Campus briefs

UTAH

VOLLEYBALL: Six matches against schools that qualified for last season's NCAA Tournament highlight the 2009 University of Utah volleyball schedule, released by head coach Beth Launiere Wednesday.

Utah will take on a challenging schedule as it is comes off one of its most successful seasons in the program's 35-year history. The Utes posted a 26-6 overall record in 2008 en route to a Mountain West Conference championship and an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance. Launiere is entering her 20th season as Utah's head coach with a 391-212 (.648) record at the school.

"Our tradition of playing strong competition has propelled our program to national prominence," Utah head coach Beth Launiere said. "The 2009 schedule is no different."

Utah will play 14 home matches during the 2009 regular season, starting with the annual Utah Classic at Crimson Court, Aug. 28-29. The four-team field includes Arizona State, Cincinnati and UC-Riverside.

The opening Deseret First Duel volleyball match of the season against BYU at Crimson Court Sept. 25 and will kick off the Utah Volleyball Reunion weekend. Former Ute players from the program's first 35 years will be honored during the Sept. 25 match and will participate in a sand volleyball tournament at Wasatch Beach Sept. 26. All former Ute players who are interested in attending should contact Jill Gillman ((801) 581-8228, jgillman@huntsman.utah.edu.)

Start times and television coverage for selected matches will be announced at a later date.

BYU

TRACK AND FIELD: Despite battling heavy winds the BYU combined event athletes got the Cougars off to a strong start on Wednesday at the Mountain West Conference Track and Field Championships in Laramie, Wyo.

Leading the way for the No. 11 nationally ranked women's team was the heptathlete duo of Amy Menlove and Mindy Robins. Menlove sits in first with a total of 3,195 points and Robins is currently in fifth with 2,742 points.

"I think we've done awesome when you consider the conditions," said BYU women's track and field head coach Craig Poole. "It's been windy and chilly, but I think Amy and Mindy handled everything really well."

Menlove and Robins set an impressive tone by placing first and second in the meets' first event, the 100-meter hurdles.