PROVO, Utah – BYU women’s volleyball head coach Heather Olmstead has announced the signing of five student-athletes to join the program for the 2021 season.
The Cougars’ 2021 recruiting class includes middle blocker Bri Albright, outside hitter Sophia Callahan, setter Zayna Meyer, outside hitter Alyssa Montoya and outside hitter Elyse Stowell.
“The 2021 class brings a lot of versatility with it on the court,” Olmstead said. “They will have the opportunity to immediately impact our program. All five athletes are passionate about the level of play at BYU, the team culture, coaching and the academics. We’re excited to introduce the 2021 class to Cougar Nation.”
Albright, a 6-3 middle blocker from Ladera Ranch, California, is 53rd on the 2021 PrepVolleyball Top 150 player rankings and the No. 9 middle blocker on the list. In club play, Albright was a two-time USAV Junior National Champion as a member of TStreet.
An All-CIF honoree, Callahan helped lead Torrey Pines High School to its first state championship in 2019. The 6-2 outside hitter from Encinitas, California, and her team were later declared the 2019 MaxPreps Open Division National Champions.
A 6-1 setter from Wheaton, Illinois, Meyer is No. 40 on the PrepVolleyball Top 150 and was named an AVCA Under Armour All-American. Meyer is also a three-time AAU National Champion, playing for Sports Performance VB.
Montoya is a 6-1 outside hitter from Gilbert, Arizona. An All-Region First Team selection, Montoya is a two-time AIA 6A State Runner-up and an AIA 6A Beach Volleyball State Runner-up.
A two-time CIF Division II State Champion and the 2019 CIF Division II MVP, Stowell is rated the No. 9 player on the PrepVolleyball Top 150. The 6-2 outside hitter from Yorba Linda, California also won two USAV Junior National Championships while playing with Albright on TStreet.
In its early recruiting rankings released last November, PrepVolleyball rated BYU’s projected recruiting class as the sixth-best class in the nation. The Cougars’ last four classes have all finished in the top 15 of the PrepVolleyball final recruiting rankings. This year’s final rankings will be released later this spring.
Bri Albright
6-3, Middle Blocker, Ladera Ranch, Calif.
San Juan Hills HS, TStreet
- No. 53 overall prospect on the 2021 PrepVolleyball.com Top 150 player rankings
- No. 9 middle blocker on the PrepVolleyball.com Top 150
- Two-time Open Division USAV Junior National Champion
- Two-time Sea View League Champion
- Led the Sea View League in blocks in three consecutive seasons
Olmstead’s thoughts on Albright: “Bri’s strength is her arm and her ability to play multiple positions. She’s played club at a high level and she knows how to score. We’re excited about her versatility.”
Sophia Callahan
6-2, Outside Hitter, Encinitas, Calif.
Torrey Pines HS, Coast Volleyball
- 2019 MaxPreps Open Division National Champion
- 2019 CIF Open Division State Champion
- All-CIF selection
- Two-time Desert Valley League First Team honoree
- Two-time Desert Valley League Champions
Olmstead’s thoughts on Callahan: “Sophia has developed into a good outside hitter with a big arm. She is versatile in where she can play, and that will be a strength of hers. She plays with passion, energy and a desire to win.”
Zayna Meyer
6-1, Setter, Wheaton, Ill.
Wheaton Warrenville South HS, Sports Performance VB
- No. 40 overall prospect on the 2021 PrepVolleyball.com Top 150 player rankings
- No. 12 setter on the 2021 PrepVolleyball.com Top 150
- AVCA Under Armour All-American
- Three-time Open Division AAU National Champion
- VolleyballMag.com Underclassman to Watch
- Ultra Ankle JVA All-National Team
- 2019 IHSA State Runner-up
Olmstead’s thoughts on Meyer: “Zayna comes from a volleyball family with a high volleyball IQ. She’s got great vision and is a great leader. Her competitive nature is going to raise the level of our gym immediately.”
Alyssa Montoya
6-1, Outside Hitter, Gilbert, Ariz.
Perry HS, AZ East Valley Juniors
- Two-time AIA 6A State Runner-up
- Two-time Chaparral Tournament Champion
- All-Region First Team selection
- All-District First Team selection
- AIA 6A Beach Volleyball State Runner-up
Olmstead’s thoughts on Montoya: “Alyssa is a good jumper with a nice feel for the game. She plays with great energy and her skill sets will transfer well to the next level.”
Elyse Stowell - BYU WVB Signing Graphic" height="431" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/byucougars-prod/2023/08/07/A0qg71exF7fX3QtOaslTPULWaWjkZvaTjTUhy0Hg.jpg" title="" width="767" />
Elyse Stowell
6-2, Outside Hitter, Yorba Linda, Calif.
Esperanza HS, TStreet
- No. 9 overall prospect on the 2021 PrepVolleyball.com Top 150 player rankings
- No. 4 outside hitter on the 2021 PrepVolleyball.com Top 150 player rankings
- VolleyballMag.com Underclassman to Watch
- Two-time Open Division USAV Junior National Champions
- Two-time CIF Division II State Champion
- CIF Division II State MVP
Olmstead’s thoughts on Stowell: “Elyse has played competitive volleyball for many years and has won at a high level. She has a great arm and has the skills to be a prolific scorer.”