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CU Olympic Sports
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September 10th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
No. 18 CU volleyball bounces back with win over UC-Irvine
From CUBuffs.com … Less than 24 hours after suffering a tough loss to No. 15 San Diego, the 18th ranked Buffs bounced back to earn a convincing 3-0 (25-15, 25-22, 25-11) win over UC Irvine on Saturday at the San Diego Invitational.
The win, which puts CU at 5-2 on the season, is head coach Jesse Mahoney‘s 200th career win as a collegiate head coach. Of those 200 wins, 93 have been at a Division I school.
… The Buffs regrouped on Saturday afternoon to out-duel UC Irvine. Sophomore Alexa Smith and junior Gabby Simpson led CU with 11.0 points each. Smith recorded a team-best nine kills and added four block assists, while Simpson hammered eight kills, four block assists and an ace. Both also attacked at a good clip with Smith recording a .400 efficiency with one error on 20 attacks and Simpson tallying a .353 percentage with two errors on 17 attacks.
NEXT UP: The Buffs host the Omni Invitational, Sept. 16-17, at the Coors Events Center. CU will host Chicago State, New Orleans and Colorado State.
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September 9th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
CU soccer hands Hawai’i its first loss of the season
From CUBuffs.com … Freshman Taylor Kornieck scored two first half goals to lead Colorado to a 3-1 win over previously undefeated Hawai’i on Friday at Prentup Field.
Kornieck, who scored twice in Sunday’s 5-0 win over Drexel, became the first freshman in CU history to record back-to-back two-goal matches.
CU improved to 4-3 on the season, while Hawai’i dropped its first match to fall to 5-1-1.
What happened: CU got off to an early lead at 2:22 with the help of some acrobatics. Danica Evans used a flip throw-in from the left side into the box. Her throw found the head of Taylor Kornieck by the near post, and her header found the far side of the net for a 1-0 lead.
Kornieck netted her second of the match at 36:09 on a penalty kick. Moments before, Evans was fouled hard in the box as she was receiving a pass and the Buffs were awarded the penalty.
UP NEXT: CU remains at home on Sunday, facing Iowa at Prentup Field at 1 p.m.
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No. 18 CU volleyball falls to No. 15 San Diego in straight sets
From CUBuffs.com … The No. 18 Colorado volleyball team suffered its first loss of the season to a ranked opponent on Friday night, falling in three sets (25-20, 25-18, 25-21) to No. 15 San Diego on the first day at the USD Invitational.
The Buffs played a hard fought match, but didn’t have enough to overcome the home team. Junior Stephanie Shadley led the Buffs with eight kills and seven digs, while sophomore Alexa Smith added seven kills and eight digs.
Sophomore Naghede Abu also had a nice performance with six kills and just one error on 11 attacks to lead the Buffs with a .455 hitting percentage. The reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week also posted a match best six blocks, two solo and four assists.
In the backrow, the Buffs were led by senior Cierra Simpson, who recorded 10 digs. Senior Kiara McKibben and sophomore Gabby Simpson each added an additional eight digs.
NEXT UP: Colorado will face UC-Irvine on Saturday at 3 p.m. MT. at the San Diego Invitational. Live stats and a live stream are available at USDToreros.com.
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September 6th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
CU men’s golf team opens fall season with a victory
From CUBuffs.com … The University of Colorado men’s golf team claimed the title in fine fashion here Tuesday in the Ballyneal Challenge, its own one-day season-opening tournament, and in the process welcomed back a two-time letterman who essentially tore the course apart in earning medalist honors.
The third annual event features only three teams and serves as a warm-up for three major tournaments that lie ahead in September, but is played on the challenging Ballyneal Golf Club here on the eastern plains of the state. The Buffaloes, an even mix of veterans and newcomers, turned in a 17-under par team score of 551, cruising to the win over Wyoming (578) and Northern Colorado (589). CU placed five players among the top six finishers.
