Getting to Gulf Shores: What to expect from the 2023 LSU beach volleyball team

By Chloe Richmond

March 1, 2023

Matthew Perschall

LSU beach volleyball graduate student Hannah Brister (30) and freshman Ella Larkin (3) high-five on Sunday, March 6, 2022, during LSU’s 3-2 win over Loyola Marymount at the Beach Volleyball Stadium on Cypress Drive in Baton Rouge, La.

The No. 5 ranked LSU beach volleyball team opened its season with the annual Purple vs. Gold Scrimmage on Feb. 17, 2023, ending with a 14-11 win from the Purple Team against the Gold Team.

While the scrimmage consisted of multiple pairings to consider different options, LSU returns familiar faces from the 2022 season, including Fall AVCA Pairs and USA Volleyball Women’s Beach Collegiate champions, Kylie DeBerg and Ellie Shank.

Along with two national titles, DeBerg earned one of the 17 spots on the USAV Beach Collegiate National Team and competed internationally in The Netherlands at the FIVB Futures Event Tournament during the off season. As a 2023 preseason All-CCSA honoree, DeBerg will be looked at for leadership as the team works toward the program’s first national title.

Going into the tournament last season as the No. 6 ranked team, LSU defeated No. 11 California 3-2 before falling to No. 3 UCLA 0-3. With one more chance to continue in the postseason, LSU fought hard and advanced in the elimination bracket, upsetting No. 2 TCU with a 3-2 win. The Tigers’ hopes for a title were shut down after a 3-2 loss against No. 5 Florida State.

Last season’s team was full of players with limited experience on the sand, but head coach Russell Brock took the challenge of a young team and led the Tigers to a record-breaking season.

In 2022, LSU beach peaked at No. 5 in the polls, making its highest ranking in program history. The success didn’t stop there, though, as the Tigers broke the program record of wins during a regular season with 27 wins, 11 of which were against top-20 teams. With most of the 2022 team returning this season, expectations for success are much higher.

The 19-player roster consists of 14 returning players and five newcomers. Of the five new players, two come from LSU’s indoor volleyball team. Josie Vondran and Paige Flickinger join Ella Larkin as players that compete in both indoor and beach volleyball. Vondran ran the Tiger’s offense during the 2022 season in all 30 matches, tallying 732 assists and 139 digs. Flickinger had 252 kills and 242 digs over 26 matches.

Having a season of experience on the beach under her belt already, Larkin returns to the sand after switching from setter to libero in the 2022 indoor season. Larkin started all 30 matches and led all SEC players with an average of 4.34 digs per set. The three were pivotal to the Tigers success during the indoor season, helping the team advance to the second round of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament for the first time since 2014.

Other returning players expected to have an impact on this season’s success include Hannah Brister and Reilly Allred. Brister trained with the beach team last season after playing with the indoor team and was named to the 2023 preseason CCSA Watch List. Allred returns this season after a 32-11 overall record.

The 2023 NC Beach Volleyball Championship is set to take place in Gulf Shores, Alabama from May 5-7, and all eyes are on the Tigers to make a deep run in the tournament. Loaded with veteran players and pairs with tournament experience, a national title is what LSU needs to become an established powerhouse in collegiate beach volleyball.

About the Contributor

Chloe Richmond, Digital Editor

Why did you join the Reveille?

I wanted to push myself outside of my comfort zone. Considering I never shared my writing throughout high school, I’d say the Reveille has aided me well.

What positions have you held at the Reveille?

I was a sports reporter for three semesters. I covered beach volleyball and volleyball.

What's your favorite thing about working at the Reveille?

Aside from the rewarding feeling of seeing my byline on the Internet and in print, my favorite thing about working at the Reveille hands down is the community. I love my cool writer friends.

What's your favorite story that you've written so far?

Everyone will tell you that I’m the biggest Nebraska volleyball fan, so naturally, my favorite story is my comparison between LSU and Nebraska volleyball. A couple of honorable mentions go out to my 2023 SEC volleyball breakdown and the profile I did on former LSU volleyball player Josie Vondran.

What do you hope to do after graduation?

I want to work in the Big Ten conference on the women's volleyball beat (if you couldn't guess). My ideal situation would involve me generating feature/profile stories that highlight athletes as people beyond their sport.

Where can you be found on social media?

My Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) are both @chlorichmond. You can find me on Linkedin as well.