Colorado University Athletics
Buffaloes Set To Face Kansas
ON TAP: Colorado (13-9, 9-6 Big 12) will travel to Lawrence, Kansas to face the Kansas Jayhawks (10-14, 3-12 Big 12) on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. The Buffs are currently tied for fifth in the Big 12 standings with Missouri.
ABOUT THE BUFFS: Colorado is 13-9 overall and 9-6 in the Big 12. The Buffs are currently tied for fifth in the league standings.
CU started the year off with a victory against Denver, but fell to three top-10 teams in then #10 UCLA, #7 HawaiGÇÖi and #5 Florida at the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic. The Buffs bounced back with three straight sweeps at the Colorado Invitational to finish the nonconference schedule above .500 for the 18th straight season.
Colorado started the conference season with a huge win over the then-17th-ranked Mizzou Tigers. The Buffs won in five games on their home court. CU extended its win streak to five as the Buffs swept Texas Tech on the road.
The Buffs recorded their first conference loss against No. 5 Texas, but came back with a five-game win against Kansas. CU also recorded a three-game win over Texas A&M before falling to Oklahoma, to land at 4-2. The Buffs came back with a win on the road against K-State for the first time since Nov. 13, 1999, before falling to Iowa State and Nebraska. The Buffs finished the first half of the Big 12 schedule with a win over Baylor.
CU started the second half of the Big 12 season off with a sweep of Texas Tech and then a five-game win over Texas A&M before falling to No. 8 Texas in three. The Buffs rebounded with a win against K-State to get back on the winning track in league play. CU traveled to Missouri and fell in its first four-game match of the season.
Senior Ashley NuGÇÖu has tallied 961 assists to average 12.32 per game, which ranks fifth in the Big 12. In league only matches, she is averaging 12.52 assists, which is sixth. Freshman Kaitlyn Burkett made her collegiate debut with one game against Florida. She has seen action in eight games this season, dishing out 33 assists to average 4.25 per game. Thanks to the direction of NuGÇÖu and Burkett, the Buffs are hitting .229 on the season; sixth in the league. In conference matches, CU is hitting .226, which also ranks sixth.
Colorado has averaged 15.73 kills per game this season, which ranks fifth in the conference. Junior Amber Sutherland leads CU with 4.39 kills per game, which is good for third in the league. Sutherland is averaging 4.59 in Big 12 contests, also third. Sophomore Mallori Gibson adds 3.15 kpg and is averaging a team best 0.29 aces per game.
On the right side, sophomore Alex Buth is averaging 1.94 kills per game. Buth is also averaging 1.92 digs and 0.60 blocks per game. Buth is tied with Sutherland and Gibson with 21 aces this season.
The Buffalo middles have been taking care of business in 2006. Senior Lara Bossow has averaged 2.05 kills per game. She adds 0.84 blocks per game and is hitting .244. Sophomore Lauren Schaefer adds a team-high 0.86 blocks per game (55 total), along with 2.44 kpg. She is hitting .321 overall (10th in the Big 12) and .336 in league contests (fifth). Senior Austin Zimmerman has recorded 1.78 kpg and is hitting .331 (eighth in the Big 12). Zimmerman is seventh in league only matches at .331.
Junior transfer Kristen Karlik ranks first for the Buffs with 4.04 digs per game and ranks sixth in the league. She has also added 15 aces. Sophomore transfer Callie Webster has picked up 139 digs on the year to average 1.88 dpg in 74 games.
In conference only matches statistics, the Buffs are fifth in aces (1.29), sixth in assists (14.43), sixth in kills (15.34), eighth in opponent hitting percentage (.240) and ninth in blocks (2.41).
ABOUT THE JAYHAWKS: Kansas owns a 10-14 overall record and is 3-12 in the Big 12. The Jayhawks have dropped their last five matches. KU is 5-5 on its home court, but is 3-4 in conference play. The Jayhawks are 10th in the conference standings.
Jana Correa leads KU with 3.93 kills per game and is hitting .235. Emily Brown is second on the squad with 3.45 and Savannah Noyes is third with 3.26 kpg. As a team, the Jayhawks average 15.88 kills per game and hold their opponents to 14.28 kpg.
