“We are thrilled to welcome Rob Neilson back to BYU as our head women’s volleyball coach,” Santiago said. “Rob has been a part of a rich history at BYU, both as a player and coach on the men’s side, highlighted by winning a national championship. He is a proven winner, as evidenced by his experience as a head coach at Utah State and as an assistant coach for the USA National Team. We are excited to have Rob lead our BYU women’s volleyball program and exceptional student-athletes into the future.”

A setter at BYU from 2003-06, Neilson was part of the Cougars’ 2004 national championship team. He compiled a 91-31 record in his collegiate career. He tallied 2,790 assists, ranking fifth in BYU’s rally-scoring era record book upon graduation, and finished eighth in solo blocks with 28.

“Coaching at BYU is a dream come true,” Neilson said. “This is a distinguished university, with storied volleyball programs, built by amazing student-athletes, incredible coaches and a community that’s all in. I’m honored to continue that legacy with our women’s team. Thank you to the board of trustees, President Reese, Brian Santiago, Chad Lewis and the search committee. I’m excited to get to work preparing for great things as we hurl our challenge to all foes. Rise and shout. Let’s go.”

Neilson has spent the past six seasons as head coach at Utah State, posting a 112-59 (.655) record in Logan. Most recently, he led the Aggies to a historic 2025 campaign, finishing 24-8 overall with an 18-0 mark in Mountain West Conference play, winning the Mountain West Tournament title and recording a first-round upset of No. 7 seed Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament, Utah State’s first tournament win since 2001.

During his tenure, the Aggies captured three Mountain West regular-season championships (2021, 2023, 2025) and two Mountain West Tournament titles (2022, 2025). Neilson was named Mountain West Coach of the Year three times (2021, 2023, 2025) and earned AVCA Pacific North Region Coach of the Year honors in 2023.

Neilson coached 12 all-conference honorees, three all-region selections and one All-American, while guiding Utah State to winning records in five of his six seasons and three NCAA Tournament appearances. He is just the third coach in program history to reach the 100-win milestone and the first to do so since 1978.

Prior to his time in Logan, Neilson served as the first assistant coach with the U.S. Men’s National Team, helping Team USA earn a bronze medal at the 2018 World Championships and a silver medal at the 2019 Volleyball Nations League.

Before joining USA Volleyball, Neilson spent 10 seasons on the BYU men’s volleyball staff. He served as an assistant coach from 2006-10, acting as recruiting coordinator and overseeing player development. Neilson was BYU’s interim head coach in 2011, returned as an assistant in 2012 and was named associate head coach in 2014. During that span, he helped lead the Cougars to two conference championships and a national runner-up finish in 2013.

Neilson earned a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from BYU in 2006 and completed an MBA in 2013. He and his wife, Sarah, have five children.

The Rob Nielson File

• Played setter for BYU men’s volleyball team (2003-06)
• Assistant coach, BYU men’s volleyball (2006-2010, 2012-2014)
• Interim head coach, BYU men’s volleyball (2011)
• First Assistant, USA Men’s National Team (2014-2019)
• Head coach of Utah State women’s volleyball team (2020-2025)

RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros volleyball team enjoyed incredible success in the 2025 season. 
 
The Vaqueros won the program’s fourth conference title as they dominated in their second season competing in the Southland Conference (SLC), going 15-1 to claim the regular season championship. They went 22-8 overall, earning the second-most wins in program history. They won 16 consecutive matches, notching a new program best for longest winning streak. They saw a record number of fans fill the UTRGV Fieldhouse to support the squad during its impressive run. 
 
The individual accomplishments were just as numerous as the team ones. Head coach Todd Lowery was named the Katrinka Jo Crawford SLC Coach of the Year – one of four superlatives and 10 total all-conference honors collected by UTRGV this season, leading all teams in the conference in postseason awards for the second consecutive year. Junior Isabella Costantini earned her second SLC Setter of the Year title, while sophomore outside hitter Martina Franco was named the Newcomer of the Year and outside hitter Dimitra Nanou was tabbed Freshman of the Year. 
 
