Emma Grome. Head coach Craig Skinner, now in year 20 at UK, takes home his sixth career SEC Coach of the Year award and second in a row.

But wait — that’s not all! Standout sophomore libero Molly Tuozzo was named to the All-SEC Second Team while a pair of first-year players, Asia Thigpen and Brooke Bultema, were tabbed to the All-Freshman Team.

After winning another SEC title earlier this week, No. 12 Kentucky (20-7; 14-2 SEC) is expected to host the first two rounds of the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The 64-team bracket will be revealed this evening at 6:00 p.m. EST on ESPN with Courtney Lyle, Holly McPeak, and Katie George on the broadcast. UK currently ranks No. 10 in the RPI, No. 11 in the KPI, No. 5 in strength of schedule, and No. 1 in opponent strength of record.

Below is more on all of Kentucky’s SEC award winners, courtesy of UK Athletics.

Brooklyn DeLeye (SEC Player of the Year, First Team All-SEC)

  • 74 kills per set
  • .282 hitting percentage
  • 46 service aces
  • 5 points scored

Emma Grome (First Team All-SEC)

  • Led the SEC with 11.17 assists per set
  • 23 digs per set
  • 53 blocks per set
  • 7 double-doubles

Molly Tuozzo (Second Team All-SEC)

  • 10+ digs in 23 matches
  • 18-straight matches with 10+ digs from August to November
  • 4 aces vs. Louisville, a new season high
  • 99 digs per set

Asia Thigpen (SEC All-Freshman Team)

  • 112 total kills, good enough for 1.81 kills per set
  • .259 hitting percentage
  • 56 digs per set

Brooke Bultema (SEC All-Freshman Team)

  • 8 kills per set
  • .292 hitting percentage
  • 1 block per set to lead all Kentucky players

Discuss This Article

Comments have moved.

Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.

KSBoard

2025-01-26