Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
- BYU women's volleyball coach Heather Olmstead leaves after 11 seasons for new opportunities.
- Olmstead achieved a 279-55 record and developed numerous All-American athletes.
- BYU names David Hyte interim coach while conducting a national search for replacement.
PROVO — One week after being eliminated from the program's 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, BYU women's volleyball is looking for a new head coach.
Longtime coach Heather Olmstead announced her departure from the university Thursday to pursue "new professional avenues," according to a department news release.
Considered one of the top female head coaches in college volleyball, Olmstead went 279-55 in 11 seasons with the Cougars.
After taking over following her brother Shawn's move to the men's volleyball job, she became the fastest coach to reach 200 Division I wins — doing so in just 225 games — and was the third-fastest coach all-time to 100 Division I wins just 111 matches into her head coaching career.
The former AVCA national coach of the year in 2018 departs BYU after developing 14 All-Americans, 23 All-Region honorees, and nine All-Big 12 honorees while guiding the Cougars from the West Coast Conference, where her players earned 22 all-conference honors.
"Coaching at BYU has been an incredible chapter — one filled with championships, NCAA Tournament runs and record-setting seasons," Olmstead said. "But the true highlight has always been the people. I'm grateful for every athlete who let me be part of her journey and for the chance to help shape strong leaders, teammates and women who go on to make a difference long after their playing days.
"As I move into this next chapter, I do so with deep gratitude for the BYU community, for the players who trusted me with their development and for the staff who stood beside me through every challenge. I wish this program continued success, and I'm excited for what's next."
BYU Athletics is tremendously grateful for Coach Olmstead's devotion and commitment to BYU Women's Volleyball and wish her all the best in her future endeavors. pic.twitter.com/q7n4GoZwz1
— BYU Women's Volleyball (@BYUwvolleyball) December 11, 2025
Olmstead presided over what many consider to be the greatest season in BYU women's volleyball history in 2018, which included 11 weeks as the No. 1-ranked team in the country, a 27-match win streak, and a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament that took the Cougars to the national semifinals before a straight-set loss to eventual champion Stanford.
"I want to thank Heather for everything she has done to make BYU women's volleyball great," BYU athletic director Brian Santiago said in a statement. "She poured her heart and soul into this program and guided incredible teams that have had consistent national relevance and success and represented BYU well. Her student-athletes have gone on to do remarkable things.
"We wish Heather all the best as she pursues new opportunities, and we will open a national search for a new women's volleyball head coach immediately."
Olmstead was also a rising coaching star internationally, serving as head coach of the U.S. U21 women's national team that won the gold medal at the 2025 NORCECA Pan American Cup and 2024 NORCECA Women's Continental Championships.
She also had experience with the U.S. collegiate national team and was an assist on the U.S. team that won gold in the 2015 Pan American Games.
Olmstead's departure is the second longtime college volleyball staple to exit her program in the state of Utah, and comes days after legendary Utah volleyball coach Beth Launiere retired following a 31-year career.
But in the weeks since the Cougars' first-round loss to Big West champion Cal Poly in Los Angeles, the Cougars have seen three key departures to the transfer portal — including a pair of All-Big 12 first-team selections in setter Alex Bower and star freshman Suli Davis.
Sophomore outside hitter Blaykli Bobik, an Arizona native who played in 20 of the Cougars' 31 matches as a reserve, also entered the portal.
It's unknown if the portal departures were influenced by or connected to Olmstead's decision to leave her position.
But Davis, who broke a 40-year-old freshman kills record at BYU with 541 en route to freshman of the year honors by the Big 12 and the AVCA West region, took to her Instagram account to clear up any rumors of animosity between her and Olmstead and the other BYU coaches.
"I love coach Heather and the staff, I love my teammates, and everyone who has helped me at BYU," she wrote. "I couldn't be more grateful for them all. … I'm not transferring for those reasons."
BYU has named associate head coach David Hyte as interim head coach while it conducts what it calls a national search for the program's next head coach.