Junior Yannik Paul, who took last year off and spent it in his native Germany, returned to the college game with a vengeance. The world’s 151st ranked amateur carded a pair of 66s on Ballyneal’s 7,131-yard, par-71 configuration for a 10-under par 132 total, good for a five-stroke win over teammate Ethan Freeman. The 132 tied for the second best 36-hole score in school history, trailing only a 64-67—131 by David Oraee in the 2014 CU-Simpson Invitational.
Freeman, a senior, opened his year with a 69-68—137 effort (5-under), with two other Buffaloes tying for third, sophomore transfer Spencer Painton (70-70—140) and true freshman Morten Toft Hansen (71-69—140), who played as an individual Tuesday.
Senior Jeremy Paul finished sixth with an even-par 69-73—142 effort. The older of the identical twin brothers, who is in position to become CU’s all-time stroke average leader, is currently ranked as the world’s No. 100 amateur. He set CU’s single-season stroke mark last year with a 70.67 figure and is in position to rewrite many school records.
… Continue reading story here …
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September 5th
... Citius, Altius, Fortius …
Off of two upsets of two ranked Big Ten teams, Buffs back in the national rankings
From CUBuffs.com … After upsetting a pair of ranked Big Ten opponents last weekend at the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge in Boulder, the Colorado volleyball team is picking up some well-deserved honors.
After being unranked for the first two weeks of the season, the Buffs shot up to 18th in the AVCA Coaches Poll and sophomore middle blocker Naghede Abu was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week.
Colorado is 4-1 to start the season and jumped into the coaches’ poll after defeating then-No. 13 Penn State (3-2) and then-No. 17 Illinois (3-2) on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. More impressively, the Buffs held PSU to just three points in the fifth set, setting a CU record for the largest margin of victory in a fifth set in the rally scoring era. The ranking ties CU’s best poll position since Nov. 24, 2014 and is the highest the Buffs have been ranked since 1998.
… The national poll can be found here … Pac-12 teams: 6. Washington … 7. UCLA … 9. Stanford … 18. Colorado … 24. USC
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CU volleyball posts historic sweep in taking down No. 17 Illinois
From CUBuffs.com … Colorado capped off an amazing weekend of volleyball on Sunday night, upsetting No. 17 Illinois 3-2 (25-17, 18-25, 25-15, 18-25, 19-17) in the final match of the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge.
The win comes one night after knocking off No. 13 Penn State (3-2), making this the first time CU has won back-to-back matches regular season non-conference matches against ranked opponents.
WHAT HAPPENED: Just a year removed from a pair of losses at the same tournament to Illinois and Penn State, the Buffs came out strong and were looking for payback this weekend; which is exactly what they got.
NOTABLE: The Buffs are now 4-1 on the season…Illinois is 2-3… This was the first trip to Boulder for Illinois…The Illini lead the all-time series 4-3…All six matches prior to tonight’s meeting were at Illinois or at a neutral site… Colorado has never beaten back-to-back ranked opponents in pre-conference play…Last year at the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge, CU was swept by Penn State and Illinois…Four of CU’s five matches this season have gone five sets; CU has won three of those matches…The Pac-12 won all four matches at the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge this year.
NEXT UP: Colorado will head back on the road for the San Diego Invitational. They will face NO. 18 USD on Friday, Sept. 8, at 8 p.m. MT. and UC-Irvine on Saturday at 3 p.m. MT.
… Continue reading story here …
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September 4th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
CU soccer rights ship with a rout of Drexel
From CUBuffs.com … Freshman Taylor Kornieck had two goals and one assist to lead Colorado to a 5-0 win over Drexel on Sunday at Prentup Field. The win moved CU to 3-3 on the season, snapping a three-match losing streak.
Kornieck’s five points marked just the third time in CU history a freshman has recorded five points in a match, joining Nikki Marshall who achieved that twice in 2006.
CU’s goal-scoring slump that had lasted the past three games came to a quick end. The Buffs opened up with a 3-0 halftime lead, outshooting the Dragons 19-2, including 10-1 in shots on goal in the half.
