Tag: press release

LSU gymnastics adds US Champion Konnor McClain

Konnor McClain has competed on the U.S. National Team since 2019.

Editor’s Note: The following is an official press release courtesy of LSU’s athletics department.

BATON ROUGE – The LSU Gymnastics program and head coach Jay Clark announce the addition of U.S. Champion Konnor McClain to the squad ahead of the 2024 season.

“We are thrilled that Konnor has decided to become a Tiger now and join this special group of young women. She brings an incredible wealth of talent and experience to our team,” said head coach Jay Clark.

“She’s joining a team that has had tremendous culture and love for one another, and I believe that culture played in her decision to get here a year earlier than originally planned.”

A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, McClain is a decorated all-around gymnast who has experience on the national and international levels.

McClain has been a member of the U.S. National Team since making her debut at the City of Jesolo Trophy competition in 2019, where she helped Team USA win silver. Individually, she earned gold in the all-around, gold on vault, bronze on the uneven bars and bronze on floor.

She also represented Team USA at the 2021 World Championships and was a part of the national team who took home gold at the City of Jesolo competition in 2022.

McClain has won multiple medals across various competitions including the U.S. Classic, U.S. National Championships, City of Jesolo Trophy, International Gymnix, Winter Cup and DTB Pokal Team Challenge. In total, she owns 22 gold medals, nine silver medals and seven bronze medals.

Last year, McClain was named the 2022 Winter Cup all-around and balance beam champion and earned a bronze medal on floor to earn her spot in the championships.

She climbed her way to the top of the podium at the 2022 U.S. Gymnastics Championships in August to earn national champion status. Her combined eight-rotation score (prelims and finals) of 112.750 in the all-around and 28.900 on beam earned her gold at the competition in Tampa, Florida.

The Vegas native trains at Gymcats under Cassie Rice and Jill Preston in Henderson, Nevada, and is ready to bring her gymnastics experience to the collegiate level as she joins the Tigers this upcoming fall.

“I chose LSU because the team is amazing and the culture is unmatched. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” said McClain. “I’m so excited to be a part of this team and I can’t wait to make history with them!”

McClain plans to major in psychology. She is one of four children by her mom, Lorinda, and has two brothers, Cole and Marc, and a sister Olivia, who plays college softball at West Virginia State University.

Follow the Tigers on the team’s social media channels @LSUgym on Instagram and Twitter and  Facebook.

LSU beach volleyball wins AVCA 2023 Team Academic Award

The Tigers maintained a team GPA higher than 3.3 over the last academic year.

LEXINGTON, Kent. – The LSU Beach Volleyball team earned the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award, maintaining a team GPA over 3.3 over the past academic year.

LSU was one of 45 NCAA DI beach volleyball programs to earn the award. The Tigers have sustained success in the classroom withing the beach volleyball program, having earned the AVCA Team Academic Award every year since 2016.

Combining success in the classroom with success in sand, the Tigers reached the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship. LSU went 27-13 last season and reached the round of eight in Gulf Shores. Kylie Deberg and Ellie Shank were named AVCA All-Americans. Ella Larkin and Lara Boos earned AVCA Top Flight honors on Court 4. Melia Lindner earned the NCAA Elite 90 Award for the second year in a row with the highest GPA among all of the student-athletes competing at the NCAA Championship.

2 LSU volleyball stars named to Preseason All-SEC Team

Anita Anwusi and Sanaa Dotson were honored by the league ahead of the 2023 season.

Editor’s Note: The following is an official press release courtesy of LSU’s athletics department.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Middle blocker Anita Anwusi and outside hitter Sanaa Dotson graced the 2023 Preseason All-SEC Team, and LSU was picked to finish sixth in the SEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll announced by the league office Wednesday morning.

