Colorado University Athletics
Friday, December 1
Waco, TX
3:30 PM
Colorado
vs
James Madison
Buffs Set To Face James Madison In 19th NCAA Tournament Appearance
November 29, 2017 | Volleyball
BOULDER— The Colorado Buffaloes are set to face-off against James Madison on Friday, December 1, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Waco, Texas. The match is set for a 3:30 p.m. MT start.
The winner of the contest will take on the winner of the other first round match-up between the No. 12 seeded Baylor Bears and Miami (Ohio) RedHawks on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. MT.
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL: Links to the live stats, as well as live streams all three matches in Waco, Texas, can be found at the tournament central page: http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/w-volley/2017-ncaa-tournament.html.
ABOUT THE BUFFS: Colorado finished the regular season with a 22-9 overall record and tied for fifth in the Pac-12 with a 12-8 mark, their best ever record since joining the league in 2011. The 22 wins ties the fourth most in CU history and has not been accomplished since 1998.
Junior Alexa Smith leads the Buffs and ranks seventh in the Pac-12 with 4.01 kills per set and is fourth in the league in attacks (10.84 per set), while junior Frankie Shebby is eighth in the conference with 3.50 kills per set and is 10th with 10.04 attacks per set. Junior Naghede Abu has the sixth best hitting percentage in the league (.347). Colorado's offense is directed by freshman setter Brynna DeLuzio. She ranks third in the Pac-12, 28th in the NCAA, with 10.94 assists per set average and has guided the Buffs to a .249 hitting efficiency.
Defensively the Buffs are led by Abu who has recorded 1.20 blocks per set (tied for seventh in the Pac-12). Junior Gabby Carta-Samuels ranks seventh in the conference with a 3.51 digs per set mark.
SCOUTING THE DUKES: JMU is making its second consecutive and fourth overall appearance in the NCAA tournament since moving to Division I in 1986. The Dukes have earned a 23-5 overall record and won the Colonial Athletic Association Championships after finishing the conference season third with an 11-5 record. Bryn Recker leads the Dukes with 3.48 kills per set and adds 2.06 digs per set and 0.67 blocks per set while hitting .250. JMU runs a 6-2 offense with Sarah Martin handing out 5.53 assists per set and Tilbe Taglioglu adding 4.91. Taylor Austin leads the Dukes with 5.78 digs per set and M'Kaela White averages a team-best 1.53 blocks per set.
This is the first meeting between JMU and CU.
SCOUTING THE BEARS: Baylor is currently ranked 18th in the AVCA Coaches Poll with a 23-6 overall record. They finished second in the Big 12 with a 13-3 mark to earn a No. 12 seed in the tournament. Katie Staiger leads BU with 3.90 kills per set, while Yossiana Pressley is second with 3.53 kills per set. Staiger is fourth in the NCAA with 10.20 attacks per set. As a team, the Bears rank ninth in the country with 14.58 kills per set. Hannah Lockin is averaging 11.21 assists per set, which is 23rd in the NCAA. BU has two players averaging over 1.00 blocks per set in Shelly Fanning (1.10) and Camryn Freiberg (1.03).
CU owns a 22-10 mark in the all-time series against Baylor. The Buffs are also 11-5 in Waco, which includes the last meeting, a 3-0 victory, on Sept. 14, 2013.
SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS: Miami is making its 10th tournament appearance, its second straight. The RedHawks recorded a 22-8 overall record and won the Mid-American Conference with a 13-3 mark. A pair of players are averaging 2.69 kills per set, Katie Tomasic and Olivia Rusek. Tomasic is hitting .248 this season, while Rusek adds 2.27 digs per set. As a team, Miami is hitting .211 with 13.76 kills per set. Defensively the RedHawks are led by Maeve McDonald's 5.60 digs per set.
Colorado won the only meeting between the two teams (3-0) on Sept. 8, 2007.
