Colorado University Athletics
Colorado Volleyball’s Burilovic and Payne Tabbed for Big 12 Postseason Awards
December 02, 2025 | Volleyball
IRVING, Texas – Colorado volleyball junior pin attacker Ana Burilovic (Split, Croatia) was named to the 2025 All-Big 12 Volleyball First Team and junior middle blocker Cayla Payne (Carlsbad, Calif.) was placed on the Second Team, the Big 12 Conference announced on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
Burilovic and Paynes' all-conference selections mark the 97th and 98th postseason conference selections all-time. These are also the 26th and 27th Big 12 postseason awards received by a CU volleyball Buff – excluding the 25 earned in the Big Eight. Payne's award is the second Big 12 Volleyball Second Team award garnered by a Colorado athlete, and Burilovic's honors are the 17th Big 12 Volleyball First Team honors awarded to CU and the first earned by the Black and Gold since returning to the Big 12 conference in 2024.
Burilovic leads the Big 12 in points per set (5.47) and is second in kills per set (4.71). She is also third in conference for aces per set (0.42). This is Burilovic's second all-conference selection of her career, having been named to the 2024 All-Big 12 Second Team at the conclusion of last season. In 2025, Burilovic has led the Buffs in kills with 537, putting her at second in program history for kills in a single season. In her 30 matches, she has also accumulated 199 digs, 48 aces, 62 blocks and 16 assists. Burilovic has four kill-dig double-doubles on the season, now totaling 10 in her career. She has had 13 matches with 20 or more kills this season (a CU VB record), including two 30+ kill matches against UCF (Oct. 2) and at Northern Colorado (Oct. 28) – she is only the second player in Colorado Volleyball history to have two matches in one season with over 30 kills. Burilovic surpassed 1,000 career kills at West Virginia, becoming the 19th Buff to total over 1,000 career kills. She now has 1,033 career kills, 509 career digs, 115 career aces (eighth in program leaders) and 114 career blocks.
Payne is ninth in the Big 12 for hitting percentage with .333 on the season. She hit over .500 in six matches, including .778 on seven kills (0e, 9att) at Kansas State (Nov. 8). Payne hit over .400 in 11 matches and over .300 in 16. She has 241 kills this season, as well as 120 blocks, 24 digs, two assists and an ace, amassing 313.0 points. Payne also had a phenomenal performance against Texas Tech with 15 kills and no errors (20att), hitting .750 on the match (Oct. 22). Payne reached 500 career kills and 300 career blocks this season, now totaling 588 career kills and 319 career blocks (47 solo).
Burilovic and Payne were both featured on the Anteater Classic and Buffs Invitational All-Tournament Teams in nonconference play this season, and Burilovic was named AVCA Player of the Week (Sept. 30). She was also named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week twice (Sept. 30, Nov. 4).
Eighteen student-athletes were selected to the All-Big 12 First Team and 18 were named to the Second Team. Ten freshmen were chosen to the All-Big 12 Rookie Team. The awards were selected by the Conference's head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their institution. A full list of the honorees can be found after this release.
The Buffs wrapped up regular season last week against then-No. 24 BYU for the Buffs' Senior Day on Saturday, Nov. 29 (L, 3-1). In the 2025 NCAA Volleyball Selection Show, CU received the fifth seed in the Texas quarter of the bracket and will face Patriot League regular-season and tournament champion American (24-4, 15-1 Patriot League) in a first-round match on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 3 p.m. ET (1 p.m. MT) at Wilkinson Hall in Bloomington, Ind. The Buffs make their first appearance in the postseason tournament since 2022, and the program's 22nd overall.
Under 10th-year head coach Jesse Mahoney, Colorado finished the 2025 regular 22-8 and went 12-6 against Big 12 opponents. Coach Mahoney has led the Buffs to a 163-134 (.548) record in his 10 seasons at the helm. Colorado has 20 wins this season, marking the program's 13th 20-win season and its first since 2022. With 22 wins currently, this season ties for the third-most wins in a season in program history (1988, 1989).
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.
