How does Mississippi’s Most Decorated Volleyball Player end up playing beach volleyball at Louisiana State University?
Parker Bracken’s volleyball legacy in Mississippi cemented her as the Most Decorated Volleyball Player in the state’s history. The multi-sport athlete’s high school career, highlighted by 2,494 kills, earned her the state record and helped lead her team to two consecutive state championships.
Bracken was also a two-time recipient of the Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year Award, recognizing her academic character and exemplary character both on and off the court. A native of Jackson, Miss., Bracken spent most of her childhood cheering on the Ole Miss Rebels.
“I grew up a big Ole Miss fan, I literally went to every single home football game. I am a diehard Ole Miss fan. So, the LSU versus Ole Miss (football) game was a little hard,” Bracken jokes, “I didn’t know who to root for.”
Despite her strong roots in Mississippi and ties to Ole Miss, Bracken committed to LSU’s beach volleyball program when she was 16 and has been a Sandy Tiger ever since. Now a senior at LSU, Bracken reflects on her choice, “there was no other option, this (LSU) is the only place I wanted to go.”
The coaching staff, including Head Coach Russell Brock, was a significant factor in her selection. “I have grown up knowing how amazing coaches can be at SEC schools,” Bracken says. The Sandy Tiger cites her coaches as being a significant influence not only on her athletic development, but also on her faith and personal growth.
Much like her impact on the state of Mississippi, Bracken has left her mark on Louisiana as well. A string of awards and recognitions, such as the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Pair of the Year and NCAA Beach Championships All-Tournament team with partner Reilly Allred, showcase her talent and dedication to LSU.
Boasting a 79-39 overall record through her sophomore and junior seasons, Bracken still has more to come in her senior season. It is clear that Parker Bracken has created her own legacy at LSU.
Bracken attributes her success to the supportive environment she has found at LSU. Surrounded by a loving community of teammates, church members, and her Kappa Delta sorority sisters, she has found a home away from home. The team’s focus on faith has brought them closer.
“The team culture is incredible with our beach team,” Bracken smiles, “Russell (Brock) has made sure that it has been a lot of faith-based stuff, which has been super important to a lot of us girls that have committed.”
Bracken also feels connected to the broader LSU community and is thankful for their support.
“LSU is just so special. LSU is the main school of Louisiana, so everyone from Louisiana supports LSU, and I think that is different from every other state,” Bracken explains. “Everybody is just so supportive of LSU and they love every sport, too. We are a smaller sport, and we still get a good amount of people coming to see us play. The support that we get from the Louisiana people is incredible.”
Although her legacy is coming to a close at LSU, she is extremely grateful for her time spent with the program. With her senior season in front of her, the Mississippi native is eager to finish strong at LSU.
“Being a senior and being here for all four years has been amazing,” she says. “A good bit of the girls on our team have transferred from other places and other colleges before they came here. I think that is also a testament about how amazing LSU has been to me. The program has just been the best time here, and I am so sad that I have to leave.”
Throughout her career playing for the Tigers, Bracken has kept two guiding principles in mind: stay locked in and keep your legacy. “We have mottos about keeping your legacy,” she says. “We want to make the team better than how we got here.”
As her final season unfolds, she remains determined to leave the program even stronger than the one she joined. It is clear that Parker Bracken will leave a special legacy at LSU.