LSU accumulated 96 points in the SEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Kentucky, the reigning Co-SEC Champions, is favored to win the league and claimed 10 of the 13 first-place votes to finish with 142 total points. Florida, last season’s other Co-SEC Champions picked up two first-place votes and gathered 129 points, and Tennessee scooped the final first-place vote and came in at No. 3 with 113 points. Georgia follows at No. 4 with 106 points, and Arkansas rounds out the top five with 101 points.

Dotson was tabbed to the 2022 AVCA South All-Region Team after leading the Tigers with 3.66 kills per set (436 total) and 25 aces to go along with 49 total blocks and 2.25 digs per set last season. Dotson registered nine double-doubles and landed 20 or more kills in five matches in 2022.

Anwusi was a 2022 AVCA South All-Region Honorable Mention selection and led the Tigers with 1.14 blocks per set and 136 total blocks a year ago. Anwusi also contributed 1.86 kills per set (221 total) behind a .289 hitting percentage last season. The Houston, Texas native enters her senior season with 524 career kills and 346 career total blocks.

The Tigers open their 2023 campaign with a pair of matches against UCLA on Aug. 25-26 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge. Season tickets for the 2023 LSU Volleyball season are now available and can be purchased here.

Directly support LSU Volleyball by contributing to the Volleyball Excellence Fund today!

 Preseason Coaches’ Poll

(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)

Place School Points
1. Kentucky (10) 142
2. Florida (2) 129
3. Tennessee (1) 113
4. Georgia 106
5. Arkansas 101
6. LSU 96
7. Auburn 89
8. Texas A&M 63
9. Ole Miss 42
Mississippi State 42
11. South Carolina 39
12. Missouri 30
13. Alabama 22

 

Volleyball Preseason All-SEC Team

Name, School Pos. Yr. Ht. Hometown
Jillian Gillen, Arkansas OH Gr. 5-7 Stilwell, Kan.
Taylor Head, Arkansas OH Sr. 5-10 Winter Garden, Fla.
Akasha Anderson, Auburn PH So. 6-3 Reston, Va.
Alexis Stucky, Florida S So. 6-2 Laramie, Wy.
Kacie Evans, Georgia OH Gr. 5-11 Wadsworth, Ohio
Sophie Fischer, Georgia MB Sr. 6-5 Fort Mill, S.C.
Eleanor Beavin, Kentucky L Jr. 5-5 Louisville, Ky.
Emma Grome, Kentucky S Jr. 5-9 Loveland, Ohio
Reagan Rutherford, Kentucky OH Sr. 6-0 Missouri City, Texas
Azhani Tealer, Kentucky MB 5th 5-10 Grand Prairie, Texas
Anita Anwusi, LSU MB Gr. 6-3 Houston, Texas
Sanaa Dotson, LSU OH Gr. 6-0 Houston, Texas
Sasha Ratliff, Ole Miss MB Sr. 6-2 Atlanta, Ga.
Morgahn Fingall, Tennessee RS Gr. 6-1 Fairfax, Va.
Logan Lednicky, Texas A&M OPP So. 6-3 Sugar Land, Texas

For the latest news and information on LSU Volleyball, visit www.lsusports.net/volleyball. Fans can follow the team on its social media outlets at www.facebook.com/lsuvolleyball and @lsuvolleyball on Instagram and Twitter.

LSU’s Aine Donegan completes play at US Women’s Open

Aine Donegan finished one spot behind the low amateur.

Editor’s Note: The following is an official press release courtesy of LSU’s athletics department.

BATON ROUGE – Aine Donegan took her final walk around Pebble Beach on Sunday as one of the most important women’s golf tournaments, the United States Women’s Open, came to a conclusion.

The rising LSU junior finished with a 5-over round of 77 to complete the 72 holes at 9-over par score of 297 (69-76-75-77). She finished one shot behind low amateur which was 8-over par, but in making the cut at the Open she will receive an exemption if she wishes to play in the U.S. Women’s Amateur in August.

Donegan just missed an 11-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole that would have gotten her into a tie for the low amateur spot with Benedetta Moresco, who shot 73 in the final round. Overall Donegan finished in a tie for 45th.