2025 All-Big 12 Volleyball Results
Player of the Year - Noemie Glover, Arizona State
Libero of the Year - Rachel Van Gorp, Iowa State*
Setter of the Year - Morgan Brandt, Iowa State
Freshman of the Year - Suli Davis, BYU
Coach of the Year - JJ Van Niel, Arizona State
Scholar-Athlete of the Year - Avah Armour, UCF
All-Big 12 First Team
Jordan Wilson, Arizona*
Noemie Glover, Arizona State*
Bailey Miller, Arizona State
Colby Neal, Arizona State
Ksenia Rakhmanchik, Baylor
Alex Bower, BYU
Suli Davis, BYU*
Brielle Kemavor, BYU
Ana Burilovic, Colorado*
Avah Armour, UCF
Sydney Nolan, Cincinnati
Morgan Brandt, Iowa State
Rachel Van Gorp, Iowa State*
Reese Ptacek, Kansas
Jovana Zelenovic, Kansas
Shaylee Myers, Kansas State*
Evan Hendrix, TCU*
Kamryn Gibadlo, Utah
All-Big 12 Second Team
Carlie Cisneros, Arizona
Avery Scoggins, Arizona
Faith Frame, Arizona State
Gabrielle Essix, Baylor
Morgan Madison, Baylor
Claire Little Chambers, BYU
Carly Glendinning, Cincinnati
Cayla Payne, Colorado
Tierney Jackson, Iowa St.
Katie Dalton, Kansas
Grace Nelson, Kansas
Rhian Swanson, Kansas
Ryan White, Kansas
Aniya Clinton, Kansas St.
Ava Legrand, Kansas St.
Becca Kelley, TCU
Emrie Moea'I, Utah
Trinity Sheridan, West Virginia
All-Rookie Team
Kiylah Presley, Arizona State
Morgan Madison, Baylor
Ksenia Rakhmanchik, Baylor
Bailey Warren, Baylor
Suli Davis, BYU*
Alexa Haley, UCF
Alea Goolsby, Iowa State*
Reagan Hanfelt, Iowa State
Aurora Papac, Kansas
Jovana Zelenovic, Kansas*
*Unanimous selection
Players for the First, Second and Rookie Teams are sorted alphabetically by school.
Burilovic and Paynes' all-conference selections mark the 97th and 98th postseason conference selections all-time. These are also the 26th and 27th Big 12 postseason awards received by a CU volleyball Buff – excluding the 25 earned in the Big Eight. Payne's award is the second Big 12 Volleyball Second Team award garnered by a Colorado athlete, and Burilovic's honors are the 17th Big 12 Volleyball First Team honors awarded to CU and the first earned by the Black and Gold since returning to the Big 12 conference in 2024.
Burilovic leads the Big 12 in points per set (5.47) and is second in kills per set (4.71). She is also third in conference for aces per set (0.42). This is Burilovic's second all-conference selection of her career, having been named to the 2024 All-Big 12 Second Team at the conclusion of last season. In 2025, Burilovic has led the Buffs in kills with 537, putting her at second in program history for kills in a single season. In her 30 matches, she has also accumulated 199 digs, 48 aces, 62 blocks and 16 assists. Burilovic has four kill-dig double-doubles on the season, now totaling 10 in her career. She has had 13 matches with 20 or more kills this season (a CU VB record), including two 30+ kill matches against UCF (Oct. 2) and at Northern Colorado (Oct. 28) – she is only the second player in Colorado Volleyball history to have two matches in one season with over 30 kills. Burilovic surpassed 1,000 career kills at West Virginia, becoming the 19th Buff to total over 1,000 career kills. She now has 1,033 career kills, 509 career digs, 115 career aces (eighth in program leaders) and 114 career blocks.
Payne is ninth in the Big 12 for hitting percentage with .333 on the season. She hit over .500 in six matches, including .778 on seven kills (0e, 9att) at Kansas State (Nov. 8). Payne hit over .400 in 11 matches and over .300 in 16. She has 241 kills this season, as well as 120 blocks, 24 digs, two assists and an ace, amassing 313.0 points. Payne also had a phenomenal performance against Texas Tech with 15 kills and no errors (20att), hitting .750 on the match (Oct. 22). Payne reached 500 career kills and 300 career blocks this season, now totaling 588 career kills and 319 career blocks (47 solo).