UP NEXT: CU will host Hawai’i on Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Prentup Field.
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September 3rd
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
CU volleyball knocks off No. 13 Penn State
From CUBuffs.com … If there was any doubt about whether the Colorado volleyball team was going to be an NCAA Tournament contender this year, the Buffs took care of it on Saturday night as they knocked off No. 13 Penn State 3-2 (22-25, 25-20, 25-19, 20-25, 15-3) in front of a crowd of over 2,300 at Coors Events Center.
The win is the first for the Buffs over the Nittany Lions since the very first meeting between the two teams in 1989. Coincidentally that match also went five sets.
Colorado played its best match this season to make head coach Jesse Mahoney‘s home debut one to remember. Sophomore Alexa Smith led the team with 12 kills and added 18 digs for her second double-double this season. Junior Gabby Simpson returned to the line-up after missing the first three matches due to injury, and added 10 kills, 25 assists, eight digs and two blocks. Another junior, Stephanie Shadley, had another nice performance with nine kills, nine digs, two blocks and a pair of aces. Defensively, senior Cierra Simpson led the Buffs with 24 digs.
NEXT UP: Colorado will host No. 17 Illinois on Sunday, Sept. 3, at 6 p.m. The match will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Network.
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September 2nd
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
CU volleyball hosting three ranked teams in Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge
From CUBuffs.com … It’s going to be an exciting weekend at the Coors Events Center with the Colorado volleyball team hosting three top 25 ranked teams for the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge, Sept. 3-4.
The Buffs will host No. 13 Penn State (2-1), No. 17 Illinois (2-1) and No. 9 Stanford (1-1) this weekend, although the Buffs will not face the Cardinal until later in the Pac-12 season.
Stanford and Illinois will start the tournament on Sept. 3, taking the court at 3 p.m. MT. The Buffs will host the Nittany Lions in the night cap at 7 p.m., which will be televised live on Pac-12 Networks.
On Sept. 4, Stanford will again play in the first match at 3 p.m., this time facing Penn State. The Buffs will square off against Illinois at 6 p.m. to finish the challenge. Both of those contests will be televised on Pac-12 Networks.
Live stats for all four matches will be available at CUBuffs.com and the match between Stanford and Illinois will be streamed online as well.
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CU soccer absorbs another tough 2-1 overtime loss, this time to Michigan State
From CUBuffs.com … For the second straight match, Colorado rallied to tie after falling behind, only to suffer a 2-1 defeat in overtime as the Buffaloes fell to Michigan State on Thursday afternoon at Prentup Field.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES: The CU offense continued to show promise and the ability to push the ball towards the net, out shooting Michigan State 20-9, including 8-3 in shots on goal. Emily Bruder had a match-high four shot attempts and Evans and Kornieck each had three. The midfielders also helped CU maintain possession for much of the day.
UP NEXT: CU looks to end a three-match losing streak at home on Sunday against Drexel at noon. The Dragons enter the weekend 3-1-0.
NOTES: It was the first time since 2000 that CU has lost back-to-back matches in overtime and the first time since 2013 the Buffs have played back-to-back overtime matches … CU was 4-5 in matches decided by one goal last season and is 1-3 this season … it was the first time since the Washington State match last season that CU has lost a match when outshooting its opponent and attempting more corner kicks than its opponent.
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August 29th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
CU goalie sets saves record, but Buffs fall in overtime to Missouri, 2-1
From CUBuffs.com … Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Jalen Tompkins put together a performance for the ages, but it was not enough as Missouri edged Colorado 2-1 in overtime on Sunday night in Columbia, Mo.
Tompkins finished with 12 saves, a freshman record, and the most for a CU goalkeeper since 2008 when Kirstin Radlinski made 12 stops against Oklahoma State in a 1-1 draw in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES: Tompkins’s effort stood out as one of the best performances by a CU goalkeeper ever. Her 12 saves were the most by a CU freshman, topping Radlinski’s previous mark of 11 set in 2005 against Texas A&M, the only other CU freshman to record double-digit saves in a match.
