The 2014 BYU Cougars women's volleyball team represented Brigham Young University in the 2014 NCAA Division I women's volleyball season. The Cougars, led by fourth year head coach Shawn Olmstead, played their home games at Smith Fieldhouse. The Cougars were members of the WCC and were picked to win the conference title in the preseason poll.

The Cougars won the WCC Championship in November and were awarded an NCAA Tournament berth. Despite being ranked in the Top 15 all season, BYU wasn't awarded one of the 16 NCAA Seeds for the NCAA Volleyball Tournament, forcing the Cougars to play on the road. BYU proceeded to win the Tucson Area, Seattle Regional, and became the first ever unseeded team to make it to the NCAA Volleyball Championship match. 6 different BYU players were awarded WCC honors, and 3 BYU players were awarded All-American honors. Shawn Olmstead was also named Coach of the year (see Season highlights).

The Cougars were swept by Penn State in the NCAA Championship match, giving the Nittany Lions their seventh national title, but the Cougars NCAA Tournament run gave the Cougars the #3 ranking at the end of the season.

Season highlights The Cougars began the season by sweeping 9 straight sets to win the 2014 Blue & Gold Player's Challenge. The Cougars were the last WCC team to lose a conference match. BYU clinched a share of the WCC title with their victory over San Diego on Nov. 14. BYU clinched the outright WCC title with their victory over Portland on Nov. 20. Alexa Gray was named the WCC player of the year; Whitney Young was named WCC defensive player of the year; Shawn Olmstead was named Co-Coach of the Year; Gray, Young, and Jennifer Hamson won WCC First team honors; and Amy Boswell was named WCC honorable mention. Boswell, Hamson, and Tia Withers Welling earned Academic All-WCC team first honors. Tambre Nobles and Young were named Honorable mention Academic All-WCC team members. Jennifer Hamson was named the Seattle Region MVP. Jennifer Hamson was made a first team All-American. Alexa Gray was named a second team All-American. Amy Boswell was named an Honorable mention All-American. Shawn Olmstead was named AVCA Coach of the year. BYU became the first unseeded team to make the NCAA Championship.

Roster 2014 BYU Cougars Roster Defensive Specialist/Libero 1 Jaiden Achermann - Freshman 8 Makenna Santiago - Sophomore 14 Ciara Parker - Junior 17 Tia Withers Welling - Senior

Middle blockers 4 Madeline Graham - Freshman 10 Amy Boswell - Sophomore 16 Whitney Young - Sophomore Outside hitters 3 Alohi Robins-Hardy - Freshman 6 Camille Walker - Freshman 7 Hannah Robison - Senior 9 Alexa Gray - Junior 13 Danelle Parady - Freshman 15 Tambre Nobles - Senior Opposite hitters 2 Cosy Burnett - Freshman 15 Jennifer Hamson - Senior

