PROVO, Utah — BYU Director of Athletics Brian Santiago has announced the hiring of Rob Neilson as the seventh head women’s volleyball coach in BYU history.

“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.

Wisconsin volleyball has quickly pivoted from postseason mode to offseason roster-building mode.

On Dec. 18, the Badgers lost in the NCAA Final Four in a five-set heartbreaker to Kentucky. On Dec. 19, five UW players announced plans to enter the transfer portal. Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield then picked up his first transfer portal commitment a day after that.

The Wisconsin Badgers moved quickly in the transfer portal, landing UC Santa Barbara outside hitter Eva Travis after losing starter Una Vajagic to the transfer portal on Monday.

Travis, a redshirt sophomore in 2025, had a strong season this past year, averaging 3.93 kills per set for the Gauchos, while recording a career-high 30 kills in a win over UC Irvine. She had 20+ kills in six matches this year and 19 matches with double-digit kills.

She’ll join an outside hitter group that includes returners Grace Egan (sophomore) and Madison Quest (freshman), as well as touted incoming freshmen Audrey Flanagan and Halle Thompson.

Travis was the 2024 Big West Freshman of the Year after redshirting in 2023. She earned All-Big West 2nd Team Honors this year.

Against some top competition in USC and Creighton this year, Travis had 21 and 19 kills, respectively. She now becomes the second transfer to commit to Wisconsin from the portal in this cycle, joining Florida middle blocker Jaela Auguste.

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LOGAN, Utah – Utah State University Vice President and Director of Athletics Cameron Walker announced the immediate national search for the next Utah State volleyball head coach on Tuesday, following the departure of Rob Neilson.
 
“I am grateful for Rob’s leadership of our volleyball program, including multiple conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances,” said Walker. “The profile of Utah State volleyball has been elevated, and we expect that standard to continue under new leadership. We will be efficient and aggressive in our pursuit of the next leader of Utah State volleyball and will begin an immediate national search.”
 
The Utah State volleyball program has won five conference titles over the past five seasons, including Mountain West Tournament championships in 2022 and 2025, as well as regular-season titles in 2021, 2023, and 2025. In the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the Aggies earned their first NCAA Tournament victory since 2001.
 
A national search for Utah State’s next head volleyball coach will begin immediately.