Evans and Taylor Kornieck each tied for a team-high four shot attempts, though just one of those attempts was on goal.
UP NEXT: Colorado returns home to face Michigan State at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday at Prentup Field. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
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August 28th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
CU volleyball sweeps Long Beach State to finish Portland State tournament 2-1
From CUBuffs.com … After falling in a tough five-set match to host Portland State earlier on Saturday, Colorado (2-1) stormed back to take down Long Beach State (1-2) in straight sets, 25-21, 25-18, 25-22, on Saturday night to wrap up the Portland State Tournament.
CU finished the tournament with a 2-1 record as the Buffs also defeated Texas Tech, 3-2, on Friday night.
TEAM STATISTICS: For the third straight match, CU out-hit its opponent. The Buffs recorded a .384 clip with 51 kills and 13 errors on 99 attacks, while LBSU hit .229 with 36 kills and 14 errors on 96 swings. Defensively the Buffs picked up 41 digs, 12 more than LBSU’s 29.
NOTEABLE: The Buffs are now 2-1 on the season; Long Beach State, which was receiving votes in the AVCA Preseason Poll, is 1-2. LBSU owns a 3-1 lead in the all-time series against the Buffs.
NEXT UP: The Buffs will head home to the Coors Events Center in Boulder to host the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge, Sept. 3-4. No. 9 Penn State, No. 11 Stanford and No. 14 Illinois will all meet up in Boulder for a great weekend of volleyball, although CU will not face Stanford until the Pac-12 season starts.
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August 26th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
CU Volleyball wins season opener, rallying from 2-1 deficit to take out Texas Tech
From CUBuffs.com … Colorado volleyball coach Jesse Mahoney led the Buffaloes to a 3-2 victory against Texas Tech on Friday night, earning his first win at the helm of the program at the Portland State Tournament.
The Buffs rallied back from a 2-1 deficit to win the match 20-25, 25-19, 24-26, 25-18, 15-8. Sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smith had an outstanding debut for the Buffs, hammering a career high 23 kills in the win. She also recorded a .362 hitting efficiency and added eight digs and a pair of aces in the victory.
STANDOUTS: Hayes and Cuff led the Buffs with eight blocks, a career best for both, and each also recorded 10 kills. Cuff hit .500 with just one error on 18 attacks, and Hayes hit .444 with two errors on 18 swings. Junior outside hitter Stephanie Shadley had a career high 15 kills and a pair of aces. Senior setter Kiara McKibben handed out 41 of CU’s 60 assists and added seven digs in the process. Senior libero Cierra Simpson had a team-best 14 digs.
STATISTICS: The Buffs out-hit TTU .326 to .252. CU also had 66 kills to the Red Raiders’ 63. The Buffs posted 12.0 team blocks (22 assists and one solo) to TTU’s 9.0 (18 block assists).
NOTEABLE: Smith and McKibben made their debuts for the Buffs against TTU…Junior setter Marie Zimmerman and redshirt freshman Taylor Joachim came in during the second set to record their first action as a Buff…Colorado leads the all-time series against TTU 26-5…This was the first meeting for the two schools since the Buffs left the Big 12 for the Pac-12 in 2011…CU and TTU have played five sets in 10 match-ups, with the Buffs victorious in seven of those…Colorado is now 20-11 in season openers.
… Continue reading story here …
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CU Soccer falls 1-0 at Kansas
From CUBuffs.com … Kansas scored less than 18 minutes into the match and held on for a 1-0 win over Colorado on Friday night at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kan.
The Buffaloes were handed their first loss of the season, dropping to 2-1, while KU improved to 2-1.
WHAT HAPPENED: Colorado dominated both possession and scoring chances the entire match, but the net evaded the Buffs’ offense.
