Jurnee Robinson: a show-stopping force for LSU volleyball.
We’ve heard it all season. We’ve seen it during matches. We’ve read the stats.
Now, Robinson finally got the recognition she deserves.
She was one of 17 NCAA volleyball players to join the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Player of the Year watchlist as a midseason addition. Robinson is one of two Tigers on the list, joining senior outside hitter Nia Washington.
Initially being left off the preseason 30-player list, Robinson had something to prove as LSU opened its season. Currently in her third year with the Tigers, Robinson’s set out to break records and make her name known across the nation.
“It’s the NCAA leaving me out of the [AVCA Player of the Year] watchlist,” Robinson told Tiger TV about her motivation earlier this season. “That just gives me motivation to work harder and just show everybody that I’m meant to be on that list.”
Halfway through the season, Robinson leads the Tigers offense with 297 kills and 328.5 total points thus far. In addition to her offensive production, she leads the defense with 154 digs. Robinson is also ranked first in the SEC in kills and points.
Head coach Tonya Johnson is nothing short of pleased to watch her star player improve every day. Robinson has been working on being more patient with herself and seeing through her blocks more, showcasing that development during the Tigers matchup against Florida, Johnson said.
“She just keeps elevating her game match after match,” Johnson said. “I couldn’t be more proud of her and how she’s worked on her game.”
As a veteran leader on the roster, Robinson’s energy that she brings to the court is something her teammates constantly feed off of. As she continues to express her passion match after match, Robinson exhibits a level of confidence that her coaches and teammates build upon, Johnson said.
“She’s a pretty passionate player, and she likes to show that in her play,” Johnson said. “That’s one of the things that keeps her going throughout the match, just making sure she doesn’t lose that passion and lose that fire for the game — because she absolutely loves the game.”
Robinson’s confidence in herself and her ability to reinforce the idea that she knows what she’s capable of is what keeps her and her teammates going, even through tough matches where her performance may start off flat, she said.
“We always talk about ‘you need to have confidence in yourself,’ but also each other,” Robinson said. “I think when I start off with fire, it shows that I have confidence in myself and the team as well.”
Following the Tigers’ matchup against Florida, Robinson was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season. She had a career-best 34 kills and seven blocks against the Gators, outscoring her previous career-high 33 kills which she set during LSU’s matchup against Tennessee — both of which occurred in the same weekend.
Robinson made history as the first LSU player to have consecutive 30-kill matches this past weekend.
Robinson’s presence in this program does not go unrecognized by LSU fans and the team surrounding her, and is at last being recognized on a national scale.
“I mean, I’m just doing my job,” Robinson said after the team’s win against Florida. “I think I’ve done it the past couple games, and they finally see it.”
