2015 BYU Cougars women's volleyball team

The 2015 BYU Cougars women's volleyball team represented Brigham Young University in the 2015 NCAA Division I women's volleyball season. The Cougars were led by first year head coach Heather Olmstead and played their home games at the Smith Fieldhouse.[1] The Cougars were members of the WCC.

2015 BYU Cougars women's volleyball
WCC regular season Champs
NCAA, Regional semifinals
ConferenceWest Coast Conference
Record28–3 (16–2 WCC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaSmith Fieldhouse
Seasons
← 2014
2016 →

BYU came off a season where they won the WCC regular season championship, participated in the NCAA tournament, and became the first unseeded team to make it to the National Championship match.[2]

2015 West Coast Conference volleyball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 11 BYU  ‍‍‍y 16 2   .889 28 4   .875
San Diego  ‍‍‍y 14 4   .778 22 10   .688
Loyola Marymount  ‍‍‍y 13 5   .722 24 9   .727
Santa Clara  ‍‍‍y 13 5   .722 22 9   .710
Pacific  ‍‍‍ 8 10   .444 17 13   .567
Pepperdine  ‍‍‍ 8 10   .444 17 14   .548
Gonzaga  ‍‍‍ 7 11   .389 16 15   .516
Portland  ‍‍‍ 6 12   .333 16 15   .516
San Francisco  ‍‍‍ 4 14   .222 17 14   .548
Saint Mary's  ‍‍‍ 1 17   .056 6 22   .214
† – Conference champion

Season highlights

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  • BYU won the 2015 Marcia E. Hamilton Classic title.
  • Alexa Gray won WCC Player of the Week honors for games 8/30-9/6,[3] 11/2-11/8,[4] 11/9-11/15,[5] and 11/16–11/22.[6]
  • Amy Boswell won WCC Player of the Week honors for games 9/14-9/20.[7]
  • On November 17 Alexa Gray was named the National Player of the Week for games 11/9-11/15.[8][9]
  • On November 19 Alexa Gray set the single season rally era kill record for BYU in the victory over Santa Clara. The record moved her into fifth all-time at BYU.[10]
  • On November 21 BYU clinched an NCAA Tournament berth with a sweep of San Francisco. The win clinched a share of the conference title with San Diego, but with BYU having won both head-to-head matches, they were given the conferences auto tourney bid.[11]

Roster

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2015 BYU Cougars Roster[12]
 

Defensive Specialist/Libero

  • 1 Jaiden Achermann - Sophomore
  • 8 Makenna Santiago - Junior
  • 14 Ciara Parker - Senior

Middle blockers

  • 4 Madeline Graham - Sophomore
  • 7 Sophie Cram - Freshman
  • 10 Amy Boswell - Junior
  • 16 Whitney Young Howard - Junior
 

Outside hitters

 

Opposite hitters

  • 2 Cosy Burnett - Sophomore
  • 5 Emily Lewis - Freshman

Setters

  • 3 Alohi Robins-Hardy - Sophomore
  • 6 Lyndie Haddock - Freshman
  • 15 Kiani Tuileta - Freshman
  • 20 Camry Godfrey Willardson - Senior
 

Schedule

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All conference home games on BYUtv will be simulcast on BYU Radio with the exception of the Santa Clara game.

