PROVO, Utah — BYU men's volleyball head coach Shawn Olmstead announced the hiring of former Cougar Otavio Souza as an assistant coach.
"It’s exciting to be welcoming Otavio back to his alma mater," Olmstead said. "We had an opportunity in the offseason to improve our staff, and we’ve done exactly that in adding Otavio as our assistant coach. He is a great coach, communicator and even better person."
Souza came to BYU with three years of experience as the assistant coach for Cal’s women’s volleyball team, as well as two-year stints at both Saint Mary’s College and Missouri Western State. Before that, he also coached at Georgetown. In Souza’s first year at SMC in 2018, the Gaels finished the regular season 19-9, their best winning percentage since going 20-8 in 2010. The Gaels also went 2-0 against Pac-12 programs that season and punched their first ticket to the NCAA Tournament since 2012.
"I'm excited about helping this group compete at the highest level," Souza said. "We want to win championships while fostering an environment where our players can thrive off the court as well."
Souza wore a BYU jersey from 2009-2011, starting in 22 matches during his senior year, while collecting 119 kills, 94 blocks, 35 digs, 16 assists and seven service aces, with a .431 hitting percentage.
"Playing volleyball in the Smith Fieldhouse in front of thousands of fans at BYU is where I created great memories as a student-athlete," Souza said. "Our program has been competitive for many years. Coming back now as a coach is something really special for me to be a part of."
A Florianópolis, Brazil native, Souza went on to play professionally for Itajai Pro-Volei and Florianopolis Voleibol in Brazil, along with the Florida Wave.
Souza will make his BYU coaching debut in the 2023 season opener on Jan. 6. at 7 p.m. in the Smith Fieldhouse. The Cougars will be facing McKendree University from Lebanon, Illinois, which is coming off the best season in its program's nine-year history.