The winner of the contest will take on the winner of the other first round match-up between the No. 12 seeded Baylor Bears and Miami (Ohio) RedHawks on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. MT.
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL: Links to the live stats, as well as live streams all three matches in Waco, Texas, can be found at the tournament central page: http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/w-volley/2017-ncaa-tournament.html.
ABOUT THE BUFFS: Colorado finished the regular season with a 22-9 overall record and tied for fifth in the Pac-12 with a 12-8 mark, their best ever record since joining the league in 2011. The 22 wins ties the fourth most in CU history and has not been accomplished since 1998.
Junior Alexa Smith leads the Buffs and ranks seventh in the Pac-12 with 4.01 kills per set and is fourth in the league in attacks (10.84 per set), while junior Frankie Shebby is eighth in the conference with 3.50 kills per set and is 10th with 10.04 attacks per set. Junior Naghede Abu has the sixth best hitting percentage in the league (.347). Colorado's offense is directed by freshman setter Brynna DeLuzio. She ranks third in the Pac-12, 28th in the NCAA, with 10.94 assists per set average and has guided the Buffs to a .249 hitting efficiency.
Defensively the Buffs are led by Abu who has recorded 1.20 blocks per set (tied for seventh in the Pac-12). Junior Gabby Carta-Samuels ranks seventh in the conference with a 3.51 digs per set mark.
SCOUTING THE DUKES: JMU is making its second consecutive and fourth overall appearance in the NCAA tournament since moving to Division I in 1986. The Dukes have earned a 23-5 overall record and won the Colonial Athletic Association Championships after finishing the conference season third with an 11-5 record. Bryn Recker leads the Dukes with 3.48 kills per set and adds 2.06 digs per set and 0.67 blocks per set while hitting .250. JMU runs a 6-2 offense with Sarah Martin handing out 5.53 assists per set and Tilbe Taglioglu adding 4.91. Taylor Austin leads the Dukes with 5.78 digs per set and M'Kaela White averages a team-best 1.53 blocks per set.
This is the first meeting between JMU and CU.
SCOUTING THE BEARS: Baylor is currently ranked 18th in the AVCA Coaches Poll with a 23-6 overall record. They finished second in the Big 12 with a 13-3 mark to earn a No. 12 seed in the tournament. Katie Staiger leads BU with 3.90 kills per set, while Yossiana Pressley is second with 3.53 kills per set. Staiger is fourth in the NCAA with 10.20 attacks per set. As a team, the Bears rank ninth in the country with 14.58 kills per set. Hannah Lockin is averaging 11.21 assists per set, which is 23rd in the NCAA. BU has two players averaging over 1.00 blocks per set in Shelly Fanning (1.10) and Camryn Freiberg (1.03).
CU owns a 22-10 mark in the all-time series against Baylor. The Buffs are also 11-5 in Waco, which includes the last meeting, a 3-0 victory, on Sept. 14, 2013.
SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS: Miami is making its 10th tournament appearance, its second straight. The RedHawks recorded a 22-8 overall record and won the Mid-American Conference with a 13-3 mark. A pair of players are averaging 2.69 kills per set, Katie Tomasic and Olivia Rusek. Tomasic is hitting .248 this season, while Rusek adds 2.27 digs per set. As a team, Miami is hitting .211 with 13.76 kills per set. Defensively the RedHawks are led by Maeve McDonald's 5.60 digs per set.
Colorado won the only meeting between the two teams (3-0) on Sept. 8, 2007.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
S/L
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ VolleyballVolleyball: Let’s Dance! | This Week in Colorado Volleyball | Dec. 2, 2025
Tuesday, December 02
No. 23 Colorado vs. No. 24 BYU Highlights | November 29, 2025
Saturday, November 29
Volleyball: Final Week of Regular Season | This Week in Colorado Volleyball | Nov. 25, 2025
Wednesday, November 26
Volleyball: #21 Colorado vs West Virginia | November, 19th 2025
Friday, November 21