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BYU senior Jon Stanley, center, watches a video during Senior Night alongside his brother Wil, left, at the Smith Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Kupono Browne bids an emotional farewell to Cougar fans during Senior Night at the Smith Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Miks Ramanis, left, and Teon Taylor show their emotions during Senior Night for men's volleyball at the Smith Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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A fan signs a poster for BYU's Jon Stanley on Senior Night at the Smith Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU men's volleyball coach Shawn Olmstead, right, hugs senior Jon Stanley during Senior Night at the Smith Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU senior Gavin Julien gets a hug after a match against Concordia Irvine on Senior Night at the Smith Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU seniors (from left) Kupono Browne, Gavin Julien and Jon Stanley pose for photos on Senior Night at the Smith Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Jon Stanley, center, celebrates a point with teammates during a men's volleyball match against Concordia Irvine at the Smith Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU senior Kupono Browne bids an emotional farewell to Cougar fans at the Smith Fieldhouse on Senior Night on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Kapono Brown, right, attacks against Concordia Irvine in a men's volleyball match at the Smith Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

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From left, BYU's Tyler Herget, Teon Taylor and Miks Ramanis rise up to block an attack against Concordia Irvine at the Smith Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

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The BYU men's volleyball team celebrates a point during a match against Concordia Irvine at the Smith Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

❮ ❯

The BYU men’s volleyball team sat at a series of long tables signing autographs after Friday’s sweep of Concordia Irvine. The line to meet the Cougars snaked up the steps far into the stands of the Smith Fieldhouse.

On the very end of the last table sat senior outside hitter/defensive specialist Jon Stanley, who stood dozens of times for selfies and hugs with adoring fans.

With a redshirt season and an additional year of eligibility due to COVID, Stanley has been in Provo for six years and could be the most popular athlete on campus.

On Saturday after a second sweep of Concordia Irvine, BYU honored its three seniors in their final home match: Opposite hitter Kupono Browne, middle blocker Gavin Julien and Stanley. Tears flowed freely among players, coaches and fans alike. Browne and Julien have been starters most of their careers while Stanley has been a serving specialist and defensive substitute until recently, when his playing time has increased as an outside hitter.

Stanley’s infectious smile, boundless energy and sincere friendliness has had an immeasurable impact not just on his team but on the entire local volleyball community.

True story: Jon’s older brother Wil was a two-time All-American setter at BYU and a teammate of Jon’s for two seasons. One day Wil was walking around campus and a student stopped him to ask a question.

“Are you Jon Stanley’s brother?”

Wil Stanley said he is proud to be known as “Jon Stanley’s brother.”

“He’s been this way ever since he was a little kid growing up in Hawaii,” said Wil, now an assistant coach for the University of Utah women’s volleyball program. “He loves himself and he knows who he is. He just has that personality to him and everyone wants to be friends with him. It’s been cool to see that develop as he becomes an adult. If you show him love, he will be your family forever. He’s been a role model for me. I’m a proud older brother because I helped him to get here to BYU. He’s had such an unbelievable impact on this program.”

As a redshirt freshman, Jon Stanley entered BYU’s home opener in January of 2020 against Penn State late in the first set as a serving specialist. The crowd at the Smith Fieldhouse unexpectedly erupted with a huge roar. Those cheers got even louder when Stanley served an ace to help the Cougars to victory.

It’s doubtful a first-year player ever received such an ovation in the inaugural appearance of their career. That adoration has continued through every single home match Jon Stanley has played at the Smith Fieldhouse.

He admitted that he often stays 30 minutes or more longer after matches to meet and greet the loyal Cougar fans who fill the Fieldhouse every night and want to connect.

“Coaches like to say they don’t have favorites, but I’ve got a favorite and it’s Jon Stanley,” BYU head coach Shawn Olmstead said. “He’ll probably be forever my favorite because he’s changed the hearts of every single person who comes in contact with him.”

