2023 BYU Cougars women's volleyball team

2023 BYU Cougars women's volleyball
2023 BYU Cougars women's volleyball
Conference	Big 12 Conference
Record	13–3 (2–2 Big XII)
Head coach	Heather Olmstead (9th season);
Assistant coaches	David Hyte (10th season); Jonny Neeley (8th season);
Home arena	Smith Fieldhouse
	Seasons ← 2022 2024 →

2023 Big 12 Conference volleyball standings
v t e	Conf				Overall
Team	W		L	PCT	W		L	PCT
No. 5 Texas ‍†‍‍^y	15	–	1	.938	20	–	4	.833
No. 13 BYU ‍‍‍^y	11	–	4	.733	22	–	5	.815
No. 17 Kansas ‍‍‍^y	11	–	4	.733	20	–	5	.800
No. 21 Houston ‍‍‍^y	10	–	5	.667	17	–	7	.708
Iowa State ‍‍‍^y	8	–	7	.533	17	–	9	.654
UCF ‍‍‍	8	–	7	.533	17	–	9	.654
Kansas State ‍‍‍	8	–	7	.533	14	–	10	.583
No. 23 Baylor ‍‍‍^y	8	–	8	.500	14	–	12	.538
TCU ‍‍‍^y	8	–	9	.471	15	–	13	.536
Cincinnati ‍‍‍	4	–	10	.286	11	–	13	.458
Texas Tech ‍‍‍	3	–	11	.214	10	–	16	.385
Oklahoma ‍‍‍	2	–	12	.143	9	–	15	.375
West Virginia ‍‍‍	2	–	13	.133	9	–	19	.321

† – Conference champion y – Invited to the NCAA Tournament As of December 25, 2024 Rankings from AVCA Source:Big 12 Conference

The 2023 BYU Cougars women's volleyball team represented Brigham Young University in the 2023 NCAA Division I women's volleyball season. The Cougars are led by ninth year head coach Heather Olmstead and played their home games at the Smith Fieldhouse. The Cougars were competing as members of the Big 12 Conference for the first time.^[3]

BYU comes off a season where they finished second in the WCC regular after suffering two conference losses to the San Diego Toreros, a team who eventually lost in the Final Four. The Cougars received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament falling to Pitt in the second round. The Cougars came in having been picked to finish second in the Big 12 behind defending national champ Texas.^[4]

Season

Pre-season honors

Two Cougars were selected to the Pre-season All-Big 12 team: Super Senior setter Whitney Bower and senior outside hitter Erin Livingston. The two selections were tied for second most in the Big 12 behind only Texas (4).^[5]

Roster

2023 BYU Cougars roster^[6]

Defensive Specialist/Libero

4 Hannah Billeter - Sophomore
14 Aria McComber - Graduate
16 Brielle Miller - Freshman
18 Kamaile Hiapo - Graduate

Opposite hitters

1 Kate Prior - Sophomore
13 Mia Lee - Freshman

Outside hitters

8 Eden Bower- Sophomore
9 Alyssa (Montoya) Erickson - Junior
10 Erin Livingston - Senior
11 Addie Benson - Freshman
12 Claire Little - Freshman
15 Elyse Stowell - Junior

