Olmstead releases 2016 men's volleyball schedule

PROVO, Utah – BYU head coach Shawn Olmstead released the 2016 men’s volleyball schedule Wednesday, getting set for another season of national powerhouse competition.

“We look forward to the 2016 men's volleyball season,” Olmstead said. “It will be an exciting and unique opportunity to open at home with Loyola, who won last year's national championship. Each match in the MPSF will be demanding and offer us important opportunities to improve and compete.”

Ten of the Cougars’ 2016 opponents finished the 2015 season ranked in the final AVCA Coaches’ Poll, with three playing in the six-team berth NCAA tournament.

BYU begins the 2016 season hosting the AVCA Showcase. UC Irvine, George Mason and 2015 NCAA Champions Loyola-Chicago head to Provo on Jan. 8-9 to compete. The Cougars play the nightcap match each night, first facing the Ramblers on Friday and then the Patriots on Saturday.

The Cougars follow the showcase by beginning Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play at home against Stanford on Jan. 15-16.

BYU hits the road for the first time of the season for a two-week stretch, facing Long Beach State on Jan.22-23 and UC Irvine, the reigning MPSF champs, on Jan. 29-30.

After a pair of home matches against UC Santa Barbara on Feb. 5-6, the Cougars travel to New Jersey for two final regular-season nonconference matches against Princeton and NJIT from Feb. 12-13.

Following another pair of road matches at Cal Baptist from Feb. 19-20, BYU returns home to face Cal State Northridge on Feb. 26-27 to close out the month of February.

The Cougars travel to Hawai’i on Mar. 4-5 before taking a bye week off the following week.

Pepperdine heads to the Smith Fieldhouse after the bye, facing BYU from Mar. 18-19.

The Cougars then hit the road for the final time in the regular season, facing UC San Diego from Mar. 25-26 and UCLA on Apr. 1-2.

BYU concludes regular season play at home against USC on Apr. 8-9. The MPSF Tournament, with locations and times yet-to-be-determined, will be played beginning the following week.

View the complete 2016 men’s volleyball schedule on the schedule page.