UK Puts Five on AVCA All-Region Team, Wins Three Major Honors

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Volleyball team placed five players on the American Volleyball Coaches’ Association All-South Region Team, it was announced by the AVCA on Tuesday morning. Lizzie Carr, Brooklyn DeLeye, Eva Hudson, Kassie O’Brien and Molly Tuozzo were all named to the first team of the region, tying the program record set in 2020-21 when UK also placed five on the all-region team.

Additionally, Eva Hudson was named AVCA Region Player of the Year, Kassie O’Brien was named the AVCA All-South Region Freshman of the Year and Craig Skinner was voted on by his peers as the AVCA All-South Region Coach of the Year.

This marks Skinner’s fifth time being named AVCA Regional Coach of the Year and Hudson’s player of the year award is the sixth in UK history as she joins three other UK players to win the award in Leah Edmond (2017, 19), Madison Lilley (2018, 2020) and Alli Stumler (2021). Kassie O’Brien becomes the fourth player to win freshman of the year, joining Edmond (2016), Lilley (2017) and Emma Grome (2021).

By winning all-region, the five players for Kentucky are now placed into the final pot to be considered for AVCA All-America honors, which will be announced next week in Kansas City.

Lizzie Carr

West Chester, Pa. / Middle Blocker

• 00 kills per set
• .336 hitting percentage
• 23 blocks per set

Brooklyn DeLeye

Topeka, Kansas / Outside Hitter

• First Team All-SEC
• 71 kills per set, 2.26 digs per set
• SEC All-Tournament Team

Eva Hudson

Ft. Wayne, Ind. / Outside Hitter

• SEC Player of the Year
• SEC All-Tournament Team
• 59 kills per set, 2.35 digs per set

Kassie O’Brien

Katy, Texas / Setter

• SEC Freshman of the Year
• 97 assists per set
• 7x SEC Freshman of the Week

Molly Tuozzo

• SEC Tournament MVP and First Team All-Tournament
• 93 digs per set
• Leads UK with 0.29 aces per set

AVCA All-South Region First Team

Callie Bauer, WKU

Kalyssa Blackshear, Louisville

Nayelis Cabello, Louisville

Lizzie Carr, Kentucky

Chloe Chicoine, Louisville

Cara Cresse, Louisville

Brooklyn DeLeye, Kentucky

Lauren Dreves, Auburn

Eva Hudson, Kentucky

Caroline Kerr, Tennessee

Hayden Kubik, Tennessee

Jackie Moore, Vanderbilt

Kassie O’Brien, Kentucky

Molly Tuozzo, Kentucky

For the latest on UK Volleyball, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @KentuckyVB.