Setters 11 Malery Wahlin - Freshman 20 Camry Godfrey Willardson - Junior 

Schedule BYU Radio simulcast all BYUtv games with the BYUtv feed. BYU Radio also carried the NCAA semifinals and finals with Dave Neeley providing the call. DateTimeOpponent RankArenaCity(Tournament)TelevisionScoreAttendanceRecord(WCC Record)8/295 p.m.@ West Virginia#9WVU ColiseumMorgantown, WV(Gold & Blue Player's Challenge)Mountaineer TVW 3-0 (29–27, 25–20, 25–20)6321-08/309:30 a.m.vs. IUPUI#9WVU ColiseumMorgantown, WV(Gold & Blue Player's Challenge)W 3-0 (25–19, 25–17, 25–18)2182-08/302:30 p.m.vs. Toledo#9WVU ColiseumMorgantown, WV(Gold & Blue Player's Challenge)W 3-0 (25–15, 25–20, 25–14)2153-09/57 p.m.#5 Washington#10Smith FieldhouseProvo, UT(BYU Invitational)BYUtvL 3-2(25–18, 22–25, 25–21, 21–25, 15–10)3,0173-19/6NoonUMBC#10Smith FieldhouseProvo, UT(BYU Invitational)BYUtv W 3-0(25–12, 25–15, 25–13)N/A4-19/67 p.m.Utah Valley#10Smith FieldhouseProvo, UT(BYU Invitational)TheW.tvW 3-0(25–18, 25–18, 25–16)1,0525-19/1211 a.m.vs. #14 Colorado State#9Pan American CenterLas Cruces, NM(UTEP/NMSU Invitational)L 3-1(23–25, 25–23, 25–20, 28–26)1045-29/127 p.m.@ UTEP#9Memorial GymnasiumEl Paso, TX(UTEP/NMSU Invitational)C-USA DigitalW 3-0(25–17, 25–6, 25–16)7936-29/13Noon@ New Mexico State#9Pan American CenterLas Cruces, NM(UTEP/NMSU Invitational)ESPN3/AltitudeW 3-0(25–16, 25–19, 25–21)8017-29/167 p.m.@ Idaho State#12Reed GymPocatello, IDWatch Big SkyW 3-0(25–18, 25–22, 25–14)8698-29/197 p.m.Utah#12Smith FieldhouseProvo, UT(Deseret First Duel)BYUtvW 3-0(25–18, 25–16, 25–7)3,8149-29/257 p.m.*Gonzaga#11Smith FieldhouseProvo, UTBYUtvW 3-0(25–22, 25–17, 25–13)1,47710-2 (1–0)9/271 p.m.*Portland#11Smith FieldhouseProvo, UTBYUtvW 3-0(25–16, 25–22, 25–21)1,10411-2 (2–0)9/307 p.m.*@ Pepperdine#10Firestone FieldhouseMalibu, CAESPNUW 3-0(25–17, 25–21, 25–20)82312-2 (3–0)10/27 p.m.*San Francisco#10Smith FieldhouseProvo, UTBYUtvW 3-1(25–18, 25–18, 23–25, 25–11)1,13413-2 (4–0)10/48 p.m.*Santa Clara#10Smith FieldhouseProvo, UTBYUtvW 3-0(25–10, 25–15, 25–18)1,38614-2 (5–0)10/98 p.m.*@ Pacific#10Alex G. Spanos CenterStockton, CATheW.tvW 3-1(20–25, 25–17, 25–21, 25–17)74515-2 (6–0)10/112 p.m.*@ Saint Mary's#10McKeon PavilionMoraga, CATheW.tvW 3-1(25–12, 23–25, 27–25, 25–14)32316-2 (7–0)10/178 p.m.*@ San Diego#9Jenny Craig PavilionSan Diego, CATheW.tvL 3-2(25–18, 22–25, 17–25, 25–20, 15–8)87616-3 (7–1)10/237 p.m.*Loyola Marymount#12Smith FieldhouseProvo, UTTheW.tvW 3-0(25–19, 25–9, 25–23)1,06417-3 (8–1)10/251 p.m.*Pepperdine#12Smith FieldhouseProvo, UTBYUtvW 3-1 (25–10, 20–25, 25–20, 25–17)1,28618-3(9–1)10/307 p.m.*@ Santa Clara#11Leavey CenterSanta Clara, CASanta Clara PortalL 3-0(25–14, 25–21, 25–15)30018-4(9–2)11/12 p.m.*@ San Francisco#11War Memorial GymnasiumSan Francisco, CATheW.tvW 3-0(25–20, 26–24, 25–14)23319-4(10–2)11/67 p.m.*Saint Mary's#14Smith FieldhouseProvo, UTBYUtvW 3-0(25–15, 25–15, 25–13)1,29620-4(11–2)11/81 p.m.*Pacific#14Smith FieldhouseProvo, UTBYUtvW 3-0(25–21, 27–25, 26–24)1,48721-4(12–2)11/147:30 p.m.*San Diego#13Smith FieldhouseProvo, UTBYUtvW 3-1(25–13, 25–15, 21–25, 25–15)2,29822-4(13–2)11/208 p.m.*@ Portland#12Chiles CenterPortland, ORPortland PortalW 3-0(25–14, 25–19, 25–21)39023-4(14–2)11/221 p.m.*@ Gonzaga#12Charlotte Y. Martin CentreSpokane, WATheW.tvW 3-2(21–25, 17–25, 25–18, 25–21, 15–10)82324-4(15–2)11/258 p.m.*@ Loyola Marymount#12Gersten PavilionLos Angeles, CATheW.tvW 3-1(30–28, 25–12, 23–25, 25–21)52625-4(16–2)12/44 p.m.y-vs. Seton Hall#12McKale CenterTucson, AZ(NCAA 1st Round)P12 DigitalW 3-0(25–16, 25–18, 25–17)2,00126-412/55:30 p.m.y-@ #14 Arizona#12McKale CenterTucson, AZ(NCAA 2nd Round)P12 DigitalW 3-1(22–25, 25–20, 25–23, 25–23)1,51527-412/125 p.m.y-vs. #8 Florida State#12Alaska Airlines ArenaSeattle, WA(NCAA regional semifinal)ESPN3W 3-1(25–20, 25–19, 19–25, 26–24)6,78928-412/139:30 p.m.y-vs. #11 Nebraska#12Alaska Airlines ArenaSeattle, WA(NCAA Regional final)ESPNUW 3-0(25–21, 25–20, 25–21)4,88529-412/185 p.m.y-vs. #6 Texas#12Chesapeake Energy ArenaOklahoma City, OK(NCAA Semifinal)ESPN2W 3-1(25–23, 25–16, 17–25, 26–24)9,82430-412/205:30 p.m.y-vs. #4 Penn State#12Chesapeake Energy ArenaOklahoma City, OK(NCAA Final)ESPN2L 0-3(21–25, 24–26, 14–25)11,01830-5 *-Indicates Conference Opponent y-Indicates NCAA Playoffs Times listed are Mountain Time Zone.

Announcers for televised games @ West Virginia: No announcers (video only) Washington: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce UMBC: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce Utah Valley: Robbie Bullough & Dave Neeley @ UTEP: No announcers (video only) @ New Mexico State: Adam Young & Kelli Alvord @ Idaho State: Matt Steuart & Kade Vance Utah: Spencer Linton, Amy Gant, & Andy Boyce Gonzaga: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce Portland: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce @ Pepperdine: Kevin Barnett & Holly McPeak San Francisco: Spencer Linton, Amy Gant & Andy Boyce Santa Clara: Spencer Linton, Amy Gant, & Andy Boyce @ Pacific: Don Gubbins @ Saint Mary's: Anthony Schultz & Betsy Sedlak @ San Diego: Chris Loucks Loyola Marymount: Robbie Bullough & Dave Neeley Pepperdine: Jarom Jordan, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce @ Santa Clara: No announcers (video only) @ San Francisco: Pat Olson Saint Mary's: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce Pacific: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce San Diego: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce @ Portland: No announcers (video only) @ Gonzaga: No announcers (video only) @ Loyola Marymount: Steve Quis & Dustin Avol vs. Seton Hall: No announcers (video only) @ Arizona: No announcers (video only) vs. Florida State: Sam Gore & Holly McPeak vs. Nebraska: Sam Gore & Holly McPeak vs. Texas: Beth Mowins, Karch Kiraly, & Holly Rowe vs. Penn State: Beth Mowins, Karch Kiraly, & Holly Rowe

See also

References