The University of Colorado volleyball team has advanced to the NCAA Tournament
for the 16th time in 21 years as the Buffaloes will host first and second round
matches at the Coors Events/Conference Center on Thursday, Nov. 30, and Friday,
Dec. 1.
Colorado (16-11) will take on New Mexico State (33-3) at 7 p.m. on Thursday,
while the other match up will feature Colorado State (20-9) and defending NCAA
champion and No. 6 overall seed Washington (25-4) at 5 p.m. The winners of
Thursday's first round will meet at the CECC on Friday at 7 p.m. in for the
right to advance to NCAA Regional competition in Seattle the weekend of Dec.
7-10.
Colorado is hosting the tournament for the first time since 1997. That year CU
advanced to the Sweet 16 before falling to Stanford in three. The Buffs have
never lost a home NCAA tournament match, holding a perfect 5-0 record. CU is
11-3 at the CECC this season.
The Buffaloes were one of six teams from the Big 12 Conference to advance to
the tournament. CU finished in tied for fourth in the league standings. The Big
12 has had 69 NCAA Championship bids in its 10 years of existence, including a
league record eight bids in 2001. Nebraska is the overall No. 1 seed. Texas,
Oklahoma, Iowa State and Missouri are the other Big 12 schools in the
tournament.

The Buffaloes will be making their 16th overall NCAA Tournament appearance and
the 15th in the past 16 seasons. Under the direction of head coach Pi’i Aiu, CU
has only missed playing in the tournament in 2002.