BYU's men's volleyball season may have ended sooner than hoped, but the Cougars showed flashes of a promising future in what was largely a building year. The team fell to UCLA in four sets during the MPSF postseason tournament last month, marking their fifth consecutive season without an NCAA tournament appearance. Despite hosting the league's postseason event, BYU couldn't capitalize on home-court advantage against the top-ranked Bruins.

Head coach Shawn Olmstead, now in his 12th season leading the program, was caught off guard by the sudden end. "I think we're going to look back on a few opportunities here that we should have taken advantage of," he said. "Those are the ones that I think are going to be tough and sting for the guys." He added, "Not for a second did I see that coming. I was fully confident, here at home, that we were going to win this match."

The Cougars finished the season with a 21-12 record, a mark that tells a story of both resilience and missed chances. Ten of their 12 losses came against teams ranked in the top six nationally—a testament to the level of competition they faced, but also a reminder of how close they were to breaking through. "There's no doubt, there's some of those losses that the guys would like another shot," Olmstead noted. "We were there and took care of a lot of matches we should have, but you'd like to always be a little bit better."

In a season with few surprises, BYU managed just one upset victory, yet they still finished as the No. 8 team in the nation—the highest-ranked squad to miss the newly expanded 12-team NCAA Tournament. That bittersweet achievement underscores the team's potential, especially with 11 underclassmen on the roster. Senior setter Tyler Herget reflected on the growth, saying, "I think it's been amazing."

For Olmstead, the sting of missed opportunities lingers, but the foundation is clearly being laid. "I think we're going to look back on a few opportunities here that we should have taken advantage of," he repeated. "Those are the ones that I think are going to be tough and sting for the guys." As the Cougars reload, keep an eye on this young core—they're proving they can hang with the best, and the next step is just a little bit better.