
Colorado Volleyball Wraps Up Conference Play with Kansas State and Houston
November 25, 2024 | Volleyball
The Buffs will take on a pair of cats to finish off the season and split the two matches at home and on the road
BOULDER – The Colorado volleyball team (12-16, 5-11 Big 12) wraps up the regular season with the Kansas State Wildcats (10-15, 8-8 Big 12) at home on Wednesday and the Houston Cougars (11-15, 6-10 Big 12) on the road after Thanksgiving.
The Buffs will host the Wildcats on Nov. 27 at 1 p.m. MT for senior day. CU will honor five seniors on Wednesday in outside hitter Jahara Campbell, defensive specialist/libero Emma Torstenson, defensive specialist/libero Emilea Stepaniuk, middle blocker Bella Simkus and setter Taylor Simpson. After hosting their final home match, the Buffs will go on the road to play their last match against the Cougars on Nov. 30 at 1 p.m. MT at Fertitta Center.
Colorado dropped both matches last week at home against Arizona in three sets and then-ninth-ranked Arizona State in four sets. CU is now 12-15 all-time against Arizona and 13-14 all-time against ASU.
THIS WEEK
MATCH #1 • Wednesday, November 27 • 1 p.m. MT
Colorado (12-16, 5-11 Big 12) vs. Kansas State (10-15, 8-8 Big 12)
CU Events Center • Boulder, Colo.
SERIES RECORD: 26-23, CU Leads
LAST MEETING: L, 2-3 (November 27, 2010 • Manhattan, Kan.)
STREAK: Lost 1 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 3-7
TV: ESPN+
OPPONENT WEBSITE: KStateSports.com
MATCH #2 • Saturday, November 30 • 1 p.m. MT
Colorado (12-16, 5-11 Big 12) vs. Houston (11-15, 6-10 Big 12)
Fertitta Center • Houston, Texas
SERIES RECORD: 4-2, CU Leads
LAST MEETING: W, 3-0 (September 10, 1994 • Columbus, Ohio)
STREAK: Won 4 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 4-2
TV: ESPN+
OPPONENT WEBSITE: UHCougars.com
FIRST SERVE (TL;DR)
WOW, MORE WILDCATS: Colorado will face Kansas State for the first time this season and for the 50th time in program history. Though it's the teams' 50th meet up, the two will match up for the first time since 2010, a five-set thriller in Manhattan, Kan., resulting in a Wildcat victory (Nov. 27, 2010).
CALLING ALL COUGARS: The Buffs will go head-to-head with the Cougars for the first time this season and only the seventh time ever. The last time Colorado faced Houston was in a neutral match in 1994 in Columbus, Ohio, where the Buffs swept the Cougars (Sept. 10, 1994). CU has won the last four match ups against Houston.
MILESTONE WATCH: So. MB Cayla Payne has 195 career blocks, five away from 200. Sr. MB Bella Simkus has 90 career kills, 10 away from 100. So. DS/L Avery Bolles has 85 career aces, 15 away from 100, and 188 career digs, 12 away from 100. So. OH Sydney Jordan has 296 career kills, four away from 300. Jr. DS/L Emilea Stepaniuk has 94 career digs, six away from 100. So. OH Ana Burilovic has 293 career digs, seven away from 300. Sr. S Taylor Simpson has 585 digs, 15 away from 600. So. OPP Lily Dwinell has 93 career digs, seven away from 100.
MILESTONE CHECK: Sr. S Taylor Simpson recorded her 3,000th career assist against Arizona State with her 24th assist of the night (Nov. 23).
For more information on the Colorado volleyball team, please visit cubuffs.com/vb. Fans of the Buffs can follow @cubuffsvb on Instagram, X, and Facebook.
The Buffs will host the Wildcats on Nov. 27 at 1 p.m. MT for senior day. CU will honor five seniors on Wednesday in outside hitter Jahara Campbell, defensive specialist/libero Emma Torstenson, defensive specialist/libero Emilea Stepaniuk, middle blocker Bella Simkus and setter Taylor Simpson. After hosting their final home match, the Buffs will go on the road to play their last match against the Cougars on Nov. 30 at 1 p.m. MT at Fertitta Center.