Setters

3 Silina Damuni - Freshman
6 Kalia Thunstrom - Junior
7 Whitney Bower - Senior

Middle blockers

1 Kate Prior - Sophomore
13 Mia Lee - Freshman
21 Whitney McEwan-Llarenas - Graduate
24 Brielle Kemavor - Freshman

Schedule

Date Time	Opponent	Rank ^{(Tournament Seed)}	Arena City (Tournament)	Television	Result	Attendance	Record (WCC Record)
08/25 2 p.m.	vs. #5 Pitt	#17	Dahlberg Arena Missoula, MT (Ellesyn Invitational)	ESPN+	W 3–1 (23–25, 25–20, 25–19, 25–16) ^[7]	418	1—0
08/26 7 p.m.	vs. UTRGV	#17	Dahlberg Arena Missoula, MT (Ellesyn Invitational)	ESPN+	W 3–1 (25–22, 25–21, 18–25, 25–16)^[8]	637	2—0
08/27 7 p.m.	@ Montana	#17	Dahlberg Arena Missoula, MT (Ellesyn Invitational)	ESPN+	W 3–1 (25–21, 20–25, 25–16, 25–15)^[8]	795	3–0
08/30 7 p.m.	Loyola Marymount	#9	Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT	ESPN+	W 3–0 (25–22, 25–16, 25–19)^[9]	3,304	4–0
08/31 8 p.m.	McNeese	#9	Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT (dōTERRA Classic)	ESPN+	W 3–0 (25–14, 25–18, 25–18)^[10]	4,624	5–0
09/02 7 p.m.	UC Davis	#9	Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT (dōTERRA Classic)	ESPN+	W 3–0 (25–15, 25–13, 25–11)	3,140	6–0
09/07 11:30 a.m.	vs. Towson	#8	Bohler Gymnasium Pullman, WA (Cougar Challenge)	P12+ WSU	W 3–1 (25–20, 25–23, 14–25, 25–22)	350	7–0
09/07 6:30 p.m.	vs. UC Irvine	#8	Bohler Gymnasium Pullman, WA (Cougar Challenge)	P12+ WSU	W 3–0 (25–9, 25–21, 25–23)	251	8–0
09/08 8 p.m.	@ #13 Washington State	#8	Bohler Gymnasium Pullman, WA (Cougar Challenge)	P12 Insider	L 1–3 (25–18, 19–25, 21–25, 19–25)	1,250	8–1
09/13 7 p.m.	Utah	#12	Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT (Deseret First Duel)	ESPN+	W 3–1 (25–13, 23–25, 25–19, 25–16)	5,528	9–1
09/15 6 p.m.	@ Utah Valley	#12	Lockhart Arena Orem, UT (UCCU Crosstown Clash)	ESPN+	W 3–0 (25–8, 25–17, 25–14)	1,951	10–1
09/16 7 p.m.	@ Utah State	#12	Wayne Estes Center Logan, UT	MW Net	W 3–0 (25–20, 25–22, 25–23)	1,488	11–1
09/20 7 p.m.	#20 Houston*	#10	Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT	ESPN2	W 3–0 (26–24, 25–13, 25–18)	3,714	12–1 (1–0)
9/23 1 p.m.	#18 Baylor*	#10	Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT	ESPN+	W 3–0 (25–17, 25–17, 25–15)	3,459	13–1 (2–0)
9/28 7 p.m.	@ #10 Texas*	#9	Gregory Gymnasium Austin, TX	FS1	L 1–3 (25–13, 20–25, 15–25, 20–25)	4,844	13–2 (2–1)
9/29 6 p.m.	@ #10 Texas*	#9	Gregory Gymnasium Austin, TX	LHN	L 1–3 (28–26, 13–25, 22–25, 20–25)	4,667	13–3 (2–2)
10/07 12 p.m.	@ Oklahoma*	#10	McCasland Field House Norman, OK	ESPN+
10/13 7 p.m.	Texas Tech*	#9	Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT	ESPNU
10/14 7 p.m.	Texas Tech*	#9	Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT	ESPN+
10/19 7 p.m.	Iowa State*		Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT	ESPN+
10/20 7 p.m.	Iowa State*		Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT	ESPN+
10/26 5:30 p.m.	@ Kansas State*		Morgan Family Arena Manhattan, KS	ESPN+
10/27 5:30 p.m.	@ Kansas State*		Morgan Family Arena Manhattan, KS	ESPN+
11/03 7 p.m.	Cincinnati*		Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT	ESPN+
11/04 7 p.m.	Cincinnati*		Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT	ESPN+
11/09 5 p.m.	@ UCF*		The Venue Orlando, FL	ESPN+
11/10 5 p.m.	@ UCF*		The Venue Orlando, FL	ESPN+
11/17 7 p.m.	Kansas*		Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT	ESPN+
11/22 4 p.m.	@ West Virginia		WVU Coliseum Morgantown, WV	ESPN+
11/25 12 p.m.	@ TCU		Schollmaier Arena Ft. Worth, TX	ESPN+

*-Indicates Conference Opponent

y-Indicates NCAA Playoffs

Times listed are Mountain Time Zone.

^[11]

Announcers for televised games

All home games and conference road games will be on ESPN+, an ESPN TV network, or a Fox Sports network.^[12] All road games will also be televised or streamed the opponents streaming service. Select neutral site matches may not have accessibility.

