BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU volleyball program has announced the signing of five standout athletes for the 2016 season in Jacqui Armer, Sydney Mukes, Milan Stokes, Jariel Tureaud and Anna Zwiebel during the November signing period.
Hailing from Florida, Ohio, California, Louisiana and Kentucky, respectively, head coach Fran Flory and the staff has been able to bring in another class that will add depth and quality completion to various spots, including up front at the net, attacking at the sides and setting.
“This is a special class in many ways. Each of them brings something a little different to our program,” Flory said. “Collectively, the 2016 class will have great balance in athleticism, volleyball skills, leadership, and competitive drive. They are passionate about their opportunity to join our family and we are excited about the impact each of them will have.”
A four-sport athlete at Manatee High School in Bradenton, Florida, the 6-3 middle blocker in Armer recently helped the Hurricanes to their third-straight Florida Class 8A-District 6 volleyball title in 2015 after claiming the school’s first state championship in 2014 as a junior. Along with being an accomplished basketball, track and weightlifting standout on the prep level, the 2014 Bradenton Herald All-Area pick has also been an integral player for Tampa United on the club circuit.
“Jacqui is a physically imposing athlete who will transition to the collegiate game very successfully,” Flory said. “She has the ability to play above the net and be a dominant physical force. We anticipate she will be an elite level blocker for us.”
The owner of a pair of state titles and aiming to claim a third in 2015 is Mukes, as the six-foot outside hitter is currently in the Ohio state tournament leading the Mount Notre Dame Cougars into the state semifinals this week. A three-time Girls Greater Catholic League Conference selection, Mukes was an honorable mention on the AVCA Under Armour Girls High School All-America list, as she currently has over 800 kills, 240 digs and 180 total blocks in a career that spans both high school and for Elevation Volleyball Club.
“Sydney is a balanced, physical athlete. She has great arm control and has outstanding range offensively,” Flory said. “We are excited about her ability to terminate. Sydney is a playmaker and always seems to make the big play when her team needs it most. We are excited for her to bring that to our team.”
Another AVCA Under Armour Girls High School All-America honorable mention selection is Stokes, the Californian who was one of six from the Golden State to be named to the list. For the Wilson High School Bruins, Stokes is hitting over .300 as a senior and averaging over five kills per set, eventually moving over after the prep season has come to an end with her club team in Mizuno Long Beach. She also has a grade point average of 3.9 at Wilson and has been on the honor roll every year. Stokes has also been a part of the prestigious USA Volleyball A1 Program, the high performance arm of USA Volleyball which serves as the pipeline to opportunities with specific Olympic programs.
“Milan brings great passion to any, and everything she does. She is a dynamic athlete who will fit right into our offensive system,” Flory said. “She will be a great addition in so many ways beyond the court with her leadership and her team-first attitude.”
A local product from nearby Gramercy is Tureaud, who will make the short drive to Baton Rouge after she wraps up her prep career at Lutcher High School. By the time the two-time all-state pick departs the Bulldogs, she will have helped the school to one of its best seasons by earning the No. 2 seed in the LHSAA state playoffs with over 30 wins, capturing over 470 kills, 150 digs and 52 aces, heading into a state playoff match later this week. At the club level, Tureaud has competed with Volleyball Baton Rouge.
“Jariel is going to be a significant addition to our program. She hits a heavy ball and can finish plays,” Flory said. “With her level of physicality, she will be very successful on the collegiate level. She has a natural flow for the game and an outstanding volleyball IQ.”
The final signee is a second team AVCA Under Armour Girls High School All-American selection in Zwiebel, the 2015 Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association Region 7 Player of the Year it was announced last week for the Sacred Heart Academy standout. The two-year captain had over 940 assists for the Valkyries to go along with more than 220 digs and 20 service aces this past season, as with Union Volleyball Club she was named to two separate all-tournament teams in 2015. Zwiebel is also a perfect 4.0 student and has been awarded an academic all-state honor three times.
“Anna is a great setter, who is very precise and who is capable of running a fast, dynamic offensive system,” Flory said. “She is a feisty competitor, a leader and a winner. She has a great mentality and will never back down from a challenge.”
For all of the latest news and information on Tiger volleyball, visit www.lsusports.net/volleyball. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/lsuvolleyball along with @lsuvolleyball and @lsucoachfran on Twitter and @lsuvb on Instagram.