KU is attacking at a .218 percentage, which ranks eighth in the league. Katie Martincich has dished out 1,028 assists (11.95) this season in directing the offense. Opponents are hitting .229 against the Jayhawks, which is 10th in the Big 12.
Jamie Mathewson has picked up 3.64 digs per game to lead the team. Correa adds 2.98 and Brown has come up with 2.95. Kansas is out digging its opponents 16.08 to 14.62 digs per game.
THE SERIES: Colorado owns a 32-9 lead in the series against Kansas. The Buffs are 5-5 in the last 10 match-ups with the Jayhawks and have won the last two contests.
A DECADE WITH PIGÇÖI AIU: PiGÇÖi Aiu (pronounced P-E I-U) is in his 10th season as ColoradoGÇÖs head coach sporting a career record of 175-113. The 1997 Big 12 and District V Coach of the Year, Aiu has led the Buffs to eight NCAA Tournaments in nine seasons, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 1997. Under his guidance, the Buffs have sported three All-Americans, 10 All-Region, and 21 All-Big 12 performers. Aiu has been involved in the Colorado volleyball program in some capacity since its inception in 1986.
Aiu, who has led the Buffs to a 117-78 record in Big 12 matches, is joined on the bench this season by seventh-year assistant Jil Thomason and third-year assistant and USA Olympian, Erik Sullivan.
Aiu is 12-7 against Kansas.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME BETWEEN THESE TWO?: Colorado outside hitters Mallori Gibson and Amber Sutherland led the Buffs past Kansas 30-28, 22-30, 20-30, 30-19, 15-17 in front of 1,218 at the Coors Events Center. Gibson led CU with a career-high 18 kills, while Sutherland added 18 of her own in the win.
Colorado came out strong in the first game, but dropped the next two in unusual fashion before they were able to make a run to take the fourth game and eventually win the fifth game.
Colorado hit .256 for the match, while Kansas recorded a slightly lower attack percentage of .247. The Buffs recorded 71 kills in the victory. Ashley NuGÇÖu handed out 51 assists and five kills of her own. Lauren Schaefer tallied 11 kills and hit .409 while Austin Zimmerman added 11 kills and hit .421 for a team-high.
The Buffs also served up 13 aces in the match. Gibson and Sutherland led the way with three each, while NuGÇÖu, Alex Buth and Kristen Karlik added two apiece.
On defense, Karlik and Sutherland each notched 12 digs. NuGÇÖu added 10. Colorado put up 11.0 blocks. Schaefer and Buth each had one block solo and three assists. NuGÇÖu, Bossow, Sutherland and Zimmerman all recorded three block assists.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Amber Sutherland led Colorado with 20 kills as the Buffs fell to No. 21 Missouri on Saturday night 23-30, 17-30, 30-28, 28-30 at the Hearnes Center in Columbia, Mo. Sutherland added 18 digs for her 10th double-double of the season. Jessica Vander Kooi led the Tigers with a match-high 21 kills and hit .432.
The Buffs dropped the first two games, but rallied back in the third game, taking the lead at 25-24. CU went on to take the game and force a fourth set. The Buffs led the fourth game until Mizzou tied it up at 17. The Tigers used a 9-1 run to take the lead. Colorado used a late rally, scoring three straight points, but was unable to finish the comeback, falling 28-30.
With the loss, CU falls to 13-9 overall and 9-6 in the Big 12. The match was also the first four-game contest for the Buffs this season.
Colorado recorded 16 kills in the first, third and fourth games and tallied just nine in the second as the Buffs hit a match-low .114 in that set. CU hit .205 on the night under the direction of Ashley NuGÇÖu. NuGÇÖu handed out 47 assists and is just nine away from fourth on CUGÇÖs all-time career assists chart.
Mallori Gibson recorded 15 kills for CU, recording her fourth consecutive match with 10 or more kills. Gibson hit .242 in the effort. Sutherland hit .326 and NuGÇÖu recorded a team-high .375 with four kills on eight swings with one error.
The Buffs put up 11.5 blocks in the loss. Lauren Schaefer notched six blocks (one solo and five assists) and was just one shy of her career-best. NuGÇÖu, Austin Zimmerman and Lara Bossow each tallied four block assists.
