Trent Moser walked off the court at Global Credit Union Arena in Phoenix on March 22 feeling pretty good. With help from his seven kills, the 6-foot-8 BYU transfer and his new team at Grand Canyon had just blanked the No. 6 Cougars, 3-0.

One month later, Moser and the Lopes were left with nothing but a blank stare after GCU abruptly cut its men’s volleyball program. Despite reaching the Final Four the previous season, everybody was out.

As a result, Moser is back at BYU and he brought three of his GCU teammates with him.

“Credit to him and his family,” BYU men’s volleyball coach Shawn Olmstead told the “Y’s Guys” livestream show this week. “It will be fun for him to finish this out and that’s a cool part to his story that I think the fans are excited about too.”

Moser, a 2023 member of the MPSF’s All-Freshman Team at BYU and a 2025 honorable mention All-American at GCU, will introduce his three colleagues to Smith Fieldhouse volleyball on Friday when the Cougars open the season against Saint Francis (7 p.m., BYUtv app).

“They have no idea what’s coming,” Olmstead said of the raucous environment that awaits 6-6 Kyle Zediker, 6-5 Connor Oldani and 6-6 Max Phillipe. “Trent tells them and it’s fun to see that interaction, but it will be a first.”

Another AJ?

The Marriott Center is home to freshman sensation AJ Dybantsa. At 6-8 with a 7-foot wingspan, the projected top pick in June’s NBA draft has men’s basketball flying high. Down the road at the Smith Fieldhouse, AJ Cottle, also 6-8 with a wide reach, is ready to make his freshman debut.

“We joke every day, he’s the ‘real AJ,” laughed Olmstead. “That’s our joke — with our humor.”

Just as Dybantsa plays above the rim, Cottle can occupy the air space up to 12 feet, which is 4 feet above the net.

“Mark my words, he’s going to be a standout,” Olmstead said. “He’s going to be one of the guys people are going to pay to come watch play in our gym.”

Olmstead first spotted Cottle after his Timpview graduation. Needing time to mature and grow into his body, and with some prodding by Olmstead, Cottle attended Utah Valley University before serving a two-year church mission to Rosario, Argentina.

“Mark my words, he’s going to be a standout. He’s going to be one of the guys people are going to pay to come watch play in our gym.”

—  BYU coach Shawn Olmstead of Cougar freshman AJ Cottle

In a head-to-head dunk contest between both AJ’s, Olmstead believes his guy would make it interesting.

“Our AJ is probably a little raw. Nothing against AJ (Dybantsa), I’m not questioning his personality, but this kid (our AJ) is unbelievable,” Olmstead said. “This kid would take it on and say, ‘Heck yeah! Let’s go!’ He’d try something dumb probably, but he’s so long and athletic he’d probably make it. It would be fun.”

Opening night

As a player, Olmstead won a pair of national championships at BYU in 2001 and 2004. His coaching run on campus started in 2008 with the women’s program. He moved over to coach the men in 2016. All those seasons have seasoned Olmstead with a grateful heart for the fans that will pack the fieldhouse again on Friday.

“I leave those games or I’m sitting there before they start, and I’m seeing people I’ve seen for the last 20 years, back to when I was a player — the same husband and wife and maybe their kids are now a little older and they are bringing their kids. That means so much to me, more than people know,” he said. “I walk in there and there is a sense of gratitude that people on a Friday and Saturday night will put everything aside to come support and watch and partake and be around our team.”

Olmstead’s Cougars are ranked No. 8 in the preseason coaches poll and projected to finish fifth in the highly competitive Mountain Pacific States Federation. BYU will host the MPSF Tournament at the end of the regular season.

“What a time to be at BYU. It’s wild. It’s a crazy, exciting time to be part of BYU with what’s going on in every sport,” Olmstead said. “The movement, the excitement, the wins. It’s just crazy.”

Heather Olmstead

When Olmstead shifted to men’s volleyball after the 2015 season, it opened the door for his assistant coach and sister, Heather, to lead the women’s program for the next 11 years. After 279 victories and a trip to the Final Four, Heather Olmstead and BYU agreed to part ways on Dec. 11.

“I love her. She has done a phenomenal job. It was an unbelievable opportunity for us to be together and be around each other,” he said. “Heather is unbelievably driven, unbelievably successful. She is going to go do whatever she wants right now and I’m excited for her. I’ll be her biggest fan forever.”

