BYU makes great growth in a season of few surprises

Still, BYU finished the season as the No. 8 team in the nation, the highest ranked squad to miss the newly expanded 12-team NCAA Tournament.

In spite of that disappointment, the Cougars showed signs of growth, with 11 underclassmen on the roster.

“I think it’s been amazing,” BYU senior setter Tyler Herget said when reflecting on the season. “I think that this year we expected a massive rebuild year, and we expected a massive learning and kind of minimal growth. And I think a lot of the young guys were really able to step up and grow to a level, to the point where this team can be at the same point as we are right now next year, with how many young guys there are.”

The youth played impressive roles for the school, which potentially could bode well for the years ahead.

Some highlights from the underclassmen included freshman middle blocker AJ Cottle leading the team in blocks per set with an average of 1.08 stuffs, while hitting .496 throughout the year on 256 attempts — a team-high for players with at least 65 attempts.

Additionally, no player competed in more sets for the Cougars this season than sophomore outside hitter Connor Oldani, who also led the team in kills (346) and total points (416.5).

Other young players that made important contributions included starting sophomore middle blocker Gavin Chambers, who led the team in total blocks with 102; freshman middle blocker Max Philippe’s 40 blocks and 40 kills in sparing time on the court; and freshman, high-flying outside hitter Trevor Herget, who brought energy off the bench for the school, picking up 18 service aces, 144 kills and 26 blocks.

The Cougars needed as much energy as they could get this season, playing multiple matches every week for three and a half months. Entering the year, the school initially had a bye week in February that ultimately was filled at the last minute when Hawaii had a mid-season opening.

“That’s the first time probably ever in my career I’ve not had a bye week somewhere in the season,” Olmstead said. “But that was a choice we made when the opportunity to play Hawaii came up. (It was) a grind.”

BYU’s 2026 season was a grind but also a growing year; a season that could springboard the Cougars into 2027 as they seek to end a trend and capture what has become an elusive NCAA tournament bid.

AJ Cottle, center, is introduced prior to match against UC San Diego on Jan. 17, 2026, at Smith Fieldhouse in Provo, Utah. | Emma Thomas, BYU Photo