PROVO, Utah — No. 24 BYU women's volleyball heads to Fort Myers, Florida, to open up its 2026 season at the FGCU Invitational this week.
The Cougars will officially open the Rob Neilson era with matches against Florida State and Florida Gulf Coast.
| FGCU Invitational | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Date | Time | Stream | Live Stats |
| Florida State | Friday, Aug. 28 | 2 p.m. EDT | N/A | StatBroadcast |
| Florida Gulf Coast | Saturday, Aug. 29 | 5 p.m. EDT | ESPN+ | StatBroadcast |
BYU swept Utah Tech in an exhibition game last Saturday, its lone preseason action before beginning non-conference play in the Sunshine State.
The Cougars hit .305 while holding the Trailblazers to a .121 clip in the match. They received 10 kills from Claire Little Chambers on a .409 clip and eight from Sophia Callahan, hitting .300.
Setters Alex Bower and Kaylie Kofe finished with 17 and 13 assists, respectively, with Bower adding 10 digs to record a double-double. Libero Lulu Uluave posted a match-high 12 digs.
Freshman Brooke Hardy's five kills came on a .444 clip. She led the team with five total blocks, including one solo stuff, and its only two aces on the afternoon.
The Cougars were picked to finish seventh by the league's coaches in the 15-team Big 12 this season, sitting behind No. 12 Arizona State, No. 18 TCU, No. 15 Kansas, No. 21 Baylor, No. 23 Colorado and (RV) Iowa State, but picked ahead of Utah, UCF, Arizona, Kansas State, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Houston and Texas Tech.
BYU was also one of three schools to have three student-athletes named to the conference's preseason team, joining Arizona State and TCU. Bower, Brielle Kemavor and Little Chambers were the three Cougars voted to the list, with Kemavor one of eight unanimous picks on the 19-player team.
Having finished sixth in the Big 12 the last two seasons after placing third in its inaugural year as a member of the league, BYU looks to outperform its preseason placement, and advance past the First Round of the NCAA Tournament, where it has stalled into early exits in the last two seasons.
Kicking off their 2026 campaign on the road for the first time since 2023, the Cougars' roster this year features 13 returners and six newcomers (four transfers and two freshmen).
Florida State (2025: 16-13, 10-10 ACC)
- The Seminoles return five players who started 10 or more matches last season.
- FSU also brought in two transfer setters and one transfer libero.
- Head coach Lindsay Allman enters her first year as head coach in Tallahassee. She spent the last four seasons as an assistant on the Florida State staff.
- BYU leads the all-time series, 5-1, and is 4-1 against the Seminoles at neutral sites. The two teams have met just once in the 21st century, a 3-1 Cougar victory in a 2014 Sweet 16 matchup held in Seattle, Washington.
Florida Gulf Coast (2025: 19-9, 13-3 ASUN)
- Top-seeded FGCU was upset in the ASUN Tournament quarterfinals last season.
- The Eagles' returning group is led by three senior captains who helped the team earn a 2025 ASUN regular-season title.
- Head coach Thais Baziquetto-Allen enters her second season at the helm in Fort Myers. She went 19-9 (.679) last season.
- Saturday's match will mark the first meeting between BYU and FGCU in any NCAA Division I sport.
Up Next
The Cougars will return home to host Eastern Illinois and No. 4 Pitt on back-to-back nights, with both matches streamed on ESPN+.