alt=Brandon GurneyPROVO — Don’t ask Mary Lake about any of her own accomplishments or even make a suggestion of her significant role on the team.
She doesn’t do well with it.
Yet it’s impossible to ignore what the senior libero has meant to the BYU women’s volleyball program since she started playing in 2016.
To put it simply, Lake has risen to become the best to play the position at BYU, and has the numbers to prove it. The Palm Springs, California, product will enter NCAA tournament play this weekend as the Cougars’ all-time leader in digs, having accounted for 1,877 over her impressive career on top of being named an All-American performer.
But as strong as her play has been on the court, her influence off it is roundly agreed upon by coaches and teammates to have had an even more profound effect on the Cougars’ success.
If you ask Lake about any of it, however, she’ll immediately and sincerely deflect the praise on her teammates or coaching staff while proving uncomfortable with the personal query. Those same teammates and coaches don’t hesitate, though, in lending well-deserved praise her way.
“Mary’s influence is just so positive on all the girls on the team — especially the freshmen and the newcomers. She’s very confident in herself and she’s humble enough to give credit to other people.” — BYU women’s volleyball Heather Olmstead, on Mary Lake
“I feel like people (think they) know how much Mary does, but they really don’t know,” said BYU junior Kennedy Eschenberg. “She’s a big team player and a big leader for this team. Mary’s amazing. ... She’s very selfless and an amazing friend.”
Perhaps the best insight into what Lake has meant to the program comes from BYU coach Heather Olmstead, who also played the libero position during her career.
“Mary’s influence is just so positive on all the girls on the team — especially the freshmen and the newcomers,” Olmstead said. “She’s very confident in herself and she’s humble enough to give credit to other people. ... Mary deserves a lot of credit. The energy she brings every day is incredible, and she’s done it every day for all four years.”
It’s the type of play and team influence you’d expect from a libero, a position which requires a lot of leadership and positive influence, although Lake has taken those qualities to another level. Indeed her play and influence have been central to the team’s success over the past four seasons.
Lake will take the court at the Smith Fieldhouse of the final time this weekend when the Cougars, the No. 14 seed, host the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. First up is a match versus New Mexico State on Friday with the winner moving on to take on the either Utah or Illinois in the second round on Saturday.
Lake relishes the opportunity to play possibly two more matches at home for her final stretch playing at BYU.
“The Smith Fieldhouse is amazing and the fans are incredible,” Lake said. “We’ll play anywhere, and be excited to play anywhere, but there’s something magical about playing at the Smith Fieldhouse and I’m grateful to be able to do it at least one more time.”
BYU (25-4 , 16-2 WCC) VS. NEW MEXICO STATE (27-3, 16-0 WAC)
- Friday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. MST, at Smith Fieldhouse
- TV: BYUtv