Women's volleyball set for 2017 season

PROVO, Utah – BYU women’s volleyball looks to build on its success from last season as the Cougars prepare for another challenging schedule in 2017.

Last year, BYU finished 29-4 and 16-2 in the West Coast Conference with a No. 8 final national ranking. The Cougars collected their third-consecutive outright WCC title and advanced to the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament for the fifth-straight season.

Returning starters for the 2017 season include Mary Lake, Lacy Haddock, Lyndie Haddock, Veronica Jones-Perry and McKenna Miller. Also returning are Cosy Burnett, Emily Lewis, Danelle Stetler and Tristyn Moser who all started matches at some point last year.

New to this year’s roster are freshmen Sara Hamson, Taylen Ballard and Allison Stapleton. Also new to the team is junior college transfer Sydnie Martindale – who joined the team in January after transferring from Snow College.

Breakdown by Position

Middle blocker

BYU is without its two three-year starting middle blockers (Amy Boswell and Whitney Young Howard) in 2017. The Cougars return senior Madeline Graham as well as sophomore Megan Mowry and redshirt freshman Kennedy Redding.

Burnett and Lewis may also see time at the middle blocker position this season.

Outside hitter

Jones-Perry and Miller highlight the returning outside hitters as both started the majority of matches last season. Jones-Perry averaged 2.52 kills per set and had 25 aces and 61 blocks in 2016. Miller was named the WCC Freshman of the Year while contributing a team-leading 3.89 kills per set.

Also returning are juniors Lacy Haddock and Stetler. Stapleton may also see time as an outside along with Ballard.

Opposite

Although listed as an outside hitter, Lacy Haddock started several matches last season as an opposite and returns having collected 229 kills, 81 digs and 61 blocks a year ago. Burnett also returns after being injured for the majority of last season.

The 6-foot-7 Hamson will also look to make an immediate impact at the position helped by Lewis, who returns as a sophomore in 2017. Stapleton may also play as an opposite.

Setter

BYU returns two very experienced setters for the new season – led by Lyndie Haddock – who started nearly every match last year. Haddock collected 10.26 assists per set to lead the conference while adding 2.29 digs per set and 0.71 blocks per set. Senior Alohi Robins-Hardy, who has also started several matches in her career, will look for extended playing time.

Kiani Tuileta returns as a sophomore and will also compete for time on the court.

Libero/defensive specialist

The Cougars will benefit from a very experienced back court in 2017, led by sophomore Lake. She averaged a BYU single-season rally-scoring era record 4.68 digs per set last year. Moser also returns having played in 68 sets in 2016.

Newcomer Martindale will compete for starting time after having started the last two years as the libero for Snow College.

Schedule

BYU launches the 2017 season by hosting the BYU Invitational from Aug. 25-26. The Cougars will first face Saint Louis, followed by UT Rio Grande Valley and Ohio State.

The team then hits the road for two more tournaments – first at Boise State from Aug. 31-Sept. 2 – followed by the Outrigger Resorts Volleyball Challenge at Hawai’i from Sept. 7-9.

The Cougars finish up the nonconference portion of the schedule with the Deseret First Duel match at Utah on Sept. 14, followed by a home match against Weber State on Sept. 15 and the Crosstown Clash at Utah Valley on Sept. 16.

During conference play, BYU will face nine extremely competitive squads – including San Diego – who was ranked as high as No. 5 last year.

League play starts on the road in 2017, with matches at Santa Clara and San Francisco on Sept. 21 and Sept. 23, respectively. Conference play ends with three-consecutive home matches – against San Francisco (Nov. 16), Santa Clara (Nov. 18) and Loyola Marymount (Nov. 21).

Televised Matches