KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WIBW) – Brooklyn DeLeye and the Kentucky volleyball team fell just short of winning a national title on Sunday in Kansas City.
Texas A&M took down the Wildcats in straight sets.
For DeLeye, the moment was about more than the final score and instead reflected the dreams that first brought her to the national stage.
“The little girl that once believed they could be once this stage, I mean we were kind of doing it for that person,” DeLeye said Thursday after Kentucky’s five set win over Wisconsin.
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That mindset has helped shape DeLeye’s growing influence on women’s sports, inspiring young girls who see themselves in her journey. Raised by John and Janel DeLeye, she has remained grounded despite her success, consistently making time for fans whether she’s in Lexington or back home in the Kansas City area.
“They say they really love her and that’s why they come to the games,” Janel DeLeye told 13 SPORTS of what fans their daughter. The little girls with the T-Shirts. They made their own T-Shirts with 17 on them, they go get their nails done.”
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“And she is kind,” Brooklyn’s former club coach, Laura Curry, explained to 13 SPORTS. “She takes the time to take a picture and respond back. She’s just a good kid.”
That same passion defines how DeLeye approaches her team every day, leaving a lasting mark on the program beyond wins and losses.
“She’s about all the people she’s around and she gives her heart and soul to her teammates and the program and couldn’t be more proud of her as a person and an athlete,” Kentucky head coach Craig Skinner said after the loss to Texas A&M Sunday.
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