Saturday, September 23
Provo, Utah
2PM
Baylor
at
BYU
No. 18 VB Starts Big 12 Play With No. 10 BYU
9/22/2023 4:24:00 PM | Volleyball
Bears head to Provo for league opener
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Already facing its sixth ranked team, No. 18 Baylor volleyball (6-4) will open Big 12 play with a road test against No. 10 BYU (12-1) at 2 p.m. CT Saturday at Smith Fieldhouse in Provo, Utah.
"The goal is to be the best at the end of the year," Baylor coach Ryan McGuyre said. "And we've never been a program here where we're going to coast. I do think there are programs that hide behind the records and shield some of the weaknesses. I think when you do lose some games, it helps you cherish the hard-fought victories. You really appreciate the winning when you're really earning it. As we gain momentum, that's the expectation here."
Baylor lost three of its first four matchups against ranked teams, but dominated the fifth set in a 3-2 win over then-No. 19 Ohio State on Friday and swept SFA, 3-0, on Tuesday behind double-digit kills from Elise McGhee, freshman Kyndal Stowers and Alicia Andrew, who had 10 kills on 10 swings with no errors.
"Our outside hitters are starting to feel more aggressive, but then also more accurate where they're able to locate when they need to locate," McGuyre said, "and hopefully be annihilating the ball a little bit more for us."
McGhee, who's averaging 3.08 kills per set, said "it's exciting to play these teams because they are such great teams."
"We're kind of a young team," she said. "And we talked about how the older you get, you see different aspects of the game. I feel like that helps prepare us, and it's going to prepare us for future games."
BYU is 2-1 versus ranked teams, beating then-No. 5 Pitt, 3-1, and 20th-ranked Houston, 3-0, sandwiched around a 3-1 loss to No. 13 Washington State. The Cougars are led by Erin Livingston with 172 kills and Mia Lee with 58 blocks.
"It's close to where I'm from, so I've always paid attention to their program," said sophomore opposite-side hitter Allie Sczech, who's averaging 1.89 kills per set with 23 blocks and six service aces. "They've always had great volleyball, so I'm really excited to get to go there and play, because I've heard a lot of great things about their atmosphere."
Baylor is led by freshman outside hitter Kyndal Stowers, the back-to-back Big 12 Rookie of the Week, is averaging 4.16 kills per set and hitting .226 with 81 digs and a team-best 11 aces.
"Right now, they're 1-0 (in conference), we're 0-0," McGuyre said. "I think both of us have aspirations to win this conference. Here we are, early September, mid-September, this is what's at stake this weekend. Looking forward to that."
BYU and Baylor are two of the six Big 12 teams in the latest AVCA Top 25. Texas is ninth, followed by BYU (10th), Kansas (17th), Baylor (18th), Houston (20th) and Iowa State (25th), with UCF and TCU receiving votes.
"They're all good," McGuyre said of Big 12 newcomers BYU, Houston, UCF and Cincinnati. "BYU is predominantly winning their conference. Houston's coming in winning their previous conference. Houston plays with great conviction, their team looks really connected. UCF, seems like they're winning 30 matches every year in their conference. Cincinnati has put some players on our national team. So, the four new additions are great for the conference. It's a great time to play volleyball in the Big 12."
The match will be streamed by the Big 12 Network on ESPN+, with Amy Grant calling the action.
PROVO, Utah – Starting its Big 12 conference slate, the 18th ranked Baylor volleyball team is ready to face No. 10 BYU for a midday matchup on Saturday, set for 2 p.m. CT in Smith Fieldhouse.
The Bears (6-4) have only faced the Cougars (12-1) once previously, at Hawai'i's Outrigger Resorts Challenge in 2017. BU won the matchup in five sets, 3-2.
Baylor comes into the match after sweeping Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday, 3-0. BYU also swept its midweek match, going 3-0 against No. 20 Houston in the Cougars' Big 12 opener on Thursday.
BU is 92-36 all-time in conference matches with head coach Ryan McGuyre at the helm of the program. In road openers for league play, the Bears are 4-4 under McGuyre. The 2023 Big 12 Preseason Poll had Baylor slated to finish third behind Texas and BYU, respectively. BU has finished in the top-two of the conference for six-straight seasons.
Against SFA, Alicia Andrew tied a school and conference record for hitting percentage in a three-set match with 1.000, going 10-for-10. On the season, Kyndal Stowers leads the team in kills with 158 at 4.16 kills/set. Averi Carlson has dished out 406 assists to date at 10.68 assists/set, while Stowers also leads in aces with 11. Leading in digs is libero Lauren Briseño with 117 at 3.08 digs/set, while Andrew leads in blocks with 35 at 0.92 blocks/set.
BYU is led by Erin Livingston with 172 kills, Whitney Bower leads in assists with 378, while Kamaile Hiapo leads in digs with 149. Leading the Cougars in blocks is Mia Lee (58), and Hannah Billeter has 22 service aces. Head coach Heather Olmstead is in her ninth season in Provo, same as McGuyre is in Waco with the Bears.
The Big 12 Conference is in its second-straight week with the highest percentage of league institutions being ranked in the AVCA/TERAFLEX Coaches Poll, six being ranked and two receiving votes.
The match will be streamed by the Big 12 Network on ESPN+, with Amy Gant on the call. Live stats and links to watch the match on ESPN+ can be found at linktr.ee/baylorvball.
To stay up to date all year long on all things Baylor volleyball, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorVBall.
