Cougars begin preparations for the 2016 season

PROVO, Utah – BYU women’s volleyball officially began preparations for the 2016 season Tuesday with team practices.

The Cougars will continue to practice until their first scrimmage, the Blue/White match, held Saturday, Aug. 20, at 1 p.m. MDT at the Smith Fieldhouse. Admission is free for the public.

Following the match, a 12-and-under kid’s clinic will be hosted by the team for an hour, free of charge.

BYU looks to build off of a fourth-consecutive trip to the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament. The Cougars went 28-4 last season before falling to eventual national champion Nebraska. BYU went 16-2 in conference play, winning its second-consecutive outright West Coast Conference title.

The Cougars return several starters from last year’s squad, including Amy Boswell, Cosy Burnett, Lacy Haddock and Whitney Young Howard. Additional players returning are Alohi Robins-Hardy, Jaiden Kaka and Danelle Parady who all started at some point last season.

The first official match of the season takes place at the Smith Fieldhouse Friday, Aug. 26, at 7 p.m. MDT against Utah Valley, as the Cougars host the BYU Invitational.