Emma Blankenship and Zedo Yilmaz celebrating after a win.

Women's Volleyball

Volleyball Unveils 2025 Schedule With 12 Home Matches

WASHINGTON - The American University volleyball team will host 12 matches at Bender Arena in 2025, beginning with back-to-back home contests in the season's opening weekend against local competition. The Eagles open Patriot League play with three home matches in a row in September, looking to build upon their 22-8 home record under head coach Ahen Kim. 

The Three Georges 
  • For the fifth straight season, AU opens the year with matchups against local rivals George Mason, Georgetown, and George Washington. The 2025 opener takes the team to Fairfax, Va. to face George Mason on Friday, August 29, then the Eagles will host their first home weekend against the Hoyas on Saturday and the Revolutionaries on Sunday.
  • American is a combined 33-14 against its DMV-area rivals, and is coming off a sweep of the trio a year ago. 
  • Other nearby teams on the non-conference schedule include Maryland Eastern Shore at home on Tuesday, Sept. 2, and Howard on the road on Sunday, Sept. 14.
17th Annual "Bender Blue Out" Pack-the-Place Match
  • The home match against Georgetown on Saturday, Aug. 30 is AU's annual "Bender Blue Out," set for (4:00 p.m.). 
  • Fans are encouraged to wear blue and help break AU's all-time Washington, D.C. NCAA women's volleyball attendance record of 2,837 fans.
Hitting the Road
  • The Eagles head to the midwest for their first trip out of the DMV area,  participating in the CSU Invitational on Sept. 5-6. They'll face three non-conference tests, including a matchup with Cleveland State on its home court. The Vikings won the Horizon Valley Conference last year before falling to Kentucky in the NCAA First Round. 
  • American's final road trip before conference play is south to Hampton on Sept. 10, just before the crosstown matchup at Howard. 
Patriot League Play
  • The three-game PL slate at home begins with a marquee matchup against the defending champion Red Raiders of Colgate on Friday, Sept. 19, who the Eagles defeated in a five-set thriller at Bender Arena a year ago. Contests against Army on Saturday, Sept. 20 and Navy on Friday, Sept. 26 will follow. 
  • After five of the first eight PL matches are played at home, AU will finish the conference schedule with five of eight on the road. The longest road stretch is at Loyola Maryland on Sept. 28, then back-to-back games in Pennsylvania against Bucknell on Oct. 3 and Lehigh on Oct. 4.
  • AU's last victory in the Patriot League Tournament came in 2023, when Kim led the Eagles to the title game in his first season at the helm. They defeated Loyola Maryland and Army before falling to Colgate, who has won the last four PL Championships. 
  • American has never failed to earn a Patriot League Tournament berth, and won 16 of 19 Patriot League Championships from 2001 until 2019.
Volleyball Season Tickets Available Today
  • 12 matches, $40 for adult, $30 for youth (4-14) Senior (65+) $20 for Faculty/Staff
  • Support your 16-time Patriot League Champion
  • Purchase your tickets today at AUEagles.com/tickets or call (202) 885-2617
Volleyball Weekday Game Day Prices 
  • Adult: $10
  • Youth (4-14)/Senior (65+): $7
  • Children ages three (3) and under are not required to have a ticket to enter. If attending without a ticket, they must sit on the lap of an accompanying adult. All children ages three (3) years or older must have a ticket.
  • All AU Undergraduate, Graduate and Washington College of Law Students receive FREE admission to regular season athletic events with your AU ID. Military and Veterans will receive the same rate as youth and seniors.
Volleyball Weekend Game Day Prices 
  • Adult: $15
  • Youth (4-14)/Senior (65+): $10
  • Children ages three (3) and under are not required to have a ticket to enter. If attending without a ticket, they must sit on the lap of an accompanying adult. All children ages three (3) years or older must have a ticket.
  • All AU Undergraduate, Graduate and Washington College of Law Students receive FREE admission to regular season athletic events with your AU ID. Military and Veterans will receive the same rate as youth and seniors.

Host Your Group Outing in the Bender Arena Skybox
  • This private luxury seating space seats 30 guests with a balcony view of the game.
  • The space features comfortable leather seats, two cable TVs and complimentary snacks and soft drinks.
  • Single-match rentals are priced at $450. Additional catering is also available.
  • Call (202) 885-2617 or email clawed@american.edu to check skybox availability.
Group Tickets
  • AU Volleyball is the perfect event to create new memories with any type of group! Whether it be a night out with friends, bringing your youth team out, or hosting a school night.
  • Available for purchase for groups of 10 or more people
  • Group rates start at $7 per person.
  • Tickets can be ordered online or by calling 202-885-2617.
  • Group tickets must be ordered in advance of the event and these prices are not available at the ticket window on the day of the match.
Birthday Parties
  • Come celebrate your birthday with Clawed Z. Eagle!
  • The birthday party package is $17 dollars per person which includes tickets, goodie bags, pizza, juice boxes, and your child's name on the scoreboard, PLUS a visit from AU mascot Clawed Z. Eagle.
  • A minimum of 10 attendees is required to purchase the package.
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