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BYU Cougars leave giant footprint on the way to NCAA Championship

While the Brigham Young University Cougars lost in their first appearance in the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship Game against the mighty Penn State Nittany Lions — the Cougars however did leave a mighty footprint on their way to the game — much to the surprise of the ranked teams they beat.

 

During the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship rival, Penn State, the defending champions, took all the three sets with scores: 25-21; 26-24 and 25-17 on December 20, in Oklahoma City.

 

For the BYU Cougars — that’s not bad at all for an ‘unseeded’ team.

 

The championship match was the first time BYU made it to the title game and was the first unseeded team to ever reach the finals. The Cougars knocked off the No. 11, 6, 14 and 2 seeds on their way to the national championship game.

 

And, in it all — a Samoan volleyball player, with ties to American Samoa, Jaiden Ma'ele Tapa'aulefano Achermann, who is a freshman at BYU, was a major part of the action.

 

Jaiden’s roots are in both Samoas. Her paternal side gave her a middle name "Ma'ele" after her grandma Ma'ele Fatupaito Achermann of Tanugamanono, Apia, and her maternal side gave her great grandma's name — 'Tapa'aulefano' — after Tapa'aulefano Magalei, 94 years old, and a  resident of Faleniu and Mapusaga Fou.

 

Her parents are Eugene Fatupaito Achermann of Tanugamanono, Samoa and Charlyne Stevenson-Achermann of Mapusaga Gou and Faleniu.

 

Her proud grandmother Fa'aeseina Magalei Stevenson told Samoa News she was able to attend two of Jaiden's team elimination games, on their route to the Championship game against the defending champs, Penn State Nittany Lions.

 

"I was proud of her, she carried both her grandma and great grandma names, and both sides of her family were there to support her in their October matches. We flew up there just to see her play, and those two games — they aced them both," the grandmother recalled.

 

"We could see how hard it was during the competition games, their team is not even a second, third or fourth seeded, but they came a long way to make it to the top, and it is way enough to congratulate their best efforts this year. It is her freshman year, so she has more time to get stable and challenge more for BYU Cougars." Fa'aeseina said.

 

Mrs. Stevenson also noted something personal about BYU. “It is her grandpa's University, if he had been alive, he would have called you to report all her efforts with the Cougars already.”

 

Edward Stevenson, a long term employee at DOE, passed away in 2011, and Fa'aeseina retired as an educator at the end of the last school year.

 

Through emails, Jaiden wrote about her family and their strong support of her efforts.

 

“I may have been born in Kailua, Hawai’i, but I am a daughter of Samoa, I am so proud of my heritage.”

 

“I just wish grandpa was here to cheer me up, cos he loved BYU to the bone… all efforts for grandpa Edward Stevenson and two namesakes who are still here to cheer me up on a phone call and say ‘play it and give it your all’ — like every other Samoan parent I know.

 

“Samoans love volleyball all the time, everywhere we go or live. Maybe a little bit more effort this coming year will get us to upset the defending champions, because we will give our best again!, she said.

 

With three more years to make her mark — perhaps Jaiden, with her BYU team will take its first NCAA volleyball title. Samoa News wishes the BYU Cougars and Jaiden the best of luck in their continued search for excellence.