Atlanta, GA.— LSU beach volleyball players Reilly Allred and Parker Bracken earn CCSA Pair of the Year and named to the All-Conference team, Skylar Martin was named to the All-Freshman Team; and Ellie Shank was named to the All-Academic Team, announced Tuesday.
Allred and Bracken have been the most consistent pair for the Sandy Tigs this season, with an overall record of 22-9. The pair has AVCA Top 20 wins against USC, TCU, LMU, California, Georgia State, Stetson, Washington and South Carolina. Allred and Bracken were awarded CCSA Pair of the Week in February.
“I’m so proud of Parker and Reilly for earning Pair of the Year and All-Conference,” said head coach Russell Brock. “Coming in, we knew it was going to be a lot to ask for them to split, which they’ve never done before, and to play as high in the lineup with the success they’ve had really is a testimony to their unbelievable talent. I’m so glad their hard work and success were rewarded by the conference voters. They really deserve the honor!”
Allred, a senior, and Bracken, a sophomore, are not new faces for the Tigers. In Allred’s sophomore campaign, she went 30-6 on Court 3 with partner Holly Carlton. In the 2023 season, Allred went 19-10 on Court 3 with partner Hannah Brister, with Top 20 wins against FSU, LMU, Stanford, Washington, Georgia State and South Carolina.
Bracken is no stranger to success in her time as a Sandy Tig. In her freshman season, she earned a spot on the CCSA All-Freshman Team and earned AVCA Top Flight honors with partner Kylie Deberg on Court 2. In the 2023 season, Bracken went 28-10 overall with partner Grace Seits on Court 2 and had Top 20 wins against TCU, FSU, FAU, Hawaii, Georgia State and Washington. Bracken also earned a spot on the CCSA All-Tournament Team with Seits on Court 2 in 2023.
Martin has made a statement in her freshman season as a Sandy Tig with a 22-11 overall record and AVCA Top 20 wins against USC, LMU, Georgia State, Washington and South Carolina. Prior to her time at LSU, Martin was a three-time USAV Beach National Champion and a 2023 AVCA Junior Beach First Team All-American.
“Skylar has been so good all year,” said Brock. “It’s usually really tough to make the transition, mainly because the pressure and expectations are so high. She has handled both incredibly and earned this award through her consistency and great execution.”
Shank is a four-year starter for LSU and has been a star both in the sand and in the classroom. She earned her undergraduate degree in Dec. 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. She was named to the LSU Dean’s List in Spring 2021, Fall 2022 and Spring 2023. Shank was named to the LSU President’s Honor Roll in Fall 2020, Fall 2021 and Spring 2020. Shank has also been nominated for the 2024 SEC McWhorter Award, which is given to a SEC male and female athlete with a $20,000 post-graduate scholarship as a reward for their hard work in the classroom.
On the sand, Shank is a 2023 AVCA First Team All-American, 2023 CCSA All-Conference Team, 2023 AVCA Fall Pairs National Champion, 2023 USA Volleyball Women’s Beach Collegiate Champion and earned AVCA Top Flight on Court 5 in 2022. In 2024, she also earned CCSA Pair of the Week with partner Gabi Bailey.
“Ellie is elite in every way,” said Brock. “She really is the glue that holds our team together. She could honestly win any award. She’s just that good. This area that she’s being recognized for is a no-brainer. Leaders lead no matter what the area, and academics is a space that Ellie leads by example. So glad she was recognized this season.”