1,000-1,000 Club Highlight: Lexi Thompson is Ole Miss’ Most Recent Member

OXFORD, Miss. – In celebration of Ole Miss volleyball's 50 seasons of competition, OleMissSports.com is proud to highlight nine student-athletes part of an elite club, who accomplished one of the rarest athletic feats in program history.

Comprised of athletes from the 1980's to as recently as 2017, Ole Miss' 1,000-1,000 club honors players who record at least 1,000 tallies in two statistical categories throughout their careers, generally kills and digs, showcasing excellence in both offense and defense.

Ole Miss fans were treated to a pair of 1,000-1,000 club inductees during the 2017 season, Kate Gibson McArthur and Lexi Thompson Stickler. After 13 seasons without an athlete having joined the illustrious club, McArthur and Thompson did so within one week of each other, early in their senior seasons.

Thompson, the most recent member of the prestigious club, was one of the most well-rounded outside hitters Ole Miss has ever produced. A four-year starter for the Rebels, Thompson finished her career as the Ole Miss rally scoring era leader in kills with 1,414 to her name. She's one of only four Rebels to ever accumulate 1,400 kills at Ole Miss and sits fourth all-time in that category. She had an all-time great junior season, leading the Rebels in kills and service aces, with the former total currently sitting as the fourth most in a single season during the rally scoring era.

A highly capable defender, Thompson recorded 1,282 digs in her career, the fifth-most in all eras of Ole Miss volleyball history. She recorded at least 250 digs in all but one season of her incredible career. At the net, she picked up 206 total blocks, one of only two members of the 1,000-1,000 club to do so, alongside Julie Link Clark. Fittingly, Link Clark was the original member of the Ole Miss 1,000-1,000 club, and she's the only member with more career kills than Thompson.

During her time in Oxford, Thompson helped usher in one of the most successful eras of volleyball Ole Miss has ever seen. She assisted in guiding the Rebels to their first postseason victory, as well as their first postseason title in the 2017 NIVC. While working alongside McArthur, Thompson led Ole Miss to four consecutive winning seasons, the first time the program had done so in three decades.

Thompson secured 48 double-doubles in her career, an Ole Miss rally scoring era record, highlighting her playmaking abilities on both sides of the court. Capable of putting up big numbers any day of the week, including eight instances of at least 20 kills in a match, No. 14 was always a student-athlete opposing teams needed to home in on. She greatly benefitted from several talented players around her, but it was her commitment to the Rebels and dedication to her craft that put her among some of Ole Miss' all-time bests.

Destination: Oxford

Some things are meant to be, and for Thompson, it was to play volleyball at Ole Miss.

Growing up, Thompson found herself surrounded by volleyball. Her aunt played at Florida State when Thompson was young, so her and her family would make the four-hour trip to Tallahassee from Tampa, where she grew up. Her aunt, Dawn Hough, was a two-time ACC Academic Honor Roll student and an excellent overall player, knocking down 638 kills, 192 digs and an incredible 349 total blocks.

Early in her volleyball career, Thompson had hoped to be a libero. With her love for defense and the back line, she had hoped to play that as her career went on. However, as she grew in age and height, her natural position became apparent to be outside hitter. At 6-foot-1, Thompson became the tallest member of the 1,000-1,000 club and developed into a natural hitter.

Hough wore No. 14, which Thompson had hoped to share when she began playing. That would come to fruition after a stellar high school career.

A four-year starter at Durant High School in Florida, Thompson was named first team all-conference each year. As a senior, Thompson set her school's record for most kills as a senior. That season, she was nominated for the Kirkwood Award, which is given to the best volleyball player in the Tampa Bay area.

From her freshman to junior season of high school, she was honored as the American Division Western Conference best offensive player. Her junior season, she was tabbed as a first team All-Conference in the federal division.

From a young age, she believed she'd be able to compete at the Division I level. That belief had started to seem like a reality, as college offers began to roll in.

When selecting a college, one aspect stood above the rest for Thompson: academics. She intended to study civil engineering, where Ole Miss has a well-respected program. Ole Miss set itself apart from other colleges to Thompson when she was shown the academic buildings where she would develop her engineering practice.

"Seeing the actual school part, and not just volleyball, I fell in love," Thompson said. "It was a home away from home."

She committed to the Rebels almost on the spot. On top of the strong academics, Thompson was excited to be part of the team. She described Ole Miss as a 'hopeful program' when she decided to attend Ole Miss.

"I knew I could be competitive from the start, and I wanted to fight to get Ole Miss out of the middle of the pack," Thompson said.

With the goal of winning in mind, Thompson helped the Rebels get right to that as a freshman in 2014. Immediately, Thompson made an impact, securing 323 kills that season, which is still a record among Ole Miss freshmen. It ranked third best on the team that season as the Rebels went 22-10, their first winning season since 2010.

She added 295 digs in 2014 and added numerous other accolades. She was named the Magnolia Invitational Tournament MVP in September as she led Ole Miss to their third tournament title of the season. Later that month, she was named SEC Freshman of the Week after leading Ole Miss to another tournament victory, this time the Rebel Classic, by tallying 28 kills, five service aces, 11 total blocks and hit .329 over the weekend.

