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PROVO — It’s no secret that the third-ranked BYU men’s volleyball team has seen its fair share of injuries in 2017.
Stars like Ben Patch, Brenden Sander and Price Jarman, among others, have all missed time with a variety of ailments — and those are just the ones that have been made public.
Public injury reports or not, the Cougars are finally healthy — just in time for the NCAA Tournament in Columbus, Ohio, which starts Tuesday at 4 p.m. MDT against Conference Carolinas champion Barton.
“Credit to the guys, who pushed through a lot of things that people don’t know, nor does it matter,” second-year head coach Shawn Olmstead said. “But we’ve put together a really good season, and I feel like we are at a really good spot.”
The Cougars will take on a Conference Carolinas opponent for the first time since the tournament expanded in 2014, with the winner set to face No. 2 Long Beach State in Thursday’s semifinals.
A healthy team also includes star opposite Ben Patch, a junior who will likely sign a pro contract following the season as he keeps an eye on earning a spot with the U.S. National Team for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
“I think it’s just time to move on in life,” said Patch, who recently recovered from a groin injury. “BYU has given me a lot of opportunities and opened a lot of doors. But I think there are new doors opening, and it’s time to take advantage of those, especially in light of the Olympics.
“I think it’s best to get as high level of experience as I can in order to make the U.S. team that goes to Japan.”
Olmstead hasn’t faced a team from the new conference in his brief tenure as BYU head coach. But he likes what the upstart Bulldogs’ inaugural NCAA Tournament represents for collegiate men’s volleyball.
“I like that we’re trying to grow men’s volleyball, and that’s important,” said Olmstead, whose Mountain Pacific Sports Federation will split into two conferences next season. “There are teams being added, and there is a push to expand the tournament. I believe in that.”
Barton (23-5) advanced to the NCAA Tournament with a 3-0 win over Mount Olive in the Conference Carolinas tournament final. The Bulldogs hit at a .329 clip and are led by freshman rightside hitter Angelos Mandilaris and sophomore Vasilis Mandilaris, who both average more than three kills per set.
Though the team is making its first NCAA appearance, the Bulldogs’ rise is impressive in just six seasons of program history.
“They’re a team that will put good pressure on the service line, and they’ve got a few good pin hitters that can play with these guys and a nice setter,” Olmstead said.
Patch will be making his third tourney appearance, and the Cougars are confident in also sending seniors Jake Langlois, Joseph Grosh and Kiril Meretev with a run at the program’s fourth national title and first since 2004, despite a recent loss to Hawaii in the MPSF semifinals.
“I think the very energy of our team is very calm; we’re excited,” Patch said. “But we also know what is coming, and we’re going to give it our all.”
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