Senior guard Raigyne Louis has been the catalyst for LSU coach Nikki Fargas’ team since arriving to Baton Rouge in 2013.
As a fifth-year senior, Louis has developed into the undoubted leader of the team. Most recently, Louis has been selected as one of the Top 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award.
The Senior CLASS (Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School) Award is awarded to the most outstanding student-athlete in Division I athletics and is primarily focused on what student-athletes do to positively impact their communities.
In 2006, former Lady Tiger Seimone Augustus won the award and is the only LSU player to do so since the award was established in 2002.
“All the glory will have to go to God for this type of recognition,” Louis said. “Being recognized for this award is a blessing because of the hard work that I put in to become the player I am today. It’s truly a blessing.”
The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native has been a standout humanitarian to go along with her skills on the court. Louis and her teammates have taken part in many engagements that give back to the Baton Rouge community.
“I worked at a YMCA last semester and worked out with kids,” Louis said. “I also referee flag football for the kids. There is an after-school care for an elementary school where we played around and read books to them.”
Giving back has always been a priority for Louis since she experienced players giving her that sense of joy growing up.
“Some of those things have happened to me,” Louis said. “People gave back to me and just gave us their time and that’s what we are doing for kids. Working with the kids is always a blessing.”
Fargas has spoken highly of her senior guard and what she has done for the program and the Baton Rouge community. Fargas has referred to Louis as an “ambassador” for women’s basketball and has valued her success in the classroom just as much as her success on the hardwood.
“It’s definitely well-deserved because she has put in the work,” Fargas said. “For her to be recognized on the national level for her contributions speaks volumes of the work she puts into becoming a terrific player on both sides of the basketball.”
Fargas has consistently highlighted the versatility of Louis’ skill set, which makes her one of the elite players in the country and one of the best she has ever coached.
“She can guard anybody in the country and she could score on anybody in the country,” Fargas said. “She has a double-side to the basketball. You have multiple players in the country that are really good on one side of the basketball, but Raigyne is exceptional on both sides of the basketball.”
As Louis’ college career begins to wind down, the defending SEC Defensive Player of the Year has solidified her legacy as one of the most accomplished Lady Tigers to put on the purple and gold. Earlier in the season, Louis became the fifth player in LSU women’s basketball history to record 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 200 steals and 275 assists in a career.
The field of 30 current players will be narrowed down to 10
finalists in February, and the eventual winner will be announced during the 2018 NCAA Women’s Final Four in Columbus, Ohio.
