LSU volleyball has racked up a 115-38 record to go along with the nation’s 11th best winning percentage and is one of only 20 programs nationally to collect five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances since 2005.
Under the direction of reigning SEC and AVCA South Coach of the Year Fran Flory, the Tigers took their championship tradition to the next level in 2009, not only claiming the program’s fifth straight SEC Western Division crown but LSU’s first overall SEC title since 1991.
The final piece of a four-part series previewing the upcoming season gives an in-depth look at what LSU fans can expect from the Tiger middle blockers this fall.
LSU has to fill voids left in the middle by two-time AVCA All-American and reigning SEC Player of the Year Brittnee Cooper along with Lauren DeGirolamo, another AVCA All-America honoree.
The cupboard isn’t completely bare, however, as the Tigers enter the season with a strong group of middle blockers who have varying degrees of experience.
2010 Preview: Defensive Specialists | Outside Hitters | Setters
Junior Michele Williams leads the way with the tools to be successful in all facets of the game. She powered home 244 kills and tacked on nine double-digit kill performances to rank third on the team. The unanimous pick to the 2008 SEC All-Freshman Team also posted 124 blocks and cranked 30 aces, second-most in both categories. Her 1.15 blocks per set were fifth-highest in the SEC.
Senior Tania Schatow appears ready to contribute either in the middle or on the outside after seeing spot duty during her first three seasons. She is a physical blocker that continues to build her game and has recorded 73 stuffs over her 104 sets of action.
Freshman Desiree Elliott has racked up multiple All-District and All-State accolades during her prep career at Cypress Woods High School in Texas. She also won a gold medal in addition to a pair of bronze medals at the Junior Olympics.
“Michele continued to play at a consistent level for us last year at middle blocker,” Flory said. “Heading into her junior season, I think she’s ready to step her game up another notch and take ownership of this team as an upperclassman. We also expect Tania and Desiree to contribute. Tania had a strong spring and might be one of most improved players on the roster, while Desi is a physical athlete that brings power, speed and explosiveness to our team. Her attributes fit directly into our system.”
LSU opens the 2010 season against Pacific, Siena and Texas A&M as part of the Texas A&M Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Season tickets for the defending SEC champions are on-sale now at www.lsutix.net starting at $40 for adults and $25 for youth ages 3-12.
For all of the latest information on Tiger volleyball, log on to http://www.lsusports.net/volleyball, follow the program’s twitter page at http://twitter.com/lsuvolleyball and check out the team’s official blog at http://lsuvolleyball.posterous.com.