Former Cougar women’s volleyball coach Heather Olmstead, who left BYU in December of 2025, joins Joshua Walker’s staff at the University of Hawaii as associate head coach.

A news release from the University of Hawaii posted the update on Monday.

Olmstead posted a 279-55 record (84%) at BYU in 11 seasons after taking over for her brother, Shawn, which included a trip to the Final Four in 2018. The Cougars joined the Big 12 in 2023 and after consecutive first-round NCAA exits in 2024 and 2025, Heather Olmstead announced she would be “transitioning out of her role” as head coach of the program.

Most recently, Olmstead is the head coach of the US U17 women’s team and will compete in the FIVB World Championships Aug. 6-16 in Santiago Chile before joining the Rainbow Wahine.

“It’s a privilege to join a program with such a rich tradition and passionate community,” Olmstead said in the news release. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to support Coach Joshua this season, serve our student-athletes, and help build on the legacy that has made Hawaii volleyball so special.”

Here is more from the Hawaii news release:

“University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball head coach Joshua Walker announced on Monday the addition of former Brigham Young head coach Heather Olmstead to the Rainbow Wahine program as associate head coach for the 2026 season.

Olmstead led BYU for 11 highly successful seasons and was named the 2018 AVCA National Coach of the Year. She will serve on the Rainbow Wahine coaching staff through the end of the 2026 season, Walker’s inaugural campaign as UH head coach.

‘I am beyond excited and extremely grateful for Heather choosing to help get things established this fall,’ Walker said. ‘She is a consummate professional and her resume speaks for itself, but I know personally how thoughtful and caring of a person she is, which is truly invaluable. Giving our athletes an elite experience will continue to be a goal here, and I know Heather can help provide that.’

Olmstead is currently the head coach of the USA Volleyball U17 team and will arrive in Mānoa following the FIVB Girls U17 World Championship set for Aug. 6-16 in Santiago, Chile.

‘It’s a privilege to join a program with such a rich tradition and passionate community,” Olmstead said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to support Coach Joshua this season, serve our student-athletes, and help build on the legacy that has made Hawaiʻi volleyball so special.’

Olmstead took over the BYU program in 2015 and guided the Cougars to a 279-55 record. Her .835 winning percentage ranked fourth among active Division I coaches when she closed out her career with the Cougars.

She picked up her 200th win on Sept. 24, 2022, becoming the fastest coach in Division I history to reach the milestone (225 games) and surpassing the previous record held by legendary UH coach Dave Shoji (236 games). Olmstead was also the third-fastest to 100 wins (111 games). Olmstead led BYU to six West Coast Conference championships and is a four-time WCC Coach of the Year and three-time AVCA Pacific South Region Coach of the Year.

The Cougars made 10 NCAA Tournament appearances in her 11 years, advanced to the Sweet 16 five times and reached the Final Four in 2018. They spent 11 weeks at No. 1 during the 2018 season and finished the 2021 season at No. 4 in the AVCA poll at 31-2. During Olmstead’s tenure, the Cougars earned 29 AVCA All-America awards, 41 All-Region awards, four Academic All-America awards and 20 Academic All-District honors.

Olmstead served as an assistant coach with the Cougars from 2011-14 and helped BYU reach the 2014 NCAA final. She previously worked on the coaching staffs at Utah State (2003-05) and Utah (2006-10). Olmstead also owns a sparkling resume with USA Volleyball in leading the U21 national team to gold at the 2025 NORCECA Pan American Cup and the 2024 NORCECA Women’s Continental Cup. She served as an assistant coach with the gold medal winning U.S. teams at the 2022 Pan American Cup and 2015 Pan American Games. She also served as head coach for the 2019 U.S. Collegiate National Team and was an assistant with the 2020 Collegiate National Gold team. Olmstead joins Walker and assistant coach Kolby Kanetake on the UH staff as the Rainbow Wahine embark on a new era in the Mountain West Conference.”

Morrow appointed to BYU women’s softball staff

BYU softball head coach Gordon Eakin has announced the hiring of Cougar alum Hailey Morrow as director of player development.

Morrow, who recently completed her four-year career as a BYU catcher and shortstop, will assist in developing players in all areas of athletics and academics.

The Las Vegas, Nevada native’s role will also assist in monitoring athlete workload and readiness to support performance optimization and long-term development.

A 2023 WCC Freshman of the Year, All-WCC Second Team member and two-time conference player of the week, Morrow started 176 of the 185 games she played in at BYU, finishing with a .297 batting average, .582 slugging percentage, .397 on-base percentage and .981 fielding percentage.

As a four-year starter, Morrow tallied 148 hits, 122 RBI, 121 runs scored, 70 walks, 36 home runs, 24 doubles and five triples. She led the team with a .607 slugging percentage this past season, finished tied for the team lead in triples and was fourth in both runs scored (23) and home runs (6).

She graduated this spring with a degree in exercise and wellness and minor in healthcare leadership, and is currently pursuing an MBA at Southern Utah University.

Off the field, Morrow has been honored as a three-time Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete (2023-25) and Big 12 All-Academic Team honoree (2024-26), two-time CSC Academic All-District Team member (2024-25) and a 2026 Big 12 Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement awardee.

Morrow will join Eakin, associate head coach Pete Meredith, assistant coaches Allie Hancock-Schneemann and Alex Mascarenas and director of operations Mallory Barber as the sixth member of the Cougars’ staff.