LSU sophomore middle blocker Briana Holman took Southeastern Conference volleyball by storm in 2013.
She finished her freshman season as the No. 5 blocker in the nation with 1.54 blocks per set and among the top performers in the conference in hitting percentage, kills and points.
She earned a spot on the All-SEC team was named the AVCA south region Freshman of the Year, the Louisiana Player of the Year and an AVCA All-American Honorable Mention.
“We knew she was a special player from the beginning,” said LSU coach Fran Flory. “We didn’t know how fast she would evolve in the collegiate game. Certainly she’s proved she can keep up with the pace and play at that level and be a dominant, impacting player.”
Many freshman phenoms across all collegiate sports suffer a lack in production in their second season, commonly referred to as a “sophomore slump.”
That’s not the case with Holman. Actually, quite the contrary.
She suffered a slight drop in her blocking to 1.47 blocks per set, but she still finished the regular season No. 10 in the nation and sits atop the SEC in the stat for the second consecutive season.
In addition to her blocking prowess, she’s improved in several facets of her game at an impressive rate. Between her freshman and sophomore seasons, Holman’s hitting percentage improved by 20 percent, her killing rate has improved by almost 30 percent and her overall scoring rate rose by almost 27 percent.
As a result, she finished the regular season in the SEC’s top five in all four of these statistics and played a major role in helping the Tigers winning 13 of their last 14 games this season.
“She’s an amazing athlete; a superstar,” said junior outside hitter Cati Leak. “Opponents have to respect her so much, it allows [senior setter Malorie Pardo] to be more free with who she gives the ball to knowing that there will be open shots to have.”
Holman refuses to rest on the laurels of her success thus far in her LSU career. She remains dissatisfied with her offensive improvements.
In fact, she views them as a sign of weakness.
“I want to get better at everything,” Holman said. “You can always improve at something. I need to improve my blocking. I’m a middle blocker and I think I make up for the lack of defense I have with my offense. I really want to do better on defense.”
That may seem odd coming from an athlete who has finished atop the SEC and among the top 10 in the nation in each of her first two seasons.
Holman’s high ceiling is a result of her immense focus on improvement and reaching her goals. She emits so much focus and intensity that she sometimes comes off as self-serving. But Flory said this perception is a vast misinterpretation.
Her attitude and demeanor stems from a deep desire to improve LSU more than herself.
“Bri’s dream is to win a national championship,” Flory said. “She works very hard every day. She brings a level of intensity that was previously mistaken by other people as selfish. Really, it’s deep thinking and trying to improve.”
Flory expects Holman to earn All-American honors this season, and maybe even earn the honor of SEC Player of the Year.
As far as Holman’s future, the sky’s the limit.
“She can be one of the best ever, there’s no question about it.” Flory said. “I expect that she’s going to lead our program to the top and do everything she’s ever dreamed of wearing the purple and gold