We go through the ups and downs. It’s cool to have someone that’s been through it. You can grieve or be happy together through the ups and downs. – Anson Winder
PROVO — BYU boasts quite a power couple in the athletic department.
Cougar basketball guard Anson Winder has been dating women’s volleyball star Alexa Gray for about two years.
“We’re really close. She’s a great girl and a terrific athlete,” Winder said. “She helps make me the person I am. She pushes me to do better every day.”
While Winder is BYU’s second-leading scorer, Gray is the reigning West Coast Conference Player of the Year.
Gray, who hails from Calgary, Alberta, helped lead the Cougars to their first NCAA championship match last December. BYU fell to Penn State in the title game.
“It’s tremendous to see the accomplishments and accolades she’s had over the years,” said Winder, a Las Vegas native. “She’s on a great team. It’s cool to see.”
Winder and Gray can relate to each other, particularly when it comes to playing sports at a high level.
“We go through the ups and downs,” Winder said. “It’s cool to have someone that’s been through it. You can grieve or be happy together through the ups and downs.”
THE ART OF REBOUNDING: Guard Kyle Collinsworth is BYU’s leading rebounder, averaging 8.2 boards per game.
Rebounding is something Collinsworth takes pride in.
“I’ve always had a knack for rebounding. I think it’s probably because I always played three years up with my brothers,” he explained. “I just have an ‘every possession matters’ mindset. Going into a game, my main focus is rebounding, because I know if I rebound well, I’m aggressive. I’ll be aggressive on offense and I’ll be aggressive in getting guys the ball. That’s just my mindset.”
Coach Dave Rose relies heavily on Collinsworth’s rebounding ability.
“He really likes the fact that he knows we need him to rebound and he can come through for us,” he said. “He’s one of the most gifted rebounders for his size that I’ve seen for us. He has great timing and anticipation. He can rebound outside of his area because he can read where balls are going, then he’s really quick to the ball. He has great hands.”