High Standards: BYU women’s volleyball earns respect but still must earn their way (2024)

Just when BYU women’s volleyball coach Heather Olmstead and her program figure they’ve got the lay of the land in the Big 12, everything changes.

Texas, which won the 2023 NCAA title, and Oklahoma have moved on to the SEC. State rival Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State are now members of the Big 12, shifting the dynamic of the league in the Cougars second season.

BYU is ranked No. 16 in the first AVCA poll and picked second in Big 12 (behind Kansas) despite losing the school’s all-time leader in assists during the rally scoring era (Whitney Bower), its top two offensive players (Erin Livingston and Whitney McEwan-Llarenas) and its top two defensive specialists (Kamaile Hiapo and Aria McComber).

That’s respect for the Cougar program but it will take a lot of work to reach such expectations.

“We can wait to put the pedal to the metal,” Olmstead said. “Each game in the Big 12 is exciting. There are massive crowds and no empty, quiet gyms. It doesn’t matter if it’s home or away, these teams in the Big 12 are ready to go. Those 18 matches are going to take our full attention. We have high hopes and standards we want to meet. We’re up for it. We’ll play whoever and wherever and we’ll do our best to compete.”

The gauntlet of the Big 12 makes the preseason all that more important. BYU will meet No. 14 Georgia Tech, former West Coast Conference rival San Diego and No. 10 Oregon in the coming weeks.

“I think we have some ballers, for sure,” junior opposite Kate Prior said. “Some of the girls who didn’t play much last year will have to step up. We’ll be a really exciting team to watch. It’ll be different than last year, which in a way makes it even more exciting.”

Where Were We?

The Cougars had a successful run playing their first season in the Big 12, going 13-5 to finish third behind eventual national champion Texas and No. 17 Kansas.

At 25-7, BYU earned a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament and hosted the first and second rounds at the Smith Fieldhouse. The Cougars swept Weber State but were taken out of the tournament by No. 5 seed Arizona State in three sets.

Livingston and setter Bower were named to the AVCA All-American honorable mention team. Livingston, Bower and McEwan-Llarenas were named first team All-Big 12 and freshman middle blocker Mia Lee earned a spot on the Big 12 All-Rookie team.

Goodbye … Hello

Bower was a five-year starter (one extra year due to COVID) and the heart of the Cougars on the floor. McEwan-Llarenas also graduated, along with Hiapo and McComber. Livingston, with 1,279 career kills, announced in December she was returning for an additional COVID year but in April opted to leave for the Vegas Thrill of the Pro Volleyball Federation.

That decision left the Cougars with some question marks on offense.

The new setter has a familiar name: Bower, as in Alex Bower. The freshman high school All-American will be expected to fill her sister’s role as the quarterback of the BYU offense.

Claire Little (6-3 So.), who had some bright moments last season before an injury cost her 15 games, is back and healthy on the outside after posting 1.44 kills per set. Prior (6-4 Jr.) adds 1.83 kps from the opposite position. The other outside could be Eden Bower (6-3 Jr., 1.63 kps) or Elyse Stowell (6-2 Sr., 1.50 kps). The freshman class provides 6-2 Elina Mortensen (518 kills last season at Corner Canyon High School) and Blaykli Bobik from Queen Creek, Ariz. (1,136 career kills).

Lee was a good offensive option in the middle last season (1.41 kps, .311 hitting percentage). Sophom*ore Brielle Kemavor (6-5) has made good progress over the summer and the Cougars also added a grad transfer in former Saint Mary’s standout Kjersti Strong (2.88 kps, .1.50 blocks per set last season) in the middle.

Returning defensive specialists Brielle Miller (5-5 So.), Hannah Billeter (5-11 Jr.), Utah transfer Kaieva Johnson (5-8 So.) and Lulu Uluave (5-8 Fr.) will battle it out for playing time for passing and serve receive.

“Every year is a new opportunity for new players to step up,” Olmstead said. “There are new experiences for all the players, new and old alike. We had a big group of players this winter that enrolled early, so that’s somewhat comforting for them to know the systems we have in place.”

Off and running

The Cougars open the season on Friday by hosting the doTERRA Classic with Southeastern Louisiana, Fairfield and High Point, all teams that won their league titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season. Then comes the BYU Nike Invitational, highlighted by the matchup with Georgia Tech. After competing with San Diego and Oregon in California, the Cougars have in-state meetings with Utah Valley, Weber State and Utah State, then open the Big 12 campaign on September 26 in the Smith Fieldhouse against Colorado.

Five Things to Watch in 2024

1. Bower 2.0

It’s probably unfair to expect freshman Alex Bower to be as good as her sister, one of the top setters to ever play at BYU. But the younger Bower has a lot of skill and will have the opportunity to carve her own path in Provo.

2. Here in the middle

Between sophom*ores Mia Lee and Brielle Kemavor, along with Saint Mary’s transfer Kjersti Strong, the Cougars will have a strong middle attack and a good group to defend the net.

3. Regional flavor

The Cougars were playing a lot of unfamiliar foes in Season 1 of Big 12 play but will get two games each with Utah, Arizona, Arizona State and Colorado this year.

4. Coaching ’em up

This summer, BYU head coach Heather Olmstead led the USA U-21 team to the NORCECA Continental Championship. Olmstead has the highest active winning percentage (.869) in college volleyball but will be tested this season to keep her program at a high level.

5. Home Sweet Home

The Smith Fieldhouse is one of the most spectacular home court advantages in all of college sports. Since taking over the program in 2015, Olmstead and the Cougars are stunning 131-9 (94%) in front of the home fans.

2024 BYU Women’s Volleyball Schedule

doTERRA Classic

Friday, Aug. 30 Southeastern Louisiana, noon MT

Friday, Aug. 30 Fairfield, 7 p.m. MT

Saturday, Aug. 31 High Point, 7 p.m. MT

BYU Nike Invitational

Thursday, Sept. 5 Lipscomb, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 7 Georgia Tech, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 12 at San Diego, 8 p.m. MT

Friday, Sept. 13 vs. Oregon (at San Diego), 8 p.m. MT

Wednesday, Sept. 18 Utah State, 6 p.m. MT

Friday, Sept. 20 at Weber State, 6 p.m. MT

Saturday. Sept. 21 Utah Valley, 7 p.m.

Big 12 Schedule

Thursday, Sept. 26 Colorado, 7 p.m. MT

Saturday, Sept. 28 Texas Tech, 1 p.m. MT

Wednesday, Oct. 2 at Arizona, 7 p.m. MT

Friday, Oct. 4 at Arizona State, TBA

Thursday, Oct. 10 Baylor, 7 p.m. MT

Saturday, Oct. 12 TCU, TBA

Wednesday, Oct. 16 at Iowa State, 7:30 p.m. MT

Saturday, Oct. 19 Utah, 7 p.m. MT

Friday, Oct. 25 at Colorado, 7 p.m. MT

Thursday, Oct. 31 Arizona State, 7 p.m. MT

Saturday, Nov. 2 Arizona, 1 p.m. MT

Friday, Nov. 8 at Utah, 7 p.m. MT

Thursday, Nov. 14 at UCF, 5 p.m. MT

Saturday, Nov. 16 at Houston, 1 p.m. MT

Thursday, Nov. 21 Cincinnati, 7 p.m. MT

Saturday, Nov. 23 West Virginia, 1 p.m. MT

Wednesday, Nov. 27 at Kansas, 5:30 p.m. MT

Friday, Nov. 29 at Kansas State, 5:30 p.m. MT

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