PROVO, Utah — No. 17 BYU women’s volleyball will kick off its 2023 season this week, traveling to Missoula, Montana for a trio of games at the Grizzlies' Ellesyn Invitational.
| Ellesyn Invitational Match Information | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | Date | Time | Stream | Live Stats |
| No. 17 BYU vs. No. 5 Pitt | Friday, Aug. 25 | 2 p.m. MDT | ESPN+ | Stat Broadcast |
| No. 17 BYU vs. UTRGV | Friday, Aug. 25 | Noon MDT | ESPN+ | Stat Broadcast |
| No. 17 BYU @ Montana | Saturday, Aug. 26 | 7 p.m. MDT | ESPN+ | Stat Broadcast |
The Cougars begin their inaugural year as members of the Big 12 Conference ranked No. 17 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll and picked to finish second in league, with outside hitter Erin Livingston and setter Whitney Bower both named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
BYU has been ranked in the AVCA poll for 152-consecutive weeks, including 144-straight polls inside the top-18, dating back to the final AVCA poll of the 2013 season.
Head coach Heather Olmstead enters her ninth season at the helm, posting a 213-29 record since 2015. Her .880 win percentage is the highest among all NCAA DI head coaches. Olmstead is also the fastest DI coach to reach 200 career wins, achieving the milestone in just 225 games.
Debuting a 2023 roster that features nine returning players this season, the Cougars also welcome eight newcomers to Provo, including six freshmen and two upperclassmen transfers in libero Kamaile Hiapo and setter Kalia Thunstrom.
BYU opponents at the Ellesyn Invitational include No. 5 Pitt, Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) and host Montana. The Cougars and Panthers will face off in a NCAA Tournament Second Round rematch from last season. It will mark their fourth matchup in three seasons and first neutral site match between the two teams.
The lone matchup between BYU and UTRGV occurred in 2017, a 3-0 sweep for the Cougars' in the BYU Invitational. The Cougars and Grizzlies have met eight times previously, but have not played each other since 1990. Their first matchup in over 32 years will be the first time the two teams meet in Missoula.
No. 5 Pitt (2022: 31-4, 17-1 ACC)
- The Panthers advanced to the Final Four last season, falling to No. 1 seed Louisville in five sets
- Head coach Dan Fisher is in his 10th season at Pitt, posting a 258-62 (.806) record. He is 333-64 (.839) all-time.
- Pitt leads the all-time series between the two teams, 3-1
Texas Rio Grande Valley (2022: 27-7, 13-1 WAC)
- The Vaqueros advanced to the WAC Tournament semifinal before making a run to the quarterfinals in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship last season
- Head coach Todd Lowery enters year nine with UTRGV, going 132-104 (.559). He is 548-140 (.797) all-time.
- BYU leads the all-time series between the two teams, 1-0
Montana (2022: 17-12, 10-5 Big Sky)
- The Grizzlies picked up 17 victories last season, the most the program has recorded since 1999
- Head coach Allison Lawrence is in her seventh season at Montana, posting a 55-107 (.340) record
- BYU leads the all-time series between the two teams, 8-0
Following the Cougars' trip to Montana, BYU will host former WCC foe Loyola Marymount before welcoming McNeese and UC Davis to Provo for the dōTERRA Classic.