Even after a recent conference loss, the No. 24 BYU women’s volleyball team is still in the running for a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Last week, Utah blanked BYU, winning 25-16, 25-15, 25-16. The Cougars have only been shut out one other time this season – against Arizona State.

BYU is currently 14-8 overall and 7-5 in conference play. This game against Utah was important not only because it is a long-standing rivalry, but also because both teams are part of the Big 12, one of the Power Four conferences.

In this match, Utah dominated all three sets. BYU had beaten the Utes earlier in the season, 3-2.

The Cougars have six games remaining in the regular season, all against Big 12 opponents. Currently, BYU is sixth in the Big 12 women’s volleyball standings, which leaves them behind Arizona State, Kansas, TCU , Baylor and Utah. BYU has some potential to move up in the rankings if they can pick up a few wins in these upcoming games.

Last season, the Cougars finished 13-5 in conference play, so if they can reel off six straight wins, that will put them right where they left off last season. In 2023, the Cougars earned the fourth seed in the NCAA tournament. Being their first year in the Big 12, it was quite a feat achieved by the Cougars.

This season, BYU is still in the playoff race, even with some recent losses to several conference teams. The NCAA volleyball tournament will consist of 64 teams. Thirty-two of these teams will be automatically selected, then the remaining 32 teams will be selected by the Division 1 Women’s Volleyball Committee.

The Cougars have just two home games remaining this season against Cincinnati and No. 8 Kansas.

The Cougars have been in the NCAA playoffs for 12 years. Coach Heather Olmstead has led the Cougars to the NCAA Tournament every year since her debut in 2015. The NCAA Tournament field will be announced Dec. 1, the Sunday before the start of the first round.

BYU next plays UCF on Thursday.