BYU hired Rob Neilson on Dec. 23 to succeed Olmstead as women’s head coach. Neilson is a former assistant for the Cougars and was one of Shawn Olmstead’s teammates on the 2004 national title squad.

Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com

LAFAYETTE ― McCutcheon volleyball senior setter Lexi Shondell embraced the challenge of expanding her role in 2025.

More kills, more blocks and greater ways of impacting the game. While the bid to win the IHSAA sectional title fell short, Shondell succeeded in each of these roles.

For her efforts, Shondell has been named the Journal & Courier Big Schools Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Capital athletes and students can expect a revamped track and field facility just in time for the fall semester.

The track will be resurfaced with state-of-the-art materials, BSS 2000 RE surface, which are used at The Ohio State University and the University of Oregon’s tracks. 

“This project extends beyond indoor track — sports like tennis, pickleball, basketball and volleyball will benefit from this state-of-the-art training surface,” said Darrell Bailey, director of Athletics. “In addition to supporting our student-athletes year-round, the facility will serve as a versatile venue for major campus-wide events, including commencement, the Undergraduate Research Symposium, and other programs that bring our entire community together.” 

Besides aesthetic benefits, the resurfaced track will allow for better safety, performance and competitive opportunity. Shock absorbtion and greater durability would be just some of the most important upgrades.

“This new surface elevates the standard of our training environment and enhances our capacity to compete and train at a high level. It’s a significant step forward for our program, and it reflects the commitment our institution and alumni have made to supporting Capital track and field,” said Ian Kellogg, director of Cross Country/Track and Field. 

The upgrades will also position the university to host championship events in the future, which would not have been a possibility before.

“From updated courts and a better practice facility for all sports that utilize it, to a significant facelift for the Cap Center overall, this investment positions Capital to provide one of the finest training environments in Division III,” said April Novotny, vice president for Advancement and chief development officer. “[Donors] support not only strengthens the student-athlete experience but also ensures our athletes train on an elite surface and positions Capital to welcome more competitive opportunities in the years ahead.”

Construction should be completed before the 2026-2027 athletic season.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — It was college signing day for one Calallen senior. Aubrey Navarro inked her commitment to run sprints for Stephen F. Austin University track and field.

She holds Calallen high school records in the 100, 200 and long jump according to MaxPreps. Navarro made it to Regionals her freshman season. Her journey was not easy, battling injuries the last two seasons. So to make it this far is a huge accomplishment.

“It means a lot because it’s just like so many things have happened lately, and to making it to go D1 and competing at a collegiate level is just a dream that I’ve always wanted since I was little,” Navarro.

Her 100 meter dash personal best time is 11.72 seconds, which she ran at the 97th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on March 26, 2025.

Larissa Liska

Navarro began running track when she was 5-years-old at Pure Speed Performance with Coach Rueben Flowers. She’s excited to represent Corpus Christi at the Division 1 level.

“It means a lot because not a lot of people in the Coastal Bend go for track, or do track or really are into track like I am,” Navarro. “It just means a lot to know that I can be a role model for others that really want to do it.”

CSUN THIS WEEK:

UCSB ASICS INVITATIONAL

MATCH #1

CSUN Matadors (0-0) vs. Maryville Saints (0-0)

Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 – 7:00 p.m. PT

Rob Gym – Santa Barbara, Calif.

ESPN+

Live Stats

MATCH #2

CSUN Matadors vs. Harvard Crimson

Friday, Jan. 9, 2026 – 2:00 p.m. PT

Rob Gym – Santa Barbara, Calif

ESPN+

Live Stats

MATCH #3

CSUN Matadors vs. Kentucky State Thorobreds

Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 – 4:30 p.m. PT

Rob Gym – Santa Barbara, Calif

ESPN+

Live Stats

In-game X updates: @CSUNMensVB

CSUN Men’s Volleyball Media Notes

FOR STARTERS

The preseason 11th-ranked CSUN Men’s Volleyball team (0-0, 0-0 Big West) opens the 2026 season, its 50th season of men’s volleyball, against Maryville on Thursday at the UCSB Asics Invitational in Santa Barbara. The match is the first of three for the Matadors at the annual tournament held at Rob Gym on the UCSB campus. CSUN opens the tournament Thursday against Maryville at 7 p.m., before taking on Harvard on Friday at 2 p.m. The Matadors conclude the three-day event on Saturday, taking on Kentucky State at 4:30 p.m. Fellow Big West teams UC Irvine and host UC Santa Barbara round out the six-team field this weekend.

