The BYU men's volleyball team is looking to return to the national championship game after losing in last year's final to Hawaii. While almost half of last year's team is gone, BYU's roster is full of replacements hungry to prove themselves.
Cougars in the pros: Bryant and Bucks make NBA playoff run
BYU men’s basketball alumnus Elijah Bryant is part of a Milwaukee Bucks team looking to make a deep run in the NBA playoffs, and another volleyball star got his professional start.
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Elijah
Bryant signed with the Bucks in the last week of the regular season on May 13, moving on from professional basketball in Israel after almost three years. He played previously for the Bucks Summer League team, and the NBA franchise kept a close eye on the former Cougar during his time overseas.
Bryant made his NBA debut on May 16 in the final game of the regular season, putting up 16 points, six rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes off the bench. He did not play in the Bucks’ first playoff game against the Miami Heat, but made his way onto the court at the end of games two and three, putting up four points, three rebounds and three assists over the two appearances.
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Shawn Olmstead on BYUSN - 05.07.2021
PROVO On the court, Wil Stanley may be the most important piece of the offense for the second-ranked BYU men s volleyball team.
The quarterback of the team, the 6-foot-4 setter from Honolulu is in charge of setting up every spike, kill and slam to a group that includes All-American hitters Gabi Garcia Fernandez and middle blockers Felipe de Brito Ferreira and Miki Jauhiainen.
Basically, if it s an attack, chances are Stanley has to guide it.
But last year, the senior with the Spirit of Aloha was called on for an even bigger task one that had very little to do with sets, bumps and spikes.
BYU men’s volleyball punches ticket to national championship game with victory over Lewis
The No. 2 BYU men’s volleyball team advanced to the national championship game with a 3-1 victory over Lewis in the NCAA tournament semifinals on Thursday night at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio.
“Credit to Lewis for hanging in there being down 2-0. They turned the tide a bit there, but even more credit to our guys for fighting through that lull too,” BYU head coach Shawn Olmstead said. “A tough, super close third set and then a really close fourth set, so I’m proud of our guys coming around.”
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PROVO In its first match since clinching the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title April 24, BYU men s volleyball wasted little time putting MIVA champion Lewis on its heels.
The third-ranked Flyers wasted little time counter-punching No. 2 BYU.
Then, Gabi Garcia Fernandez wasted little time doing Gabi Garcia Fernandez things.
With hitting for speed, power, or simply touch, the Puerto Rican international was too much for the best of the midwest.
Garcia Fernandez poured in 17 kills, seven digs, two aces and two blocks, and BYU held the Flyers below .300 hitting en route to a 25-22, 25-15, 26-28, 25-20 Thursday in the NCAA Tournament semifinals at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio.