After playing with the best collegiate players in the country this offseason, things could get a little easier for LSU volleyball’s senior libero Meghan Mannari. Mannari returns to LSU from this offseason’s USA Volleyball A2 Program in Columbus, Ohio, with a silver medal and a boosted confidence in both herself and the team. “That was a great experience,” Mannari said. “I can’t thank my coaches and my team enough for not only preparing me in the offseason, but they were there in Columbus actually supporting me.” Collegiate players not asked to join the U.S. National Team after open tryouts are eligible for the A2 program. Mannari was one of 48 elite collegiate players and eight liberos, or defensive specialists, to train and compete together from June 26 to July 4.  Mannari started at libero for the Gold Team, which finished 2-1 in pool play before taking the semi-final match in five sets. Her team dropped the gold-medal match in three sets by a total of eight points.  The Tigers are certainly familiar with the program – it was the fifth consecutive year LSU has brought back an A2 medal. Former Tiger Tonya Johnson, who played for LSU in the late ’80s and is now the head coach at Georgia Tech, coached Mannari. Johnson said she talked to Mannari about the traditions and history of LSU and was impressed with Mannari’s patience and versatility.  “Most liberos, they’re either solid passers or solid defenders, and I thought she was solid in both,” Johnson said. “It’s rare when you find a libero who can pass well and defend well.” LSU Coach Fran Flory won a gold medal as head coach in last season’s program and attended it with her assistant coaches this year to watch Mannari compete. She said she liked what she saw and that the confidence gained during the program is invaluable for young players. “[You’re] playing at that level, with those players in the country that you’ve maybe looked up to forever, and now all of a sudden you’re on the court with them and you’re able to make plays,” Flory said. “You train for 10 days against them or with them, and the experience is second to none for collegiate players in our country. There’s nothing else that can replicate that.” Flory pointed to former Tiger Brittnee Cooper as an example of how the program can lead to marked improvement. Flory called Cooper’s confidence level “amazing” when she returned from her second A2 experience, after which Cooper won SEC Player of the Year the following season. “I think Meghan has a chance to be SEC defensive player of the league this year,” Flory said. “Will that happen? I don’t know, and that’s certainly not the pressure I’m putting on Meghan, but Meghan’s going to play as hard as she can every play for our team.”
 
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