Thompson had a calm demeanor to her game which helped her succeed. There was a level of quiet confidence to her game that showed how dominant she could be, especially on the defensive side of the ball where she felt she thrived the most.

"Nothing made me happier than someone giving it all they got, and you being able to get up that ball," Thompson said. "Defense is hands down my favorite part of the game.

"My biggest thing is effort," Thompson said. "You have to have that mentality of 'nothing hits this floor,' and make the other team mad. Make them actually have to work for it. Defense is a mindset. I think anybody could be good at it, as long as you commit to it. I wasn't afraid to go for anything."

As a sophomore, Thompson remained an asset to the Rebels despite seeing her numbers drop from the year prior. She had 270 kills, 249 digs and 40 total blocks, including a career-high 33 service aces. Thompson is considered one of, if not the best servers in Ole Miss' rally scoring era. She finished her career as the only player since 1999 to have over 100 aces, finishing her time at Ole Miss with 105 to her name.

"I love serving because it's the only part of the game that you 100 percent control," Thompson said.

Prior to each serve, Thompson took a moment to take a breath and get into the right mindset. She would think about her brother, Noah, who she called her best friend.

When Noah was born, the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck for too long, which underdeveloped his throat. He couldn't make any sounds until he was six months old, and crying was a matter of making sure he could breath. While he grew up without the full understanding of the sport, he became Thompson's biggest fan and supporter throughout her career.

Because he couldn't be left alone due to his health risks, Noah was always in attendance for Thompson's games or practices. He developed a true appreciation for the sport because of his sister and was always the first to tell her she did well.

"He's my motivation in everything," Thompson said. "He's always been the most supportive person there. No matter what; win, lose, bad game or good game, there's a kid running after me with big hugs and a smile on his face."

Lexi Thompson 10001000

Her brother became a main inspiration behind her play, as well as her teammate, Ty Laporte. Laporte was an integral part in the early 2010s Ole Miss volleyball teams, helping lead them to at least 20 wins in consecutive seasons (Thompson's freshman and sophomore year) for the first time in nearly three decades. She finished her Ole Miss career with 999 kills, 280 block assists and 334 total blocks, each ranking in the top five at the time.

Laporte passed away in a tragic car accident just months after she concluded her stellar Ole Miss career. The weight of the loss of Laporte impacted the entire Ole Miss and Oxford community, especially the volleyball team. For Thompson, Laporte and her brother became the source of her strength, and she dedicated each of her matches to the pair.

"Even before I served, in my mind, I would say 'I will make this serve in for Noah Thompson and Ty Laporte. Every single time. That's why I stared at the ball for a little bit."

With Noah and Laporte in her heart, as well as retaining the quiet confidence that helped her as a freshman, Thompson tapped into a higher level of competition as a junior.

She exploded for 437 kills, setting the then-Ole Miss program record for a single season in the rally scoring era. She beat out McArthur by just 10 kills, who finished No. 2 on Ole Miss' single season kill list in the record books. It was the most kills in a single season by a Rebel since Katie Kramer had 438 in 2006. She ranked ninth in the SEC in kills per set (3.50) and 10th in points per set (3.90).

She also had her most successful season defensively, scooping up 374 on the year for second most on the team that season. She led the SEC in double-doubles with 21, showing how most games saw her at her very best. That season, she stayed dominant on the serving front, leading the team with 25 service aces.

No great hitter in volleyball reaches that point without assistance from others. Thompson acknowledged that, especially when it came to Aubrey Edie and Ole Miss head coach Steven McRoberts.

"Listen to your coaches, be aggressive and rely on your teammates," Thompson said. "I had some of the best setters, and my success is not possible without them. You put a lot of pressure on yourself, but when you take that off and you think of your teammates and coaches, and really listen to them, they're so insightful."

Thompson looks back fondly at her junior season, not just for her individual success, but for what the team around her accomplished and the fun they had doing it. That season was dedicated to Laporte, as well as Edie, who was the only graduating member of that year's class. Thompson said one of her favorite memories from her volleyball career was senior night of her junior season.

"When I think of playing, I don't know why that game sticks out, but it was the most fun that I've ever had," Thompson said. "Just playing with such a great group of girls, when I think back, I remember the feeling of that game. It was carefree. We just wanted to play for Aubrey."

The team success had continued for Ole Miss, which once again had a winning record for a third consecutive season. The Rebels had four players with at least 200 kills that season as the team nearly had north of 2000 points for the second season in a row.

Meanwhile, Thompson surpassed the 1,000 career kills mark with a 20-kill outing against Alabama in the second-to-last match of the 2016 season. She finished the season 82 digs out from reaching 1,000 of them for her career, which would make her the ninth member of Ole Miss' 1,000-1,000 club.

2017 was also a mile marker season for Ole Miss as a whole, but especially for the senior tandem of Thompson and Gibson, who both joined the 1,000-1,000 club within a week of each other. Gibson did so first, reaching 1,000 digs for her overall career in the first match of the season. On Sept. 1, 2017, Thompson cemented her name besides Gibson and the other seven women part of the club.

