Coming into the 2018 season, LSU volleyball coach Fran Flory said fans would need to keep their eyes set on then-freshman Whitney Foreman.
Foreman has been living up to the hype, having a breakout year for the Tigers, starting every game her freshman season and recording 140 total kills at 1.51 per set. She integrated seamlessly into the college game, adapting to the strength and physicality in the SEC.
The now-sophomore middle blocker has continued to shine so far for the Tigers (5-3) this season. She recorded double digits for kills in two separate matches against Arizona State and Houston in the Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup last weekend.
Foreman was put into the spotlight from the beginning as a freshman and has never wavered. She has truly embraced her role as a one of the focal points of this young LSU team.
“My team and my coach have really encouraged me,” Foreman said. “I’m the oldest at my position as a sophomore, so I’ve had to mature at that position and take a lot of responsibility, and that helps my play a lot.”
Playing alongside All-SEC teammate Taylor Bannister, the duo has led the team in kills so far this season. Having such a force up front, the Tigers have excelled at protecting the net.
Coach Fran Flory sees the two as a duo that can continuously work together to help each other out. The middle of the court heavily affects the position of the rest of the players. Foreman and Bannister have the chemistry that spreads across the court.
“It’s really fun playing with Taylor,” Foreman said. “She takes things personal on the court which I really really respect, and I think that really improves a lot of our play in the middle of matches.”
LSU fell to No. 4 Penn State on Sept. 7 but got the victory over Iowa State in five sets the following day. Despite the loss, Foreman sees the Penn State match as a learning experience not only for herself but for the team as a whole. At the Lumberjack Classic on Sept. 13-14, the Tigers went 2-1 on the weekend.
The Tigers are still trying to put the puzzle pieces together as a team and have used these away tournaments to do so, before returning to Baton Rouge for a three-game home stand in late September.
“I think being able to play these high-ranked teams is going to help us mature because we’re such a young team,” said Foreman. “I think we have the potential to be up there one day.”