Who Will be the Cats Starting Setter: Sarafa or O'Brien?

We're in the heart of spring ball in the Bluegrass state, and while the Cats have been off on Spring break the excitement has continued to build as reports out of the practice gym continue to surface. And after speaking with coaches and others around the program, it sounds like a very real setter battle between two of Kentucky's Wildcats will be a major storyline as Kentucky navigates this spring season. 

With Kentucky's all-time assist leader in Emma Grome leaving the program due to graduation at the completion of the 2024 season, we knew the Cats would have a big void to fill come the fall of 2025. It's a similar challenge the Cats faced when Madison Lilley graduated in 2020. After all, Kentucky was coming off the program's and the Southeastern Conference's first-ever national title in the sport of volleyball. How on earth were Craig Skinner and company going to replace Lilley's leadership and experience running the offense? Well, if we've learned anything from Skinner's tenure in Lexington, it's that his ability to evaluate and develop talent is second to none, a fact that proved none more true than with the development of Grome into one of the nation's best setters by the time she played her final match in a Wildcat uniform. 

The Cats are looking to continue that trend as they navigate the spring season as the coaching staff evaluates which of their two setters - redshirt sophomore Ava Sarafa or true freshman Kassie O'Brien - will take over the starting setting duties once August rolls around. As is often the case in any of these position battles, each athlete offers unique strengths compared to the other, as well as a different set of challenges they'll need to overcome if they want to assume the responsibility of running Skinner's dynamic offense. First up, let's start with Sarafa.

Coming out of high school, Sarafa was ranked as the No. 1 setter in the state of Michigan and, at the time, many thought she might challenge Grome for that starting setter spot once she arrived on campus. However, after an injury sidelined the freshman during her first season on campus, it's taken Sarafa a bit of time to settle into the speed and physicality of the game that's required in high level SEC play. Last season, though, we saw more game action out of Sarafa than we've seen from her previously, as she played as a serving specialist and saw a lot of success coming off the bench for the Cats. It may seem small, but Sarafa's confidence on the court grew every time she checked into the game, and her athleticism and energy was clear any time she was on the court. 

One of the biggest pros that Sarafa has going for her is her extended time in Lexington already. Sarafa has been in Lexington for two years now and has played behind and observed Emma Grome as she grew into one of the best setters in the country. With Madison Lilley having been on staff for the last two years, she also had the added benefit of learning from one of the greatest athletes to ever come through Kentucky's program. She's already well-established in the winning culture and identity that Skinner has created at Kentucky, so there shouldn't be any growing pains in terms of getting acclimated to the program that might be present in a freshman or someone out of the transfer portal. However, the biggest thing Sarafa is working through right now is her connection with the middles. In the game of volleyball, having a strong connection with the middles is an integral part of any offense that wants to see success against high-level competition. Consistent offense from the middles in front of and behind the setter helps alleviate the pressure off the pins, especially on the left side, and provides more one-on-one opportunities for your dynamic pin hitters. If Sarafa wants to quarterback the offense for the Cats this season, it's imperative that she continue to iron out those connections with Brooke Bultema, Lizzie Carr, Kennedy Washington, and Jordyn Dailey. With opposing defenses already highly likely to be making game plans to stop Brooklyn DeLeye and Eva Hudson on the left, the middle will absolutely have to have success for Kentucky this season. And that could start and end with Sarafa's development in setting the middle. 

Cats fans haven't been formally introduced to her yet, but freshman Kassie O'Brien is an outstanding athlete that brings size and athleticism to Lexington. Hailing from Katy, Texas, O'Brien is a 6'1" setter that has already impressed coaches early in her Wildcat career. While O'Brien seems to have a nice connection with her middles early, her biggest challenge right now is adjusting to the speed and tempo of the offense that Kentucky has become so famous for over the last several years. Because everything is so much faster in Division 1 volleyball compared to club, O'Brien is working heavily on locating the ball and putting her hitters in the best position to score. While setting the ball faster may sound simple in theory, the placement of the ball - ensuring it's not set too high or low, as well as not drifting too far to the pin - is a challenge that takes time to adjust to and nail down. On top of that, O'Brien is still acclimating to the culture in Lexington and is obviously still yet to take the floor in an actual collegiate volleyball match. 

Position battles can often be looked at as a "bad" thing in sports because some take it as a sign that the team doesn't have an athlete that has the talent to stand out above the rest. However, that is not remotely the case here. The Cats have two very capable young setters who are challenging one another every day in the gym to get better. We will see each one for extended runs at different times this Spring as they get game reps in against quality competition. And the fact that the entire roster is already on campus is only going to help Sarafa and O'Brien as they iron out some of the wrinkles that each of them needs to straighten out. 

For the last eight years, you could have made a very real case that the best setter in the country was playing inside Memorial Coliseum. We may not know who the starting setter will be once August rolls around yet, but this spring season will be an excellent indicator and barometer of just how good each of these setters is going to be in the blue and white. And if history is any indication, I trust that Skinner and the rest of the staff are going to figure it out.