Young guns playing big for BYU Women’s Volleyball
By Austin Frost
On a roster full of experienced juniors and seniors, two true freshmen have played key roles in lifting BYU Women’s Volleyball to the nation’s top ranking.
After six straight Sweet Sixteen berths in the Women’s NCAA Volleyball Tournament for BYU Volleyball, the Cougars may have their deepest and most experienced team this season.
Seniors Roni Jones-Perry and Lindie Haddock-Eppich have been part of three Sweet Sixteen squads. Fifth-year player Danelle Stetler has swapped her position and last name since she joined the Cougars in 2014, when the Cougars lost in the National Championship game. Sydnie Martindale has become a fixture in the back row since transferring from Snow College in 2017.
When you throw All-American candidates Mary Lake and McKenna Miller (both juniors) into the mix, it is clear that BYU has relied on its experienced roster to reach its highest ranking in program history.
Which makes it all the more surprising that Heather Gneiting and Madelyn Robinson—two high-flying freshman from northern Utah Valley—are also playing indispensable roles in the Cougars’ early-season success.
When Opportunity Arises
Graduation and injuries left holes at middle blocker and opposite hitter for Heather Olmstead’s Cougars heading into the 2018 season.
In the preseason, Gneiting beat out sophomore Allison Stapleton to earn a starting middle blocker role, and Gneiting has quickly demonstrated it was the right move. Through 12 matches, she has 46 blocks and 74 kills with a solid .368 hitting percentage.
Robinson’s stats aren’t on the same plane as Gneiting’s, but Robinson has earned playing time over seniors Lacy Haddock and Stetler on the front row with powerful kills and a surprising ability to help on the block. She’s recorded 8 blocks, 37 kills, and is hitting .325 from the right side.
In some ways, Gneiting is the yin to Robinson’s yang: Gneiting is a natural at middle blocker. She’s 6’4” with long arms and has great coordination for a player as tall as she is.
On the other hand, Robinson is known for out-working her competition and is slightly undersized for top-level Division I front-row player. But she uses her hard-earned athleticism to play larger than her 5’10” frame.
From Rivals to Teammates
The two freshmen were high-school rivals: Robinson’s Lone Peak Knights beat Gneiting’s Pleasant Grove Vikings in the 2017 6A Utah High School Volleyball Championship in a five-set thriller.
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Working on the same side of the net this season, they’ve helped BYU defeat four ranked teams, while only dropping four sets in 12 matches. With the help of these two young guns, the Cougars have the potential to go beyond the Sweet Sixteen in search of the program’s first National Championship.