When it comes to contending at the net in Big 12 volleyball, it’s kill or be killed and few are killing it better or more often than BYU’s Suli Davis.
With 339 kills, the 6-foot-2 newcomer from Euless, Texas, leads the nation among freshman and ranks No. 6 overall in the country’s most competitive conference. The developing marriage between her mind and body allows Davis to make an instant decision when the ball is coming her way.
“Do you have to manage that ball and just keep it in, or are you able to go get that ball and put it down?” Davis told the “Y’s Guys” livestream show this week. “Alex (Bower) gives me some great sets. When I’m in rhythm, I have range and can hit it anywhere if I just jump high and jump over the block.”
Davis combined for 41 kills last week in BYU’s road swing through No. 19 Baylor and No. 10 TCU. Her 20 kills against the Horned Frogs helped the Cougars snap TCU’s 18 home-match winning streak, 3-1.
“That’s my hometown so half the crowd was my family,” Davis said. “During that fourth set, just hearing everyone (chanting) ‘B-Y-U!’ You could just feel the energy. It was amazing. I think it showed how much we love each other and how resilient we are and how much fight we have. We play for each other. We play to win.”
‘Freshman Five’
Davis, who earned a silver medal at the U19 World Championships for Team USA last summer, is part of a “Freshman Five” at BYU that is unprecedented in Provo. The group also includes AJ Dybantsa (basketball), Jane Hedengren (track/cross country), Bear Bachmeier (football) and Kihei Akina (golf).
Dybantsa, a preseason AP All-American, combined to score 48 points in BYU’s two exhibition games. The 6-foot-9 all-purpose athlete will lead the No. 8-ranked Cougars into Monday’s season opener against Villanova at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (7:30 p.m., TNT). Dybantsa is projected to contend for the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s NBA draft.
Hedengren is the nation’s top female track and field recruit. In her first race at BYU, she shattered the course record at the Pre-National Invitational in Missouri by nearly 25 seconds. On Friday, Hedengren and the No. 1-ranked Cougars will attempt to win their third-straight Big 12 championship in Lawrence, Kansas.
Bachmeier became the first true freshman to start a season opener at quarterback for BYU. The Cougars routed Portland State 69-0 in his debut. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound teenager has combined for 20 touchdowns, 11 passing and nine rushing. BYU remains undefeated (8-0) and ranked No. 10 in the AP Top 25.
Akina was ranked the No. 4 recruit in the country by Golf Magazine. In his first fall season at BYU, the former Lone Peak High star has helped boost the Cougars to No. 12 in the Coaches Poll.
“It’s so exciting. You can just see that BYU is heading forward and it’s just a great time to be at BYU. Everyone is doing so well. If you have a chance to come to BYU, take it now or you are missing out,” said Davis. “I love that I’m a part of BYU with those other freshmen too! They are great, they are leading their teams and doing the best they can.”
Back to work
Davis and the Cougars host UCF on Wednesday (6 p.m., ESPN+) and Kansas State on Friday (6 p.m., ESPN+). No. 17 BYU (17-4) is one of six Big 12 teams ranked in the top 25. The Cougars’ 5-4 conference record is tied for seventh place, but they are just one match out of third place in the loss column with nine matches to go.
“We are a very young team, but I just think we have so much potential ahead,” Davis said. “We have the potential, and we can go get it, but that’s on us to prove how good we are.”
Davis was voted as the Big 12’s Preseason Freshman of the Year and has since been named the conference’s Rookie of the Week three times. In the relentless conflict at the net, where it’s kill or be killed for the point, Davis doesn’t back down to anyone.
“I feel like I have a mentality of ‘if you do something to me, I’m gonna do it 10 times harder,’ so kill or be killed, that’s a good way to put it,” she said. “It’s a ‘no one can stop me’ kind of thing.”
So far in her young career at BYU, Davis is killing it for the Cougars.
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.