The BYU men’s volleyball team dominated the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation All-Conference selections this year, with multiple team members earning recognition.
Head coach Shawn Olmstead earned MPSF Coach of the Year after leading the Cougars to a 17-1 record. The team earned a No. 1 ranking in the AVCA poll after their last game in the shortened season and had the highest win percentage in the country (.944). The team also achieved 17 straight wins to earn the second-best start in BYU’s history. This marks the third time coach Olmstead has received this award during his five years of coaching the BYU men’s volleyball team.
Opposite hitter Gabi Garcia Fernandez received MPSF player of the year following a remarkable season. Garcia Fernandez led the NCAA in points per set, with 5.46, and aces per set, with .918. He totaled 56 aces during the shortened season, breaking BYU’s record for most aces in a single season. The junior finished the season with 244 kills, 93 digs and 61 blocks.
Garcia Fernandez was named to the All-MPSF First Team along with setter Wil Stanley, outside hitter Davide Gardini and middle blocker Felipe de Brito Ferreira. Outside hitter Zach Eschenberg was selected for the All-MPSF Second Team, and middle blocker Miki Jauhiainen was given All-MPSF honorable mention honors.
Stanley made his first appearance on an All-MPSF after he averaged 10.74 assists per set, leading the conference and ranking third nationally. The senior tallied 655 assists over the course of the season as well as 107 digs, 42 blocks and nine aces.
Gardini totaled 231 kills during his sophomore season and had a .370 hitting percentage. He led the team with 126 digs and tallied 58 blocks and 16 aces. His place on the All-MPSF First Team comes a season after being named 2019 MPSF Freshman of the Year.
De Brito Ferreira started the first 12 matches of the season before suffering an injury that caused him to miss the following five matches. The junior averaged 1.28 blocks per set over 39 sets, as well as hitting .426 and recording 62 kills. He has been selected for All-MPSF honors during all of his three years at BYU.
Eschenberg earned Second Team honors after finishing his senior season with 132 kills, 72 digs, 35 blocks and 12 aces.
Jauhiainen received honorable mention honors after he had 61 kills and 21 digs during his senior season, as well as ranking ninth in the NCAA with 1.14 blocks per set and leading the team with 72 blocks.
