With Kentucky volleyball set to return to action against No. 7 Penn State after sweeping the home-opening “Bluegrass Battle,” the Kentucky Kernel opted to introduce fans to every member of the 2024 roster.
MEET THE TEAM:
1. Megan Wilson
Year: Senior
Position: Outside hitter
Height: 6-foot, 4-inches
About: Wilson played the last two years at Oklahoma, but transferred to Lexington where she will have two more years of eligibility. She was named 2022 American Volleyball Coaches’ Association All-Region member last month following being named to the All-Big 12 team. At her high school in her hometown of Kingwood, Texas, she was named Under Armour All- American Third Team. In 2022, Wilson had a 20-kill match against Texas Tech and she managed double-digit kills in 24 out of 28 matches with her original team. She also managed to cross the 15-kill range in 11 out of those matches.
2. Ava Sarafa
Year: Redshirt freshman
Position: Setter
Height: Six feet
About: Sarafa was back-to-back-to-back state champion starting as the setter in Michigan’s largest division for high school. She was also titled team captain and MVP. She was Michigan’s No. 1 setter and No. 2 overall player and, in 2022, Sarafa collected a plethora of awards including the Andi Collins Award while also being named First Team All-American and Michigan Player of the Year.
3. Delaney Hogan
Year: Senior
Position: Middle blocker
Height: Six feet
About: Freshman year Hogan was named the 2021 Big East Freshman of the Year at Xavier. In 2023, she started all 30 matches with Xavier and was named team captain for two consecutive years and is also a three-time All-Big East Conference Team selection. In spring of 2021, Hogan was Big East Freshman of the Year, was an All-Big East selection and two-time Big East Freshman of the Week. In 2022, she was named to the All-Big East Team and earned a Buffalo All-Tournament Team selection. In 2023, she collected the titles of All-Big East Team member and Xavier All-Tournament Team member.
4. Emma Grome
Year: Senior
Position: Setter
Height: Five-feet, nine-inches
About: Freshman year, Grome was VCA All-America, SEC Freshman of the Year, on the SEC All-Freshman Team and a five-time overall and four-time winner of SEC Setter of the Week. Her sophomore year she was named AVCA Second Team All-American, becoming the first sophomore to win SEC Player of the Year since 2015. She also earned an AVCA All-Region Team nod, led the power five in assists per set, was a six-time SEC Setter of the Week and Three-time SEC Player of the week. In her junior year, Grome was an AVCA All-America, named to the All-SEC First Team and AVCA All-Region Team, was six-time SEC Setter of the Week and Three-time SEC Player of the Week.
5. Jordyn Dailey
Year: Freshman
Position: Middle blocker
Height: 6-feet, 2-inches
About: Dailey competed at the USA Volleyball Nationals and was a member of the 2022 Under Armour Next Camp in June of this summer. She also played on a club team, Chapel Hill Volleyball, and became known for her impressive offensive production.
6. Eleanor Beavin
Year: Senior
Position: Libero
Height: five-feet, 5-inches
About: In 2021 as a freshman, Beavin was SEC Libero of the Year, named to the SEC All-Freshman Team, a three-time SEC Freshman of the Week member and led the SEC in passing (2.59) and in good-pass percentage( 59.6%).
7. Haley Melby
Year: Junior
Position: Outside hitter
Height: 6-feet, 2-inches
About: During Melby’s freshman year, she was one of only two true freshmen on UK’s roster. She averaged 1.79 kills per set during her first season as a Wildcat. She played 48 sets in 18 matches and one start. Her sophomore year, she struggled with injury and never made it on court.
8. Brooke Bultema
Year: Redshirt freshman
Position: Middle blocker
Height: 6-feet, 3-inches
About: In 2023, Bultema suffered from an ankle injury and elected to redshirt the season.
10. Kennedy Washington
Year: Freshman
Position: Middle blocker
Height: six feet
About: Washington is originally from Glenn Heights, Texas, where her school team won back-to-back state championships in 2022 and 2023. She was the 2021 14-5A Newcomer of the Year and was on the 2022 Bay All-Tournament Team. Washington was also recognized as a 2022 NEQ 15-Open Gold Medalist, 2023 Show Me Qualifier 16-Open Silver Medalist, 2023 USAV All-Star Challenge Gold Medalist and 2024 Florida Fest 18-Open Silver Medalist.
12. Molly Tuozzo
Year: Sophomore
Position: Libero / defensive specialist
Height: 5-feet, 7-inches
About: In her freshman year, Tuozzo averaged 2.20 digs per set and was also the Cat’s leading ace grabber with 0.30 aces per set at the service line. She was also an All-SEC Freshman Team member.
13. Erin Lamb
Year: Senior
Position: Outside hitter
Height: 6-feet, 3-inches
About: Freshman year, Lamb was SEC Player of the Week and SEC Freshman of the Week. Sophomore year, she suffered from a sprained ankle on opening weekend and was out for two matches as a result. She finished her sophomore season with 2.67 kills per set and 76 sets played with eight starts in 23 matches.
15. Hannah Benjamin
Year: Freshman
Position: Outside hitter
Height: 6-feet, 1-inch
About: Benjamin is ranked the No. 9 recruit in high school, coming into college with a .504 hitting percentage as a member of A5, a distinguished volleyball club. She also played for USA Volleyball at the youth level.
17. Brooklyn DeLeye
Year: Sophomore
Position: Outside hitter
Height: 6-feet, 2-inches
About: Freshman year, DeLeye was an AVCA All-America honorable mention, SEC Freshman of the Year and was on the SEC All-Freshman Team. DeLeye was the first UK freshman with over 20 kills in back-to-back matches since Leah Edmond in 2016.
18. Lane Jenkins
Year: Senior
Position: Setter
Height: 5-feet, 9-inches
About: Freshman year, Jenkins played at Loyola Chicago. Sophomore year, she made an appearance versus Indiana State with Kentucky and registered two assists and a kill in the match. She served as the second side setter. Junior year, Jenkins had no appearances.
20. Asia Thigpen
Year: Freshman
Position: Outside hitter
Height: 5-feet, 11-inches
About: Thigpen was the No. 1 ranked recruit from the state of North Carolina according to PrepVolleyball and was named First Team All-State and conference MVP.