| ||||||||||||||
04/18/2013
Will play at least six matches over two weeks in June against Chinese professional clubs in Beijing and Shanghai.
04/16/2013
Utes clinch second title of spring exhibition season.
04/09/2013
Right-side Alli Spurrier hits .400.
03/16/2013
Utes to move into JHC permanently starting in 2013.
02/26/2013
Awards handed out at year-end celebration.
E-mail Head Coach Beth Launiere
Awards
AVCA West Region Coach of the Year: 2001, 2006, 2008
Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year: 2004, 2006, 2008
Don Reddish Award: 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005
Milestone Victories
400th: 3-2 vs. BYU, Sept. 25, 2009
300th: 3-0 vs. Idaho State, Aug. 26, 2005
200th: 3-1 vs. UNLV, Nov. 16, 2000
100th: 3-0 vs. Utah State, Sept. 20, 1996
Team Accomplishments
10 NCAA Tournament appearances: 1998-2006, 2008
NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinal appearances: 2001, 2008
MWC Tournament Championships: 2001, 2002, 2005
MWC Regular-Season Titles: 2004, 2006, 2008
AVCA All-Americans: Kim Turner (Third Team, 2003)
Lyndsey Henderson (Honorable Mention, 2004)
Shelly Sommerfeldt (Honorable Mention, 2005)
Arial Salvo (Second Team, 2006)
Whitney Webb (Third Team, 2006)
Emillie Toone (Honorable Mention, 2006, 2008)
Lori Baird (Third Team, 2008)
Under Launiere, Utah has ...
- Become the first school in the MWC to win 16 matches in conference play, and just the second to go undefeated (16-0, 2006).
- Won a school-record 28 matches in a season in 2006, including a school-record 25 straight.
- Led the nation in blocks twice (1993 and 2006).
- Recorded 13, 20-win seasons.
- Gone undefeated on Crimson Court twice (2001, 2006).
- Received its first national ranking in the AVCA poll, coming in at No. 18 in
September, 2000. Its highest national ranking was eighth in September, 2002.
- Defeated the No. 1 team in the nation for the first time, downing Stanford, 3-2, on Sept. 5, 2000.
- Made its first postseason appearance in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC), finishing in third place (1993).
Now that some of the novelty has worn off from joining what many consider the finest collegiate volleyball conference in the country, Utah head coach Beth Launiere and the University of Utah volleyball team now have their sights set on moving up the ranks during their third season in the Pac-12 Conference in 2013.
Launiere (450-277, .619) concluded her 23rd year at the helm after taking over in 1990, when she looked to straighten out a team that won only one match in 1989. In her 23rd year, Launiere has sculpted the Utes into a top-25 power. The Utes have qualified for the NCAA Tournament 10 times, won six Mountain West Conference titles (regular season and tournament combined) and have recorded 13, 20-win seasons.
Launiere has earned plenty of recognition as the leader of the Utes, she was named the AVCA West Region Coach of the Year three times (2001, `06, `08) and the MWC Coach of the Year (2004, `06, `08) of the Year three times.
Launiere's ability to attract top-notch talent has helped take Utah to the forefront of the national scene. She has guided seven Utes to All-America honors while 11 have garnered all-region accolades. The 2011 freshman class was ranked 20th in the nation by prepvolleyball.com, while the 2005 freshman class was ranked the eighth-best by Volleyball Magazine.
Launiere's accomplishments earned her the opportunity to coach for USA Volleyball during each summer from 2009 through 2011. She coached the USA/BIP Team at the 2011 European Global Challenge in Belgrade, Serbia and Pula, Croatia last July and was head coach of the USA National A2 Program in May of 2010 at the Open Division of the USA Open National Championships in Phoenix, Ariz. Launiere was also on the sidelines as an assistant coach for the U.S. Women's National Team at the 2009 FIVB World Grand Prix in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Li Miao, Chinese Taipei and Bangkok, Thailand.
Launiere's impact on the sport goes well beyond the court. She has guided volleyball on the national stage as the AVCA President during the 2009 calendar year and as the President-Elect in 2008. She has also been a member of the AVCA Board of Directors since 2004 and served a three-year term as the Division I Volleyball Coaches Representative from 2005 to 2007 after being a part of the AVCA's All-America Committee for five years.
