BATON ROUGE — The LSU volleyball team officially begins its 2001 season on Friday when the team reports for fall camp.
The Tigers are returning five starters from last season?s squad, which reached the championship game of the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Leading the returnees is senior Meagan Davis, a two-time all-SEC selection. Davis led LSU in kills (3.12/game) and attack percentage (.348) while ranking second in blocks (1.04/game). Her .320 career attack percentage is currently second in school annals while she is among the top 10 in block assists and block solos.
Juniors Lauren Cuyler and Jennifer Hampton return as the conference leaders in blocks and digs, respectively. Cuyler?s averaged 1.55 blocks/game in SEC action a year ago while Hampton registered 3.83 digs/game. Hampton?s 425 digs on the year are the second most in school history.
Junior setter Katie Kubena and senior right side Meghan Bedford, who was named SEC Player of the Week last season for the week of Oct. 16, round out the returning starters.
?We finally have some experience coming back and we have some experience in some key people that are returning,? said LSU coach Fran Flory. ?They have proven they can be a factor in the SEC.?
Newcomers include Beth Cowley of Louisville, Ky., and Regan Hood of Carrollton, Texas.
Cowley was the starting setter for Assumption High School of Louisville, Ky., the 2000 high school national champions. Cowley will come to LSU as one of the top 50 recruits in the nation
Hood, who plays for Bishop Lynch High School and North Dallas Club, will bring a big, physical presence to the LSU line-up with her 6-2 frame.
?We have some great new kids coming in this year who are certainly going to boost our talent pool. Both Beth and Regan can come in and contribute right away for us,? Flory said.?
The 2001 season will feature a radical change to collegiate volleyball as a new rally-scoring format will be used. Games will be played to 30 points with a point scored on each play. Previously, games were to 15 with points scored only on your own serve. The fifth game of the best-of-five format will still be played to 15 points using rally scoring.
?The change to rally scoring is going to make volleyball a much more fast-paced match and potentially much more exciting,? Flory noted. ?It should be much more fan friendly so it should be a good time for the people have yet to experience volleyball to come out and watch.?
LSU will hold the Purple-Gold scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. The Tigers open the season at Tulane on Aug. 31 at 7 p.m.