CU’s first two big scoring chances came in the 10th minute when Taylor Kornieck ripped a shot from the top of the 18-yard box and the KU goalkeeper was unable to control the rebound. Danica Evans was there, but fired the rebound right back at the goalkeeper for another save to keep the match scoreless.
The Jayhawks scored the only goal of the match at 17:46. As a CU defender was tripped up at the top of the box, KU’s Mandi Duggan gained possession and had an easy 1v1 with the goalkeeper for the score, pushing it towards the far-right post.
In the 30th minute, Kornieck one-touched a shot from the center of the box on goal, connecting on a cross from the right corner. Evans also had a one-touch shot saved eight minutes later.
One of the best scoring chances for CU came in the 53rd minute. Stephanie Zuniga had a shot from the top of the 6-yard box that was saved and the rebound trickled just wide of the right post as Camilla Shymka came up a step short from reaching the rebound before it crossed the endline.
Evans had a great chance in the 86th minute as her header landed on top of the net, inches over the crossbar.
The final shot chart had CU outshooting Kansas 15-14, including 8-6 in shots on goal. The Buffs held a 9-5 shot advantage in the first half.
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August 25th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
CU soccer team heads east to take on Kansas; Missouri
From CUBuffs.com …
• The Buffs will renew their old Big 12 rivalries with Kansas and Missouri this weekend, playing at KU on Friday and MU on Sunday.
• CU played Kansas in 2014 and lost 2-1 in double overtime, but previously had not played since its Big 12 days in 2010.
• CU has not played Missouri both schools were in the Big 12 in 2010.
• This is the sixth season all-time that CU has started 2-0 and the third in Danny Sanchez‘s fifth year (both previous times CU went on to the NCAA Tournament).
• CU has only started a season 3-0 two times previously: 2013 (started 6-0) and 2014 (started 3-0) and both of those seasons were under Sanchez and both were NCAA Tournament seasons.
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August 23rd
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
Alex Vidger named CU Female Athlete of the Week
From CUBuffs.com … Sophomore Alex Vidger had quite the week for the University of Colorado women’s soccer team, helping the team get off to a 2-0 start, leading the Buffs to two convincing victories in the Colorado Cup on the way to earning CU Female Athlete of the Week honors for the previous week.
Vidger, a defender for the Buffs, scored her first career goal as a Buff against Air Force on Friday to help seal the deal in a 2-0 victory against the Falcons. She hasn’t missed anytime so far in the first two games, already logging 180 minutes on a CU backline that has dominated so far this season.
With Vidger’s key contributions to the defense, CU has only allowed nine total shot attempts, six of which have been on goal to give the Buffs a 0.50 GAA, in the two matches played so far. The Buffs have only allowed one goal in those first two games, and Vidger so far has been a center piece in CU’s solid defense so far this season.
Vidger and the Buffs women’s soccer team go on the road this weekend, first traveling to Kansas on Friday Aug. 26, and then they head to Missouri on Sunday Aug. 28 to wrap up a tough early season road trip.
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Emma Coburn and Jenny Simpson celebrate Simpson’s 30th birthday … in Paris
Emma Coburn tweet: “Happy birthday @trackjenny I’m glad we get to celebrate #30 together in Paris”
Emma tweet: “Back to work with @trackjenny today in Paris. Not done yet! 3 races to go”.
Emma and Jenny together (August 18th) – Emma tweet: “Bronze Buddies first time seeing each other since our races. Had to bust out the medals and pose (@trackjenny)”
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August 21st
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
CU soccer runs record to 2-0 with a 2-1 win over Colorado State
From CUBuffs.com … Freshman Taylor Kornieck scored less than seven minutes in and Danica Evans scored another goal in the second half to propel Colorado to a 2-1 win over Colorado State on Sunday at Prentup Field in the second round of the Colorado Cup.
The Buffaloes improved to 2-0 on the season for the sixth time in the 21st season of CU soccer. However, it’s the third time in head coach Danny Sanchez‘s fifth year the team has opened with two victories.