On the court, Launiere has helped Utah volleyball reached new heights on both the conference and national levels. In 11 years of MWC play, Utah won three tournament championships (2001, `02, `05) and three regular-season titles (2004, `06, `08), while qualifying for the NCAA Tournament 10 times.
The Utes have reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament eight times with regional semifinal appearances in 2001 and 2008. In 2001, Utah fell to eventual national champion Stanford, 3-1. Utah was the only team to win a game against the Cardinal during the tournament. In 2008, the Utes swept Furman and host Clemson in the first two rounds before being defeated by Washington in Seattle.
The 2008 team went 26-6 overall and won their sixth overall MWC title in school history after starting the MWC season 0-2. Utah went on to take 14 consecutive conference victories against conference foes. Lori Baird was the MWC Player of the Year, while Launiere earned the third MWC Coach of the Year honor of her career.
In 2006, Utah set the school record for wins in a season (28), set the school and conference record for league wins (16) and became only the second MWC school ever to go undefeated in conference play. The team won a school-record 25 straight during the season and was ranked as high as ninth in the AVCA poll. Led by Emillie Toone, who finished second in the country in blocking, Utah led the nation in blocks (3.71). Launiere was voted both the MWC and AVCA West Region Coach of the Year for the second time in her career.
Launiere led Utah to its first national ranking in 2000 after defeating No. 1 Stanford, 3-2, on Sept. 5, 2000. The next week, the Utes appeared in the Sept. 18th AVCA Top 25 poll, coming in at No. 18. Utah earned its highest ranking in school history on Sept. 2, 2002, when it was ranked eighth.
Launiere arrived at Utah in 1990 and took over a team that had compiled a 1-32 record the previous year. Inspiring a turnaround in the program, she recorded Utah's first winning season in seven years (18-15) in 1992, just her third year.
Utah earned its first postseason berth in 1993, placing third in the NIVC. The Utes led the nation in blocks that year, while Mikki Kane-Barton was the top individual blocker in the country. It was the first time any Western Athletic Conference team earned the nation's top rank in blocking.
In addition to seven AVCA All-Americans, Erin Redd was named All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention in 2012 and Chelsey Schofield earned Pac-12 All-Freshman Team Honorable Mention recognition in 2011. Seventeen of Launiere's players earned 21 different All-MWC honors and 11 have been named all-region. Kim Turner (2002-03), Airial Salvo (2006) and Lori Baird (2008) were each named MWC Player of the Year. Launiere's recruits have also rewritten the record book, holding career records in kills, attempts, assists, aces, digs, total blocks and hitting efficiency.
Many of her players have represented Utah internationally in various US Olympic Development programs. Several players have gone on to compete in the USA Volleyball system, including current players right-side hitter Shelby Dalton, Morgan Odale, along with Turner, Salvo, Toone, Baird, Sydney Anderson, Lyndsey Henderson, Danielle Killpack, Abby Simmons and Kelsie Kartchner. Danielle Leichliter trained overseas with Vanajan RC.
Prior to coming to Utah, the Grand Rapids, Mich., native was as an assistant coach at Illinois (1988-89). The Illini went 57-12 during Launiere's stay and made it to two NCAA Tournaments, including a 1988 Final Four showing.
An assistant at Ferris State (Mich.) from 1985-87, Launiere helped the Bulldogs win three postseason bids, including an appearance in the 1987 NCAA Division II Final Four.
Launiere graduated in 1985 from Aquinas College (Mich.). She earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and economics and has a master's in sports administration from Illinois.
