Olmstead, Livingston and Prior to represent BYU on 2023 U.S. WCNT

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — BYU women’s volleyball’s Erin Livingston, Kate Prior and head coach Heather Olmstead will represent the Cougars on the 2023 U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team (CNT), the organization has announced.

Livingston, an outside hitter, and Prior, an opposite hitter, were named to the CNT roster, with middle blocker Whitney Llarenas listed as an alternate. Livingston, along with former Cougar Heather Gneiting, also competed with the CNT team last year.

The team, which includes 20 of the country's top collegiate women's volleyball players, will train alongside the U.S. Women's National Team in Anaheim, Calif. June 18-24.

Totaling 437 kills last season, Livingston led the team, averaging 4.46 kills per set. The Corona, California native hit .304 on the year, and also recorded 20 service aces, tied for third-most. Livingston was named an All-America Honorable Mention by both the AVCA and VolleyballMag.com, and both the AVCA Pacific South All-Region and All-WCC First Teams.

Playing at both middle blocker and opposite hitter as a true freshman, Prior put down 68 kills on a .338 clip while also tallying 30 total kills for the year. The Henderson, Nevada product earned All-WCC Honorable Mention and All-WCC Freshman Team honors. 

Olmstead was named an assistant coach for this year’s CNT. She has worked extensively with USA Volleyball in recent history, serving as an assistant coach for the 2022 Under 21 team, 2020 CNT Gold Team, and the gold medal-winning U.S. team at the 2015 Pan American Games. Olmstead was also the head coach of the 2019 U.S. CNT. 

Named the AVCA National Coach of the Year in 2018, Olmstead has a 213-29 (.880) record in eight seasons at BYU. She currently has the highest winning percentage of any women's volleyball coach in NCAA Division I history, and is also the fastest coach to reach 200 wins, doing so in just 225 games.

Under her leadership, BYU has reached the NCAA Tournament every year, including a Final Four appearance in 2018, six Sweet 16 runs and six West Coast Conference championships.

View the full women's CNT roster and coaching staff at the USA Volleyball website.