BYU women’s head coach Heather Olmstead is not afraid of challenging her team as she released the 2017 schedule which... CurrentPhoto via BYU Athletics
BYU women’s head coach Heather Olmstead is not afraid of challenging her team as she released the 2017 schedule which features eight NCAA tournament teams. The Cougars are coming off a deep run into the tournament last year where they advanced to the Regional Finals.
This year they look to return as they have a tough non-conference followed by a conference schedule which features teams that are looking to be more improved than the last. Match-ups to look out for will be Baylor, Boise State, Hawaii, Missouri, Ohio State, San Diego, Utah, all of whom have advanced to the postseason. They will also face UT Rio Grande Valley who received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament out of the WAC.
BYU will face Boise State, Missouri, Ohio State, and Utah for a second consecutive season in the non-conference but in a different location. The Cougars came out 3-1 against these teams only falling to the Utes in a five-set match at home. After losing twice in the conference season at Portland and San Diego, BYU came out as the WCC champions and a national seed hosting the first and second rounds.
Having home court advantage for BYU is huge as they are in the Top 12 nationally in attendance and second among non-BCS schools. Which means that they will schedule tough RPI-wise in order to repeat as one of the top 16 seeds in the postseason. Based off of the RPI rankings of 2016, they will face seven teams that were in the Top 50 as well as another seven that were in the Top 100.
Despite losing All-American middle Amy Boswell and all-conference middle Whitney Young Howard, they return the WCC Freshman of the Year in outside McKenna Miller, setter Lyndie Haddock, and All-WCC freshman team libero Mary Lake and add the No. 13 ranked recruiting class rated by Prep Volleyball.
As a school with their own television network, stay tuned to see the BYUtv schedule for the upcoming season released and featuring many women’s volleyball matches. Other televised games include on the Pac-12 Networks at Utah as well live streams to other away matches.
Provo, UT
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