Alli Stumler wins SEC Player of the Year; two other 'Cats earn major SEC honors

On3 imageby:Zack Geoghegan•11/28/21•

ZGeogheganKSR

Kentucky Volleyball didn’t lose any juice coming off its first-ever national championship. On Sunday afternoon, the Southeastern Conference heaped praise all over the UK roster.

Let me gather my breath before I begin…

Senior outside hitter Alli Stumler stole the show, as the All-American was named the 2021 SEC Player of the Year. Setter Emma Grome was named the SEC Freshman of the Year while freshman Eleanor Beavin was tabbed SEC Libero of the Year. Additionally, Stumler and Grome were joined by sophomore outside hitter Madi Skinner and junior middle blocker Azhani Tealer as four of the 18 players tabbed to the All-SEC Team.

Grome and Beavin were also named to the All-SEC Freshman Team.

That’s a lot of trophies heading to Lexington.

Stumler is now the fourth Wildcat in program history to earn SEC Player of the Year honors; Sarah Rumley (2006), Leah Edmond (2018, 2019), and Madison Lilley (2020-21) have previously won the award. A Kentucky player has now won SEC POY in four consecutive seasons.

And in case you missed it, the ‘Cats also won its fifth straight SEC championship, taking the title outright with a weekend sweep over the No. 20 Florida Gators.

Not a bad couple of days for Craig Skinner’s squad…

Below is more information on each of the honorees, courtesy of UK Athletics.

The senior outside hitter from Floyds Knobs, Indiana (Stumler) hit .252 on the year, averaging 3.62 kills per set. Stumler also averaged 2.26 digs per set on the season, making her one of the most dynamic players in the country for the fourth-straight year as a Wildcat.
 
Grome, after averaging a mammoth 11.4 assists per set, was named the SEC’s Freshman of the Year, becoming the fifth different Wildcat to win the award, and fifth under head coach Craig Skinner. The Loveland, Ohio native joins Rumley (2006), Edmond (2016), Lilley (2017) and Stumler (2018) as the only five UK players to win the award. In addition to her honor as the SEC Freshman of the Year, she was also named to the 2021 All-SEC Team, and the 2021 SEC All-Freshman Team.
 
Beavin, who finished the regular season at a team-best 3.36 digs per set led the SEC liberos in passing average and good-pass percentage. She was named the SEC Libero of the Year, making it the eighth-straight season that a Kentucky player has won the award. The Louisville, Ky., native becomes the first freshman Wildcat to ever win the award. Beavin was also awarded a spot on the 2021 SEC All-Freshman Team alongside teammate Emma Grome.
 
Madi Skinner averaged a team-leading 3.80 kills per set and Azhani Tealer led the team with 1.17 blocks per set in the regular season, with both earning spots on the 2021 All-SEC Team. For Tealer, it is her second-career SEC postseason award, with sophomore outside Skinner earning her first selection to the All-SEC Team.
 
The 2021 NCAA Volleyball Selection Show is Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

2021 All-SEC Team

Jillian GillenArkansas
T’ara CeasarFlorida
Lauren ForteFlorida
Thayer HallFlorida
Marlie MonserezFlorida
Emma GromeKentucky
Madi SkinnerKentucky
Alli StumlerKentucky
Azhani TealerKentucky
Taylor BannisterLSU
Kylie DebergLSU
Kylee McLaughlinOle Miss
Sasha RatliffOle Miss
Gabby WadenMississippi State
Kyla ManningSouth Carolina
Mikayla RobinsonSouth Carolina
Natalie HaywardTennessee
Breana RunnelsTennessee

2021 All-Freshman Team

Courtney JacksonArkansas
Merritt BeasonFlorida
Bre KelleyFlorida
Eleanor BeavinKentucky
Emma GromeKentucky
Ella LarkinLSU
Lauren McCutcheonSouth Carolina

SEC Player of the Year: Alli Stumler, Kentucky
SEC Libero of the Year: Eleanor Beavin, Kentucky
SEC Freshman of the Year: Emma Grome, Kentucky
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Jillian Gillen, Arkansas
SEC Coach of the Year: Julie Darty Dennis, Mississippi State

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2024-04-24