Colorado picked up 58 digs to the TigerGÇÖs 62. SutherlandGÇÖs 18 was a team high. Kristen Karlik added 15 for the Buffs and Callie Webster added eight.
CAREER-HIGH ANYONE?: Four Buffs either set a career-high or tied a career-high in a five-game win against Kansas State on Nov. 1. Ashley NuGÇÖu recorded 74 assists, which ranks 14th in school history. Lauren Schaefer recorded 19 kills and Alex Buth tallied 17. Mallori Gibson tied her career-best with 18 kills.
CAREER-HIGH PART 2: CU had four Buffs record 15 or more kills in a match on Nov. 1 against KSU for the first time since Sept. 6, 2001 when Meghan Barkman (15), Kim Taskey (16), Sonja Russell (15) and Monique Gerlach (16) did it against BYU. Besides Schaefer (19), Buth (17) and Gibson (18), Amber Sutherland added 18.
TAKIN CARE OF BUSINESS: Colorado completed the sweep of K-State on Nov. 1 for the first time since 1997. The Buffs have now won four of its last six meetings against the Wildcats.
BRING OUT THE BROOMS: The Buffs swept the season series against Texas A&M for the first time in school history. CU defeated A&M in three games on Sept. 27 in Boulder and completed the sweep on Oct. 25 with a five-game thriller. The win also marked the second straight season the Buffs have defeated the Aggies on their home court.
TAKING THE LITTLE APPLE: Colorado won its first match in Manhattan, Kan., since Nov. 3, 1999. It was also the first three-game victory over the Wildcats in Kansas since Nov. 19, 1994.
SUPER STAR: Amber Sutherland recorded a career-high 35 kills against No. 17 Missouri on Sept. 13. It was the third-most kills any CU player has recorded in a match (the most being 40 by Sarah Lodge in 1997). Sutherland also hit at a clip of .397, added four assists, four block assists and 14 digs. Only five other Buffs have hit 30 or more kills in a match. Sarah Lodge did it twice (40 and 36), as did Karrie Downey (34 twice). They are joined by current AVP standout Rachel Wacholder (32), Staci Wolfe (31) and Tina Murray (30). Sutherland
was also named Big 12 Player of the Week for her efforts.
BIG 12 OPENERS: The Buffs have won four of its five last Big 12 openers; including one in 2004 against No. 15 Kansas State. The only Big 12 opener CU has dropped in the last five years was in 2005 against No. 18 Texas in Austin.
A THREE-GAME RECORD: Colorado set a school record for hitting percentage in a three-game match against Central Connecticut State at .528 at the Colorado Invitational on Sept. 8. The Buffs recorded 56 kills on 89 swings and committed just nine errors. It is also the highest hitting percentage recorded in a match for CU.
THE NEWEST BUFFS: The Colorado volleyball coaching staff recently had two additions in the month of August. On Friday, August 11, Erik and Amanda Sullivan welcomed a baby boy, Cade Kian. The SullivansGÇÖ also have a daughter, Shaye (4). Jil and Chance Thomason added a baby girl, Matilda Jane, to their family on Thursday, August 31. She joins sisters Isabel (5) and Josephine (3).
A HELPING HAND: Andy Klussmann, a veteran volleyball coach, filled in for Colorado assistant coach Jil Thomason while she is on maturnity leave. Klussmann was the second assistant coach at Colorado State University from 2000-04. During that time, he was responsible for working with the middle blockers, travel, recruiting and scouting.
Klussmann played volleyball at UCLA from 1983-86 and helped the Bruins win back-to-back national championships in 1983-84. In 1984, the team went 38-0 enroute to the championship.
Klussmann has found his way back to coaching after making a remarkable recovery from a tragic car accident in 2004 that claimed his wife JannaGÇÖs life. This past club season, he coached the Norco 17 Black team. As for joining the Colorado volleyball team, Klussmann says, "IGÇÖm having a great time."
Klussmann has two stepchildren, Sarah and Seth and two young sons, Drew and Jackson and resides in Fort Collins, Colo.
