Kentucky VB's Emma Grome wins SEC POY; 4 'Cats make All-SEC
For the fifth straight season, a Kentucky Wildcat has been named the SEC’s Player of the Year in volleyball.
On Sunday afternoon, not even 24 hours after Kentucky was crowned with its sixth consecutive SEC championship, sophomore setter Emma Grome was named the league’s Player of the Year and to the All-SEC Team. Grome was joined on the 18-woman All-SEC Team by a trio of her Wildcat teammates: senior outside hitter Adanna Rollins, junior opposite Reagan Rutherford, and senior middle blocker Azhani Tealer, who recently announced her intention to return for a fifth season in Lexington.
Kentucky’s four All-SEC members were the most of any school in the conference.
Below is more on each of Kentucky’s four All-SEC members and how they performed during the 2022 season, courtesy of UK Athletics.
Emma Grome, SEC Player of the Year, All-SEC
- 12.45 assists per set
- 2.17 digs per set
- Five-time SEC Setter of the Week
- Two-time SEC Player of the Week
Adanna Rollins, All-SEC
- 3.80 kills per set
- 2.07 digs per set
- 14 matches with 10+ kills
- 3 double-doubles
Reagan Rutherford, All-SEC
- 4.00 kills per set
- 1.00 blocks per set
- SEC Overall Player of the Week and Offensive Player of the Week
- Six double-doubles
Azhani Tealer, All-SEC
- 3.18 kills per set
- 1.59 blocks per set
- Set a new Kentucky record with 13 block assists in win Friday over South Carolina
- Career-high tying 18 kills in win at Arkansas in return from injury
On Saturday afternoon in Memorial Coliseum, Kentucky completed its two-game sweep of South Carolina to share the SEC title with Florida for the third time in six years. UK has won the championship outright the other three years during that span.
Up next for Kentucky is figuring out its path to another NCAA championship, which will be revealed later tonight.
The 2022 NCAA Volleyball Selection Show is set for Sunday night at 7:30 p.m. EST live on ESPNU with Courtney Lyle, Holly McPeak, and Katie George hosting the show as UK is expected to receive an at-large bid to compete for the NCAA Championship. The top 16 teams will receive a hosting opportunity for the first and second rounds of the tournament. Kentucky will be in position to secure one of those top 16 seeds.
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