By Sam Scorup
Having recently been picked the preseason favorite for the Mountain West Conference championship, the BYU women”s volleyball team is preparing to continue its success from last season, while also seeing room for improvement.
The 2006 Cougars compiled a 25-6 record, earning a No. 20 national ranking and a second-round appearance in the NCAA tournament. It was the first time since 2003 that BYU had advanced in the NCAAs and their first Top 25 national ranking since 2001.
Despite the success, the team looks for better things this fall.
“I”m very optimistic about our upcoming season based on the success we had in 2006,” coach Jason Watson said in a news release. “We have a solid offensive core returning and athletes that have been together for quite some time. They”re ready to do what it takes to excel at an extremely high level.”
Outside hitter Chelsea Goodman, who was voted the MWC preseason Player of the Year, also looks for good things for BYU.
“We expect to win conference,” Goodman said. “We think we can go to the Elite Eight or the Final Four [of the NCAA Tournament].
Watson said with the loss of key players – such as middle blocker Lindsy Hartsock, Collegiate Volleyball Update”s National Blocker of the Year – others would have to step up their games.
Watson said sophomores Ashton Hansen and Marisa Vandersteen and freshman Christina Measom would attempt to fill the void left by Hartsock”s departure.
Watson named junior Bryn Porter and freshmen Christy Carpenter and Casey Speredon as players who could see playing time along with Goodman at outside hitter.
With a number of competitive opponents scheduled for the new season, BYU will prepare for a total of seven teams that qualified for the 2006 NCAA Tournament, including four that were ranked in the final CSTV/AVCA Top 25 Poll.
Watson said the strong non-conference schedule could prove helpful when it comes time for NCAA Tournament seeding.
“Our staff has put together a challenging schedule in 2007,” Watson said in a release. “Our non-conference competition in the early stages of our season will test us nightly. It will be a great opportunity for us to compete against some of the best talent in the country and prepare ourselves for an increasingly competitive league schedule.”
Although Goodman – who along with returnees Erica Lott and Rachel Dyer was named to the 2006 All-MWC Team – has earned individual accolades, she is more focused on team goals, such as an improvement in BYU”s performance at the Mountain West Conference Tournament, where the Cougars fell to San Diego State last season in an early-round upset.
Goodman cited the players” unity and work ethic as some of the team”s biggest strengths. The way the team practices carries over to the way they play in their matches, she said.
Goodman said she appreciates when the Cougar faithful pack the stands at the Smith Fieldhouse to cheer on her team.
“There”s no better place to play than the Fieldhouse,” she said. “[Opponents] have told me they hate to play here. It”s actually a compliment [to the fans].”
The Cougars will open their season on Aug. 24-25 at the Hawkeye Challenge where they will face Marquette and the host team, Iowa.
