When thinking of standout players on the No. 11 LSU volleyball team, the name Kyna Washington may not immediately come to mind. Names that usually pop up in the minds of LSU fans are senior setter Daniela Romero, who is No. 9 in the nation and first in the Southeastern Conference with 13.58 assists per game, and red-shirt freshman middle blocker Lauren DeGirolamo, who ranks second in the SEC in blocks per game and was recently named SEC Freshman of the Week for the third time this season. However, Washington, a sophomore outside hitter from Houston, has been one of the most consistent offensive producers for LSU over the past two seasons. During her 2005 freshman campaign, Washington earned all-SEC Freshman honors and was second for LSU in total kills and kills per game. But Washington, who is second on the team in kills again this year, has been somewhat overshadowed in her tenure at LSU by fellow sophomore outside hitter, Marina Skender. Skender, who is a native of Croatia, ranks No. 7 in the SEC with 3.91 kills per game this season and was named 2005 SEC Freshman of the Year. The two outside hitters have been catalysts for the Tigers’ NCAA Tournament appearance last season and 23-4 overall record this season, but Washington said she almost was not part of the recent wave of success. “LSU wasn’t my first choice,” Washington said. “My top choices were [the University of] Florida and [the University of] Texas. Things didn’t work out there.” LSU volleyball coach Fran Flory said she was delighted when Washington decided to come to LSU. “Kyna was very, very highly recruited [out of high school], and we were thrilled when she chose LSU,” Flory said. “Her athleticism sets her apart from anybody else. Her competitiveness and the edge that she has and knowledge of how to play the game makes her a very valuable commodity to us.” Washington said her mother Faye, a Biloxi, Miss., native, was the first person to suggest she should continue her volleyball career in Baton Rouge. “I did some research and said, ‘I really like this school. It measures up to everything I want,'” Washington said. “I came to visit, and [LSU] was better than any school that I had ever visited.” Washington said the facilities and other resources available to student-athletes were among the top reasons she chose LSU over other volleyball powerhouses, but there was another minor detail that attracted her to LSU. “I really liked their football jerseys,” she said. “I thought [the purple and gold] jerseys were cute.” Washington also said LSU’s history of success in all sports played a major part in her decision to be part of the program. With the season winding down and four seniors departing from the season’s squad, Washington said it is important that veterans like herself, Skender and junior right side Vanessa Freeman step up and assume leadership roles this off-season. Washington said she is more than prepared to conquer that challenge. “I’m ready for it,” she said. “We’ve been here longer, and we’ve been playing on the court longer than most of the girls so we can bring that experience and help [younger players].” Before they can set their sights on the 2007 season, Washington and the Tigers still have business to take care of this season. LSU closes out its SEC schedule this weekend on the road against Mississippi State University (16-12, 7-11 SEC) on Friday and Ole Miss (17-12, 8-10 SEC) on Sunday. Flory said she has no worries about the Tigers suffering a letdown after clinching the SEC Western Division title last Friday against the University of Alabama. “I’m not worried about us,” Flory said. “Mississippi State is the toughest serving team in the conference on their home court. They cause teams huge problems. So I’m more worried about what they bring to the table than what we maybe won’t bring.”
—–Contact Will Dunn at [email protected]