IRVING, Texas — No. 11 BYU women’s volleyball has been crowned the 2026 Big 12 Volleyball In-Season Challenge champion, the conference announced on Monday afternoon.
Running from Oct. 1 through Nov. 1, the challenge recognizes the team with the best overall record in conference matches played during the 31-day period.
The Cougars (17-1, 9-0 Big 12) have gone 8-0 in October. With one match remaining in the challenge, Friday’s matchup against Utah, BYU has clinched the title. Wins over No. 25 Colorado and No. 8 Arizona State last week helped secure the championship.
During the challenge, BYU has won five road matches and hit .310 and holding its opponents to a .152 clip. The Cougars limited Houston and West Virginia to hitting percentages below .100.
Elli Mortensen has led BYU offensively during the month, recording 109 kills at 4.04 per set while hitting .300. Four other Cougars have hit above .300 during the challenge: Brooke Hardy (.402, 52 kills), Kelli Jo Burgess (.366, 36 kills), Kate Prior (.330, 51 kills) and Claire Little Chambers (.306, 96 kills).
Setters Alex Bower (5.89 assists per set) and Kaylie Kofe (5.33 assists per set) have helped BYU average 14.7 kills per set. Lulu Po‘uha leads the team with 82 digs, averaging 3.04 per set.
Burgess, the nation’s leader in blocks per set at 1.89, has averaged two blocks per set during the challenge, totaling 54. Hardy has added 29 blocks at 1.07 per set.
BYU will close out October and its In-Season Challenge schedule against in-state foe Utah on Friday, Oct. 30, at 6:30 p.m. MT on ESPN+.
View the full Big 12 release at the conference's website.