Record Setting Emma Grome has had an ‘awesome’ Career

All-American setter Emma Grome says her Kentucky career has been “awesome” as it nears an end. (Vicky Graff Photo)

Senior setter Emma Grome has had a historic career at Kentucky that includes being named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year as a sophomore, multiple-time All-American and part of four straight SEC championships.

“My time here has been awesome. It’s a little sad it is my last year and feels it is ending so much quicker than I expected,” said the Cincinnati native. “It has hit me for a while that it is almost done. It was awesome to see so many fans supporting us on Senior Day because our fans make it so much better.”

Grome admits she was thinking about the end of her career going into every match late in the season. Kentucky beat Cleveland State and Minnesota in NCAA Tournament play in Memorial Coliseum last week in her final matches in Lexington and then beat Missouri for a third time this season in the NCAA regional semifinals Thursday in Pittsburgh. Today Kentucky takes on host Pitt for its first Final Four berth since the 2020 national championship season.

“Now we only have one more guaranteed game. It’s so much fun to be on the court playing with this team. It’s hard not to enjoy that, especially when we played so well the final part of the season,” Grome said before leaving for Pittsburgh.

The senior standout says she will miss the “volleyball community” more than anything when she leaves UK.

“The people here are incredible. It is just such a tight knit community. You have so many people supporting this program. Other programs do  not have that,” Grome said. “I have been blessed for four years. It’s going to be hard leaving this place but I will miss the people the most.”

Grome got to UK after the Cats had won the national championship the previous season. She had to take over for setter Madison Lilley, the nation’s top player during UK’s title season. Against Missouri, she had 50 assists to push her career total to 5,013.

“I definitely am proud of what we have done. It’s a lot to think about. Honestly, it’s crazy how far I’ve come just as a player and a person here. I’ve been really grateful just to be a part of this experience, let alone help them get to that same level of success,” Grome said.  “I don’t know, to think that (winning the SEC) has happened eight years in a row is insane. That just shows how truly special it is here.”

When Lilley left UK everyone wondered how coach Craig Skinner could replace her. Now the question will be who can be the next Emma Grome when her career does end.

“You never know who will be next. They will have two great setters in (redshirt freshman) Ava Sarafa and (signee) Cassie O’Brien. I am excited to see who gets the spot,” Grome said. “I think the program will continue to get better and better.

“I am sure this program will find someone (to replace her). You know this program always does. They regroup every year and I’ll be cheering them on.”

Grome is much  more comfortable talking about others than she is talking about her own play. That’s why talk of the next Emma Grome seems surreal to her.

“It is really sweet to hear those things. It is hard to believe. I don’t think of myself that way. I want to get better and push myself to be the best. There are a lot of good players out there. I just try to get better but don’t think I am anything special. I am just part of the team,” she said.