Pitt: Riley Corcoran & Nate Michael
UTRGV: Riley Corcoran & Nate Michael
Montana: Riley Corcoran & Nate Michael
Loyola Marymount: Jarom Jordan, Amy Gant & Kenzie Dahle
McNeese: Jarom Jordan, Amy Gant, & Kenzie Dahle
UC Davis: Jarom Jordan, Amy Gant, & Kenzie Dahle
Towson: Austin Samuels
UC Irvine: Sedona Turner
Washington State: Steve Grubb and Evan Charney
Utah: Jarom Jordan, Amy Gant, & Kenzie Dahle
Utah Valley: Matthew Baiamonte & Kayli Doxey
Utah State: Stockton Jewkes & Adam Larson
Houston: Krista Blunk & Kevin Barnett
Baylor: Jarom Jordan, Amy Gant, & Kenzie Dahle
Texas: Ron Thulin & Jill Dorsey-Hall
Texas: Tyler Denning & Shelby Coppedge
Oklahoma: Chad McKee & Kelly Files
Texas Tech: Paul Sunderland & Jennifer Hoffman
Texas Tech: Jarom Jordan, Amy Gant, & Kenzie Dahle
Iowa State: Jarom Jordan, Amy Gant, & Kenzie Dahle
Iowa State: Jarom Jordan, Amy Gant, & Kenzie Dahle
Kansas State: Brian Smoller, Liz Wegner-Busch, & Sophie Smith
Kansas State: Brian Smoller, Liz Wegner-Busch, & Sophie Smith
Cincinnati:
Cincinnati:
UCF:
UCF:
Kansas:
West Virginia:
TCU:

References

For information on BYU's other athletic sports this season please check out the following:

^ "Brother and sister Shawn and Heather Olmstead named as men's and women's volleyball coaches". Deseret News. June 22, 2015. Archived from the original on June 23, 2015. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
^ "Sports Briefs for Thursday". Daily Herald. Archived from the original on August 21, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
^ "BYU accepts invitation to Big 12, will begin competition in 2023". Daily Universe. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
^ "BYU Women's Volleyball Viewed As Preseason Contender In Big 12". KSL.com. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
^ "With Big 12 move, No. 17 BYU women's volleyball still starting season 'with a bang'". KSL.com. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
^ "Women's Volleyball Roster". Byucougars.com. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
^ "No. 17 BYU upsets No. 5 Pitt 3-1 to open season". Daily Herald. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
^ ^a ^b "BYU roundup: Cougars stay undefeated in women's soccer, women's volleyball". Daily Herald. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
^ "No. 9 BYU women's volleyball sweeps former WCC foe LMU". Daily Herald. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
^ "No. 9 BYU women's volleyball overpowers McNeese". Daily Herald. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
^ "2023 BYU women's volleyball schedule is set". Daily Herald. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
^ "ESPN Reveals Most Expansive NCAA Women's Volleyball Programming Lineup on Record". ESPN Press Room. Retrieved August 12, 2023.

[1] "Brother and sister Shawn and Heather Olmstead named as men's and women's volleyball coaches". Deseret News. June 22, 2015. Archived from the original on June 23, 2015. Retrieved June 22, 2015.

[2] "Sports Briefs for Thursday". Daily Herald. Archived from the original on August 21, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2016.

[3] "BYU accepts invitation to Big 12, will begin competition in 2023". Daily Universe. Retrieved September 10, 2021.

[Big_12_Contender-4] "BYU Women's Volleyball Viewed As Preseason Contender In Big 12". KSL.com. Retrieved July 10, 2023.

[Starting_with_a_bang-5] "With Big 12 move, No. 17 BYU women's volleyball still starting season 'with a bang'". KSL.com. Retrieved August 24, 2023.

[6] "Women's Volleyball Roster". Byucougars.com. Retrieved August 24, 2023.

[7] "No. 17 BYU upsets No. 5 Pitt 3-1 to open season". Daily Herald. Retrieved August 25, 2023.

[Remaining_Undefeated-8] "BYU roundup: Cougars stay undefeated in women's soccer, women's volleyball". Daily Herald. Retrieved August 27, 2023.

[9] "No. 9 BYU women's volleyball sweeps former WCC foe LMU". Daily Herald. Retrieved August 30, 2023.

[10] "No. 9 BYU women's volleyball overpowers McNeese". Daily Herald. Retrieved September 1, 2023.

[11] "2023 BYU women's volleyball schedule is set". Daily Herald. Retrieved June 9, 2023.

[12] "ESPN Reveals Most Expansive NCAA Women's Volleyball Programming Lineup on Record". ESPN Press Room. Retrieved August 12, 2023.

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