With a new season looming, LSU volleyball has its sights set on success for the 2018 season. Last season, the Tigers orchestrated coach Fran Flory’s winningest season since 2014, led by a collection of promising talent.
This year’s team welcomes five newcomers: defensive specialist Kate Cowan, middle blocker Whitney Foreman, setter Darian Goins, defensive specialist Leigh Maher, and outside hitter Paige Hilliard.
Flory has expressed her excitement for her newest additions and how well-prepared they are coming from particular organizations, while playing with other high-caliber players. Flory believes with more time becoming acclimated to the installed system, the freshmen class could be tremendous assets to the team.
“The freshmen are all from bigger clubs and have had a higher level of training and teaching than many of the kids we’ve had come through our program,” Flory said. “It is a special class, and I see a lot of great leadership attributes that we will be able to rely on in the future. That makes a very balanced group, and I am excited about that.”
Flory has her eyes set particularly on Whitney Foreman to potentially have a breakout year as a true freshman and earn pivotal playing time on the hardwood. The 6-foot-2-inch Houston-native has made an early impression on the coaching staff and set the bar high for herself.
“[Foreman] is a significant athlete and someone who simply finds a way to score,” Flory said. “I am not sure if she will put up the numbers Taylor [Bannister] did because I don’t know if she will be put in that situation positionally, but she can have a year that warrants an All-Freshman team or some other accolades by the end.”
Flory also mentioned how important it is for the freshmen to adapt to the higher level of physicality they will be introduced to over the course of the season. Adjusting to a more aggressive style of play will be key to having the desired success within a conference such as the SEC.
With the new season officially beginning two days from now, focus has shifted squarely to the first match against Baylor. This team has all of the ingredients to build on what was an encouraging season last year. With steady development as the year progresses, LSU can put itself in position to achieve many goals at the end of the season.
Despite losing four seniors from last year, LSU does not have any shortage of skillful returners and newcomers, making the Bayou Bengals one of the deepest teams in the Southeastern Conference. Flory has taken great pleasure in watching her players grow throughout their time at LSU and intends to see that growth on display this year.
“We are a whole lot more physical than we have been in recent memory,” Flory said. “When you have key returners, especially in the middle position, that adds stability both offensively and defensively.”
Perhaps the biggest return for LSU will be last year’s team leader in kills and three-time SEC Freshman of the Week winner, sophomore Taylor Bannister. Bannister’s value to the team proved to be infinite with her dynamite play as a first-year player, and Flory expects an even bigger year in 2018.
“She arrived on the scene early last year as a freshman and matured a lot as a volleyball player and as a person,” Flory said. “When Taylor got here, she didn’t know how good she really was. A lot of what she did was from showing her athleticism, and she has now become a true volleyball player and uses her athleticism, knowledge and volleyball I.Q. to succeed.”
Bannister is only the beginning of what is a lengthy list of reliable assets Flory can depend on to deliver when needed. Other key returners for the Tigers are seniors Toni Rodriguez and Olivia Beyer, as well as juniors Jacqui Armer and Anna Zwiebel. All of these players had superb seasons last year and showed the coaching staff what they are capable of doing on a consistent basis.
A lack of leadership will certainly not be a problem for LSU with such a large number of returning veterans and players who have experience with achieving success.
“I am a big believer that the junior class leads the team, and if you have great leaders in the junior class, you will have a very good year,” Flory said. “This year’s junior class with Milan [Stokes], Sydney [Mukes], Jacqui [Armer], and Anna [Zwiebel] have the same personality and opportunity as last year’s junior class. They have prepared really well and I am excited about that.”