| Year-by-Year Record |
|||
| Year | Overall Record | Conference Record | |
| 1990 | 7-21 | 0-10 | |
| 1991 | 15-20 | 3-9 | |
| 1992 | 18-15 | 3-11 | |
| 1993 | 25-11 | 7-7 | |
| 1994 | 16-13 | 7-7 | |
| 1995 | 14-17 | 7-7 | |
| 1996 | 20-12 | 10-6 | |
| 1997 | 22-9 | 9-5 | |
| 1998 | 21-10 | 9-5 | |
| 1999 | 22-10 | 10-4 | |
| 2000 | 23-8 | 10-4 | |
| 2001 | 25-7 | 11-3 | |
| 2002 | 25-9 | 10-4 | |
| 2003 | 22-9 | 12-2 | |
| 2004 | 24-7 | 13-1 | |
| 2005 | 23-9 | 11-5 | |
| 2006 | 28-4 | 16-0 | |
| 2007 | 15-15 | 9-7 | |
| 2008 | 26-6 | 14-2 | |
| 2009 | 17-12 | 10-6 | |
| 2010 | 17-14 | 11-5 | |
| 2011 | 11-20 | 6-16 | |
| 2012 | 14-19 | 5-15 | |
| TOTAL | 450-277 | 203-141 | |
| Year-by-Year Home Record |
|||
| Year | Record | ||
| 1990 | 4-8 | ||
| 1991 | 7-8 | ||
| 1992 | 7-7 | ||
| 1993 | 11-3 | ||
| 1994 | 11-3 | ||
| 1995 | 8-6 | ||
| 1996 | 8-5 | ||
| 1997 | 9-3 | ||
| 1998 | 8-2 | ||
| 1999 | 8-4 | ||
| 2000 | 10-2 | ||
| 2001 | 15-0 | ||
| 2002 | 14-2 | ||
| 2003 | 11-2 | ||
| 2004 | 12-3 | ||
| 2005 | 12-2 | ||
| 2006 | 12-0 | ||
| 2007 | 7-5 | ||
| 2008 | 12-1 | ||
| 2009 | 11-3 | ||
| 2010 | 8-4 | ||
| 2011 | 6-11 | ||
| 2012 | 7-6 | ||
| TOTAL | 218-90 | ||
| Year-by-Year Road Record |
|||
| Year | Record | ||
| 1990 | 0-11 | ||
| 1991 | 5-8 | ||
| 1992 | 6-7 | ||
| 1993 | 5-6 | ||
| 1994 | 3-8 | ||
| 1995 | 2-9 | ||
| 1996 | 8-4 | ||
| 1997 | 10-3 | ||
| 1998 | 7-7 | ||
| 1999 | 8-4 | ||
| 2000 | 7-5 | ||
| 2001 | 7-5 | ||
| 2002 | 5-5 | ||
| 2003 | 6-5 | ||
| 2004 | 8-3 | ||
| 2005 | 7-5 | ||
| 2006 | 11-3 | ||
| 2007 | 5-7 | ||
| 2008 | 10-4 | ||
| 2009 | 5-7 | ||
| 2010 | 8-5 | ||
| 2011 | 4-8 | ||
| 2012 | 3-10 | ||
| TOTAL | 139-139 | ||
| Year-by-Year Neutral-Site Record |
|||
| Year | Record | ||
| 1990 | 3-2 | ||
| 1991 | 3-4 | ||
| 1992 | 5-1 | ||
| 1993 | 9-2 | ||
| 1994 | 2-2 | ||
| 1995 | 4-2 | ||
| 1996 | 4-3 | ||
| 1997 | 3-3 | ||
| 1998 | 6-1 | ||
| 1999 | 7-2 | ||
| 2000 | 6-1 | ||
| 2001 | 3-2 | ||
| 2002 | 6-2 | ||
| 2003 | 5-2 | ||
| 2004 | 4-1 | ||
| 2005 | 4-2 | ||
| 2006 | 5-1 | ||
| 2007 | 3-3 | ||
| 2008 | 4-1 | ||
| 2009 | 1-2 | ||
| 2010 | 1-5 | ||
| 2011 | 1-1 | ||
| 2012 | 4-3 | ||
| TOTAL | 93-48 | ||
| Record vs. All Opponents | |
| Air Force | 27-0 |
| Akron | 1-0 |
| Arizona | 1-8 |
| Arizona State | 5-2 |
| Arkansas | 1-1 |
| Arkansas State | 1-0 |
| Boise State | 3-2 |
| Boston College | 0-1 |
| Bowling Green | 1-0 |
| BYU | 22-28 |
| Brown | 1-0 |
| Cal Poly | 4-2 |
| Cal State Northridge | 1-1 |
| California | 2-2 |
| Central Florida | 1-0 |
| Central Michigan | 1-0 |