Costantini, Franco and Nanou earned First Team All-Conference recognition while junior libero Celianiz Cabranes, junior outside hitter Nadine Zech and redshirt sophomore middle blocker Julianna Bryant made Second Team All-Conference. 
 
Since the preseason practices in early August, Lowery knew his gym was packed with talent and potential. But the Vaqueros were also starting the 2025 campaign with only three consistent starters from the previous season and nine completely new players on the roster. 
 
The first month of the season was filled with ups and downs as Lowery and his coaching staff put the pieces of the puzzle together. UTRGV mixed up lineups and saw many players get reps in different spots as early bang-ups caused some changes to rotations. 
 
Throughout four non-conference tournaments, Lowery said the Vaqueros were either really good or really bad with not much in between. Seven of UTRGV’s first 11 matches were decided in three sets – if the Vaqueros came out sharp, they swept their way to victory, but when things were bumpy, they got swept just as quickly. They played some competitive matches against future top 50 and tournament teams such as UTEP, James Madison and Texas State. 
 
UTRGV split Week 1 of the SLC season, sweeping Lamar at home before dropping an extremely tight match at Stephen F. Austin, 3-2. Something clicked after that loss in Nacogdoches. The Vaqueros didn’t hang their heads after the match – instead, Lowery said, seeing how close they were that early in the season to knocking off the perennial power showed the team how high their ceiling was. They knew they had things to work on, but they also saw that they were ahead of schedule in terms of their goals for 2025, and they used that as motivation to find another level of play. 
 
“We talked tournament run all year long because that’s where we thought we’d be. Our goal was to be playing our best volleyball at the end of the year, but they were able to mesh together so quickly and things started falling in place after that SFA match,” Lowery said. “We saw flashes, at times, where we were really, really good. The girls were never shaken up by the early losses. They exposed some things to work on and the girls took those things as challenges.” 
 

After starting the year 6-7, the Vaqueros stacked up 16 wins in a row. They closed the regular season with a 14-match winning streak to earn the No. 2 seed in the SLC Tournament. They dominated the first two rounds of the tournament, sweeping Houston Christian and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to set up a championship bout of destiny against SFA. UTRGV came up short in the title match, but they came out of it hungrier than ever. 
 
“We felt like it was a coin toss going into that match. It’s always going to be a battle for us against SFA. I think now that we’ve been in the championship, we’ll be mentally more prepared. I think the moment got to us a little bit this year, but I think having so many pieces back, we’ll take care of that next year,” Lowery said. 
 
In the locker room after the match and in end-of-year meetings with the coaching staff, the Vaqueros players talked about two things: how determined they are to build on the 2025 success and how fun this season was. 
 
That response encapsulates the culture UTRGV established this fall. The Vaqueros had a special season because they truly enjoyed playing together and going to work every day. They were determined to get better for the team more than for their individual goals. Players dutifully stepped up or stepped aside as rotations changed based on the hot hand, and even when someone was on the sideline instead of on the court for a few matches, they cheered for their teammates and continued to compete in practice as if they were the starter. 
 
The selfless play and encouraging environment led to outstanding play. The Vaqueros hit over .400 as a team in five matches, including tabbing two of the most efficient performances in program history as they hit .471 at McNeese and .463 at Nicholls, taking the third and fourth spots in the record books for best single-match hitting percentage. UTRGV had three hitters with 200+ kills and six players who scored 2.24 points per set or better, with senior right side Valentina Sarti Cipriani and junior middle blocker Aaliyah Snead contributing at a high rate along with the four attackers who earned all-conference honors.  
 
The team accomplishments, the individual accolades, the records set; it all amounted to a season UTRGV will look back on with pride. It was fun. It was special. It was program-shifting, but not just because of the success. The culture established in 2025 – one of genuine fun and dedication and support in a team-first environment – was the key to the historic season, and the Vaqueros will hold that key tight and use it to unlock even more potential with a veteran group next season. 

