PROVO, Utah — No. 19 BYU women's volleyball will kick off its 2025 season this week, hosting the dōTERRA Classic at the Smith Fieldhouse.
The Cougars will welcome FDU, Central Michigan and High Point to Provo, with the Panthers making the trip to the Beehive State for the Classic for a second year in a row.
| dōTERRA Classic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | Date | Time | Stream | Live Stats |
| Central Michigan vs. High Point | Fri, Aug. 29 | 10 a.m. MDT | ESPN+ | Stat Broadcast |
| FDU vs. No. 19 BYU | Fri, Aug. 29 | Noon MDT | ESPN+ | Stat Broadcast |
| High Point vs. FDU | Fri, Aug. 29 | 4:30 p.m. MDT | ESPN+ | Stat Broadcast |
| Central Michigan vs. No. 19 BYU | Fri, Aug. 29 | 7 p.m. MDT | ESPN+ | Stat Broadcast |
| FDU vs. Central Michigan | Saturday, Aug. 30 | 10 a.m. MDT | ESPN+ | Stat Broadcast |
| High Point vs. No. 19 BYU | Saturday, Aug. 30 | 4 p.m. MDT | ESPN+ | Stat Broadcast |
BYU begins the year ranked No. 19 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) preseason poll. The Cougars, in year three as members of the conference, were also picked to win the Big 12, with outside hitter Claire Little Chambers tabbed the league's Preseason Player of the Year and fellow outside Suli Davis the Preseason Freshman of the Year. Little Chambers, setter Alex Bower and middle blocker Brielle Kemavor were each named to the Big 12 Preseason Team as well.
Heather Olmstead enters her 11th season as head coach of the program, posting a 257-26 (.848) record through her first 10 seasons. Her win percentage is the second-highest active percentage in Division I women's volleyball, and highest among head coaches with three or more years of experience.
BYU's 2025 roster features 11 returnees, including six rotational starters, six newcomers in four freshmen and two transfers, and Sophia Callahan, back from her LDS mission after playing the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
The Cougars return their statistical leaders in kills (Little, 427), assists (Bower, 1,131), blocks (Kemavor, 166) and digs (Lulu Uluave, 353) from last season. BYU is one of six schools to bring back all four leaders this season, joining Big 12 Conference mate Arizona, Kennesaw State, UI Indy, Michigan and South Dakota State.
Additions for the Cougars include 2025 U19 World Champion and Best Outside Hitter Suli Davis, 2023 Under Armour Next Volleyball MVP Anna Blamires, 2024 Utah 5A state champion Grace Fredrick, 2024 Kansas all-state honoree Kaylee Tingey, Washington State transfer Emma Barbero and graduate transfer Elena Wallace.
BYU gets sets for its first meeting all-time with FDU, and its third matchups in series history with both Central Michigan and High Point.
FDU (22-9, 11-3 Northeast Conference)
- The Knights beat No. 3-seed Saint Francis in the NEC Semifinal before dropping the title game to No. 1-seed Chicago State in straight sets last season.
- FDU reeled off 13-consecutive wins in the middle of its 2024 campaign, spanning from Sept. 20-Oct. 25.
- Head coach David Nguyen enters year four as head coach in Teaneck. He is 53-42 (.558) through three seasons.
- This is the first-ever meeting between BYU and FDU. The two teams have met twice in men's volleyball, back in 2023.
Central Michigan (24-7, 15-3 Mid-American Conference)
- The Chippewas dropped a five-set heartbreaker to No. 3-seed Ball State in the MAC tournament semifinal last season.
- Central Michigan had two six-game win streaks and one five-game win streak in 2024.
- First-year head coach Arielle Wilson begins her tenure in Mount Pleasant after nine seasons as an assistant coach.
- BYU leads the all-time series, 2-0, with a 1-0 record in Provo. This marks the first matchup between the two teams since Sept. 13, 2008, a neutral site meeting held in Madison, Wisconsin.
High Point (23-7, 13-1 Big South Conference)
- The Panthers beat Radford and Winthrop en route to a Big South Tournament championship before falling at Oregon in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament last year.
- HPU reeled off nine-consecutive wins, spanning Oct. 11-Nov. 2, in 2024.
- Head coach Ryan Meek begins year eight at the helm. He is 105-55 (.656) through seven seasons.
- BYU leads the all-time series, 2-0, beating High Point, 3-1 in its third game of the dōTERRA Classic last season, the only other home meeting between the two teams.
The Cougars will remain at home next week, hosting the BYU Nike Invitational with Northern Colorado, Wichita State and Incarnate Word coming to Provo for the tournament.