Colorado State and MSU Denver are gathering the headlines for women’s volleyball teams in the state of Colorado.
The Rams are the preseason pick to win the 2024 Mountain West Conference title, and the Roadrunners are the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference favorites.
The Rams also received votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, in which CSU was 46th. Air Force, seeking its first MW regular- and post-season titles, is listed 11th in the preseason ranking. The Falcons posted a 15-15 overall mark last season and were 7-11 in MW play.
With Emil Kohan at the start of her second season as the Ram coach, Colorado State collected eight first-place votes. The Green and Gold finished the 2023 season with a 19-12 overall record and a 12-6 mark in Conference action and were the MW tournament runners-up, taking Fresno State to a thrilling fifth set in the Championship match.
As for the top players, Colorado State’s setter Emery Herman and opposite Malaya Jones were named to the preseason team.
MSU Denver has topped the RMAC’s post-season podium the last two years and posted an “Elite 8” finish each year by losing to West Texas A&M in the regionals. WTA&M won the 2022 national title and placed second last season. The Roadrunners have won the last three conference regular-season titles and posted a 49-1 league record.
School (First-place votes) – Points
1. MSU Denver (7) – 189
2. Colorado Mesa (6) – 183
3. Regis (2) – 174
5. CSU Pueblo – 139
6. Colorado Mines – 137
7. Colorado Christian – 126
9. Fort Lewis – 86
11. UC Colorado Springs – 75
12. Adams State – 56
13. Western Colorado – 40
In the AFCA’s NCAA Division II poll, MSU Denver was ranked seventh, Regis 13th and Colorado Mesa 17th.
In the Big 12 preseason poll, newcomer Colorado was picked 10th, and setter Taylor Simpson was named to the preseason team. The Buffs were 16-15 overall last season with an 8-12 Pac-12 record.
Northern Colorado is listed fourth in the Big Sky Conference preseason polls as the Bears secured one of the ten first-place votes. UNC, which has won three of the past five Big Sky post-season titles, posted an 18-12 overall mark in 2023 and a 12-4 record in league play. The Bears were upset at home 3-2 by Eastern Washington in last year’s post-season tournament.
The Summit League has not released its preseason poll, but Denver will seek to better its 14-12 overall record from last season. The Pioneers posted a 12-4 record in league play last fall and lost 3-2 to eventual post-season champion Omaha in the semi-finals.
Colorado College was voted second in the 2024 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference women’s volleyball standings by league coaches. In 2023, the Tigers advanced to the SCAC Championship match for the second straight season and finished the campaign with an 18-11 record.
Led by Northeastern of Sterling, five schools compete in junior college volleyball competition – Colorado Northwestern CC of Rangely, Lamar, Otero of LaJunta and Trindid State. Lamar, Northeastern, Otero and Trinidad State compete in the Empire Conference (Region IX). Colorado Northwestern is a member of the Scenic West Conference (Region XVIII).
Northeastern is listed third in the National Junior College Athletic Association preseason poll. The Plainswomen won the Region IX South title with a 12-0 record last season and posted a 36-3 overall record after placing fifth in the national tournament.
Here is a list of in-state NCAA Division I volleyball matches.
September 3 – Northern Colorado at CSU, 6 p.m.
September 10 – Denver at Air Force, 6 p.m.
September 11 – Northern Colorado at Colorado, 7 p.m.
September 12 – Air Force at Denver, 6 p.m.
September 14 – Air Force vs. Northern Colorado at Denver, 2 p.m.
September 19 – Colorado at Colorado State, 6 p.m.
September 20 – Colorado State at Colorado, 7 p.m.
October 26 – Air Force at Colorado State, 11:30 a.m.
Post-season
November 15-17 – Southern Collegiate AC Championships at Sherman, Tex. (Colorado College)
November 19-23 – Rocky Mountain Atheltic Conference Championships at the site of regular-season champion (Adams State, Colorado Christian, Colorado Mesa, Colorado Mines, CSU Pueblo, Fort Lewis, MSU Denver, Regis, UC Colorado Springs, Western Colorado)
November 24-26 – Summit League Championships at Kansas City (Denver)
November 27-29 – Big Sky Championships at Sacramento (Northern Colorado)
November 27-30 – Mountain West Championships at Las Vegas (Air Force, Colorado State)
