Kassie O'Brien Named 2025 AVCA National Freshman of the Year

After an outstanding freshman campaign leading a dynamic Kentucky attack, true freshman setter Kassie O'Brien has been named the AVCA National Freshman of the Year as announced by the association early Wednesday morning.

It didn't take long for the freshman to make an impact in Lexington, as O'Brien immediately found ways to contribute the minute she stepped foot on campus. Her breakout performance came in a road match at then-Top 5 ranked and defending National Champion Penn State. After sitting the first set, UK head coach Craig Skinner elected to give her a shot running the offense in the second frame. And, boy, did she deliver. 

Through just two sets of play, O'Brien dished out 27 assists and allowed the offense to hit at or above a .256 clip in both frames inside one of the most hostile road environments in the country.

That performance proved to be a launching point for O'Brien as she settled into the starting setter role and continued to get more confident running the show. As a result, Kentucky's team success was among some of the best in the country as the Cats finished the regular season with a 22-2 record featuring five Top Ten wins and an undefeated record inside Historic Memorial Coliseum. Following the regular season, O'Brien led the Cats through the SEC Tournament in Savannah, Georgia, culminating in a reverse sweep over No. 3 Texas to take home the trophy. 

On the season, O'Brien is averaging a whopping 11.02 assists per set, good for seventh in the country. In the NCAA Tournament alone, O'Brien's numbers have skyrocketed even more as she's totaled 13.15 assists per set while leading the offense to a .345 hitting efficiency. 

It's not just her offensive numbers that stand out, though, as O'Brien also ranks second on the team in total blocks with 84 on the season. She's averaging 2.14 digs per set and is second on the team in overall aces (25), rounding out a tremendous overall game. O'Brien has also recorded 1,190 assists on the season, meaning she needs only 28 more to surpass Emma Grome's 2021 freshman campaign for the tenth-most assists in a single season. 

O'Brien becomes the first Kentucky player in school history to take home the National Freshman of the Year award, an outstanding achievement given the number of athletes who have come through the program. She was also named as an AVCA Second-Team All American, one of four Wildcats to take home All-America honors. 

After downing (3) Crieghton in straight sets Saturday, Kentucky has advanced to the Final Four in Kansas City and will take on Wisconsin for a spot in the national championship game. First serve against the Badgers is set for approximately 9:00 pm ET inside the T-Mobile Center and will be broadcast live on ESPN.