Date
Time
Opponent Rank Arena
City
(Tournament)
Television Result Attendance Record
(WCC Record)
8/28
6 p.m.
vs. Chicago State #11[13] Galen Center
Los Angeles, CA
(Women of Troy Baden Invitational)
P12 Digital W 3–0
(25–13, 25–17, 25–22)
N/A 1–0[14]
8/29
1:30 p.m.
vs. #7 North Carolina #11 Galen Center
Los Angeles, CA
(Women of Troy Baden Invitational)
P12 Digital W 3–1
(25–27, 25–19, 25–17, 26–24)
185 2–0[15]
8/29
9 p.m.
@ #22 USC #11 Galen Center
Los Angeles, CA
(Women of Troy Baden Invitational)
P12 L 3–0
(25–23, 25–22, 25–22)
1,079 2–1[16]
9/04
6 p.m.
@ St. Louis #12[17] Chaifetz Arena
St. Louis, MO
(Marcia E. Hamilton Classic)
Billiken TV W 3–0
(25–17, 25–11, 25–14)
862[18] 3–1[19]
9/05
11 a.m.
vs. #24 Purdue #12 Chaifetz Arena
St. Louis, MO
(Marcia E. Hamilton Classic)
Purdue Audio W 3–0
(25–17, 25–21, 25–20)
357[20] 4–1[21]
9/05
3:30 p.m.
vs. Arkansas–Pine Bluff #12 Chaifetz Arena
St. Louis, MO
(Marcia E. Hamilton Classic)
W 3–0
(25–6, 25–10, 25–9)
N/A[22] 5–1[23]
9/09
7 p.m.
Idaho State #9[24] Smith Fieldhouse
Provo, UT
BYUtv W 3–2
(25–7, 20–25, 21–25, 25–14, 15–12)
1,551[25] 6–1[26]
9/11
7 p.m.
Oregon State #9 Smith Fieldhouse
Provo, UT
BYUtv W 3–0
(25–16, 25–12, 25–15)
2,788[27] 7–1[28]
9/12
6 p.m.
Oregon State #9 Smith Fieldhouse
Provo, UT
W 3–1
(25–21, 25–23, 19–25, 25–16)
1,011[29] 8–1[30]
9/17
7:30 p.m.
@ Utah #9[31] Huntsman Center
Salt Lake City, UT
(Deseret First Duel)
P12 W 3–0
(25–16, 25–18, 25–22)
3,056[32] 9–1[33]
9/19
7 p.m.
@ Utah Valley #9 PE Building
Orem, UT
UVU TV[permanent dead link]
WAC DN
W 3–0
(25–14, 25–15, 25–21)
2,445[34] 10–1[35]
9/24
8 p.m.
@ San Francisco* #10[36] War Memorial Gymnasium
San Francisco, CA
TheW.tv W 3–1
(25–23, 17–25, 25–21, 25–22)
405[37] 11–1[38]
(1–0)
9/26
2 p.m.
@ Santa Clara* #10 Leavey Center
Santa Clara, CA
TheW.tv L 3–1
(15–25, 25–19, 25–22, 25–20)
382[39] 11–2[40]
(1–1)
9/29
7 p.m.
Loyola Marymount* #15[41] Smith Fieldhouse
Provo, UT
ESPNU W 3–1
(22–25, 25–19, 25–21, 25–19)
N/A[42] 12–2
(2–1)
10/02
8:30 p.m.
@ San Diego* #15 Jenny Craig Pavilion
San Diego, CA
TheW.tv W 3–0
(25–23, 26–24, 25–20)
858[43] 13–2[44]
(3–1)
10/08
9 p.m.
@ Pacific* #15 Alex G. Spanos Center
Stockton, CA
ESPNU W 3–2
(20–25, 18–25, 25–16, 25–14, 15–8)
1,298[45] 14–2[46]
(4–1)
10/10
2 p.m.
@ Saint Mary's* #15 McKeon Pavilion
Moraga, CA
TheW.tv W 3–0
(25–20, 25–17, 25–22)
383[47] 15–2[48]
(5–1)
10/15
7 p.m.
Gonzaga* #13[49] Smith Fieldhouse
Provo, UT
BYUtv W 3–0
(25–21, 25–16, 25–16)
2,124[50] 16–2[51]
(6–1)
10/17
1 p.m.
Portland* #13 Smith Fieldhouse
Provo, UT
TheW.tv W 3–0
(25–16, 25–17, 25–15)
2,032[52] 17–2[53]
(7–1)
10/22
8 p.m.
@ Pepperdine* #12[54] Firestone Fieldhouse
Malibu, CA
TheW.tv W 3–0
(25–13, 25–19, 25–16)
240[55] 18–2[56]
(8–1)
10/24
1 p.m.
@ Loyola Marymount* #12 Gersten Pavilion
Los Angeles, CA
TheW.tv L 3–2
(25–23, 19–25, 25–16, 23–25, 15–12)
467[57] 18–3[58]
(8–2)
10/30
5 p.m.
#24 San Diego* #16[59] Smith Fieldhouse
Provo, UT
BYUtv W 3–0
(25–23, 25–19, 25–20)
2,082[60] 19–3[61]
(9–2)
11/05
7 p.m.
Saint Mary's* #14[62] Smith Fieldhouse
Provo, UT
BYUtv W 3–0
(25–21, 25–17, 25–15)
1,886[63] 20–3[64]
(10–2)
11/07
1 p.m.
Pacific* #14 Smith Fieldhouse
Provo, UT
BYUtv W 3–0
(25–18, 25–23, 25–17)
1,690[65] 21–3[66]
(11–2)
11/12
8 p.m.
@ Portland* #12[67] Chiles Center
Portland, OR
TheW.tv W 3–1
(24–26, 25–20, 26–24, 25–18)
354[68] 22–3[69]
(12–2)
11/14
1 p.m.
@ Gonzaga * #12 McCarthey Athletic Center
Spokane, WA
TheW.tv W 3–2
(23–25, 20–25, 25–23, 25–16, 16–14)
1,024[70] 23–3[71]
(13–2)
11/19
7 p.m.
Santa Clara* #12 Smith Fieldhouse
Provo, UT
BYUtv W 3–1
(25–19, 25–22, 23–25, 25–14)
1,421[72] 24–3[73]
(14–2)
11/21
12 p.m.
San Francisco* #12 Smith Fieldhouse
Provo, UT
W 3–0
(27–25, 25–12, 25–17)
756[74] 25–3[75]
(15–2)
11/24
7 p.m.
Pepperdine* #11[76] Smith Fieldhouse
Provo, UT
BYUtv W 3–1
(30–32, 25–9, 25–21, 25–23)
2,051[77] 26–3
(16–2)
12/04
7 p.m.
y- Ohio #11 Smith Fieldhouse
Provo, UT
BYUtv W 3–1
(19–25, 25–23, 25–17, 26–24)
2,761[78] 27–3
12/05
7 p.m.
y- Western Kentucky #11 Smith Fieldhouse
Provo, UT
BYUtv W 3–0
(25–23, 25–17, 25–20)
2,350[79] 28–3
12/11
3 p.m.
y- vs. #5 Nebraska #11 Memorial Coliseum
Lexington, KY
ESPN3 L 3–0
(26–24, 25–17, 25–23)
N/A 28–4
*-Indicates Conference Opponent
y-Indicates NCAA Playoffs
Times listed are Mountain Time Zone.

