After falling just short of their goal of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament last season, the 2005 LSU volleyball team returns to the court with a confidence that this season they can use their maturity to accomplish that goal.
“We ended last season as one of the last teams left out of the NCAA Tournament and that’s a huge driving force for us this year,” said LSU head coach Fran Flory. “To work so hard and miss it by just that much is tough.
“Every program has a turning point and we certainly hope that was ours,” Flory continued. “We feel like we were good enough to be there last year and this year we know that we have to go out and take care of business each and every day. We can’t overlook anybody. We have to prepare to be our best and compete at the highest level possible regardless of who is across the net from us. I think this group did a great job with that during the spring and that they will do a great job in the fall.”
Returning all but one starter from a year ago, the Tigers have the much-needed game experience they lacked over the last several years. LSU’s roster includes two proven seniors and a quintet of juniors that have played an integral role on the team for the last two seasons.
“The group of people that we have relied on for the last two years are juniors this year, or in their third year of training, and typically that is a very positive year,” said Flory. “With their maturity and experience level, we are now able to rely on them.
“Certainly having Jelena and Ivana as seniors is very important because they are players who are going to work very hard to prepare for the season. They realize this is their last shot to be successful and to be in the NCAA Tournament. They are going to prepare as well as they can possibly prepare.”
With a seasoned lineup and four highly acclaimed freshmen coming in, the Tigers now believe that they can reach a level of success that had been just beyond their reach.
“We had a very successful spring season that we feel will catapult us into a very successful fall season,” said Flory. “I think the biggest step that we have made since last season is the confidence level and the expectation level of this group.”
OUTSIDE HITTERS
This season, LSU will have a depth of quality at outside hitter that the Tigers have not seen over the last several years. With the addition of one of the most heralded recruits in recent history and an international standout, players will battle for time on the court as LSU will improve its ability to play to its strengths and adapt to its opponents.
“Our outside hitting position is very deep and I think that will lend itself to some great competition,” said Flory.
After transferring from Northwood University in Michigan last year, Jelena Mijatovic (Belgrade, Serbia) joined the Tigers last season and made an immediate impact on the team. The senior led the team in kills and kills per game and ranked fourth in the nation in service aces per game.
“Jelena did a great job this spring and summer preparing for the fall,” said Flory. “She expects to go out with a great showing her senior year and hopefully get the opportunity to move on.
“She is becoming a much more physical player. She always had the tools, but her physicality didn’t always match her ability to play that game and I think that definitely has come closer together. I think that she is going to be able to be a force and be a major factor for us.”
Kassi Mikulik (Flatonia, Texas) returns for her junior campaign as a two-year starter, ranking third on the team in kills per game and fourth in digs per game last year.
“Kassi enjoyed the best semester of her collegiate career in the spring after not training last spring because of playing softball,” said Flory. “She took a huge step forward and became much more creative and deceptive. She also became a much better finesse player.
“We always knew that Kassi could hit the ball hard, but being able to balance the finesse and the power game is what differentiates top level outsides. Kassi certainly took a step in that direction.”
Limited by injury last season, Lauren Leaumont (New Orleans, La.) begins her junior season with a healthy start and hopes to return to her freshman form, when she ranked second on the team in kills and led the Tigers in digs.
“Lauren struggled physically last year and after her physical setback is just now getting back to the fitness level where she will be able to achieve the level of play her freshman year, and we certainly hope that she’ll surpass that,” said Flory.
“Lauren’s a competitor and a fighter and she’s also a great team member. I think that, regardless of whether she’s in the lineup or not, she’ll be a huge portion of our mental approach and our team spirit. She may in fact be the heart of our team.”
Redshirt freshman Kate Spytek (Pewaukee, Wisc.) was hampered by a knee injury in the spring that forced her to have surgery. As she makes up for the time she lost on the court, her playing time this fall should increase.
“Kate was enjoying a great spring until she suffered a knee injury that required surgery and was a little slow coming back,” said Flory. “She is going to have to play catch up a little bit because of her experience level. She made some good strides technically and, provided she comes back physically prepared, she will definitely see some playing time and challenge for more as the season goes on and she catches up to what she missed out on in the spring.”
One of the most prominent volleyball recruits in recent memory, Kyna Washington (Houston, Texas) joins the Tigers as one of the top rated high school players in the nation. After she makes the conversion to the collegiate game, she will become a key to the LSU offense.
“Kyna is one of the most heralded players that we’ve recruited to LSU,” said Flory. “She is a tremendous leaper and a tremendous athlete. She has had some outstanding experiences as a high school player and she brings a great attitude of winning and success.
“Certainly she is going to be a factor for us, but will have to compete for a spot along with the rest of the outsides. It’s going to take a little while for her to move into the collegiate game and transition into the speed and the pace, but I look for her to be a very important part of our season.”
A member of the Croatian National Team, Marina Skender (Zagreb, Croatia) brings international success to the Tigers. She led her club team to the 2003 European Youth Championship title and a fourth-place finish in the 2004 European Junior Championship.
“Marina is a very intelligent, seasoned volleyball player, having played the game on a different level,” said Flory. “She was very successful with the Croatian Junior National Team and has a tremendous arm swing and is a very creative offensive player. As with any freshman, it will take her a little time to transition, but we look for her to come in an impact fairly early in the season.”
