BYU saying bye bye to four of its players at the start of 2011

Year 2011 started with a bad omen for Brigham Young University Men’s Volleyball team as its four top players have just been suspended by the National Collegiate Athletic Association after a thorough investigation. The NCAA came to the conclusion that these
four players were making improper use of benefits.

The incidence came as a setback for BYU as this was the second time in four years that the university has been found at fault by the NCAA. The first time was in 2008, when BYU was questioned about its recruitment procedures and subsequently placed under
probation for a period of three years.

The names of the BYU players that have been suspended are sophomore setter Ryan Boyce, senior libero B.J. Hiapo, junior setter Joe Kauliakamoa and junior middle blocker Russell Lavaja. Of these, Boyce and Gilbert have gotten a severer punishment, as they
will not be playing the first three matches of the season while Kauliakamoa and Lavaja will get off the hook relatively easily. The latter two have been suspended for just the first match of the season.

Though the decision has disappointed the team, they are still being optimistic about the upcoming matches. Junior opposite hitter Robb Stowell expressed team sentiments in the following words: “We’re all looking forward for it to be over and finished so
we can move on. Mentally we all have our eyes on the season. Our focus is on our next game. We’re really going to miss the guys for the first couple of games, but the work they’ve done has made up ten times more than the punishment they got. Obviously it’s
a bummer, but we’re ready and focused. Our team is so deep and so dynamic we’re going to be able to win with anyone on the court.”

The 2011 season will open for BYU over the weekend with the Santa Barbara Tournament. The first match is going to be played on Friday morning, opposite Cal Baptist. Stowell admits that the team will be entering grey area with three of its all starters gone
but he is convinced that they have the ability to take on anything.