FOLLOW YOUR MATADORS ONLINE

All nine matches of UCSB’s Asics Invitational will stream live on ESPN+ and will have live stats available (links at GoMatadors.com). CSUN home matches this season will also stream live on the ESPN+ platform, with Darren Preston handling a majority of the play-by-play this season.

Fans can also follow CSUN Matador men’s volleyball online at the official home of CSUN athletics, www. GoMatadors.com for related links to the match, including any live stats, audio, and video. Fans are also encouraged to check the CSUN Athletics Department’s official X feed (@ GoMatadors) and the volleyball-specific feed (@CSUNMensVB) for news and notes throughout the week, as well as updates of matches in progress.

CSUN RANKED 11TH IN 2026 AVCA PRESEASON MEN’S VOLLEYBALL POLL

After finishing the 2025 season ranked ninth in the final AVCA National Collegiate Poll, CSUN opens the 2026 season ranked 11th in the national preseason poll (Dec. 23). The Matadors, who finished 18-11 in 2025, finished in the top 10 in the final poll for the first time since 2018 and the second time in the last seven seasons. After being ranked in all 18 polls last season, CSUN received 238 points in the preseason poll to rank ninth. 

Since reclaiming a spot in the AVCA national poll in 2023, the Matadors have been ranked in the top 20 in 36 consecutive polls and 46 of the last 49 AVCA national polls since the 2023 season. CSUN has been a fixture in the national polls historically, having previously been ranked in the AVCA Top-15 for 62 consecutive weeks and 262 of the last 289 weekly polls dating back to the 2002 season. 

UCLA opens the 2026 season ranked first in the preseason poll, collecting 12 of 24 first-place votes and 481 total points. Hawai’i is second after receiving seven first-place votes and 473 points, followed by defending national champions Long Beach State, which received five first-place votes and 460 points. The remainder of the preseason top five includes Pepperdine and USC with UC Irvine, Loyola Chicago, BYU, Stanford, and UC San Diego  rounding out the preseason top 10. The second half of the preseason top-20 poll includes the Matadors, Lewis, Penn State, Ohio State, McKendree, Ball State, UC Santa Barbara, Princeton, George Mason, and Lincoln Memorial.

SCOUTING THE ASICS INVITATIONAL FIELD

Maryville (0-0) opens its fifth season of men’s volleyball on Thursday in Santa Barbara. The Saints were picked to finish second in their inaugural season as members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Maryville earned four first-place votes and 43 total points to finish second to Rockhurst in the polling. Junior OH Makai Scott returns after leading the Saints with 307 kills (3.37 kps) and 211 digs last season. After finishing 19-9 in 2025, the Saints return 13 players while adding six newcomers in 2026. All-time series: Thursday’s match marks the first-ever meeting between the Matadors and Saints in men’s volleyball.

Harvard (0-0) opens the 2026 season on Thursday against UC Irvine. The Crimson, who finished 9-15 in 2025, were picked to tie for fifth in the EIVA Coaches’ Preseason Poll. Seniors Zach Berty and Brian Thomas were named as Players to Watch by the conference’s seven head coaches. Berty averaged 2.22 kills per set in 2025, while Thomas averaged 0.94 blocks per set to lead the team. All-time series: Friday’s match is the seventh meeting all-time between CSUN and Harvard, with the Matadors holding a 5-1 edge in the series. The two teams also met at the UCSB Invitational in 2019, with CSUN pulling out a five-set win.

Kentucky State (0-0) also opens its 2026 season in Santa Barbara. The Thorobreds, who were picked to finish sixth in the SIAC (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) Preseason Poll, will open against UC Santa Barbara on Thursday, before taking on UC Irvine and the Matadors to conclude the weekend. All-time series: Saturday’s match marks the first-ever meeting between the Matadors and Thorobreds in men’s volleyball.

CSUN AT THE UCSB ASICS INVITATIONAL

Thursday’s match against Maryville marks CSUN’s 25th appearance in UC Santa Barbara’s annual tournament in the last 29 years. The Matadors are 56-37 (.602) all-time in the tournament dating back to 2001. Last season, the Matadors finished 3-0 in the tournament with wins over Tusculum (3-0), Missouri S&T (3-0), and Menlo (3-1).

