LSU volleyball takes the court for its first game of the season this Friday against UCLA. Because there were a few changes to the roster, we’ll be going over every player as the game draws closer.
On Thursday, we discussed the setters. Today, we’ll cover the middle blockers:
Anita Anwusi | 6-feet-3-inches | Graduate student | No. 11
Anwusi returns this season as the most experienced and explosive middle for the Tigers, earning a spot on the 2023 Preseason All-SEC Team. She is one of two graduate students at LSU who’s spent their entire career in the purple and gold.
Last season, Anwusi anchored the middle blocker position for the Tigers as a starter. She played for the entirety of every game, and her team-leading 1.14 blocks per set and .289 hitting percentage led to her first AVCA South All-Region Honorable Mention selection.
During the offseason, Anwusi received an invitation to join the USA Collegiate National Team and train alongside the Women’s National Team. She is the sixth LSU player in program history to receive an invite, becoming the first since 2013.
Anwusi is an athletic middle that plays with a lot of fire. With the additional training she completed with the CNT, her game has definitely improved. If she can perfect the connection with her setter, she’ll be one to watch this season.
Alia Williams | 6-feet-1-inches | Senior | No. 12
Filling the spot of MB2 for the Tigers last season, Williams started and played in every match. When Whitney Foreman graduated prior to the 2022 season, LSU needed a new MB2, and Williams stepped up and contributed to the Tigers’ success.
Considered to be silent but deadly, Williams knows how to catch other teams’ blockers off guard to find the floor for a kill. With a .259 hitting percentage last season, Williams set multiple career highs in her third year and comes back for her fourth with hopes of picking up where she left off.
The main concern with Williams is her defense at the net. She wasn’t the strongest blocker last season, averaging 0.83 per set, but that’s what the offseason is for. If Williams put in the work this offseason to improve her blocking technique, she could have a better season this time around.
Alexis Roberson | 6-feet-3-inches| Redshirt freshman | No. 17
Coming out of high school, Roberson was a top-100 recruit who won first place at Nationals USA Division with her club team, Houston Juniors.
Roberson redshirted last season, so we don’t have a full understanding of her abilities as a collegiate-level player. However, she saw time on the court during this year’s Purple and Gold Scrimmage on Aug. 19.
Roberson showed promise during the Purple and Gold Scrimmage, so she may be considered in the decision of who gets the second starting middle blocker spot.
Mackenzie Boyer | 6-feet-3-inches | Freshman | No. 0
Boyer didn’t play in the Purple and Gold Scrimmage. At this time, there’s been no announcement of her redshirting this year.
Angie Lee | 6-feet-2-inches | Freshman | No. 4
Lee comes into the LSU gym with club experience from Skyline Volleyball. She played during the Purple and Gold Scrimmage and showed she can move at the net and follow the ball well.
The connection with her setter is the biggest area of focus. If she has a consistent connection with her setter, she could be dangerous in the middle for LSU.
Who will fill MB1 and MB2 for the Tigers?
After playing in the NCAA Tournament last season, Anwusi and Williams return this season with eyes on a further run. However, with young talent in the gym all spots are up for grabs.
The Tigers need a physical, athletic middle with a dynamic skill set: They must watch the opponent’s setter to block their hitters and transition off the net for kills.
Find out who gets to defend the net for LSU this Friday when the Tigers begin their season at home against UCLA at 6:30 p.m. CT. The match is available for streaming on SEC Network+.
