Kelly Grieve

Classroom

Grieve maintains a 3.24 GPA in animal science and pre-veterinary medicine, planning to apply to Veterinary School after her playing career concludes. She was honored for her classroom efforts in 2010 with a selection to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District IV first team and has twice been included on the Southeastern Conference’s Spring honor roll (2009, 2010).

Character

With Grieve representing the lone senior member of the 2011 Lady Vols, the UT coaching staff is expecting her to provide leadership for a young Tennessee team that enters the new season with a total of 14 freshmen and sophomores on its 20-player roster. Throughout her career she has not only served as a spirited vocal leader, but also a player who has led through her tremendous hustle, determination and effort. “Kelly is without question the inspirational leader of our team,” Tennessee co-head coach Karen Weekly said. “Her fire and competitiveness propelled our magical Women’s College World Series run in 2010. Kelly’s character is impeccable. She is unselfish and sets a tremendous example for our team with her work ethic and determined attitude. Kelly loves to win and is all about the team’s success before her own.”

Community

Grieve has taken advantage of the opportunities permitted her as a student-athlete at Tennessee to play an important role in benefitting the local Knoxville community. Among the numerous projects in which she has participated is the building of a home for a needy family via Habitat for Humanity. She has walked for Light the Night and helped raise money for leukemia and lymphoma research, visited numerous times with children at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and at Christenberry School. Grieve has also collected, wrapped and distributed Christmas gifts to the less fortunate as part of Teams for Toys and represented Tennessee softball in the community at both the Juvenile Diabetes Gala (to raise funds for research) and in the annual Knoxville parade honoring the late Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., on MLK Day.

Competition

Grieve has been a stalwart in the Tennessee outfield, captaining the contingent as the everyday center fielder for much of the last three seasons. A 2010 and 2011 inclusion on the watch list for the USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year award, she enters her final season ranked 11th all-time in UT history in batting average (.367), fifth in stolen bases (83) and triples (eight) and within striking distance of the Lady Vol career top 10 in both hits (189) and runs scored (135). As a junior, Grieve helped lead Tennessee to a third place national finish at the Women’s College World Series by hitting .373 overall with 59 runs scored, a career-high 12 doubles, three home runs and 30 RBIs while also swiping 26 bases. In NCAA tournament play last year, Grieve hit .414 over nine contests and now boasts a sterling career NCAA tournament batting average of .429.