Thursday, September 25
Provo, Utah
6 PM
Colorado
at
#14 BYU
Photo by: Tony Harman
Colorado Volleyball to Open Conference Play with No. 14 BYU and No. 23 Utah
September 23, 2025 | Volleyball
BOULDER – The Colorado volleyball team (9-2, 0-0 Big 12) opens Big 12 play on the road this week against 14th-ranked BYU (12-0, 0-0 Big 12) and 23rd-ranked Utah (8-3, 0-0 Big 12). The Buffs are 18-21 (.462) in conference openers all-time.
The Black and Gold will compete with the Cougars for just the seventh time in program history on Thursday, Sept. 25, at Smith Fieldhouse at 6 p.m. MT. CU will then travel to Jon Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City to battle the Utes on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 1 p.m. MT. This will be the 34th meeting between Colorado and Utah.
Last week, the Buffs lost their first match of the season to nonconference in-state rival Colorado State in three sets (Sept. 18). CU had a dominant first set against CSU the following day in the Battle for the Golden Spike, but the Rams ultimately took the trophy, 3-1 (Sept. 19). The Buffs move to 19-30 (.388) against the Rams all-time.
THIS WEEK
MATCH #12 • Thursday, September 25 • 6 p.m. MT
Colorado (9-2, 0-0 Big 12) vs. No. 13 BYU (12-0, 0-0 Big 12)
SERIES RECORD: BYU Leads, 1-5 (.167)
LAST MEETING: L 3-1 (October 25, 2024 • Boulder, Colo.)
STREAK: Lost 3 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 1-5
OPPONENT WEBSITE: BYUCougars.com
MATCH #13 • Saturday, September 27 • 1 p.m. MT
Colorado (9-2, 0-0 Big 12) vs. No. 23 Utah (8-3, 0-0 Big 12)
SERIES RECORD: Utah Leads, 14-19 (.424)
LAST MEETING: L 3-1 (November 6, 2024 • Boulder, Colo.)
STREAK: Lost 3 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 5-5
OPPONENT WEBSITE: UtahUtes.com
FIRST SERVE (TL;DR)
ROAM WITH THE BUFFS: The Buffs' matches in Utah will be broadcast on ESPN+. Fans can also follow Colorado matches through live stats with links available at CUBuffs.com.
SOMETHING ABOUT A COUGAR: This is the Buffs' seventh meeting with the Cougars all-time, currently 1-5 in the series. Last season's meetings with BYU marked the first time Colorado had gone head-to-head with the Cougars since 2001. On Oct. 25 last year, the Buffs fell in four sets at home to BYU.
OH HEY UTES!: The Buffs take on the Utah Utes for the 34th time in program history, currently 14-19 overall. The Buffs have 11 wins at home in this series and are looking to break a three-match losing streak in Salt Lake City this week.
MILESTONE WATCH: Sr. DS/L Sarah Morton has 390 assists, 10 away from 400. Jr. PIN Lily Dwinell has 184 blocks, 16 away from 200. Jr. DS/L Avery Bolles has 94 aces, six away from 100, and 196 digs, four away from 200. Jr. PIN Ana Burilovic has 85 aces, 15 away from 100. Jr. PIN Sydney Jordan has 397 kills, three away from 400.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING: Jr. PIN Sydney Jordan recorded the first double-double of the season with a season-high 15 kills and 15 digs against Arkansas (Sept. 12). This is her seventh double-double of her career after reaching six double-doubles in the 2024 season.
#3 I BELIEVE I CAN F(IN)L(E)Y: R-Jr. S Rian Finley spent the summer traveling all over Asia and some American territories. Not only that she also flew a plane, bungee jumped and skydived in the off season!
#10 JUMPIN' JORDANS: Jr. PIN Sydney Jordan's mother, Lori, is one of three close relatives in Sydney's family that currently play or played college sports. Not only did her mother attend North Carolina where she too was an outside hitter for their volleyball team, her father, Matt, attended Clemson where he played soccer before competing professionally for 13 years in the MLS and Europe. Jordan's younger brother, Myles, is currently on the United States U19 team and is plays volleyball at Long Beach State.
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 Black and Gold will compete with the Cougars for just the seventh time in program history on Thursday, Sept. 25, at Smith Fieldhouse at 6 p.m. MT. CU will then travel to Jon Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City to battle the Utes on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 1 p.m. MT. This will be the 34th meeting between Colorado and Utah.
Last week, the Buffs lost their first match of the season to nonconference in-state rival Colorado State in three sets (Sept. 18). CU had a dominant first set against CSU the following day in the Battle for the Golden Spike, but the Rams ultimately took the trophy, 3-1 (Sept. 19). The Buffs move to 19-30 (.388) against the Rams all-time.
