Emma Grome, center, has been impressed by freshmen Kennedy Washington, left, and Asia Thigpen. (UK Athletics Photo)
All-American setter Emma Grome says it is “exciting” for No. 9 Kentucky to be opening the 2024 volleyball season tonight in Louisville against No. 2 Nebraska in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Showcase at the KFC Yum! Center.
“They used to do this way back in the day but it has not been done in 15 years and to be part of the showcase is special. To start the season in Kentucky on the biggest stage is really cool,” Grome said on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk. “Everything coming together. Having an exhibition game on Friday really (against Dayton) was very helpful. It is different playing your own teammates and we saw some things to work on and iron out for Tuesday.”
Kentucky lost 3-1 to Nebraska last season and has not been to the Final Four in Grome’s career after winning the national title the season before Grome got to UK.
“We want to win a natty. That is the goal,” she said.
She knows for UK to do that she has to be an even more vocal leader. She had to do some of that as a freshman since she is a setter but leaned more on older teammates for leadership.
“I have had to step up more in a vocal leadership role. I want to make a great run and finish my career strong and that means stepping into that leadership role more,” the senior setter said.
Kentucky started last season 4-7 before regrouping to go 17-1 in SEC play to win another league title. However, those early losses cost UK a chance to host NCAA Tournament second weekend games in Sweet 16 play.
“We have not started strong the last few seasons but this year we really want to start strong,” she said. “We lost a lot of games in preconference last season but that helped make us stronger later in the season. It was hard to go through a lot of losses early but we want to get better at the right time. You want to peak going into the postseason and not in September.
“It’s going to be cool to play in front of a lot of people in a top 10 matchup to start the season like we get to do in Louisville.”
Grome likes UK’s depth if someone is struggling or injured but also says it makes everyone raise their level of play in practice due to the quality depth.
“You need solid core players but that doesn’t meant the lineup at the start of the year stays that way the entire year,” she said.
Freshmen Asia Thigpen, Hannah Benjamin and Kennedy Washington have all impressed the UK senior.
“They are all really hard workers and eager to learn,” Grome said. “It’s hard to come into our program because we are changing things all the time. They have been so open to feedback from coaches and teammates.”
Kentucky also has new faces at hitter, including redshirt freshmen Brooke Bultema and Jordyn Dailey. Xavier transfer Delaney Hogan was the 2021 Big East Freshman of the Year and was a two-time all-conference pick.
Grome calls Bultema “the hardest worker I have seen” and also notes that sophomore outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye, the 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year, was “already incredible but has improved by leaps and bounds and there is a lot more you are going to see from her.”
