The BYU women’s volleyball team starts off the 2012 season with confidence after being picked to finish fourth in the West Coast Conference preseason poll.
The Cougars are hoping to improve their WWC preseason prediction as they did last year when they were predicted to finish sixth but instead finished third behind Pepperdine and San Diego.
To help them with this goal, the Cougars have five returning starters, including junior opposite hitter Jennifer Hamson who was named to the 2012 preseason All-WCC Team. The team also has an addition of five freshman to the 2012 roster.
Freshman setter Samantha Staker said the team is looking good.
“We have some really strong girls,” Staker said. “Day in and day out at practice I feel like we have a really good work ethic.”
The 2012 preseason opened Aug. 24 with the first of four invitational tournaments that will continue through mid-September. The Cougars won their first invitational on Aug. 24 and Aug. 25 with 3-0 sweeps against Arkansas, Air Force and Rice in Houston.
Head Coach Shawn Olmstead said every tournament, including those against outside competition, is a chance for the Cougars to see where they can improve.
On Sept. 7 and Sept. 8, the Cougars will host the BYU Invitational at the Smith Fieldhouse and then close up the preseason on Sept. 14 and Sept. 15 at the George Washington Invitational in Washington, D.C.
Their season begins with their home opener on Sept. 20 against Pepperdine at the Smith Fieldhouse at 7 p.m.