THIS WEEK
MATCH #12 • Thursday, September 25 • 6 p.m. MT
Colorado (9-2, 0-0 Big 12) vs. No. 13 BYU (12-0, 0-0 Big 12)
SERIES RECORD: BYU Leads, 1-5 (.167)
LAST MEETING: L 3-1 (October 25, 2024 • Boulder, Colo.)
STREAK: Lost 3 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 1-5
OPPONENT WEBSITE: BYUCougars.com
MATCH #13 • Saturday, September 27 • 1 p.m. MT
Colorado (9-2, 0-0 Big 12) vs. No. 23 Utah (8-3, 0-0 Big 12)
SERIES RECORD: Utah Leads, 14-19 (.424)
LAST MEETING: L 3-1 (November 6, 2024 • Boulder, Colo.)
STREAK: Lost 3 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 5-5
OPPONENT WEBSITE: UtahUtes.com
FIRST SERVE (TL;DR)
- CU is led by 10th-year head coach Jesse Mahoney, who has led the Buffs to a 150-128 (.539) 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 152-166 (.478) in Big 12 conference play and 18-21 (.462) all-time in conference openers.
- Jr. PIN Ana Burilovic finished the weekend second in conference (15th NCAA) for points per set (5.47), third in Big 12 for kills per set (4.62) and fourth for aces per set (0.53). She recorded a season-high 22 kills against CSU as well as one ace, four digs and two blocks (one solo) (Sept. 19).
- Jr. MB Cayla Payne is eighth in the Big 12 for hitting percentage (.373) and hit .357 against CSU with seven kills, two digs and four blocks (one solo) (Sept. 19).
- R-Jr. S Rian Finley is third in the Big 12 for assists per set (10.68) after the fourth weekend of competition. She is also 13th in the NCAA for assists per set. Against CSU, Finley totaled 67 assists over the two matches, as well as nine digs, four kills and two aces (Sept. 18+19).
- Jr. PIN Sydney Jordan is third in the Big 12 for aces per set (0.53), having recorded another three last week over the two matches. Jordan also had eight aces the previous weekend.
- Sr. DS/L Sarah Morton is currently fifth in the Big 12 for digs per set with 3.71. Morton saw her ninth double figure dig match of the season while playing CSU at home, totaling 19 digs on the night (Sept. 19).
- As a team, the Buffs are third in the Big 12 in service aces per set (1.88). CU is third in the Big 12 for opponent hitting percentage, holding opponents to .154 overall. Colorado is also eighth in the Conference for points per set with 17.47 and ninth for digs per set with 13.32.
ROAM WITH THE BUFFS: The Buffs' matches in Utah will be broadcast on ESPN+. Fans can also follow Colorado matches through live stats with links available at CUBuffs.com.
SOMETHING ABOUT A COUGAR: This is the Buffs' seventh meeting with the Cougars all-time, currently 1-5 in the series. Last season's meetings with BYU marked the first time Colorado had gone head-to-head with the Cougars since 2001. On Oct. 25 last year, the Buffs fell in four sets at home to BYU.
OH HEY UTES!: The Buffs take on the Utah Utes for the 34th time in program history, currently 14-19 overall. The Buffs have 11 wins at home in this series and are looking to break a three-match losing streak in Salt Lake City this week.
MILESTONE WATCH: Sr. DS/L Sarah Morton has 390 assists, 10 away from 400. Jr. PIN Lily Dwinell has 184 blocks, 16 away from 200. Jr. DS/L Avery Bolles has 94 aces, six away from 100, and 196 digs, four away from 200. Jr. PIN Ana Burilovic has 85 aces, 15 away from 100. Jr. PIN Sydney Jordan has 397 kills, three away from 400.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING: Jr. PIN Sydney Jordan recorded the first double-double of the season with a season-high 15 kills and 15 digs against Arkansas (Sept. 12). This is her seventh double-double of her career after reaching six double-doubles in the 2024 season.
#3 I BELIEVE I CAN F(IN)L(E)Y: R-Jr. S Rian Finley spent the summer traveling all over Asia and some American territories. Not only that she also flew a plane, bungee jumped and skydived in the off season!
#10 JUMPIN' JORDANS: Jr. PIN Sydney Jordan's mother, Lori, is one of three close relatives in Sydney's family that currently play or played college sports. Not only did her mother attend North Carolina where she too was an outside hitter for their volleyball team, her father, Matt, attended Clemson where he played soccer before competing professionally for 13 years in the MLS and Europe. Jordan's younger brother, Myles, is currently on the United States U19 team and is plays volleyball at Long Beach State.
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
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/ VolleyballColorado 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
Golden Spike Series Preview | GTK Ana Burilović | This Week in Colorado Volleyball | Sept. 16, 2025
Tuesday, September 16