With a win over Bucknell on Saturday, Oct. 10, the American University volleyball program reached 1,000 wins. Dating back to its inception in 1976, AU volleyball surged to decades of success that shape the standard of the program today as it continues to grow and thrive. In celebration of this milestone that has been touched by players, coaches, and staff over 48 seasons, the AU Athletics Department takes a look back at some of the most notable moments in program history on the journey to the millennium mark. 

A Legendary Leader: Barry Goldberg

AU volleyball’s history can’t be told without recognizing the achievements of Hall of Fame head coach Barry Goldberg, who was at the helm for 81 percent of the program’s wins. Named head coach in 1989, Goldberg spent 34 seasons leading the Eagles, amassing a remarkable 812 wins, 18 conference championships, and three NCAA Tournament victories. He also earned 10 conference Coach of the Year honors and coached numerous players to individual awards and accolades, including 13 AVCA All-Americans. 

1997: Goldberg Leads American to its First Conference Title 

After falling in the CAA semifinal round in back-to-back seasons, the Eagles finally broke through to win their first championship. They took down William & Mary and George Mason in the conference tournament, capping off a 30-win season with a trophy and the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. 

2001: AU Enters the Patriot League, and a Golden Era Begins

American entered its first season of full competition in the Patriot League in 2001 and immediately rose to the top of the conference. The Eagles went undefeated in league play, cruising to their first Patriot League title. The dominant season was just a taste of what was to come, as Goldberg and the Eagles went on to win eight straight conference championships, establishing American as the premier volleyball program in the Patriot League. 

Along this eight-year stretch, just three PL teams were able to claim a victory over American. The Eagles posted a staggering 109-3 conference record from 2001 to 2008, going undefeated in league play for four straight seasons before finally dropping a match. They earned 34 All-Patriot League selections, six AVCA All-American honors—with Karla Kucerkova being the program’s first-ever in 2002—and Goldberg won PL Coach of the Year twice. The one achievement the program was missing was a win at the next level: the NCAA Tournament. 

2013: The Sweetest Season in Program History

After over a decade filled with prolific conference-level success but only first round exits from the NCAA Tournament, the 2013 team finally broke the mold.

The Eagles went 15-1 in PL play and swept their way to the program’s 11th title, setting up a date with Georgia in the NCAA first round in Durham, N.C. AU not only defeated the SEC foe, but swept the Bulldogs for the program’s first-ever NCAA win. A day later, the Eagles further proved they could play with the power conferences, sweeping the No. 16 seed and 14th-ranked Duke Blue Devils on their home floor to advance to the Sweet 16. The historic run ended in Lincoln, Neb., where AU fell to top-seeded Texas in four sets. 

2013 stands as the most successful season ever for AU volleyball. The team’s 34-3 record is tied for the winningest season in program history (1994), Barry Goldberg was named East Region Coach of the Year, and the Eagles earned their highest-ever ranking in the final AVCA Coaches Poll at 19th in the country. 

2015: The Eagles Keep on Dancing

Just two years after achieving unprecedented success, AU earned another NCAA Tournament victory in 2015. The Eagles went 16-0 in the Patriot League and won another title, then took down 22nd-ranked Kentucky of the SEC in straight sets. The team was led by setter Monika Smidova, who was vital to both NCAA Tournament runs and was named an All-American for the second time in 2015.  

2022: Goldberg Reaches 800

In his 34th season at the helm, Goldberg earned his 800th win after AU defeated George Washington in four sets in Bender Arena. The 2022 season was his last before his passing in March of 2023. 

2025: AU Gets Back on Top

At the end of a spectacular year that saw AU go 15-1 in PL play, the Eagles swept their way to a conference title to snap the longest drought without a championship since the program started in 1976. 

Led by Patriot League Player and Setter of the Year Deniz Dakak, a team without any seniors put together a massively successful season. After losing their first PL match, the Eagles won 17 in a row up through the conference tournament, losing just seven sets along the way. They set a new tournament record with a .529 hitting percentage in the final, and Prinzez Zeck also set an individual record by hitting 1.000 in the match with 11 kills. 

American swept the PL major awards, and earned the program's most All-Patriot League selections since 2004 with six: In addition to Dakak's two honors, Bella Marrero won Libero of the Year, Sophie Dufour won Rookie of the Year, and Ahen Kim and his assistants were named Coaching Staff of the Year. Zeck landed on the All-Patriot League First Team, while Elise Sterling and Salme Hollas took Second Team honors. Dakak was named AU’s 13th All-American at season's end. 

2026: The 48th Team in Program History Claims American’s 1,000th Win 

In the 17th match of the 2026 season, Team 48 made history when they defeated Bucknell 3-0 (25-14, 25-23, 25-18) on the road for the program’s 1,000th win. The victory came as the team’s ninth in a row to keep the Eagles undefeated in Patriot League play as they reached the halfway point of the season. 

Fittingly, the team that brought the program to this historic moment has already achieved its own historic success. The Eagles have taken down three Power Four teams this year, the most of any single-season: Northwestern of the Big Ten, Virginia of the ACC, and Iowa State of the Big 12. They’re led by first-year head coach Jenny Glenn, who has placed a great value on the program’s tradition and winning reputation. She coined the title, “Team 48,” as a way to refer to this year’s squad, emphasizing their place in program history as they create their own legacy built on the 47 teams that came before them.  

AU volleyball moved out of Bender Arena and into the Meltzer Center this season, where the Eagles now practice and play their home games on Barry Goldberg Court.