The BYU Men’s Volleyball team is starting its season today in Santa Barbara, Calif., against UC Irvine.
Having finished second in the previous season, the team is starting this season with high goals such as winning the national championship.
“It will give us a preview of how the team plays and also where we stand,” said coach Chris McGown. “However, it will give them the same information.”
BYU has finished second in the conference four times within the last five years. McGown was asked what the team has been doing in order to get back on top and ready for the season.
“We have been focusing on the fundamentals as well as serving and receiving (passing),” McGown said.
Since this will be the first game of the season for the Cougars, it is difficult to say what their strengths will be. Some aspects McGown mentioned as strengths are the teams’ commitment to one another, the team-centered culture of the group as well as the idea of “a process.”
McGown said the team has large goals for the season such as contending for the National Championship, but the Cougars are also focusing on the process of getting to that goal.
“We are focusing on becoming a better team every day,” McGown said. “It is about the process you go through to get to the end result.”
The team also has the UCSB Gaucho Invitational this weekend in California. There are aspects away from home that affect the Cougars in away games that has led to a poor road record, according to McGown.
“No, it’s not the away environment that affects us. It’s things like changing elevation that make things different,” McGown said. “Since we are used to playing at a high altitude, we have to adapt to playing at sea level.”
There are many great opponents for BYU this year in men’s volleyball as well. Some tough opponents on the schedule for the Cougars are UC Irvine, Stanford and USC.
“There are so many good coaches for the teams that they will all be contenders for the title,” McGown said. “It will be a battle.”
McGown said he is excited for the season to begin, despite the game taking place away from the Smith Fieldhouse.
“I am excited for the chance to compete,” the coach said. “I love it and I love the home environment with all the fans when we play.”
The Cougars will play UC Irvine twice next weekend as well.
The first home games for the Cougars will be Jan. 20 and Jan. 21 against USC. They will be in the Smith Fieldhouse at 7 p.m.