Since 2019, the Matadors are 8-7 in UCSB’s annual event, finishing 1-2 three times (2019, 2023, 2024) and 2-1 in 2019. After the 2021 tournament was canceled due to the COVID pandemic, CSUN was scheduled to open the 2022 season in Santa Barbara but due to COVID protocols within the program, the Matadors were forced to withdraw, snapping a streak of 16 consecutive appearances. In 2019, CSUN dropped a five-set decision to Grand Canyon, which snapped a streak of 11 straight Matador wins in the tournament dating back to a loss to Princeton in 2015. CSUN won its first-ever UCSB Invitational championship in 2009 after upsetting No. 2 UCLA (3-1) and defeating No. 14 UCSB (3-1) and No. 8 Stanford (3-1). The Matadors then won their second straight crown in 2010, topping UCSB (3-1), California Baptist (3-1), and BYU (3-1).

THREE MATADORS NAMED AVCA ALL-AMERICAN, ALL-BIG WEST IN 2025

For the first time since 2018, CSUN had three student-athletes named to the All-Big West First Team in 2025. The Matadors had three first-team selections as senior Donovan Constable, redshirt sophomore Jalen Phillips, and freshman Stilian Delibosov were all named to the top team. The last time CSUN had three players named first team was 2018, when Eric Chance, Arvis Greene, Jr., and Dimitar Kalchev earned top honors. All three players went on to earn AVCA All-America honors as Phillips was named to the First Team and Constable and Delibosov earned honorable mention accolades.

NEW FACES IN 2026

In addition to returning 10 letterwinners and five starters from the 2025 season, CSUN welcomes an impressive list of newcomers in 2026. The group includes a trio of 2025 redshirts, including sophomore Owen Douphner, who steps in for departed All-American Donovan Constable at setter. Transfer Jordan Lucas (Grand Canyon) and redshirt freshman Grayson Albers (Sacramento) each open their first season on the active roster in 2026. CSUN also welcomes a trio of true freshmen in 2026 that includes Kingston Jerome, Joel Eanes, and Noah Douphner. Jerome comes to CSUN from Shadow Ridge High School in Las Vegas, Nev., while Eanes is a 6-9 opposite from Kellam High School in Virginia Beach, Va. Douphner is a local product from nearby Stevenson Ranch and the younger brother of the CSUN setter.

MATADORS IN THE BIG WEST  

The 2026 season marks CSUN’s ninth as a member of the Big West in men’s volleyball. With a 3-7 regular season record in 2025, the Matadors are 18-52 (.257) in 70 Big West matches over eight seasons since the conference’s inaugural campaign in 2018. CSUN finished 5-5 in the first Big West season in 2018 before finishing 3-7 in 2019, 2024, and 2025, 2-8 in 2021 and 1-9 in both 2022 and 2023. Prior to 2018, the Matadors played 25 seasons as a member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) from 1993-2017 and 16 seasons in the Western Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (WIVA) from 1977-92.

EDWARDS IN FOURTH SEASON AS CSUN HEAD COACH

Theo Edwards is in his fourth season as CSUN’s head coach in 2026 after leading the Matadors back into the AVCA national rankings in his first three seasons. Now in his 16th season at CSUN, Edwards was named the successor to Jeff Campbell on Dec. 9, 2022. CSUN finished 12-16 in Edwards’ first season (1-9 in the Big West) in 2023 and the Matadors have steadily improved in each of Edwards’ three seasons. CSUN finished 13-16 in 2024 and 18-11 in 2025. Under Edwards’ leadership, CSUN earned a No. 7 national ranking on Mar. 10 of the 2025 season, its highest national ranking in seven seasons. The Matadors finished the 2025 season with a No. 9 national ranking, also its best since 2018.

LOOKING AHEAD

Following three matches at the UCSB Asics Invitational, the Matadors will remain on the road for two more matches next week. CSUN will travel to the Midwest for the 2026 Under Armour Invitational at Lindenwood in St. Charles, Mo. The Matadors will take on the host Lions on Jan. 16 before meeting Purdue Fort Wayne on Jan. 17 at 2:00 p.m. PT.

#GoMatadors