BYU picked first in MPSF preseason poll

WOODLAND, Calif. – BYU men’s volleyball was picked to win this year’s conference title by the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation’s head coaches, the MPSF announced Friday.

Returning 15 players and all six starters from the 2019 season, BYU head coach Shawn Olmstead will look to lead the Cougars to their fourth MPSF title in his fifth season at the helm of the men’s volleyball program.

BYU earned five first-place votes and finished with 35 points to secure the top spot in the poll. UCLA received two first-place votes and was picked second after totaling 31 points while Stanford collected 27 points for third.

The Cougars were ranked third in the nation by the AVCA’s preseason polls earlier this month as five MPSF teams will start the season in the top 15 of the AVCA NCAA DI-II rankings.

After tying for fourth place and reaching the semifinals in the MPSF Tournament in 2019, BYU’s first-place projection is the largest leap of any conference member from last season’s final standings to this year's preseason poll.

For the complete preseason poll, click here.

The Cougars open the 2020 regular season on the road with two matchups in Illinois the first weekend of January. BYU begins the year at No. 11 Loyola-Chicago on Friday, Jan. 3, before facing No. 6 Lewis on Saturday, Jan. 4.