MIDDLE BLOCKERS
The middle blockers will be one of the strengths for the Tigers again this season. LSU returns senior honorable mention All-South Region selection Ivana Kuzmic (Split, Croatia). An imposing force, she has ranked in the top 20 in the nation in blocks per game in two of the last three seasons.
“After playing injured all fall, Ivana was finally healthy this spring and able to compete in all matches and all games,” said Flory. “She became a much more physical player. She also became a much more technically sound player and therefore a more efficient player.
“Blocking was always very successful for her, but offensively she became more of a weapon and available in more opportunities as she became more comfortable in our system. We will use her as much as we can possibly use her.”
After seeing considerable playing time at middle blocker and right side over the last two seasons, Melody Clark (Colorado Springs, Colo.) returns for her junior campaign after ranking second in blocks last season.
“Melody’s speed is her asset,” said Flory. “She is becoming a much more physical player, but speed is always going to be her most important asset. We tried to create some new things in our offense with her and will continue to do that in the fall.? She will have a little bit of a new look.
“Blocking wise she became very efficient and just matured in the game. She was one of those that was always pretty high in the stats, but maybe not really noticed, maybe a quiet contributor all the time and I think that she will be much more noticeable and a much more important part of our offense in the fall.”
A talented two-sport standout, Lauren DeGirolamo (Belleville, Ill.) joins the Tiger squad after leading her team to a third-place finish in the Illinois state tournament last season.
“Lauren is a very talented athlete,” said Flory. “She was probably underrecruited because she played for a smaller club and was also was a very heralded basketball player and didn’t decide to play volleyball until late in her senior year. We are thrilled to have her. We think she has a very bright future.
“She just lacks a little bit of experience and we actually think she may be the most improved player through preseason, and she may push some people in the middle about the start of SEC once she gets in the gym with people of like athletic ability. I think she is really going to take off.”
RIGHT SIDE
Sophomore Vanessa Freeman (Granger, Texas) returns to action on the right side after a strong finish to her freshman season, which saw her average over 13 kills and three blocks in her final three matches.
“Vanessa had a great season last year as a freshman,” said Flory. “This spring she developed into a tremendous offensive threat. Actually, she was able to train all spring and develop both offensively and defensively. She is going to be a force.
“She will be a very integral part of our offense. We have changed a few things to create more opportunities for her. She is somebody that we are going to rely on very heavily on throughout the season.”
Junior Lacey Galliano (Baton Rouge, La.) returns after seeing action on the right side the last two years. An outstanding practice player, she again adds depth to the position this season.
“Lacey battled all spring through illness and injury,” said Flory. “Perhaps, she didn’t make the strides we were hoping she would make. She is a fighter and is a true part of the spirit and the heart of this team. She challenges everybody everyday in practice and certainly adds and sometimes sets the competitive level of our team. Everybody needs those types of players and Lacey is one of those behind the scenes players that maybe doesn’t get the glory but is very important to the team’s success.
In addition to Freeman and Galliano, Skender and Spytek could also see action on the right side this season.
SETTERS
After one of the most productive years by a setter in recent history, Daniela Romero (Arlington, Texas) returns for her junior season ranked sixth in career assists in LSU history. A year ago, she ranked sixth in the SEC in overall assists and fifth in assists in league games, while also ranking 10th in service aces per game in SEC games.
“Dee really matured as a setter this spring,” said Flory. “She now truly understands our offense and what we expect. She became a better weapon offensively.
“I think Dee is going to have a tremendous year. She is very comfortable with our hitters and she is comfortable with our system and she’s committed to making this team successful and leading them through the season.”
The Tigers also bring in redshirt freshman Heather Fierce (Muncie, Ind.), who should battle for playing time. A member of the 2001 Junior Olympic All-Tournament team, Fierce returns to the court after sitting out a year ago.
“Heather is going to start the season ready to go because she had to sit a year,” said Flory. “She’s anxious to get the chance to play and prove herself. She’s a fighter and has overachieved at every level that she could possibly overachieve. She’s done a great job transitioning into college life here and she’s going to provide much needed competition and/or support for Dee.”
LIBERO/DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST
After seeing considerable action as a defensive specialist last season, where she ranked sixth on the team in digs and fifth in service aces, Michelle Hensgens (Morgan City, La.) returns for her sophomore season with the Tigers.
“Michelle made some very positive strides this spring,” said Flory. “Her defense is the area she probably improved the most. I think her passing became much more reliable.
“I think she became much more comfortable and confident. She became a more balanced player after transitioning into a defensive player from a setter in high school.”
The second star of the outstanding 2005 Tiger freshman class is Elena Martinez (New Orleans, La.). The MVP of the Louisiana state tournament, she led Isidore Newman School to three state titles in the last four years, and will make an immediate impact on the court for LSU.
“Elena may be the second most heralded player that we’ve had come into our program since I’ve been here,” said Flory. “She will compete on the USA Junior National team in July. It’s great to have an in-state kid to choose LSU, certainly someone as sought after as she was. Many said she was the best libero in the country in this year’s class.
“I think passing is her asset. I think she’s a very good defensive player, but she’s a tremendous passer and she will have an opportunity very early to play.”
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