Announcers for televised games

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  • vs. Chicago State: Paul Duchesne, Chelsea Reber, & Dustin Avol
  • vs. North Carolina: Paul Duchesne, Chelsea Reber, & Dustin Avol
  • @ USC: Kevin Barnett & Tammy Blackburn
  • @ Saint Louis: No commentary (video only)
  • vs. Purdue: Kim Cook & Wendy Mayer (Internet radio, no video stream)
  • Idaho State: Spencer Linton & Kristen Kozlowski
  • Oregon State: Jarom Jordan & Kristen Kozlowski
  • @ Utah: Thad Anderson & Amy Gant
  • @ Utah Valley: Matthew Baiamonte & Steve Vail
  • @ San Francisco: Pat Olson
  • @ Santa Clara: No commentary (video only)
  • Loyola Marymount: Melissa Lee & Holly McPeak
  • @ San Diego: No commentary (video only)
  • @ Pacific: Paul Sunderland & Kevin Barnett
  • @ Saint Mary's: Alex Jensen & Scott Chisholm
  • Gonzaga: Spencer Linton, Amy Gant, & Jason Shepherd
  • Portland: Robbie Bullough & Tambre Haddock Nobles
  • @ Pepperdine: Al Epstein
  • @ Loyola Marymount: Peter Monoceros & Hunter Patterson
  • San Diego: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Jason Shepherd
  • Saint Mary's: Jarom Jordan, Amy Gant, & Jason Shepherd
  • Pacific: Jarom Jordan, Amy Gant, & Jason Shepherd
  • @ Portland: Jason Brough
  • @ Gonzaga: No commentary (video only)
  • Santa Clara: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Jason Shepherd
  • Pepperdine: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Jason Shepherd
  • Ohio: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Jason Shepherd
  • Western Kentucky: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Jason Shepherd
  • vs. Nebraska: Tiffany Greene & Missy Whittemore

See also

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For information on BYU's other fall and winter sports please check out the following:

References

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  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. ^ "BYU has OKC looking like Cinderella City again". The Oklahoman. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
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  4. ^ "Alexa Gray collects WCC Player of the Week accolades". Deseret News. November 9, 2015. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  5. ^ "Gray named WCC Player of the Week for second-straight week". Deseret News. November 16, 2015. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  6. ^ "Gray collects third-straight WCC Player of the Week award". Deseret News. November 23, 2015. Archived from the original on November 24, 2015. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
  7. ^ "Boswell takes WCC Player of the Week accolades". Deseret News. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
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