| Cincinnati | 1-0 |
| Clemson | 1-0 |
| Colgate | 1-0 |
| Colorado | 5-3 |
| Colorado State | 15-30 |
| Dayton | 0-1 |
| Denver | 1-0 |
| DePaul | 1-1 |
| Drake | 1-0 |
| Eastern Illinois | 1-0 |
| Eastern Michigan | 3-0 |
| Eastern Washington | 1-1 |
| Fairfield | 1-0 |
| Florida | 0-3 |
| Florida Gulf Coast | 1-0 |
| Fresno-Pacific | 1-0 |
| Fresno State | 5-7 |
| Furman | 1-0 |
| George Mason | 1-0 |
| George Washington | 2-0 |
| Georgia | 0-2 |
| Georgia Tech | 1-0 |
| Gonzaga | 4-1 |
| Hawaii | 0-10 |
| Hofstra | 1-0 |
| Houston | 1-0 |
| Idaho | 3-1 |
| Idaho State | 17-2 |
| Illinois | 1-1 |
| Illinois State | 1-1 |
| Iowa State | 2-1 |
| Kansas | 1-0 |
| Liberty | 1-0 |
| Long Beach State | 0-4 |
| LSU | 0-1 |
| Louisville | 1-1 |
| Loyola Marymount | 2-0 |
| Maryland | 1-0 |
| Massachusetts | 2-0 |
| Michigan | 0-2 |
| Michigan State | 1-1 |
| Mississippi | 1-0 |
| Missouri | 2-1 |
| Missouri State | 2-1 |
| Missouri-Kansas City | 1-0 |
| Montana | 0-3 |
| Montana State | 5-1 |
| Morehead State | 1-1 |
| Murray State | 1-0 |
| Nebraska | 0-1 |
| Nevada | 3-1 |
| New Hampshire | 3-0 |
| New Mexico | 27-18 |
| New Mexico State | 3-1 |
| North Carolina | 2-1 |
| North Carolina State | 2-0 |
| North Dakota State | 0-1 |
| Northern Arizona | 1-2 |
| Northern Colorado | 1-0 |
| Northern Illinois | 1-0 |
| Northern Iowa | 0-2 |
| Northwestern | 1-1 |
| Notre Dame | 2-3 |
| Ohio | 1-0 |
| Oklahoma | 1-1 |
| Oregon | 2-6 |
| Oregon State | 1-6 |
| Pacific | 2-1 |
| Pepperdine | 0-1 |
| Pittsburgh | 0-1 |
| Portland | 2-0 |
| Portland State | 0-1 |
| Purdue | 2-1 |
| Rhode Island | 1-0 |
| Rice | 4-0 |
| Sacramento State | 1-0 |
| Saint Louis | 1-1 |
| San Diego | 1-4 |
| San Diego State | 23-17 |
| San Francisco | 3-2 |
| San Jose State | 4-0 |
| Santa Clara | 4-2 |
| Southern Methodist | 6-0 |
| Southern Utah | 1-0 |
| South Carolina | 1-0 |
| South Florida | 0-1 |
| Southern Illinois | 1-0 |
| Southwest Texas State | 1-0 |
| Stanford | 1-6 |
| St. Mary's | 2-0 |
| Stephen F. Austin | 1-0 |
| Temple | 2-0 |
| Tennessee | 0-3 |
| Texas | 0-1 |
| Texas A&M | 0-2 |
| TCU | 13-3 |
| Texas Tech | 4-0 |
| Texas-Arlington | 1-0 |
| Tulsa | 2-0 |
| UC Davis | 2-0 |
| UC Irvine | 1-1 |
| UC Riverside | 2-0 |
| UCLA | 1-7 |
| UNLV | 28-4 |
| USC | 0-7 |
| UTEP | 15-1 |
| Utah State | 25-6 |
| Utah Valley | 8-1 |
| Valparaiso | 1-0 |
| Washington | 0-7 |
| Washington State | 4-7 |
| Weber State | 25-5 |
| Western Michigan | 1-0 |
| Wisconsin-Green Bay | 1-0 |
| Wright State | 1-0 |
| Wyoming | 32-10 |
| Yale | 1-0 |
| TOTAL | 450-277 |
