Third honor this season for UK’s defensive stalwart
BIRMINGHAM Ala. – Junior libero Stephanie Klefot has been tabbed the Southeastern Conference’s Defensive Player of the Week it was announced by the league office Monday afternoon. This marks a conference-high third weekly honor for the Louisville, Ky., native.
Klefot helped lead the Wildcats to a pair of SEC Eastern Division victories with wins over South Carolina and an upset of No. 13 Florida this weekend. The junior totaled 5.75 digs per set for the two matches which included a season-high 28 scoops in a win over the Gators. She also notched 18 against South Carolina for an average of six digs per set in that match.
Klefot helped out offensively too for the Blue and White with a season-high five assists in the win over the Gators, as well as tossing a pair of service aces. Klefot ranks among the league’s top-10 with a 24 service aces on the season.
The reigning SEC Libero of the Year paces the conference with 435 total digs on the year and is a mere 20 scoops shy of entering into the top-10 single-season record books at UK for digs in a season. Recently she became just the third player in school history to amass 1,200 or more digs in a career.
Klefot has been tabbed the SEC Defensive Player of the Week on three occasions this season to lead all league players. The Wildcats have collected six total honors for the season.
The Wildcats own a 21-4 overall record and a 12-2 mark in SEC action. UK has now charted 20 or more victories in four of the last seven seasons under the direction of Craig Skinner and have six matches remaining in the regular season.
UK returns to action when it plays host to Mississippi State on Friday at 7 p.m. ET. The Wildcats own a perfect 6-0 home record against league opponents.
