No. 24 Colorado Faces American in NCAA First Round

Thursday, December 4

Bloomington, Ind.

1 PM

Colorado

American

December 02, 2025 | Volleyball

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By: Malala Pyle, Assistant Director of Athletic Communication

BOULDER – The 24th-ranked and fifth-seeded Colorado volleyball team (22-8, 12-6 Big 12) travels to Bloomington, Ind., for the first round of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament where it will face Patriot League regular-season and tournament champion American (24-4, 15-1 Patriot League) on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 1 p.m. MT at Wilkinson Hall.

The Buffs make their first appearance in the postseason tournament since 2022, and the program's 22nd overall. CU meets American for just the third time in program history and for the first time since 2005.

The Big 12 announced its 2025 All-Big 12 Volleyball Teams on Dec. 2, and junior pin attacker Ana Burilovic (Split, Croatia) was named to the First Team while junior middle blocker Cayla Payne (Carlsbad, Calif.) was placed on the Second Team. Burilovic and Payne's 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.

Last week, CU hosted then-No. 24 BYU for Senior Day, honoring senior setter Rian Finley and senior libero Sarah Morton. The Buffs lost in four sets to the Cougars, moving to 2-6 against them all-time.

THIS WEEK
MATCH #31 • Thursday, December 4 • 1 p.m. MT
[5] No. 24 Colorado (22-8, 12-6 Big 12) vs. American (24-4, 15-1 Patriot League)
SERIES RECORD: CU Leads, 2-0 (1.000)
LAST MEETING: W, 3-0 (August 27, 2005 • Washington, D.C.)
STREAK: Won 2 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 2-0
TV/STREAM: ESPN+
OPPONENT WEBSITE: AUEagles.com

FIRST SERVE (TL;DR)

CU is led by 10th-year head coach Jesse Mahoney, who has led the Buffs to a 163-134 (.549) 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 163-171 (.488) all-time in Big 12 conference play and tied for third in the conference standings.
The Buffs are ranked 24th in the AVCA Coaches' Poll. This is the 12th week this season that the Buffs have received votes in the poll, and their ninth week in a row in the top-25.
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).
Jr. PIN Ana Burilovic was named to the 2025 All-Big 12 Volleyball First Team, and Jr. MB Cayla Payne was placed on the Second Team. Burilovic and Paynes' all-conference selections mark the 97th and 98th postseason conference selections all-time.
Jr. PIN Ana Burilovic currently ranks first in points per set (5.47), which is good for sixth in the NCAA. She is also second in kills per set (4.71), as well as third in service aces per set (0.42) in the Big 12. She is 10th in kills per set and 52nd for aces per set in the NCAA. 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.
Jr. MB Cayla Payne is ninth in the Big 12 for hitting percentage at .333. This season, Payne has had double-figures in kills seven times and in points 13 times. 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.
R-Jr. S Rian Finley is seventh in the Big 12 for assists per set with 9.32.
So. MB Maria Splawska is seventh in the Big 12 for blocks per set with 1.19.
As a team, the Buffs are third in the Big 12 for blocks per set (2.52), third for aces per set (1.57) and eighth for hitting percentage (.238).

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

FLY EAGLES FLY: Colorado faces the American University Eagles for just the third time in program history. The Buffs went on the road for the teams' last meeting in 2005, beating American in three sets in Washington, D.C. (Aug. 27). CU is 2-0 against the Eagles all-time, and American is the only Patriot League opponent the Buffs have played in program history.

MAHONEY MOMENT: This tournament berth marks 10th year head coach Jesse Mahoney's fourth at Colorado. Mahoney has a regional (2016) and two first-round appearances (2018, 2022) as head coach of the Buffs, and two other appearances as a head coach at Denver (2014, 2015).

BACK TO THEIR ROOTS: Sr. DS/L Sarah Morton and assistant coach Cassie Baird are both Indiana natives. Out of Munster, Ind., Morton transferred to Colorado from Auburn at the end of the 2023 season, joining the Buffs in spring of 2024. Morton has served as CU's starting libero since her arrival, seeing action in 58 matches and 224 sets. Baird joined the Buffs ahead of the 2025 season, formerly a coach with Eastern Kentucky. The Buffs have only traveled to Indiana two times in the past -- once in 1988 for the Indiana Hoosier Classic and once in 1989 for the Purdue Premier Tournament.

MERRY DECEMBER: The Buffs have played 30 matches in December since the inaugural 1986 season. Colorado is 3-0 when playing on Dec. 4 -- the date of its match against First Round opponent American this Thursday.

MILESTONE WATCH: Jr. MB Cayla Payne has 588 career kills, 12 away from 600. Sr. DS/L Sarah Morton has 1,432 digs, 68 away from 1,500. Jr. DS/L Peyton Neal has 950 digs, 50 away from 1,000.

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.