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Braden Taylor
| Posted: 13 Apr 2021 | Updated: 16 Apr 2021
No. 16-seed BYU to face UCLA in second round of NCAA Tournament
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PROVO, Utah – After securing the No. 16 seed and a first-round bye, BYU women’s volleyball will face UCLA in the second round of the 2020 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Tournament on Thursday, April 15 at 9:30 p.m. CDT on ESPN3/WatchESPN App.
BYU Cougars (16-1, 15-1 WCC)
- This marks BYU’s ninth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth and the seventh time in those nine seasons the Cougars have been one of the 16 seeded teams
- Under Olmstead, the Cougars have advanced to four Sweet 16s and the 2018 Final Four
- The Cougars went 15-1 in conference play to claim their seventh WCC title in 10 years since joining the league in 2011
- BYU enters the tournament ranked in top 10 nationally in three major statistical categories: No. 5 in assists per set (13.56), No. 5 in hitting percentage (.312) and No. 9 in kills per set (14.40)
- Middle blocker Kennedy Eschenberg ranks No. 6 in the NCAA Division I in hitting percentage (.459) and No. 11 in blocks per set (1.52)
- Sophomore setter Whitney Bower was named WCC Player of the Year and WCC Setter of the Year
- Bower, senior outside hitter Taylen Ballard-Nixon, Eschenberg and sophomore opposite Kate Grimmer were all named to the All-WCC First Team and the AVCA Pacific South All-Region team
- Head coach Heather Olmstead received WCC Coach of the Year and Pacific South Region Coach of the Year
- The Cougars remained No. 14 in the last AVCA national poll before the tournament, marking the 117th consecutive week BYU has been ranked
Series Information – BYU vs. UCLA
- BYU is 5-24-1 all-time against UCLA since the first meeting in 1972, but only twice in the start of the rally era in 2001 (2004, 2009 – both UCLA wins)
- The two teams have met 11 times in the postseason (NCAA/AIAW) with the Cougars going 3-8 in those matchups
- In the five NCAA Tournament meetings between the two programs, BYU is 2-3 against UCLA
UCLA Bruins (15-6, 14-6 Pac-12)
- UCLA is making its 37th appearance in the NCAA Tournament while boasting a postseason record of 92-33
- The Bruins swept Rider in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to advance to play BYU in the second round
- Junior Zoe Fleck was named Pac-12 Conference Libero of the Year
- Fleck was also one of five Bruins to earn All-Pac-12 honors, joining senior Mac May, junior élan McCall and freshman Iman Ndiaye
- UCLA entered the week ranked 21st in assists per set (12.97) and 26th in kills per set (13.90)
- The Bruins are ranked No. 15 in the latest AVCA national poll
Broadcast Information
- Date: Thursday, April 15
- Time: 9:30 p.m. CDT
- Live Stream: ESPN3/WatchESPN App
- Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tournament Information
- The NCAA Tournament is being held at the CHI Health Center Convention Center in Omaha, Nebraska
- The winner of Thursday’s match will face either No. 1-seed Wisconsin, Bowling Green or Weber State
- First- and second-round attendance will be limited to teams and team guests
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