Colorado dropped both matches last week at home against Arizona in three sets and then-ninth-ranked Arizona State in four sets. CU is now 12-15 all-time against Arizona and 13-14 all-time against ASU.
THIS WEEK
MATCH #1 • Wednesday, November 27 • 1 p.m. MT
Colorado (12-16, 5-11 Big 12) vs. Kansas State (10-15, 8-8 Big 12)
CU Events Center • Boulder, Colo.
SERIES RECORD: 26-23, CU Leads
LAST MEETING: L, 2-3 (November 27, 2010 • Manhattan, Kan.)
STREAK: Lost 1 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 3-7
TV: ESPN+
OPPONENT WEBSITE: KStateSports.com
MATCH #2 • Saturday, November 30 • 1 p.m. MT
Colorado (12-16, 5-11 Big 12) vs. Houston (11-15, 6-10 Big 12)
Fertitta Center • Houston, Texas
SERIES RECORD: 4-2, CU Leads
LAST MEETING: W, 3-0 (September 10, 1994 • Columbus, Ohio)
STREAK: Won 4 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 4-2
TV: ESPN+
OPPONENT WEBSITE: UHCougars.com
FIRST SERVE (TL;DR)
- CU is led by ninth-year head coach Jesse Mahoney, who has led the Buffs to a 140-125 (.528) record as CU's fifth head volleyball coach. Coach Mahoney has been extended through 2027 and has led the Buffs to three NCAA appearances.
- For the first time since the 2010 season, Colorado is playing volleyball in the Big 12 Conference. The Buffs are 151-165 (.478) all-time in Big 12 Conference play.
- Sr. S Taylor Simpson recorded her 3,000th career assist with her 24th assist of the Buffs' match against ASU (Nov. 23).
- So. OH Ana Burilovic totaled 27 kills last week, moving to 3.53 kills per set for the season. She also had five blocks (two solo) on the week.
- Jr. DS/L Sarah Morton had 21 total digs against the Arizona schools, now at 3.19 digs per set on the season. She had also recorded six matches with 20 or more digs and 17 matches with double-digit digs.
- CU has out-killed the opponent in seven matches, out-dug in six matches, out-aced in 15 matches, out-hit in nine matches and out-blocked in 10 matches. The Buffs have also had eight matches with double-digit team blocks.
WOW, MORE WILDCATS: Colorado will face Kansas State for the first time this season and for the 50th time in program history. Though it's the teams' 50th meet up, the two will match up for the first time since 2010, a five-set thriller in Manhattan, Kan., resulting in a Wildcat victory (Nov. 27, 2010).
CALLING ALL COUGARS: The Buffs will go head-to-head with the Cougars for the first time this season and only the seventh time ever. The last time Colorado faced Houston was in a neutral match in 1994 in Columbus, Ohio, where the Buffs swept the Cougars (Sept. 10, 1994). CU has won the last four match ups against Houston.
MILESTONE WATCH: So. MB Cayla Payne has 195 career blocks, five away from 200. Sr. MB Bella Simkus has 90 career kills, 10 away from 100. So. DS/L Avery Bolles has 85 career aces, 15 away from 100, and 188 career digs, 12 away from 100. So. OH Sydney Jordan has 296 career kills, four away from 300. Jr. DS/L Emilea Stepaniuk has 94 career digs, six away from 100. So. OH Ana Burilovic has 293 career digs, seven away from 300. Sr. S Taylor Simpson has 585 digs, 15 away from 600. So. OPP Lily Dwinell has 93 career digs, seven away from 100.
MILESTONE CHECK: Sr. S Taylor Simpson recorded her 3,000th career assist against Arizona State with her 24th assist of the night (Nov. 23).
For more information on the Colorado volleyball team, please visit cubuffs.com/vb. Fans of the Buffs can follow @cubuffsvb on Instagram, X, and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
Big 12 Home Opener | This Week in Colorado Volleyball | Sept. 30, 2025
Tuesday, September 30
Colorado at #14 BYU Highlights | September 25, 2025
Saturday, September 27
Big 12 Opener | GTK Rian Finley | This Week in Colorado Volleyball | Sept. 23, 2025
Tuesday, September 23
Colorado vs. CSU Highlights | September 19, 2025
Saturday, September 20