Here is the transcript of Donegan’s post-round interview with the USGA Media following the final round:

Q: You had an amazing approach shot over there coming in. Unfortunately, the putt didn’t sink. What did it feel like walking off 18 and having your family there, just soaking it all in?

ÁINE DONEGAN: Yeah, very emotional. Today was a long day. I’m fighting a bit of an illness at the moment. Woke up feeling horrible and I didn’t have much energy, to be honest. Finally got up-and-down on 17 and then to hit one out of the seaweed onto the fairway and then hit a shot into that — I mean, if you’d told me looking at my drive coming off 18 with a par, I’d be taking it. But no, feeling very, very thankful right now to have my friends here and just everyone who’s out here supporting me.

Q: Overall on the week, what are your thoughts and feelings about the whole week?

ÁINE DONEGAN: I couldn’t have asked for a better week. My goal was to make the cut. And then obviously today is disappointing, but I’m coming off a long stretch of events, and unfortunately today I didn’t feel great yesterday, and I knew I was kind of getting a bit sick, and then today I have no energy and a bit of a cold and stuff. So happy with how the week went, and I can’t thank the USGA and all the fans enough for everything, really. And my coach Gary (Madden) from Glenlo Abbey and everyone at home as well supporting me.

Q: What did you feel like you learned about yourself this week?

ÁINE DONEGAN: Probably that I played with a lot of different pros, and probably that it’s more – my ball-striking would be probably on par with them and stuff, and my putting is probably more just decision making and less kind of silly mistakes. I made a double bogey today (13) from just a stupid shot out of the bunker. That would be what I’ve learned. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned that these tournaments are tiring, definitely. I kind of admire the pros more after that, after this week, for how much they travel and just how exhausting it actually is. That would be the biggest thing.

Q: Are you tempted at all or thinking at all about turning professional, or are you focused on finishing college?

ÁINE DONEGAN: No, I’m going to finish college. No doubt about it. I love LSU, and it wouldn’t even cross my mind.

Q: Do you have any plans to play in any other pro event as an amateur this summer?

ÁINE DONEGAN: Yeah, I have a final qualifier for The Open, and then I have the Irish Open at Dromoland Castle hopefully. If they give me an invite. I got invited last year so hopefully that again this year. And it’s only 10 minutes from my house, which will be very nice.

Angel Reese leads Team USA to AmeriCup finals

Angel Reese notched another double-double in Saturday’s win over Canada.

Editor’s Note: The following is an official press release courtesy of LSU’s athletics department.

LEON, Mexico – Angel Reese secured her second straight double-double late Saturday night, helping lift Team USA to victory over Canada, 67-63, to advances to the championship game of the 2023 FIBA AmeriCup.

With 10 points and 13 rebounds, Reese notched her third consecutive double-double at the AmeriCup. She has dominated the boards in Mexico to reset the US AmeriCup rebound record with 72 through six games.

The U.S. will be back in action Sunday to face Brazil for the gold medal. The final will air live on Courtside 1891 at 7:30 p.m. CT. USA games stream free to subscribers in the U.S.

LSU’s Aine Donegan remains low amateur entering final round of US Women’s Open

Aine Donegan sits at 4-over through 54 holes.

Editor’s Note: The following is an official press release courtesy of LSU’s athletics department.

BATON ROUGE – LSU rising junior Aine Donegan battled through a sunny, but windy day at Pebble Beach in the third round of the U.S. Women’s Open and came home with a 3-over 75 to remain in low amateur position heading to Sunday’s final round.

Donegan through 54 holes is at 4-over par 220 and is T19 in the overall standings. She is three-shots clear in the race for the silver medal for low amateur. If she is able to hold the spot after Sunday’s round it would mark two straight years that an LSU golfer would have captured the silver medal as Ingrid Lindblad was the low amateur in the 2022 event.