WHAT HAPPENED: It was all CU for much of the first half as the Buffs outshot the Rams 14-4 in the first half. Kornieck broke through early at 6:42 for her first career goal. Sarah Kinzner set her up with a through ball from midfield and Kornieck was in for a breakaway along the left side of the box for the goal, pushing the ball to the far post past the goalkeeper.
Despite the early dominance, CSU broke through at 26:22 after three consecutive corner kicks. The third corner was deflected out to the center of the box and Amy Eckert had a wide open shot for the goal.
The Buffaloes had multiple scoring opportunities left on the field in the half. CU had two shots hit the frame, another cleared off the goal line for a CSU defender, and a two others that missed inches over the crossbar.
CU came out more settled in the second half and outshot CSU 15-1. Camilla Shymka was robbed of a goal in the 56th minute. After beating the goalkeeper, she shot on goal, but a CSU defender was there to clear the ball away.
Evans scored the game-winning goal at 66:15. Stephanie Zuniga set her up one-on-one in the center of the box and Evans spun around a defender for an open shot with her left foot.
Jalen Tompkins had a key save in the 84th minute, diving to her left to keep the Buffs ahead.
… UP NEXT: CU will hit the road to renew two old Big 12 rivalries next weekend. The Buffs will play at Kansas on Friday and Missouri on Sunday. Both matches will begin at 6 p.m. MT.
… Continue reading story here …
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August 20th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
CU soccer team opens season with a 2-0 victory over Air Force
From CUBuffs.com … Colorado’s soccer team opened the 2016 season with a 2-0 win at Air Force on Friday night behind goals from Sarah Kinzner and Alex Vidger.
The match was delayed before the start for one hour and 45 minutes due to lightning. When the lightning finally passed, the storm left a light mist and very strong winds from the north and west behind, creating adverse conditions for both teams.
“With the delay, I was pleased with how we came out,” head coach Danny Sanchez said. “I thought we played with good tempo in the first half, especially with the wind against us. We created a couple of really good chances. Their keeper made a couple of great saves. When Sarah was able to get the goal before half, we were able to settle down and Air Force had to come at us a little bit. The key was scoring before halftime because we had played very well in the first half.”
CU is now unbeaten in its past 13 season-opening matches with shutouts in 10 of those. The Buffs are now 11-5-5 all-time in season-openers.
For the match, Colorado dominated from the start, outshooting Air Force 16-4.
… CU will play its first home match of the season on Sunday at 3 p.m. against Colorado State at Prentup Field.
… Continue reading story here …
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August 18th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
Jenny Simpson: “You get a medal, and that’s forever”
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CU soccer opens season against Air Force on Friday
From CUBuffs.com … Colorado’s soccer team will open the 2016 season on Friday at Air Force at 6 p.m. The Buffaloes will return home on Sunday to face Colorado State at Prentup Field at 3 p.m. Friday’s complete match notes are attached in the PDF in the links to the right.
Notes:
Up Next
• CU opens the season at Air Force on Friday at 6 p.m.
• It will be the first time the Buffs have opened the season against Air Force.
• CU is 10-5-5 all-time in season-opening matches, including 3-1-4 in season-openers on the road.
• CU is 5-1 all-time vs. Air Force and 1-1 on the road an has won its past five matches against the Falcons.
• The Buffs play their home opener on Sunday at 3 p.m. vs. Colorado State, a match that will be televised on Pac-12 Network.
• CU is 15-4-1 all-time in its home openers and has won its past seven home openers (tied No. 20 Florida 1-1 in 2008) and hasn’t lost a home opener since 2003 (lost 1-0 to No. 2 Portland).
• CU is 1-0-1 all-time against Colorado State and 1-0 at home, but tied the Rams last year in Fort Collins.
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CU Volleyball picked to finish seventh in Pac-12
From CUBuffs.com … The University of Colorado volleyball team has been picked to finish seventh in the Pac-12 Conference Preseason Poll, while junior Gabby Simpson was also named to the Preseason All-Pac-12 Team.