About Browne, Olmstead said, “Kapono started off at Stanford and had to go through the dynamic of when they were cutting that program, so he came to us. He’s been great. We tried to recruit him out of high school but he chose Stanford, which isn’t a bad decision, but when he decided to come here, we were really excited. His ability to serve has really changed a lot of matches.”

On Julien: “Gavin was identified by our assistant coach, Devin Young, when Devin wasn’t even coaching with us. So that started the connection there. He’s done a great job, embraced BYU and been a great representative. He’s been a great player for us and he’s only getting better. It’s always hard to lose these guys when they’ve been here for four years and they’re just barely tapping into what they can really do.”

Jon Stanley had a career-high seven kills on Friday and added six more on Saturday, committing only one error on 33 swings. His volleyball IQ allows him to be effective even thought he’s undersized as an outside hitter at 6-foot-2.

“It hasn’t always been easy for him here at BYU,” Olmstead said. “But in every situation, he lights up the room. He’s an unbelievable team player. He just does his role on this team, day in and day out. He comes to campus every day and the guy can barely get anywhere because he’s so popular. He’s got a checklist of secretaries he’s got to say ‘hi’ to. He’s knows so many people, I don’t know how he manages it.”

Olmstead said he doesn’t know if Jon Stanley even sleeps because he often receives long texts from his senior standout at three in the morning.

“We can’t put into words what that young man means to this program,” Olmstead said, struggling to contain his emotions. “It even goes beyond that with every single one of us. I don’t have the words.”

Jon Stanley acquired 81 tickets for Saturday’s Senior Night game that he distributed to family and friends. After his highlight video played, the PA announcer told the crowd Stanley wants to go into coaching (he was an assistant coach for the Orem High School girls team that won the 4A state title this fall) or become a flight attendant.

“At BYU I love the fans, the atmosphere, the team and the coaches,” Jon Stanley said. “It’s honestly one of the best experiences of my life. I’m so grateful they wanted me. Everyone has been so loving and caring. There’s no better place to play than in the Fieldhouse. I kid you not, there are no fans like Cougar Nation.”

Jon Stanley said growing up in Hawaii helped develop the personality that has endeared him so much to BYU fans.

“It’s just a different life,” he said. “You have your family and you have to make sure you take care of one another. Whenever people come up to me, I want to always make sure they feel the Aloha, feel the love and just make sure they know there is someone who wants to be their friend. I love when people come up to me just to say ‘hi.’ It makes my day and I hope it makes their day that I can be kind to them and they always show kindness right back to me. It’s just being able to exude that Aloha spirit into my daily life and bringing the Hawaiian culture to wherever I am. I just want to make sure people feel loved. That’s the biggest thing.”

BYU Men’s Volleyball Seniors

Jon Stanley 6-2 Outside Hitter/Defensive Specialist from Honolulu, Hawaii

Stanley comes from a volleyball family: His father, Jon, played basketball and volleyball at BYU; his brother Clay was on the US Olympic team and his brother Wil was the starting setter for the Cougars (2017-2021). … Jon Stanley has played in 110 matches and has totaled 40 kills and 18 aces. … He is an Exercise and Wellness major who wants to be a volleyball coach or a flight attendant.

Kupono Browne 6-5 Opposite Hitter from Honolulu, Hawaii

Browne transferred to BYU from Stanford, where he was named to the Off the Block Freshman All-American team. … In three seasons with the Cougars, Browne has played in 66 matches and totaled 547 kills (2.34 per set) and 70 service aces. … Browne is a psychology major and plans to obtain a pilot’s license after graduation.

Gavin Julien 6-8 Middle Blocker from Whitefish Bay, Wisc.

Julien has played in 77 matches at BYU in four seasons. … He has 317 kills (1.11 per set) and 223 total blocks (201 block assists and 22 solo blocks). … His career hitting percentage (.400) is the sixth best all-time at BYU. … He is majoring in Public Health-Health Science and plans on attending grad school.

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