Upcoming Event: Volleyball versus Weber State (Exhibition) on August 15, 2026 at 3:00 P.M.
3:00 P.M.
Volleyball
vs Weber State (Exhibition)
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The University of Utah Athletics
Women's Volleyball Looks Ahead to Next Season
6/21/1999 12:00 AM | Volleyball
May 20, 1999
Utah made its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season. The Utes, seeded No. 8 in the Pacific Region, defeated ninth-seeded Illinois State in three games (15-11, 15-12, 15-5) in the first round and lost to top-seeded Nebraska in four games (14-16, 15-4, 15-8, 15-9) in the second round at the sub-regional in Lincoln, Neb.
With a 21-10 overall record, Utah posted its third consecutive 20-win season. The Utes .677 overall winning percentage equaled the third-best in school history. Utah also matched its best-ever winning percentage in WAC play (.643) and finished 9-5, placing third in the Pacific Division. It was Utahs fourth consecutive upper-division finish in the conference.
Utah received six votes to rank 34th in the final USA Today/AVCA Top 25 Poll. Utahs final RPI rating produced by the American Volleyball Coaches Association and Jeff Sagarin was 26th.
The winningest coach in school history, Beth Launiere has overseen a significant transformation since her arrival in 1990. She has posted a 158-128 (.552) career record in nine seasons. In the last five years alone, Launiere has guided the Utes to four 20-win seasons and five upper-division finishes in the Western Athletic Conference-one of the top five volleyball leagues in the nation before it split after last season.
Graciela Torres (S, 5-8, Sr.) is Utahs all-time leader in assists with 3,706. She broke the mark against Illinois State (Dec. 4) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Torres ranks seventh in the WAC in career assists, but will not be able to move up the list any further since Utah is leaving the conference.
Graciela Torres ranked fifth in the WAC in assists last season (12.81) and 17th in service aces (0.30).
Lucie Turkov (DS/S, 5-9, Jr.) was named first-team all-Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division defensive specialist last season. Turkov was third on the team in digs, averaging 2.52 per game overall and 2.65 in WAC matches.
McKelle Stilson (MB, 6-1, So.) ranked fifth in the WAC in blocks last season (1.32).
McKelle Stilson broke the WAC single-match hitting percentage record for a conference match with a .813 percentage against San Jose State on Nov. 17, 1998. She had 13 kills and no errors in 16 attempts.
Brooke Barton (OH, 5-10, Jr.) ranked fifth in the WAC in service aces last season (0.43). She was a second-team all-WAC Mountain Division defensive specialist in 1996.
Brooke Barton, Lucie Turkov and Jen Snow-Richards were three of the six Utes that earned academic all-WAC honors last season.
Utah and seven other schools are breaking away from the Western Athletic Conference to form the new Mountain West Conference. The conference will have its official kick-off on July 1. The Mountain West Conference members are Utah, Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV and Wyoming.
Utahs 1999 schedule includes eight matches against six teams that competed in the 1998 NCAA Tournament. The Utes will face Illinois, Notre Dame, Stanford and Texas Tech during the non-conference season, and Brigham Young and Colorado State twice each during the Mountain West Conference portion of their schedule. Brigham Young advanced to the East regional finals, while Stanford made it to the Mountain regional semifinals. Colorado State, Illinois and Notre Dame all advanced to the second round.
Quick Facts
General Information
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Founded: 1850
Enrollment: 26,183
Nickname: Utes
Colors: Crimson and White
Mascot: Swoop (Red-Tailed Hawk)
National Affiliation: NCAA Division I
Conference: Mountain West
Home Court (Capacity): Crimson Court (1,500)
President: Dr. J. Bernard Machen
Athletics Director: Dr. Chris Hill
Office Phone: (801) 581-5605
Senior Woman Administrator: Amy Hackett
Office Phone: (801) 581-3507
Athletic Department Phone: (801) 581-8171
Ticket Office Phone: (801) 581-UTIX (8849)
Volleyball Facts
All-Time Overall Record/Years: 391-405 (.491)/24th Year
All-Time Conference Record: 137-158 (.464)
1998 Record: 21-10
1998 Conference Record/Finish: 9-5/3rd - WAC Pacific Div.
1998 Postseason Results: NCAA Tournament Second Round
Illinois State W, 3-0 (15-11, 15-12, 15-5)
Nebraska L, 3-1 (14-16, 15-4, 15-8, 15-9)
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/3
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 5/7
Volleyball Staff
Head Coach (Alma Mater): Beth Launiere (Aquinas 85)
Office Phone: (801) 581-6843
Career Record/Year: 158-128 (.552)/10th Year
Record at Utah/Year: 158-128 (.552)/10th Year
Conference Record: 55-67 (.451)
Assistant Coaches (Alma Mater):
Cory Solomon (Utah 88)
Jamie Young (Utah 98)
Volunteer Assistant (Alma Mater):
Janie Penfield (Colorado State 98)
Strength Coach: Troy Malson
Trainer: Summer McKeehan
Manager: Andrew Anderson
Personnel Breakdown
Starters Returning Name Pos. Ht. Yr. Exp. 1998 Stats Brooke Barton OH 5-10 Jr. 2L/RS 1.63 kpg, 2.38 dpg, 0.43 sapg McKelle Stilson MB 6-1 So. 1L/RS 2.69 kpg, 1.32 bpg Graciela Torres S 5-8 Sr. 3L 12.81 apg, 2.59 dpg, 0.82 bpg Other Letterwinners Returning Name Pos. Ht. Yr. Exp. 1998 Stats Jen Snow-Richards OH 6-0 Jr. 2L 1.77 kpg, 1.67 dpg Lucie Turkov DS/S 5-9 Sr. 3L 2.52 dpgREDSHIRTS RETURNING Name Pos. Ht. Yr. Exp. Hometown (Previous School) Megan Andersen MB 6-1 Fr. RS Boise, Idaho (Boise HS)
Newcommers Name Pos. Ht. Yr. Exp. Hometown (Previous School) Brenda Beal MB 6-1 Fr. HS Emmett, Idaho (Emmett HS) Sara Chapman MB 6-2 Jr. TR Clearwater, Fla. (Manatee JC) Katrina Ellett MB 6-1 Fr. HS Taylorsville, Utah (Cyprus HS) Alisa Geddes OH 5-11 So. TR Escondido, Calif. (Cal State-Fullerton) Lenka Urbanova OH 6-0 So. TR Prague, Czech Republic (Charles University)
Starters Lost Name Pos. Ht. Exp. 1998 Stats Erin Petersen MB 6-1 2L/TR 1.66 kpg, 1.00 bpg Sara Shakula OH 6-0 4L 2.95 kpg, 2.27 dpg, 0.34 sapg Kalani Tonga OH 6-0 2L 4.17 kpg, 3.06 dpg
Other Letterwinners Lost Name Pos. Ht. Exp. 1998 Stats Shannon Downey DS 5-8 1L/WO 1.00 dpg, 1.50 sapg Stacie Greenwalt MB 6-1 3L 2.97 kpg, 1.22 bpg, 0.26 dpg Megan Lovell DS 5-11 1L/WO 1.81 dpg Lorraine Morrison OH/S 6-1 1L 0.83 kpg, 2.06 dpg
Get to know new Utah Volleyball Head Coach Alyssa D'Errico.
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