BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Back on the national stage for the first time since 2019, the American University volleyball team begins NCAA Tournament play on Thursday at Indiana University. The Eagles are riding a 17-match win streak and a dominant Patriot League Tournament performance into a matchup with the fifth-seeded and 24th-ranked Colorado Buffaloes of the Big 12 in the first round. Match time is set for 3 p.m. from Wilkinson Hall.

Quick Info

• Date/Time: Thursday, Dec. 4, 3 p.m.
• Site: Bloomington, Ind. (Wilkinson Hall)
• TV: ESPN+
• Talent (TV): Ian Plaskoff, Andrew Hillsman

NCAA Tournament History

• American is no stranger to the NCAA Tournament, qualifying for the Big Dance for the 19th time in program history in 2025. 
• The Eagles are 3-17 all-time on the national stage, making their deepest run in 2013 to the Sweet 16. AU defeated Georgia and No. 14 Duke, then fell to Texas in the Sweet 16. 
• The last time American won an NCAA Tournament match was in 2015, a 3-0 sweep over No. 22 Kentucky.
• Head coach Ahen Kim was on staff as an assistant from 2012 to 2017, contributing to both runs in 2013 and 2015. Overall, Kim has coached in nine NCAA Tournament games as an assistant at AU and head coach at Brown.

Inside the Series

• Colorado leads the all-time series against American, 2-0.
• The two teams have met in the NCAA Tournament before, facing off in the first round in 2001 in Fort Collins, Colorado. The Buffaloes won the match 3-0. 
• The most recent matchup was in 2005, also a sweep for Colorado. 
• The only team that both CU and American have faced this season is Cleveland State, and both squads came away with 3-0 sweeps.

What to Know About American

Flying High 

• The Eagles enter the NCAA Tournament after a historic campaign, going 24-4 and winning both the Patriot League regular season title and tournament championship. After losing to Colgate on Sep. 19, they have won 17 matches in a row and swept 13 of them. 
• AU won its 17th Patriot League championship in emphatic fashion, sweeping Navy and Army and posting a tournament record .529 hitting percentage in the final against the Black Knights. The Eagles hit .366 across the two games and made just five reception errors. 

Performing Above the Rest

• Six AU players earned All-Patriot League selections, the most in program history since 2004. The Eagles also swept the conference's major awards, with Deniz Dakak being named both the Player of the Year and Setter of the Year, Sophie Dufour Rookie of the Year, Bella Marrero Libero of the Year, and the Coaching Staff of the Year was awarded to Ahen Kim and his assistants. 
• Prinzez Zeck landed on the First Team, and Salme Adeele Hollas and Elise Sterling were recognized with Second Team spots to round out an impressive showing.

The American Arsenal

• Dakak drives the AU offense, dishing out an average of 10.48 assists per set and leading the Eagles to a .298 hitting percentage that ranks ninth in the country. She was named the conference tournament MVP after dishing out 57 assists and adding 20 digs.
• The freshman sensation Dufour has been AU's most dangerous scoring threat, leading the team with 361 kills and averaging 4.61 points per set. She earned Patriot League Rookie of the Week eight times this season, setting a program record. 
• On the other pin is Salme Adeele Hollas, who has been a staple of AU's offensive production. The sophomore transfer from Siena is in a groove as of late, hitting .306 in the conference tournament on 21 kills to land on the All-Tournament Team. 

Dynamic Duo Up Front 

• Zeck and Sterling have been a dominant tandem in the middle, with both of them swinging at a staggeringly efficient rate and denying their share of opposing chances as well. Sterling finished the season with a conference-best .413 hitting percentage, while Zeck hit .396. The former walk-on put on a show in the PL championship match, going 11 for 11 to hit .1000 and set a new tournament record. 
• Zeck also leads the team with 107 blocks, and Sterling follows with 77. 

Keeping it Alive

• Marrero has been spectacular at libero for American all season long, racking up 371 digs and anchoring a defense that held the third-lowest opponent hitting percentage in the country at .140 in the regular season. 
• Only eight digs were asked of her in the PL championship game, but she got her body to multiple well-struck balls to keep points alive for AU and erase quality rallies from Army. 
• The sophomore also has 86 assists and 28 aces to her name, making an impact on the offensive side of the ball as well. 

Serving Assassins 

• The Eagles average 2.34 aces per set this season, the most in the country. The team has taken 225 points from the service area in total, led by 58 from Alex Ioannou. 

What to Know About #24 Colorado (22-8, 12-6)

• The fifth-seeded Buffaloes are ranked 24th in the country, cracking the top 25 for the ninth week in a row after exceeding expectations this season. They were projected to finish 10th in the Big 12 preseason poll and ended up tied for third place with a 12-6 conference record, earning an at-large bid to the tournament. 
• Colorado comes into Thursday having lost its last match of the regular season to at-the-time #24 BYU 3-1. The Buffaloes finished their schedule going 2-3 in their final five games. 
• Junior outside hitter Ana Burilovic is CU's top point scorer, ranking fifth in the country in points per set with 5.47. The Big 12 First Team selection had 13 matches with 20 or more kills this season. 
• Junior middle blocker Kayla Payne is another impactful piece of Colorado's offense, hitting .333 on the season and putting up double-digit kills seven times. 
• CU is led by 10th year head coach Jesse Mahoney, who has led the Buffs to a 163-134 record. He's taken CU to the NCAA Tournament three times, including a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2017. 
• Colorado played a ranked opponent eight times this year, going 4-4 against the top 25. 

Keep up With Us

For the latest on American University Volleyball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_Volleyball), Facebook (/AU.Volleyball) and Instagram (@au_volleyball).