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – A national search for the new Head Coach of the Cal State Bakersfield volleyball team produced dozens of qualified applicants with elite accomplishments, but the candidate who stood out among the crowd was, coincidentally, originally from right down the street. CSUB Acting Director of Athletics Dr. Sarah Tuohy has announced that Bakersfield native Kristen Wright will take the helm of the Roadrunner volleyball program.

A Stockdale High School graduate who went on to earn All-America honors in college, Wright (née Hurst) has put together a coaching resume as equally as impressive. With championship coaching experience at every level of amateur volleyball, Wright brings coaching Hall of Fame and Coach of the Year accolades in her return to Kern County.

“From the moment we began this search,” Tuohy said, “it was clear that Kristen was the right leader for this program. Her vision for Roadrunner Volleyball aligns directly with where we are headed as a department, and she has a proven ability to build programs back to championship caliber. There is no one better to represent and sell this university and the city of Bakersfield than someone who understands and loves this community so deeply.”

Wright served the past eight seasons at the University of North Florida in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Inheriting a squad that posted a 13-19 record prior to her arrival in 2018, Wright quickly turned the program around, finishing with a 25-8 showing in just her third full season with the Ospreys.

During that 2021 run, Wright’s squad made it to the NIVC Quarterfinals while resetting the program record for wins in a season with 25. She also guided the Ospreys to a program-high RPI of 49, ending with the highest final RPI at 75 and tallying the program’s first-ever victory over a Power 5 squad.

“I want to thank Sarah Tuohy, President Harper, and the entire search committee for their belief in me as the next head coach for CSUB Volleyball,” Wright said. “Bakersfield is my home and my love for volleyball began in the Icardo Center. I was impressed by the internal operations and vision of Sarah and her administrative support team. I think CSUB is in a unique time of creating vision, adapting to the rapid changes in the NCAA landscape and the leadership is something I will enjoy working with.”

Boasting a track record of success, Wright’s resume is flooded with championship achievements at all levels, including a CCCAA State title with the MiraCosta College beach volleyball team and nine-consecutive CIF San Diego Section Championships and six Southern California State Regional Championships with Tri-City Christian High School.

During her eight-year tenure at North Florida, Wright became the winningest coach in the program’s Division I history (since 2005) with an overall record of 197-154. She coached 10 All-Conference selections, four ASUN Defensive Player of the Year honorees and one ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year, all while maintaining a team cumulative GPA between 3.3 and 3.7.

While Wright’s journey followed a path that led to the other side of the country, she has remained rooted in Bakersfield and feels she is returning at the right time:

“This was also the right time for our family. My husband, Doug, is an elite Division I college beach volleyball coach, and returning to California allows our children, Bradyn and Kylee, to thrive during these important high school years while having their grandparents involved in their everyday lives. Some of my closest friends are here and thriving, and that sense of connection means everything to us. Home is truly where your people are.”

A standout prep star, Wright was highly recruited out of Stockdale High School, but she turned down Power 5 offers to compete for the University of San Diego. Wright became a four-year starter and captain for the Toreros. The pin hitter was named an All-American while leading USD to the program’s first-ever NCAA Sweet 16 appearance.

In her return to the Central Valley, Wright brings the ability to recruit from all areas and all levels, including attracting four Power 5 recruits to her program. She also aims to reconnect the Bakersfield Volleyball community back to CSUB while building the program into a regular contender in The Big West.

“I am excited to reunify our community around CSUB Volleyball and to build a program that brings tremendous pride to Kern County,” Wright added. “CSUB offers an outstanding educational experience in a place where student-athletes can truly live and thrive. Bakersfield provides the best of both worlds – an incredible community with a Midwest feel, where sports are part of the culture, while still enjoying all the benefits of the California dream, including proximity to the beach, mountains, lakes, theme parks, and major cities. What stands out most to me are the people. The passion, support, and pride in this community make Bakersfield special.”

Cal State Bakersfield invites the community to join us at the Icardo Center on Thursday, Jan. 8, at 4:30 p.m. (PT) to welcome Wright with an introductory press conference. Stay tuned to GoRunners.com as well as on social media (@CSUB_Volleyball) as Wright sets out to build a staff, a roster, and a schedule for the upcoming 2026 season.