Donegan had a strong start to the round with three birdies in the first seven holes before issues on the eighth hole dropped her back in t standings. But she didn’t let the problems on the eighth derail her round as she fought back on the final 10 holes to shoot one over on the more difficult back nine.

“Out of all the rounds here at the US Open, that’s probably the best I’ve hit it,” Donegan said in an NBC Sports interview. “I hit two bad shots out of the whole round and they were the two that came on eight.”

Caddy Gary Madden gave Donegan some good advice heading to the final nine holes of the round.

“He said just act like you had seven pars and two bogeys which wouldn’t be the worst score.”

Donegan improved in greens in regulation on Saturday, hitting 12-of-18 and after three rounds has made 11 birdies which ties her for fourth in the field in birdies made. She is sixth in the field in putting at 1.66 putts per hole.

Donegan closed her round with a 21-foot par putt on the par 5 18th which drew a loud response from the crowd around the final hole.

“I heard the crowd today,” she said. “They were particularly loud the first seven holes and then got a bit quiet but they came back for the final few holes. There are so many Irish out here and I’m very proud of myself. I’m very pleased to be where I am right now.”

The other amateurs are Benedetta Moresco and Monet Chun at +7 and Amari Avery at +9.

The final round is Sunday and will be televised on NBC Sports, beginning at 2 p.m. CT.

How to follow LSU baseball players in summer collegiate leagues

11 LSU players will be in action in college leagues this summer.

Editor’s Note: The following is an official press release courtesy of LSU’s athletics department.

BATON ROUGE, La. — Members of LSU’s National Championship baseball team have departed for destinations throughout the country to play in summer collegiate leagues.

Follow the progress of the Tigers this summer by using the links below:

Cape Cod League

  • Jared Jones, 1B/C – Brewster Whitecaps
  • Josh Pearson, OF – Brewster Whitecaps

https://brewsterwhitecaps.org/

  • Brady Neal, C – Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox
  • Paxton Kling, OF – Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox

https://ydredsox.com/

 

Northwoods League

  • Ethan Frey, C/OF – Lacrosse Loggers
  • Mic Paul, OF – Lacrosse Loggers
  • Aiden Moffett, RHP – Lacrosse Loggers

https://northwoodsleague.com/la-crosse-loggers/

 

Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League

  • Zeb Ruddell, OF – Bethesda Big Train

http://www.bigtrain.org/

 

Texas Collegiate League

  • DJ Primeaux, LHP – Baton Rouge Rougarou
  • Nic Bronzini, LHP – Baton Rouge Rougarou
  • Gavin Guidry, RHP/INF – Baton Rouge Rougarou

https://brrougarou.com/

Former LSU sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson wins 100-meter title at USATF Outdoor Championships

Sha’Carri Richardson competed at LSU from 2018-19.

Editor’s Note: The following is an official press release courtesy of LSU’s athletics department.

EUGENE, Ore. – Sha’Carri Richardson continues to show she is the best in the country after sending the USATF Outdoor Championships crowd in a frenzy on day two.

After starting the week off with what was a world-leading time of 10.71 seconds in the first round, Richardson followed up with a 10.75 performance in the semifinals on Thursday. Her two times were the fastest of the weekend heading into the final.

The loudest reactions of the week came when Richardson lined up for the final and when she eventually won the USA title moments later. She did not get out to a great start, but her time of 10.85 seconds was still faster than what any other American has ran in 2023. Her win and times will send her to Budapest to compete for Team USA in August.

The women’s 100-meter hurdle group got the day started for the Tigers on Friday. Tonea Marshall was up to bat first in heat one, clocking a time of 12.58 seconds (+0.4 m/s) to get the auto-qualification nod. In heat three Alia Armstrong took second in her heat to get the auto-qualification, and clocked a time of 12.80 seconds (-0.1 m/s). The two will compete in the semifinals at 8:02 p.m. CT on Saturday.

