by Elizabeth Stuart
LSU Sports Information
Earlier this season, the 22nd-ranked LSU volleyball team played in front of a record crowd of 2,308 against South Carolina. That match was one of many that helped the Tigers keep their position in the top 25. Sophomore Brittnee Cooper has helped lead the fight for the Tigers.
At an intimidating 6-3, the Houston native is a formidable force to opponents. Cooper’s outstretched arms resemble a tower that those on the opposite side of the net must learn to maneuver around. Watching her play today, it is hard to imagine that Cooper has only played volleyball for five years.
At Thurgood Marshall High School, Cooper played not only volleyball, but she was also a talented basketball player. Although she had played basketball her entire life, volleyball was more than a secondary sport to Cooper.
“Volleyball was something I didn’t start playing until 10th grade, “Cooper said, “but I really liked it and I was good at it too.”
Cooper earned two Most Valuable Player awards for her volleyball efforts as well as a first-team all-district honor in 2004. By the end of 2005, Cooper led the Houston area in blocking and was named her team’s best defensive player. Cooper credits her game to her club coach Dane Mitchell and high school coach Tony Smith.
Multiple schools sought Cooper for their volleyball team by her senior year at Thurgood Marshall. Minnesota, Illinois, and a number of SEC schools vied for the opportunity to have Cooper for themselves.
When it came to choosing a school, LSU had the winning combination that Cooper was searching for.
“It was close to home, but not too close,” Cooper said,” and I liked the campus, coaches and team when I came to visit.”
The Houston native showed great promise her freshman year at LSU and played in 35 games in 15 matches. In her second season with the Tigers this year, Cooper has broken her career record for kills twice this year. Coach Fran Flory has described Cooper as someone who has developed into a true “impacting middle blocker.”
Cooper’s success does not come without its hurdles. At 6-3, Cooper puts a lot of pressure on her feet. At times, the pressure can cause Cooper’s feet to hurt so bad that she has to walk with ice bags on her feet both before and after the match.
“I just push through for the team. I know they would do it for me, so I do it for them,” Cooper said.
Despite her aching feet, which prevented Cooper from thoroughly warming up, she recorded a then career high 16 kills at Georgia. She bettered that performance at Kentucky last weekend with 18 kills, second only to teammate Lauren DeGirolomo.
Cooper prepares herself for the battle that will ensue on the court by sitting in silence and having “quiet time” pregame. However, once on the court, the other team must be prepared for Cooper’s fierceness coupled with her focus.
“When I’m on the court, I take it play by play. I think ?I need to block this ball, or I need to put this ball away,’ ” Cooper said.
Cooper is constantly looking for ways to improve and isn’t afraid to admit the areas she needs work on. She says that she looks up to close friend and University of Texas volleyball player Heather Kisner.
“Passing is something that I need to work on and my friend Heather Kisner is an amazing passer,” she commented. “She can pass with one hand.”
Kisner was not the only one to give Cooper motivation; she also found inspiration in the form of former teammate Melody Clark.
“She always reminded me to keep my head up and work hard. At times, she would set goals for me. She told me that one day I’d be an All-American,” Cooper said.
Brittnee too, provides encouragement for the team. “I make noise for my team to try to pump them up. When they get down, I do what I can to bring them back up,” Cooper said.
With this being her sophomore year, Cooper is already a shining star that has plenty of room to rise. According to Coach Flory, Brittnee Cooper will be not only a “terminator” but also a “key to the offense.”
While volleyball continues its rise in the ranks, Cooper rises along with them. As a player who only promises to better with age, the towering Houston native is already a force to be reckoned with will make opponents cringe at the sight of her on the opposite side of the net.