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BYU Athletics: 3 stories you may have missed

By Adam Andreason

Nov 5, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Taysom Hill (7) is tackled by Cincinnati Bearcats safety Zach Edwards (4) in the second half at Nippert Stadium. Brigham Young won 20-3. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Taysom Hill (7) is tackled by Cincinnati Bearcats safety Zach Edwards (4) in the second half at Nippert Stadium. Brigham Young won 20-3. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Girl Power

BYU athletics currently has four teams ranked in the Top-25 of their respective sport – and just one of them is a men’s sport.

The men’s cross country team is currently ranked No. 3 in country under head coach Ed Eyestone.

The rest are all women’s sports.

At the top is perennial powerhouse women’s soccer. The Cougars ended the season ranked either No. 3 or No. 4 in the nation, depending on the poll and are coming off their fifth-straight WCC championship and their annual NCAA seeding snub.

Women’s volleyball, under second-year head coach Heather Olmstead, sits at No. 12 in the national coaches poll. After losing all-timers in libero Ciara Parker and outside hitter Alexa Gray, not to mention three-year starter at setter Camry Godfrey Willardson, most (including myself) expected a step back for the spikers this year, especially offensively.

That didn’t happen.

In stepped freshmen McKenna Miller and Mary Lake. Miller is a powerful front row attacker who loves a good cut shot, and Mary Lake stepped right in at libero and may be just good as Parker. Or better.

It’s clear that coach Olmstead has things in hand, and will for some time to come.

Finally, the women’s cross country team sits comfortably at No. 18 in the nation.

It might not end there.

Don’t be surprised if at some point in the coming season the women’s basketball team gets in on the action. Like the men’s team, they have a lot of new pieces and question marks. But also like the Dave Rose’s squad, they have a lot of talent and depth across the board. Even without a ranking, they have proven the last few years to be regulars to the NCAA tourney, and have won WCC regular season and tournament championships.

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