The audible thuds of volleyballs slamming into walls were heard at LSU’s practice facility Monday as the Tigers completed a drill.
During the exercise, one player’s voice rose above the noise. LSU’s lone senior on the team made sure her teammates were focused.
“We can’t play the score, we have to play the game,” Tiara Gibson shouted.
Gibson, a transfer student from South Dakota State, only has six games remaining in her volleyball career — and she plans on making the most of them.
“I plan on playing with nothing to lose in my final games,” she said. “I feel as though I owe that to a school and community who has done so much for me.”
Gibson believes the LSU community helped her find the happiness and success she had been desperately searching for after her first two seasons of college volleyball.
While at South Dakota State, Gibson struggled with her grades and became frustrated with the direction of the program.
By her sophomore season, she said she needed a change in scenery.
“When I decided to transfer, a lot of schools in the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten expressed interest in me,” Gibson said. “Ultimately, I fell in love with LSU on my visit to the campus.”
Gibson enrolled at LSU her junior year, and has since “loved every minute of her decision.”
In her time with the Tigers, Gibson improved her grades and began pursuing a career as a sports reporter, working as an intern for WAFB during the summer.
LSU coach Fran Flory is also thrilled with the progress Gibson has made since becoming a Tiger.
“My only regret with Tiara is that we don’t have her longer,” Flory said. “She has grown a lot as a player and a person since she arrived here, and she’s been a great leader for our team.”
“She’s done an awesome job of leading by example, and I think the attitude of the team has been much better since she became a captain this season,” sophomore outside hitter Toni Rodriguez said.
Gibson wants her personal story to teach the underclassmen and incoming freshmen the importance of “buying into” the coaching staffs’ philosophy and process.
Although this year has not been as successful as the Tigers hoped for, Gibson insists there is a silver lining to her senior campaign.
“It’s been a rebuilding year for us, and we knew that going in,” she said. “But my hope is that the work the other upperclassmen and myself put in will help LSU find success in the seasons to come.”
Until then, Gibson will keep playing with her “nothing-to-lose” attitude on the court, as the Tigers look to gain late season momentum.
“I would love for us to end this season on a high note for her,” Flory said. “She is an exemplary student athlete, and it would be a fitting way to send her off if we ended strongly.”

Gallery • 8 Photos

Michael Palmer

LSU sophomore setter Lindsay Flory (16) celebrating with senior middle blocker Tiara Gibson (6) after LSU scored during the Tigers' (3-1) loss against Ole Miss on Nov. 4, 2016 in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.