One of the biggest names in collegiate volleyball is Florida State middle blocker Khori Louis, who is coming off of her best season in 2023.

Louis played in 110 sets and finished with a remarkable .432 hitting percentage, which ranked 4th in the country. Her dominance on the court was a key component in Florida State's success as the 6-foot-3 Louis recorded 93 blocks and achieved 12 matches where she hit .500 or better.

The Florida State volleyball team opens the 2024 season in the Seminole Invitational against USF on Friday at 6 p.m. (live stream on ACC Network Extra), the start of a three-day event at Tully Gym. The Seminoles come into the year ranked 20th in the nation after an outstanding 2023 season where they posted a 23-9 record and won the ACC championship before falling to TCU in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

When asked about the expectations for this year’s team, Louis stressed the importance of unity on the journey to a potential repeat.

“Obviously, we want to be ACC champs again. But no matter the outcome, we definitely want to make sure that we lean on each other in those hard times,” said Louis. “We're all fighting for something. We're all trying to prove something again this season. Once all those things play out, I feel like we can go very far this season.”

In addition to being a star in Tallahassee, Louis spends time in the offseason representing the United States on the women’s national team. With so many great athletes and coaches surrounding her all year, there’s every reason to be excited about what knowledge she’ll be bringing back to Florida State for her senior year.

Louis made note of the coaching and talent around her and even mentioned that she was forced to adjust her game due to the size difference between the players at the college and international levels.

“With Team USA, I played against a lot of other tall middles. And I’m one of the tallest on the team, so I'm not really used to that. So, it was quite an adjustment,” Louis stated. “But with that, I definitely can say that it taught me to play hard.”

Louis was sure to indicate her eagerness to share what she’d learned with her teammates in Tallahassee, in an effort to keep the Seminoles running like a well-oiled machine.

“One thing I do want to bring back to the team is just literally playing with confidence. No matter what mistakes you make, and no matter how hard it gets, just literally giving it your all,” she said. “Just making sure that you know you may not get that kill, but at least I'm trying 100%. So it's just giving it your all, and just being confident in your play.”

Khori’s ability to improve her game every time she steps on the court hasn’t gone unnoticed by anyone, especially her teammates, coaches and fans. FSU coach Chris Poole emphasized just how proud he is of Louis’ development as well as his confidence in her ability to continue that improvement at the next level.

“Every year, Khori has added to her game and has gained more and more confidence,” Poole stated. “I have no doubt that she will be good enough to play at the highest level when she finishes in December 2024.”

Coach Poole went on to praise his star middle blocker for her coachability, confidence and humility. He even made note of his expectation of her to not just dominate on the court, but also be a leader to her teammates in all areas.

“Khori is an amazing athlete, but also very humble and walks onto the court every single day ready to learn,” said coach Poole. “I couldn't be more proud of everything she has accomplished during her college career and excited for her to again be in a leadership role this fall.”

It goes without saying that Khori Louis is an incredibly gifted athlete with great genetics. After all, she is the daughter of FSU basketball player Corey Louis, who played center for the Seminoles from 1994-94. But Louis possesses the invaluable skill of wisdom, which helps push her past the competition. She’s able to see that physical attributes alone aren’t all you need to be truly dominant on the court.

Louis credits much of her success to the time she’s spent practicing self-reflection to figure out what makes her tick and effectively block those outside distractions so she stays zoned in.

“I just go into a silent mode,” said Louis. “I try not to think about anything, and I kind of just try to stay calm and neutral.”

Outside distractions can be detrimental to the performance of any athlete no matter their skill level. Being able to effectively leave your problems at the door and lock in on your assignments come game time is what separates the good from the great. This is part of the reason Louis has been able to consistently improve in each of her seasons with the Seminoles.

Since her freshman year, she’s increased her hitting percentage from .313 to a whopping .432 while also maintaining a strong defensive presence at the net with consistent blocking numbers across all three years. Additionally, she’s managed to increase the number of matches where she’s recorded double-digit kills, proving she’s a force to be reckoned with in every aspect of her game.

Being the fierce competitor that she is, Louis expects nothing but the best from herself and her teammates. She didn’t shy away from her love for her teammates, especially fellow senior Audrey Koenig.

“She's an inspiration on and off the court,” Louis said. “She's a well-driven player, and just in all aspects of life. We definitely came in together, and we're definitely going to lead together. So it's just seeing each other grow as players and as women in today's time, and it's just amazing to have her as a teammate. She's a wonderful person.”

Koenig has been a star for the Seminoles from the moment she first touched the court. She’s earned multiple All-ACC selections, an AVCA All-Region selection, and has led her team in kills each season, just to name a few achievements. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that both members of this dynamic duo have plenty of love for one another and will continue to push each other towards greatness.

The pressure will certainly be on for Louis, Koenig, and the rest of their team leading up to and throughout this upcoming season. Looking to not just follow up, but improve upon the 2023 campaign has been the only thing on their minds for the last nine months.