No. 8 Stanford (11-5, 3-2 MPSF) at No. 9 BYU (7-4, 3-2 MPSF)
Thursday • 6 p.m. PT
Television • BYUtv
Live Statistics • GoStanford.com
No. 8 Stanford (11-5, 3-2 MPSF) vs. No. 9 BYU (7-4, 3-2 MPSF)
Saturday • 7 p.m. (Maples Pavilion)
Television • Pac-12 Networks
Live Statistics • GoStanford.com
Complete Release (PDF)
Facebook |Twitter| Instagram
IN THE POLL: Stanford remained at No. 8 in this week's AVCA Division I-II Men's Coaches' Poll - matching its highest mark of the season. For the 12th consecutive year, the Cardinal was ranked to start the season. Five MPSF squads are ranked in the top 15 of this week's poll.
ABOUT BYU: BYU is 7-4 to start the season, including a 5-0 mark at home. As a team, the Cougars are hitting .306 and rank fifth in the nation with 2.47 blocks per set. Sophomore opposite Gabi Garcia Fernandez is second in the country with 4.59 kills on .320 hitting and 5.38 points per set. Junior middle blocker Miki Jauhiainen is second in the MPSF with 1.19 blocks per set, while freshman outside hitter Davide Gardini paces the Cougars with a .338 attack percentage and ranks sixth in the league with 0.38 aces per set, ninth with 3.84 points per set and 12th with 3.11 kills per set. BYU has won six straight against Stanford dating back to 2016. The Cardinal's most recent victory over the Cougars came on Jan. 15, 2016 in a five-set thriller in Provo.
1989 RECOGNITION: On Saturday, Stanford welcomes back to The Farm its 1989 team, which won the program's first conference title and made the Cardinal's first appearance in the national finals. The squad featured team captain and 1988 gold medal winner Scott Fortune, who would also represent the U.S. in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games, and was coached by Fred Sturm, who would go on to coach the U.S. in Barcelona (1992) and Atlanta (1996). Fortune was joined by Dan Hanan as first team All-Americans in 1989. Future first team picks Duncan Blackman, Parker Blackman and Dave Goss were also on the 1989 roster.
The 'sky is the limit' for aeronautics and astronautics major Paul Bischoff. The junior setter has found his path at @Stanford.#GoStanfordhttps://t.co/2pFZ2ik9vO
— Stanford Men's Volleyball (@StanfordMVB) February 20, 2019
MPSF PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Stanford was four-for-four in the month of January in player of the week recognition from the MPSF, and now has six awards for the season.
Jan. 7 - Jaylen Jasper (Offensive)
Jan. 14 - Paul Bischoff (Defensive)
Jan. 21 - Jordan Ewert (Offensive)
Jan. 28 - Kyle Dagostino (Defensive)
Feb. 18 - Jaylen Jasper (Offensive); Kyle Dagostino (Defensive)
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: Stanford ranks in the top 10 nationally in hitting percentage (5th, .328), assists per set (5th, 12.45) and kills per set (6th, 13.02). Individually, junior Paul Bischoff is third nationally in assists per set (10.53), while sophomore Jaylen Jasper is seventh in kills per set (4.04) and 10th in points per set (4.63).
COACHES POLL: Stanford was picked to finish fourth in the MPSF by the league's coaches prior to the start of the 2019 season. UCLA, which received six first-place votes, was selected to win the MPSF, while BYU collected the remaining first-place vote and came in second. Pepperdine came in third.
OFF THE BLOCK PRESEASON RECOGNITION: Sophomore Jaylen Jasper landed on the Off The Block/Springbak Preseason All-America second team. Libero Kyle Dagostino received votes, which were collected from coaches around the nation. Additionally, several Cardinal were named to preseason watch lists:
Paul Bischoff, Jr. (Lloy Ball Award - best setter)
Jaylen Jasper, So. (Bryan Ivie Award - best opposite)
Jordan Ewert, Sr. (Karch Kiraly Award - best outside hitter)
Kyler Presho, So. (Ryan Millar Award - best middle blocker)
Kyle Dagostino, RS Sr. (Erik Shoji Award - best libero)
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: Kyle Dagostino represented the U.S. in its seventh-place finish at the Pan American Cup in Mexico over the summer. Jaylen Jasper, Kyler Presho and JP Reilly all competed on the U.S. Junior National Team, which took fourth at the NORCECA U21 Continental Championship in Cuba. Freshman Justin Lui, who hails from Pickering, Ontario, played for Canada at the U21 Continental Championship.
.@JamesWalkerShaw led the U.S. ???? to a 7th-place finish at the Pan Am Cup in Mexico, while Jaylen Jasper was named the 'Best Server' for the Junior National Team in Cuba. #GoStanfordhttps://t.co/R4SjK45QYQ
— Stanford Men's Volleyball (@StanfordMVB) September 3, 2018
2018 RECAP: Stanford finished the 2018 campaign 6-20 overall and 3-9 in the MPSF. The Cardinal did not have one single match where all 18 players on the roster were available. Stanford made its 10th postseason appearance under head coach John Kosty, who completed his 12th season at the helm of the program. The Cardinal produced four all-conference selections and two AVCA All-Americans.
WHO'S IN?: With injuries and a young roster, Stanford struggled to find a consistent lineup in 2018. The Cardinal utilized 12 different starting lineups during the season. Middle blocker Kyler Presho was the only Cardinal to start all 26 matches at the same position last year. In 2019, the Cardinal has used just three different starting lineups.
NEW-LOOK MPSF: Last season, each MPSF team played 12 conference matches, featuring a home and away against each opponent. The 2019 MPSF Tournament will begin with seeds two, three and four hosting a quarterfinal match on April 13. The conference semifinals will be played at the No. 1 seed. The MPSF Tournament winner will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
HEAD COACH JOHN KOSTY: Stanford head coach John Kosty is in his 13th season at the helm of the Cardinal program and his 29th overall on staff in 2019. He is now 202-153 in his career and has guided Stanford to the 2010 NCAA national championship and the 2014 NCAA finals. The Cardinal has produced a first team AVCA All-America selection in eight of the past 11 seasons under Kosty. Stanford has appeared in the MPSF Tournament in 10 of Kosty's 12 seasons (missing out in 2007 and 2015).