BUFF BITS: Austin Zimmerman averaged 6.00 digs in the season opener against DU...CU played to a crowd of 7,071 against HawaiGÇÖi (9/2) in Honolulu...Alex Buth was the lone CU representative on the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic All-Tournament Team... Freshman Kaitlyn Burkett made her collegiate debut against #5 Florida and added seven assists and two kills...Ashley NuGÇÖu was named the Colorado Invitational All-Tournament Team MVP...Kristen Karlik and Amber Sutherland were also named to the team...Lauren Schaefer and Ashley NuGÇÖu recorded zero errors against Cincinnati (9/7). Schaefer hammered 11 kills on 16 swings (.688) and NuGÇÖu tallied six kills on nine swings (.667)...Kristen Karlik became the first Buff to record more that 20 digs in a match since 2003 with 21 against Cincinnati (9/7)...CU hit a school-record .528 hitting percentage in a three-game match against Central Connecticut State (9/8)...Seven Buffs hit above .400 against CCSU, with four hitting above .600...Kaitlyn Burkett dished out 17 assists in two games against CCSU (9/8)...The Buffs launched 10 aces against Southern Miss (9/9) for the first time since 2003...Amber Sutherland recorded 35 kills to become the sixth Buff to reach 30 or more kills in a match against Missouri (9/13). The 35 kills was the third highest total in school history...Kristen Karlik notched 26 digs against Mizzou, becoming the first Buff since 2003 to pick up 25 or more digs...The Buffs are on a five-match win streak...Amber Sutherland was named the Big 12 Conference Volleyball Player of the Week on Sept. 18...Mallori Gibson and Amber Sutherland each tallied 18 kills against Kansas (9/23)...Gibson was named the CU Athlete of the Week on Sept. 25...CU swept Texas A&M (9/27) for the first time since Nov. 11, 2000...Austin Zimmerman recorded 11 kill matches in back-to-back wins against Kansas (9/23) and Texas A&M (9/27)...Colorado is 8-2 at home and is 4-1 in five-game matches this season... The loss to OU in Boulder marked the first time CU has fallen to the Sooners on its home court since Oct. 13, 1988... Amber Sutherland recorded 25 kills against OU (9/30), recording the third-highest total in her career...CU recorded its first win in Manhattan, Kan., since Nov. 3, 1999 on Oct. 7...Amber Sutherland was the only Buff to reach double-figures in kills with 18 against KSU (10/7). Kristen Karlik was the only Buff with double-figures in digs at 17...Jil ThomasonGÇÖs first match back after maturnity leave was on Oct. 11 against ISU...CU rallied from a 1-2 deficit to defeat Baylor on Oct. 18 in Waco, Texas...The Buffs swept the 2006 season series against Texas A&M for the first time in school history...CU also swept the series against K-State for the first time since 1997...Four Buffs (Lauren Schaefer, Amber Sutherland, Mallori Gibson, Alex Buth) recorded 15 or more kills in a match on Nov. 1 against KSU for the first time since Sept. 6, 2001 against BYU...CU played its first four-game match against Mizzou on Nov. 4.
WHAT A SCHEDULE: The Big 12 continues to be one of the best conferences in the nation, boosting four teams in the 2006 CSTV/AVCA Division I Coaches Poll. Nebraska tops the poll for the second straight season, while Texas is the second-highest ranking Big 12 team at No. 8. Oklahoma moved up to 15th and Missouri fell to 25th.
Colorado already faced Florida, HawaiGÇÖi and UCLA during the second week in the season. All three of those teams were ranked in the top-10.
COORS SWEET COORS: Colorado will call the Coors Events/Conference Center home for the 18th straight season. The Buffs are 197-68 all time at the CECC for a winning percentage of .743. CU is 9-3 at the CECC this season.
21st SEASON: The 2006 season will be the 21st for the Colorado volleyball program. Since debuting as a varsity program in the fall of 1986, the Buffs have an overall record of 385-244, including one conference title (Big Eight in 1993). CU has advanced to 15 NCAA Tournaments in 19 years, 14 of which have come since 1991. The Buffs are one of only 15 NCAA Division I programs with at least 14 appearances since 1991.