No. 24 Colorado Set for Road Trip to Arizona and No. 8 ASU

BOULDER – The 24th-ranked Colorado volleyball team (13-2, 4-0 Big 12) goes back on the road this week for bouts against Arizona (8-5, 2-1 Big 12) and eighth-ranked Arizona State (12-2, 3-0 Big 12). The Buffs are ranked in the AVCA Coaches Poll for the first time since Oct. 4, 2021, when they were also ranked 24th.

This is the Buffs' 28th meeting all-time with both the Wildcats and the Sun Devils, with each team being a former Pac-12 foe. CU will catch Arizona at the McKale Center on Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. MT, and the Black and Gold will play ASU in Desert Financial Arena on Oct. 10 at 8 p.m. MT.

CU currently leads the conference standings, having gone undefeated in the first two weeks (four matches) of conference play. Last week, Colorado saw a lengthy five-set victory over UCF at home, with extended deuce sets, and a quick sweep over Houston. Junior pin attacker Ana Burilovic (Split, Croatia/V. Gimnasium "Vladimir Nazor") had 32 kills against the Knights, becoming the 13th player at CU to total 30 or more kills in a single match and the first person to do so for the Buffs since 2014.

THIS WEEK
MATCH #16 • Wednesday, October 8 • 7 p.m. MT
No. 24 Colorado (13-2, 4-0 Big 12) vs. Arizona (8-5, 2-1 Big 12)
SERIES RECORD: Arizona Leads, 12-15 (.444)
LAST MEETING: L, 3-0 (November 21, 2024 • Boulder, Colo.)
STREAK: Lost 1 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 4-6
OPPONENT WEBSITE: ArizonaWildcats.com

MATCH #17 • Friday, October 10 • 8 p.m. MT
No. 24 Colorado (13-2, 4-0 Big 12) vs. No. 8 Arizona State (12-2, 3-0 Big 12)
SERIES RECORD: ASU Leads, 13-14 (.481)
LAST MEETING: L 3-0 (November 23, 2024 • Boulder, Colo.)
STREAK: Lost 3 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 5-5
OPPONENT WEBSITE: TheSunDevils.com

FIRST SERVE (TL;DR)

CU is led by 10th-year head coach Jesse Mahoney, who has led the Buffs to a 154-128 (.546) record as CU's fifth head volleyball coach. Coach Mahoney has been extended through 2027 and has led the Buffs to three NCAA appearances. Mahoney also picked up his 150th win as head coach at CU against Denver at CU Events Center (Sept. 14). He becomes the third coach in Colorado Volleyball history to reach 150 wins, joining the likes of Pi'i Aiu and Brandon Saindon.
In its second year back in the Big 12, Colorado was picked to finish 10th in the Big 12 Preseason Poll. The Buffs are 156-166 (.485) in Big 12 conference play.
This week, after defeating UCF and Houston following a back-to-back ranked win week the week prior, the Buffs are ranked 24th in the AVCA Coaches Poll. This is the fourth week this season that the Buffs have received votes in the poll, and their first in the top-25 since Oct. 4, 2021.

Jr. PIN Ana Burilovic finished the weekend first in conference for points per set (5.91) and second kills per set (4.92), landing her at third and eighth in the NCAA, respectively. She is also second in conference for aces per set (0.63). Against UCF in five sets, she reached a career-high 32 kills and a season-high five aces (Oct. 2). She also recorded a career-high six blocks (two solo), six digs and one assist. She also reached a career-high 41 points. Burilovic is the first person to have over 30 kills in a single match since Taylor Simpson at CSU on Dec. 6, 2014. She is the 13th player in CU history to reach 30 or more kills. She also had 11 kills against Houston in three sets, as well as five digs, one ace and one block.
R-Jr. S Rian Finley is second in the Big 12 and 10th in the country (via NCAA) for assists per set with 10.65. Finley saw 47 assists against UCF as well as three kills, three blocks and three digs. Against Houston, she recorded 28 assists, five digs and two blocks.
Jr. PIN Sydney Jordan is third in conference for aces per set with 0.47. Jordan had two aces against Houston (Oct. 4). She also had a double-double, her second of the season and eighth of her career, against UCF with 18 kills and 18 digs (Oct. 2).

Sr. DS/L Sarah Morton sits at eighth in the Big 12 for digs per set with 3.49. Morton saw her 11th double-figure dig match of the season against UCF, totaling 17 digs along with four assists (Oct. 2).
As a team, the Buffs lead the Big 12 in aces per set (1.92) and are fourth in conference for points per set (17.67). CU is also sixth in the Conference for hitting percentage (.260), assists per set (12.49) and blocks per set (2.49).

ROAM WITH THE BUFFS: The Buffs' matches at Arizona and ASU will be broadcast on ESPN+. Fans can also follow Colorado matches through live stats with links available at CUBuffs.com.

WHAT TEAM? WILDCATS!: CU meets with Arizona on Wednesday, Oct. 8, for its 28th all-time matchup with the Wildcats. The Buffs are 5-10 on the road against Arizona but beat the Wildcats in five sets last season in McKale Center (Oct. 16, 2024). Colorado competed with Arizona towards the end of the season as well, falling in three at home (Nov. 21, 2024). CU is 4-6 in its last 10 matches against Arizona.

THE (SUN) DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS: Colorado travels to ASU on Friday, Oct. 10, to battle for the 28th time as well. The Buffs are 3-10 at ASU, but 5-5 in the last 10 meetings. The Black and Gold saw the Sun Devils on two occasions last season (last lost in four on Nov. 23, 2024), and CU looks to break a three-match losing streak to ASU.

DOUBLE OR NOTHING: Jr. PIN Sydney Jordan recorded the second double-double of the season with a season-high 18 kills and 18 digs against UCF (Oct. 2). This is her eighth double-double of her career, second of the season. Jordan had six double-doubles in the 2024 season.

MILESTONE WATCH: Jr. PIN Ana Burilovic has 94 aces, six away from 100. Jr. PIN Sydney Jordan had 47 aces, three away from 50. Jr. DS/L Peyton Neal has 191 assists, nine away from 200. Jr. PIN Lily Dwinell has 191 blocks, nine away from 200. Sr. DS/L Sarah Moton has 1,296 digs, 204 away from 1,500, and 80 aces, 20 away from 100. Jr. DS/L Avery Bolles has 94 aces, six away from 100, and 196 digs, four away from 200.

MILESTONE CHECK: R-Jr. Rian Finley reached 500 career assists against UCF (Oct. 2), and she now sits at 560.

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.

No. 24 Colorado Set for Road Trip to Arizona and No. 8 ASU

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Avery Bolles

Lily Dwinell

Rian Finley

Sydney Jordan

Sarah Morton

Peyton Neal

Taylor Simpson

No. 24 Colorado Set for Road Trip to Arizona and No. 8 ASU

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Avery Bolles

Lily Dwinell

Rian Finley

Sydney Jordan

Sarah Morton

Peyton Neal

Taylor Simpson

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