After a year off due to injury, Terrance Laird took 8th in the 100 at his first USATF Outdoor Championship on Friday. Laird clocked a time of 10.07 seconds in the first round, 10.13 seconds in the semifinals, and 10.18 seconds in the final. His weekend isn’t over as he will look to compete in the men’s 200-meter first round at 6:43 p.m. on Saturday.

Incoming freshman, Taylor Fingers, competed in the U20 portion of the USA Championships on Friday. She was able to take bronze in the girl’s triple jump after tying a personal-best distance of 12.74 meters (41′ 9.75″) on her final attempt. Last year Fingers took 8th in the U20 triple jump competition, improving by five spots this year. She will compete again this weekend in the U20 long jump on Saturday at 2:05 p.m.

Additional USA Outdoor Semifinal & Final Qualifiers

Shani’a Bellamy – 400mH – 55.57 (PR)

Cassandra Tate – 400mH – 55.40

Charlene Lipsey – 800m – 2:00.64

Michaela Rose – 800m – 2:00.39

Vernon Norwood – 400m – 44.43

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LSU’s Aine Donegan makes cut at US Women’s Open, sits just outside of top 10

Round 2 didn’t go as well as Round 1 for Aine Donegan, but she remains the low amateur.

Editor’s Note: The following is an official press release courtesy of LSU’s athletics department.

BATON ROUGE – LSU rising junior Aine Donegan, on a day when the number of under par scores dropped drastically at Pebble Beach Golf Links, easily made the cut Friday to play the weekend at the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open.

Donegan, who again had success finding the fairways hitting 11-of-14 on Friday, came home in 4-over 76 to finish 36 holes at 1-over 145 (69-76) and will be one of four amateurs to make the cut.

As of 9 p.m. CT, Donegan was in a tie for 12th place in the tournament, eight shots out of the lead. She was tied with Amari Avery for low amateur, but Avery still had four holes to play. Only seven golfers were under par for 36 holes.

Through two rounds, Donegan has hit 23-of-28 fairways through two rounds, but will be looking to improve on her greens in regulation stat, hitting just 8-of-18 on Friday. Donegan late in the second round was third in the field in putting, averaging 1.6 putts per hole through 36 holes. Donegan is T9 in birdies with nine through two days.

The third round will be televised on NBC Sports starting at 2 p.m. CT.

LSU adds top Division III golfer Alex Price

The graduate transfer from Christopher Newport University won the Division III Jack Nicklaus Award last season.

Editor’s Note: The following is an official press release courtesy of LSU’s athletics department.

BATON ROUGE – Alex Price, the NCAA Division III winner of the Jack Nicklaus Award as the nation’s top golfer in 2023, has signed with LSU as a graduate transfer, head coach Chuck Winstead announced on Friday.

Price joins the Tigers after a four-year career at Christopher Newport University where he was a four-time All-America selection and led the nation in scoring average at 69.96 as senior.

Price also became the second Division III golfer to ever be selected to the prestigious Palmer Cup, which was held in early June. The Palmer Cup is a Ryder Cup-style event and annually selects the top college golfers to compete against a team of International players.

Price went 3-1 in his four matches at the Palmer Cup helping the Team USA defeat the International squad.

A native of Hillsboro, Va., Price shot par or better in 21 of his 26 rounds as a senior. He won two tournaments in his final season at CNU and finished runner-up three times, including the NCAA Division III National Championship where he posted a school-record score of 6-under 282. His final round of 5-under 67 also set the school mark for the event.

In 2022, Price earned first team PING All-America honors and became one of the first Division III golfers to ever reach the quarterfinals at the U.S. Amateur. He capped his junior season ranked No. 4 in Division III in the GolfStat rankings after averaging 72.6 for his 26 rounds.

In four years at CNU, Price won three tournaments, finished runner-up six times and had 15 Top 5 finishes easy making him the most accomplished golfer in school history. His career stroke average of 71.7 is a school record.