Baylor Bear Insider
Already facing its sixth ranked team, No. 18 Baylor volleyball (6-4) will open Big 12 play with a road test against No. 10 BYU (12-1) at 2 p.m. CT Saturday at Smith Fieldhouse in Provo, Utah.
"The goal is to be the best at the end of the year," Baylor coach Ryan McGuyre said. "And we've never been a program here where we're going to coast. I do think there are programs that hide behind the records and shield some of the weaknesses. I think when you do lose some games, it helps you cherish the hard-fought victories. You really appreciate the winning when you're really earning it. As we gain momentum, that's the expectation here."
Baylor lost three of its first four matchups against ranked teams, but dominated the fifth set in a 3-2 win over then-No. 19 Ohio State on Friday and swept SFA, 3-0, on Tuesday behind double-digit kills from Elise McGhee, freshman Kyndal Stowers and Alicia Andrew, who had 10 kills on 10 swings with no errors.
"Our outside hitters are starting to feel more aggressive, but then also more accurate where they're able to locate when they need to locate," McGuyre said, "and hopefully be annihilating the ball a little bit more for us."
McGhee, who's averaging 3.08 kills per set, said "it's exciting to play these teams because they are such great teams."
"We're kind of a young team," she said. "And we talked about how the older you get, you see different aspects of the game. I feel like that helps prepare us, and it's going to prepare us for future games."
BYU is 2-1 versus ranked teams, beating then-No. 5 Pitt, 3-1, and 20th-ranked Houston, 3-0, sandwiched around a 3-1 loss to No. 13 Washington State. The Cougars are led by Erin Livingston with 172 kills and Mia Lee with 58 blocks.
"It's close to where I'm from, so I've always paid attention to their program," said sophomore opposite-side hitter Allie Sczech, who's averaging 1.89 kills per set with 23 blocks and six service aces. "They've always had great volleyball, so I'm really excited to get to go there and play, because I've heard a lot of great things about their atmosphere."
Baylor is led by freshman outside hitter Kyndal Stowers, the back-to-back Big 12 Rookie of the Week, is averaging 4.16 kills per set and hitting .226 with 81 digs and a team-best 11 aces.
"Right now, they're 1-0 (in conference), we're 0-0," McGuyre said. "I think both of us have aspirations to win this conference. Here we are, early September, mid-September, this is what's at stake this weekend. Looking forward to that."
BYU and Baylor are two of the six Big 12 teams in the latest AVCA Top 25. Texas is ninth, followed by BYU (10th), Kansas (17th), Baylor (18th), Houston (20th) and Iowa State (25th), with UCF and TCU receiving votes.
"They're all good," McGuyre said of Big 12 newcomers BYU, Houston, UCF and Cincinnati. "BYU is predominantly winning their conference. Houston's coming in winning their previous conference. Houston plays with great conviction, their team looks really connected. UCF, seems like they're winning 30 matches every year in their conference. Cincinnati has put some players on our national team. So, the four new additions are great for the conference. It's a great time to play volleyball in the Big 12."
The match will be streamed by the Big 12 Network on ESPN+, with Amy Grant calling the action.
PROVO, Utah – Starting its Big 12 conference slate, the 18th ranked Baylor volleyball team is ready to face No. 10 BYU for a midday matchup on Saturday, set for 2 p.m. CT in Smith Fieldhouse.
The Bears (6-4) have only faced the Cougars (12-1) once previously, at Hawai'i's Outrigger Resorts Challenge in 2017. BU won the matchup in five sets, 3-2.
Baylor comes into the match after sweeping Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday, 3-0. BYU also swept its midweek match, going 3-0 against No. 20 Houston in the Cougars' Big 12 opener on Thursday.
BU is 92-36 all-time in conference matches with head coach Ryan McGuyre at the helm of the program. In road openers for league play, the Bears are 4-4 under McGuyre. The 2023 Big 12 Preseason Poll had Baylor slated to finish third behind Texas and BYU, respectively. BU has finished in the top-two of the conference for six-straight seasons.
Against SFA, Alicia Andrew tied a school and conference record for hitting percentage in a three-set match with 1.000, going 10-for-10. On the season, Kyndal Stowers leads the team in kills with 158 at 4.16 kills/set. Averi Carlson has dished out 406 assists to date at 10.68 assists/set, while Stowers also leads in aces with 11. Leading in digs is libero Lauren Briseño with 117 at 3.08 digs/set, while Andrew leads in blocks with 35 at 0.92 blocks/set.
BYU is led by Erin Livingston with 172 kills, Whitney Bower leads in assists with 378, while Kamaile Hiapo leads in digs with 149. Leading the Cougars in blocks is Mia Lee (58), and Hannah Billeter has 22 service aces. Head coach Heather Olmstead is in her ninth season in Provo, same as McGuyre is in Waco with the Bears.
The Big 12 Conference is in its second-straight week with the highest percentage of league institutions being ranked in the AVCA/TERAFLEX Coaches Poll, six being ranked and two receiving votes.
The match will be streamed by the Big 12 Network on ESPN+, with Amy Gant on the call. Live stats and links to watch the match on ESPN+ can be found at linktr.ee/baylorvball.
To stay up to date all year long on all things Baylor volleyball, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorVBall.
- BaylorBears.com -
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
OPP
/ Volleyball
OH
/ VolleyballBaylor Volleyball: Highlights vs. Houston | October 1, 2025
Thursday, October 02
Victoria Davis was EVERYWHERE on Saturday!
Tuesday, September 30
✋ set wins over the 🐸's, a proven cure for the Sunday Scaries!
Monday, September 29
If you've got the 🔨, you've got to use it!
Monday, September 29