With 15 digs against Virginia Tech, she ended that match with 1,001 digs in her career and had the remainder of the season to compile more. At the pace she was at, she had the opportunity to end her career as the top killer and digger in the rally scoring era.

While she had achieved something very few student-athletes have before, Thompson remained focused on her true task.

"It's cool to know that all the work you put into the sport paid off in some way," Thompson said. "However, it wasn't my goal. My goal was to win and play as a team. But it was a nice bonus."

Behind Thompson, Gibson and emerging sophomore superstar Emily Stroup, Ole Miss did win. The trio led Ole Miss to 22 wins once again, the team's fourth consecutive winning season. The team set a program single-season record in kills and digs with 1,846 and 1,708, respectively. The three student-athletes each had at least 300 kills that season, making Ole Miss the only team in the SEC to have that many with that total. Thompson had the third most with 384.
Her and Gibson joined libero Caroline Adams to make Ole Miss the only team in the SEC with three players at 300 or more digs, as Thompson finished with 364.

Despite the team gelling and creating a culture, Ole Miss fell just short of an NCAA Tournament berth. They were selected for the National Invitational Volleyball Championship instead, where the domination from the regular season continued.

For Thompson and Gibson, they entered the tournament willing to leave everything on the court for their team. That is what they did, as they led Ole Miss on a historic postseason run that's yet to be replicated by any Ole Miss volleyball team.

After sweeping Stephen F. Austin in the first round, Ole Miss would recreate that score in three of its remaining four matches. They gave up only one set for the remainder of the tournament, which was to Arkansas State in the following round. They proceeded to sweep SEC foe Georgia next, then swept Big 12 opponent West Virginia after that.

It came down to another Big 12 opponent in the championship round, Texas Tech. Once again, the Rebels rose to the occasion on homecourt and shined in front of their home crowd. Thompson contributed nine kills and 12 digs in Ole Miss' dominant win. She didn't light up the stat sheet as much as she had become accustomed to, but each time she stepped on the court, the level of confidence in the whole team shot through the roof.

For Thompson and Gibson, that tournament was personal.

"Kate and I are looking at each other like, 'this could be the last game we ever play,'" Thompson said. "To go the distance and get to that last game, we were like 'we know this is our last game, let's just win it.' That was exciting. It was exciting to go out like that. It's not often you can end on a win, especially in a postseason tournament."

With her legacy established, Thompson and her teammates exited the court for the final time as NIVC champions. For Thompson, her volleyball career would continue, but her tenure as a Rebel concluded with one of the most effective and successful resumes in program history.

Life After Ole Miss Volleyball

Thompson graduated from Ole Miss in 2018 with a degree in civil engineering. However, she decided she wasn't done with the sport she loved.

After her time at Ole Miss expired, Thompson added an extra year of collegiate competition at the University of Tampa. She competed for the Spartan's beach volleyball squad, helping lead them to a 20-10 record. Individually, she went 15-12 in partnership with freshman twins, Valerie and Rachel Rosequist.

She earned her master's degree in entrepreneurship at Tampa, a stark contrast from her civil engineering background. Thompson said she got the best of both worlds from her two degrees, having learned to speak in front of crowds while remaining true to her introverted self.

Following her time at Tampa, she moved on from playing for a while to focus on a career and building her family. She began her career as an intelligent transportation system engineer working under an Ole Miss alumnus. She spent three years at that firm before deciding to make a change. Despite her love for the job, she said she wasn't designed for the hours spent sitting in front of a computer.

So, she took a risk at something she always wanted to do – be a teacher. She taught high school math and found it to be a fulfilling career. She also spent time coaching her school's volleyball team as well as a club team, staying ever engaged with the sport. She said Ole Miss helped prepare her for life beyond sports.

"Everything after seemed easy," Thompson said. "You learn time management, how to work with a team, how to get through difficult times, how to figure out a solution where you can't just ask someone. Those are not skills that everyone has, and you don't notice it until you get out of the athletics world."

It was around this time where she met her husband, Jake Stickler. The couple got married in 2023 and have a son, Owen, and daughter, Scarlett, together. In November 2025, Thompson announced her and Jake are expecting another child due in 2026.

Since her children have been born, Thompson has enjoyed life as a stay-at-home mom. When the children grow up, she said she will continue teaching when her schedule is aligned with her kids.

"I absolutely love being a mom," Thompson said. "I'm more tired than I've ever been, I'll say that. It's been great, though. It's great raising little humans."

For Thompson, life after collegiate volleyball has been sweet. Her engagement remains high with the sport through coaching, and she hopes that her daughter will pick up the sport when she grows older.

Thompson, as well as her eight predecessors of Ole Miss' 1,000-1,000 club, have one unified message for today's student-athletes.

"For the current players, I know they probably hear all the time that it goes by fast and you're going to miss it, but I hope they know, from a former player, it really does fly," Thompson said. "Truly take in every moment, because you're going to miss it. I can't believe it's been more than 10 years since I walked onto that campus. You wish you could pause your current life and go back to it for a little bit. It's just such a fun time."

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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