No. 23 Colorado volleyball gets another home test this weekend, and the Buffs Invitational brings three more chances to keep the early-season roll going.
Colorado, 3-0 and still unbeaten in Big 12 play, will host Wichita State, New Mexico and Northern Colorado at the CU Events Center from Friday, Sept. 4 through Sunday, Sept. 6. The Buffs arrive with momentum after three straight sweeps in last weekend’s Buffs Classic Tournament, and they’ll try to extend that clean start against a three-match slate spread across three days.
The opener comes Friday at 6 p.m. MT against Wichita State, a team Colorado split its all-time series with at 1-1. The Buffs won the last meeting 3-0 on Sept. 9, 2023, in Wichita, Kan., and enter this one riding a one-match streak in the series.
Colorado faces New Mexico on Saturday at 6 p.m. MT. The Buffs trail that series 1-3, though they took the most recent matchup 3-0 on Sept. 10, 1999, in Albuquerque, N.M.
The weekend closes Sunday at 3 p.m. MT against Northern Colorado. CU owns a 6-2 edge in that series and beat the Bears 3-2 in the last meeting on Oct. 28, 2025, in Greeley, Colo.
Colorado’s title run in the Buffs Classic was fueled by a handful of familiar names. Senior setter Jenna Ylivaninio and junior DS/L Tinons Munar Galmes earned spots on the Buffs Classic All-Tournament Team. Ylivaninio piled up 90 assists and eight blocks, while Munar Galmes added 29 digs and nine assists.
Senior pin Ana Burilovic took home tournament MVP honors after starting all three matches and playing in every set. She finished the weekend with 37 kills and reached double figures in two matches. Her production also moved her into seventh place on Colorado’s all-time kills list, now sitting at 1,098.
Sydney Jordan was just as important to the Buffs’ tournament title. The senior pin started all three matches, played in all nine sets and posted 20 kills, three blocks and 20 digs.
There was plenty of defensive bite, too. Colorado set a program record for blocks in a three-set match with 19 against Denver. Head coach Jesse Mahoney didn’t mince words about that performance.
"Nineteen blocks in a three-set match is amazing," Head Coach Jesse Mahoney said. "I thought our middles did a really nice job closing, and our right side pins set the block extremely well."
The new faces made their presence felt on that end as well. Munar Galmes, the Washington State transfer, totaled 29 digs over the three matches.
Freshman middle blocker Barbora Rakauskaite, a native of Lithuania, put up 15 assisted blocks and 13 kills. Senior duo Peyton Neal and Burilovic also chipped in with 15 and seven blocks, respectively.
Colorado’s veteran core remains a big part of the story. The Buffs are bringing back six seniors from their 2025 campaign: Bolles, Burilovic, Neal, Jordan, MB Cayla Payne and PIN Lily Dwinell.
A few milestones are within reach, starting with Burilovic. She has 1,098 career kills and needs 44 more to move past Amber Sutherland into sixth place in Colorado’s rally-scoring era. She also owns 2,906 career attacks, good for sixth on the program list, and needs 47 more to crack the top five.
Neal is closing in on 1,000 career digs and currently sits at 960. Bolles has already crossed two notable marks, passing 200 career digs and 100 career aces during the Buffs Classic.
Colorado’s matches will be carried on ESPN+, and fans can also track the action through live stats at cubuffs.com.
In Other News...
Colorado Defense May Have Found An Immediate Difference Maker
Colorados defense got an early jolt from a newcomer against Georgia Tech, and Lamont Lester Jr. was right in the middle of it. The transfer turned in a disruptive outing with three sacks, including a third-quarter takedown that snuffed out a drive and gave the Buffaloes a much-needed playmaker off the edge.
Lester had already hinted at the mindset behind his rise in a prior podcast interview, describing himself as relentless and focused on dominating while constantly improving. He pointed to the development he got from his position coach at Monmouth and stressed confidence and preparation as the foundation of his success, which makes his immediate impact in Boulder feel less like a surprise than the next step in a player who believes he is built for it. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Opener Got Extra Heat From An Unexpected Colorado Twist
Shedeur Sanders was back around Colorado football for the season opener at Bobby Dodd Stadium, and his presence added a familiar layer to a game already slowed by a weather delay. The former Buffaloes quarterback, now with the Cleveland Browns, has left a real mark on the program after setting school records and steering Colorado to a bowl game last season, so his return naturally drew attention as the Buffaloes settled in with new starting quarterback Julian Lewis.
Lewis had a rough opening stretch, with ball handling and passing issues showing up during the first three quarters while Colorado tried to find a rhythm. With Sanders watching from the stands, every snap seemed to carry a little extra weight, and the opener took on the feel of more than just a new season starting. For Colorado, it was a reminder of how quickly the quarterback spotlight can shift, and how much the old one still lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Escaped Georgia Tech But Buffs Fans Still Have One Big Debate
Colorados season opener had the kind of finish that can shape a fan bases mood for days. The Buffs edged Georgia Tech 14-13 in a tense game that came down to the final snap, with the offense having to answer in the closing minutes and the defense needing one last stand to keep the win from slipping away.
Julian Lewis helped steady the moment with the late touchdown drive, and the victory gave Colorado plenty to feel good about beyond the final score. Even so, the conversation around the program now has a familiar edge to it: the kind of debate that comes after a narrow escape, when one play can be praised, questioned, and replayed from every angle long after the crowd leaves the stadium. [Read more 🡒]