Burilovic and Payne were both featured on the Anteater Classic and Buffs Invitational All-Tournament Teams in nonconference play this season, and Burilovic was named AVCA Player of the Week (Sept. 30). She was also named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week twice (Sept. 30, Nov. 4).
Eighteen student-athletes were selected to the All-Big 12 First Team and 18 were named to the Second Team. Ten freshmen were chosen to the All-Big 12 Rookie Team. The awards were selected by the Conference's head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their institution. A full list of the honorees can be found after this release.
The Buffs wrapped up regular season last week against then-No. 24 BYU for the Buffs' Senior Day on Saturday, Nov. 29 (L, 3-1). In the 2025 NCAA Volleyball Selection Show, CU received the fifth seed in the Texas quarter of the bracket and will face Patriot League regular-season and tournament champion American (24-4, 15-1 Patriot League) in a first-round match on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 3 p.m. ET (1 p.m. MT) at Wilkinson Hall in Bloomington, Ind. The Buffs make their first appearance in the postseason tournament since 2022, and the program's 22nd overall.
Under 10th-year head coach Jesse Mahoney, Colorado finished the 2025 regular 22-8 and went 12-6 against Big 12 opponents. Coach Mahoney has led the Buffs to a 163-134 (.548) record in his 10 seasons at the helm. Colorado has 20 wins this season, marking the program's 13th 20-win season and its first since 2022. With 22 wins currently, this season ties for the third-most wins in a season in program history (1988, 1989).
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.
2025 All-Big 12 Volleyball Results
Player of the Year - Noemie Glover, Arizona State
Libero of the Year - Rachel Van Gorp, Iowa State*
Setter of the Year - Morgan Brandt, Iowa State
Freshman of the Year - Suli Davis, BYU
Coach of the Year - JJ Van Niel, Arizona State
Scholar-Athlete of the Year - Avah Armour, UCF
All-Big 12 First Team
Jordan Wilson, Arizona*
Noemie Glover, Arizona State*
Bailey Miller, Arizona State
Colby Neal, Arizona State
Ksenia Rakhmanchik, Baylor
Alex Bower, BYU
Suli Davis, BYU*
Brielle Kemavor, BYU
Ana Burilovic, Colorado*
Avah Armour, UCF
Sydney Nolan, Cincinnati
Morgan Brandt, Iowa State
Rachel Van Gorp, Iowa State*
Reese Ptacek, Kansas
Jovana Zelenovic, Kansas
Shaylee Myers, Kansas State*
Evan Hendrix, TCU*
Kamryn Gibadlo, Utah
All-Big 12 Second Team
Carlie Cisneros, Arizona
Avery Scoggins, Arizona
Faith Frame, Arizona State
Gabrielle Essix, Baylor
Morgan Madison, Baylor
Claire Little Chambers, BYU
Carly Glendinning, Cincinnati
Cayla Payne, Colorado
Tierney Jackson, Iowa St.
Katie Dalton, Kansas
Grace Nelson, Kansas
Rhian Swanson, Kansas
Ryan White, Kansas
Aniya Clinton, Kansas St.
Ava Legrand, Kansas St.
Becca Kelley, TCU
Emrie Moea'I, Utah
Trinity Sheridan, West Virginia
All-Rookie Team
Kiylah Presley, Arizona State
Morgan Madison, Baylor
Ksenia Rakhmanchik, Baylor
Bailey Warren, Baylor
Suli Davis, BYU*
Alexa Haley, UCF
Alea Goolsby, Iowa State*
Reagan Hanfelt, Iowa State
Aurora Papac, Kansas
Jovana Zelenovic, Kansas*
*Unanimous selection
Players for the First, Second and Rookie Teams are sorted alphabetically by school.
Players Mentioned
MB
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