Upcoming Event: Volleyball versus California Baptist on September 18, 2025 at 1:30 PM
1:30 PM
Volleyball
vs California Baptist
Baird Earns Sixth Career MWC Player Of The Week Award
11/24/2008 12:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 24, 2008
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - After a three-set win over Wyoming and a 3-1 victory over then-No. 15 Colorado State last weekend, Lori Baird earned her sixth Mountain West Conference Player of the Week honor after helping the Utes capture their third MWC regular-season title in school history, the conference office announced Monday.
Baird led Utah to a Mountain West Conference title-clinching sweep this weekend at Crimson Court with wins over Wyoming and No. 15 Colorado State, averaging 3.14 kills and 1.43 blocks per set in the final weekend of the conference season. Baird finished with a team-high nine kills on just 14 attempts and a single attack error for a match-high-tying .571 hitting percentage (9-1-14) in leading the Utes to a three-set sweep of Wyoming last Thursday.
Baird posted a team-high 13 kills to lead Utah to its third MWC championship in school history with a fourth-set win against CSU last Saturday. She converted 13 kills on 25 swings for a .440 hitting percentage (13-2-25) to go along with a match-high-tying six blocks and four digs.
After suffering a first-set defeat, the second set of the match proved to be the critical juncture of the contest. Down 23-20 in the second set, the Utes turned the tables on the Rams with a 4-1 run to tie the second set at 24 points apiece. After dropping the next point, Utah responded with a set-finishing three-point run to pull out a 27-25 second-set win. The Utes outhit the Rams .256 to .170 in the set and both turned in four team blocks apiece, while Baird led the way for Utah with six kills on 11 swings for a .545 hitting percentage.
During Utah's 14-2 conference season, Baird averaged a team-high 3.11 kills per set on a .339 hitting percentage and also led Utah with a .160 block-per-set average.
Baird has won the award six times in her career and four times this season, the most of any individual in the conference. A Ute player has earned the award six times since Oct. 6, with middle blocker Emillie Toone taking the accolade on Oct. 13 and Nov. 3.
The Utes also improved one spot for the second consecutive week to No. 21 in the Bison/AVCA Coaches Top 25 Poll, the AVCA announced Monday. Utah (22-5, 14-2 MWC) finished its conference season with 14 consecutive conference wins and has won 15 of its last 16 contests overall.
No. 21 Utah concludes its regular season at the 30th annual Pacific Bankers Classic this weekend. The Utes taken on Nevada at 5 p.m., in Friday's first round, then will face either Portland or Pacific at 5 or 7 p.m., on Saturday.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
OH/MB
/ VolleyballCrimson Corner with Bill Riley - Keith Kelley, voice of the Wyoming Cowboys
Tuesday, September 09
Utah Volleyball's Kamryn Gibadlo - ESPN+ Feature
Tuesday, September 09
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Ron McBride
Wednesday, September 03
Utah Volleyball's Head Coach Beth Launiere begins her 36th season at the helm! - ESPN+ Feature
Saturday, August 30