Finlason and Baker Recognized as CCSA Pair of the Week
Tatum Finlason and Kate Baker, LSU Beach Volleyball’s Court 1 duo, posted a 3-1 record at the Death Volley Invitational in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this past weekend and have earned the CCSA Pair of the Week award, announced on Tuesday. The pair secured notable victories over No. 1 UCLA, No. 4 USC, and No. 9 Long Beach State.
Baker, hailing from New Orleans, has made significant progress in her redshirt sophomore season with LSU Beach Volleyball. After sitting out the 2023 season, Baker played five matches in 2024, mainly on Court 5 alongside Brooke Blutreich, finishing with a 2-3 record. A standout prep athlete, Baker was named the 2020 Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year and Division I Player of the Year, leading St. Mary’s Dominican High School to its first-ever state title while earning MVP honors.
In her second season with the Sandy Tigs, Finlason has been making a mark. In 2025, she holds a 14-9 record, with AVCA Top 20 wins over USC, UCLA, Long Beach State, and Florida State. Before joining LSU, Finlason completed her high school career at Cayman International School in George Town, Cayman Islands, after previously competing in Toronto. She was named MVP in 2019 and helped her team secure a district championship. She also excelled in basketball and tennis, earning Honor Roll Sport recognition in 2021 and 2022.
On Friday, the duo claimed three consecutive victories over AVCA Top 10 teams. Finlason and Baker began the day with a thrilling win against No. 4 USC to give the Sandy Tigs an upset. In a match that saw multiple sets go to extra points, the pair prevailed on Court 4 in three sets: 19-21, 29-27, and 19-21, leading LSU to a 3-2 victory over the Trojans.
After a break, Finlason and Baker faced No. 1 UCLA. Though they won their court, the Bruins ultimately secured the match 3-2. Finlason and Baker contributed the first of two LSU points by winning Court 4 with scores of 21-19 and 21-19.
Following a rain delay, LSU competed against No. 9 Long Beach State under the lights of Death Volley. With the score tied 1-1, Finlason and Baker claimed Court 4, winning 21-12 and 21-19, giving LSU a 2-1 lead. LSU ultimately triumphed in the duel, 3-1.
The Sandy Tigs now head to Tallahassee, Florida, for the Unconquered Invitational on April 4-5, where they will face No. 5 FSU, No. 8 Texas, No. 15 FAU, and South Florida throughout the weekend.
