Kentucky Volleyball junior outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye has been doing far more than filling the stat sheet during the Wildcats’ march to the national championship match; she has been doing it while playing through a torn meniscus.
According to Andrew Lind of WBIW in Kansas, DeLeye has competed all season with a torn meniscus in her left knee, an injury she suffered early in the year against Nebraska in Nashville during a five-set match that ended in a reverse sweep. The extent of the injury wasn’t
publicly known until Saturday morning, when DeLeye’s parents revealed the details.
“A lot of people don’t realize it,” her father, John DeLeye, told Lind. “Think about the numbers she’s putting up, being in pain the whole season, and what it would be like if she wasn’t in pain this year.”
Despite the injury, DeLeye chose to postpone surgery that would have sidelined her for roughly four weeks, which was a decision rooted in both her toughness and commitment to her teammates.
“She didn’t want to get the surgery that would put her out for four weeks,” John DeLeye said. “She has a high pain tolerance, and she has a high commitment to this team.”
The decision wasn’t made blindly. DeLeye previously tore the meniscus in her right knee as a junior in high school and is familiar with both the surgery and recovery process. She is scheduled to undergo surgery once the season concludes.
Now, DeLeye and the Wildcats are one win away from another national title, set to face Texas A&M on Sunday in Kansas City. First serve is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, with DeLeye once again pushing through pain for one final goal.
