Gabi Garcia Fernandez named AVCA Player of the Year

BYU Volleyball’s Gabi Garcia Fernandez was named AVCA Player of the Year and several BYU players received awards for short but excellent 2020 season. Garcia Fernandez is the third player in BYU Volleyball history to win the award, with Carlos Moreno and Taylor Sandor having won previously.

BYU finished the season 17-1 and ranked no. 1 in the nation, with their season ending with a split series at Hawaii, who was ranked no. 1 at the time. BYU swept the first match 3-0 before falling 2-3 the next day in an epic match.

BYU brought home several individual awards, and are listed below:

Shawn Olmstead - MPSF Coach of the Year

Gabi Garcia Fernandez - AVCA Player of the Year, AVCA First Team, MPSF First Team, OTB Bryan Ivie Award Winner(Best Opposite), OTB Dain Blayton Diversity Award Winner(Best Player of a minority ethnicity), OTB National Server of the Year,

Davide Gardini - MPSF First Team, AVCA First Team, OTB Karch Kiraly Award Winner(Best Outside)

Wil Stanley - MPSF First Team, AVCA First Team, OTB Lloy Ball Award Winner(Best Setter),

Zach Eschenberg - MPSF Second Team, AVCA Honorable Mention,

Felipe de Brito Ferreira - MPSF First Team

Miki Jauhiainen - MPSF Honorable Mention

With the NCAA’s ruling allowing players to return, Wil Stanley, Zach Eschenberg, and Miki Juahiainen all have the chance to return, although having all three return seems unlikely. The team will be strong again next year, and should be one of the favorites for a National Title in the 2021 season.