Her teammates call her “the Terminator,” her coach calls her the “queen of the fifth set,” but LSU senior Madie Jones doesn’t need nicknames to strike fear into the hearts of her impending foes.
The outside hitter has looked nothing short of dominant in her senior season, leading the Tigers in attacking with 257 kills and averaging nearly four kills per set in Southeastern Conference play.
“Everybody in the league knows what Madie Jones is going to do,” Flory said. “Everybody in the league knows and prepares for her.”
But time and time again, Jones has used her ability, passion and tenacity to shrug off opponents’ attempts to slow her down.
“It definitely makes me smile … when the other coach is screaming on the sideline at his players trying to stop Madie Jones,” said LSU coach Fran Flory. “And she keeps doing the same thing over and over again, and they can’t stop her.”
Jones may be exceeding the expectations of some this season, but her recent success comes as no surprise to those within the program.
If Jones has been anything in her campaign at LSU, she’s been consistent.
She has participated in all but seven sets since her sophomore season and is just 22 kills shy of becoming the 19th player in program history to eclipse 2,000.
“When you weren’t on her team, you hated her because she’s so competitive,” said senior defensive specialist Meghan Mannari, who has been competing with and against Jones since they were in high school. “She wants to win, and you can tell.”
But Jones is more than just a volleyball player.
She has continuously inspired her coaches and teammates by working in the community with the same joy and passion she shows on the court.
“She’s always going out of her way to do stuff for other people,” Mannari said. “She’s really dedicated to everything she does.”
With just 10 games left in the regular season for the Tigers, Jones would love nothing more than to finish her senior season off strong.
“One thing about being a senior is that it’s your time to shine and to make the team and the season your own,” Jones said. “I’ve just tried to accept my role on this team. I want to be what we need me to be to be successful.”
