BATON ROUGE — The LSU volleyball team reported to campus Friday to begin meetings with its first practice set for Saturday morning in preparation to defend three straight Southeastern Conference Western Division titles.
The coaching staff welcomed back nine returnees, while adding with three newcomers to the squad. Samantha Dabbs, a junior setter who transferred from Louisville, joins the team, along with freshmen Lauren Waclawczyk and Michele Williams. Williams enters her first season on the team, though she graduated from high school early and participated with the Tigers in spring practices.
“We welcome a very mature, experienced group,” said LSU head coach Fran Flory. “The majority of our team attended summer school and appear to have done an excellent job in preparing for the season.”
LSU, which is coming off a 25-8 season a year ago and its third-straight NCAA Tournament, returns six starters, including All-American and All-SEC senior libero Elena Martinez, the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year; and senior outside hitter Kyna Washington, also an All-SEC performer. Flory will look to them, as well as junior middle blockers Brittnee Cooper and All-American and all-conference selection Lauren DeGirolamo, to be team leaders in the fall.
“Our staff is extremely excited to get into the gym as we begin practice,” said Flory. “The leadership of our junior and senior classes is very solid and that will translate into a successful preseason.”
On Friday, the team moved into their apartments, participated in several meetings and underwent physical examinations. The Tigers will then hold their first practice Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with an afternoon session at 2 p.m. as well, and will continue preseason preparation until opening the season in the Bluejay Invitational hosted by Creighton in Omaha, Neb., on Aug. 29. They will play host to the Tiger Classic from Sept. 5-6, and travel to Lincoln, Neb., for the Ameritas Players Challenge from Sept. 12-13, before settling into the SEC schedule.
“We will have to hit the ground running because of the difficult pre-conference schedule we have in front of us,” said Flory. “So, the next three weeks in the gym will be vital to the overall success of our season.”
LSU’s schedule features seven possible opponents who participated in last year’s NCAA Tournament, including three of the field’s Sweet 16. Season tickets for the upcoming year are currently on sale at the LSU Ticket Office for $40. LSU students, faculty and staff are admitted free with an LSU ID.
Fans can purchase tickets at the ticket office or call (225) 578-2184 or (800) 960-8587. Tickets are also available online at the official web site of LSU Athletics, www.LSUsports.net. Single match tickets will be available on game days for $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under.