PROVO, Utah — No. 8 BYU men's volleyball hosts No. 4 UCLA for a pair of conference matches on Friday, February 23 and Saturday, February 24 in the Smith Fieldhouse. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m. MST, with the broadcast streaming live on BYUtv.
NO. 8 COUGARS (9-5)
After two losses against an undefeated No. 2 GCU, the Cougars dropped two spots to number eight in this week’s AVCA Coaches Poll. Previously, the Cougars were ranked at number six, their highest of the 2024 season. Overall, BYU has been ranked in the top-10 since February 6, 2023 for a total of 20 consecutive weeks in a row.
Junior outside hitter Luke Benson leads the Cougars with 135 kills on the season, including 13 aces and 56 digs. Middle blocker Teon Taylor is averaging 0.92 blocks per set, totaling 46 blocks in 2024 as the 13th most in the NCAA.
Senior opposite Kupono Browne has recorded at least one ace in BYU’s last four games, tying his season-high of four aces against LIU on February 8, 2024. Browne leads the Cougars with 20 aces on the season. Browne also has 61 career aces, and would need three more to hold the record for 10th most in BYU men's volleyball history (rally scoring era) as Rob Stowell currently sits in 10th with 63 career aces.
No. 4 BRUINS (11-3)
The UCLA Bruins are the reigning National Champions, defeating Hawaii 3-1 in the 2023 national title game. UCLA was also picked to finish first in the 2024 MSPF Preseason Poll. UCLA is on a three-game win streak, going 11-3 on the season.
UCLA is led by sophomore outside hitter Cooper Robinson who has 117 kills, 41 digs, 32 blocks and 12 aces. Robinson was named MPSF Offensive Player of the Week on February 5th, 2024. The Bruins also have one of the best setter’s in the country in Andrew Rowan as he averages 10.55 assists per set, totaling the nation’s most assists at 517 so far in 2024.
The Bruins rank as the second-best in multiple catergories in the NCAA: second in blocks per set (2.87), second in assists per set (12.42) and second in kills per set (13.06). The Bruins also hold the 2024 NCAA record for team hitting percentage in a three-set match, finishing with a .822 clip against Morehouse on January 4th, 2024.
COUGARS VS. BRUINS
The Bruins currently hold onto a five-match win streak, dating back to a 3-1 win on April 10, 2021 in BYU’s final regular season game of 2021 at the Pauley Pavilion. In Olmstead’s first five years as BYU men’s volleyball head coach, BYU was undefeated against UCLA, going 9-0 from 2016-2020.
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