Colorado recorded 50 points to finish just out of the top half of the poll. Stanford received nine first-place votes for the top spot (119 points). The Buffs return four starters from the 2015 team that finished fifth in the Pac-12 (11-9) after earning a 19-13 overall mark.
The preseason honor for Simpson is the first of her career, but comes as no surprise since she was a member of the 2015 All-Pac-12 honorable mention team. Last year she come on strong as an offensive power, averaging 3.41 kills per set, which ranked second on the team and was 10th in the Pac-12. In league only matches, Simpson recorded 3.53 kills per set, which was ninth in the conference.
Over the last two seasons, Simpson has started in 65 of 66 matches. She has earned numerous honors in that time, most notably this past summer she was selected to represent the Buffs on the Pac-12 All-Stars Team in China and was a member of the USA Volleyball Collegiate National Team that toured Europe.
The 2016 season officially starts August 26-27 at the Portland State Tournament. The Buffs open the home portion of the season on Sept. 3 when they host No. 9 Penn State on the first day of the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge.
… Continue reading story here …
Preseason Pac-12 Coaches Poll Results
School (first-place votes) Points
1. Stanford (9) 119
2. UCLA (1) 103
3. Washington (1) 99
4. Oregon 95
5. USC (1) 85
6. Arizona 72
7. Colorado 50
8. Utah 48
9. Washington State 46
10. California 27
11. Arizona State 26
12. Oregon State 22
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August 16th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
Jenny Simpson wins bronze in 1500-meter final
From CUBuffs.com … Former Colorado star Jenny Simpson became the second Buff in two days to claim an Olympic bronze medal, putting on a terrific finishing kick over the last 200 meters Tuesday night to finish third in the 1,500-meter final.
Simpson, who entered the bell lap of the race in sixth place, ran down two competitors on the final lap to finish in 4 minutes, 10.53 seconds. Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon won gold in 4:08.92 and Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba was second in 4:10.27.
Simpson started quickly in the race and stayed near the front of the pack for the first two laps of what was a slow-paced, tactical championship race. Dibaba then began to push the pace in the third lap, and while Simpson dropped to the middle of the pack, she kept her eye on the leaders. She began her kick midway through the final 400 meters and ran down two competitors, including Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, to claim her first Olympic medal in three appearances at the Games.
Monday morning, Simpson’s training partner and friend, Emma Coburn, became the first American woman to earn a medal in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase when she claimed bronze in the event. Coburn, a former CU standout, clocked an American record 9:07.63, breaking her old mark by more than three seconds.
Both Simpson and Coburn are still coached by CU coaches Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs. They became the fifth and sixth varsity athletes in CU history to earn an Olympic medal, and the school’s 11th medal overall. They joined previous varsity athletes Burdie Haldorson, Bob Jeangerard, Jimmie Heuga and Bill Toomey.
Simpson, one of the most decorated female middle-distance runners in U.S. history and one of the most accomplished runners in CU annals, was competing in her third Olympics. She was ninth in the steeplechase in Beijing in 2008 and advanced to the semifinals of the 1,500 in 2012 in London.
She also won the World Championships gold medal in the 1,500 in 2011 and was the silver medalist in the event in 2013. She was also the 2014 Diamond League champion in the 1,500 in 2014.
Her personal best of 3:57.22 is still the second-fastest in American history.
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August 15th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
Emma Coburn wins bronze, setting new American record in the steeplechase
From CUBuffs.com … Very few Olympians get to leave the games with a medal around their neck, but Colorado’s very own Emma Coburn will leave as one of the elite after earning the bronze medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase Monday morning.
In addition to her third place performance, Coburn broke her own American record, improving her time by over three seconds to 9 minutes, 7.63 seconds.
“My coaches said that an aggressive fast pace would make me medal, so I trusted them and I went for it,” Coburn said. “I’m a little bummed I didn’t have more the last lap to get second, but third in the world is incredible and I’m really happy.”
The medal is the first for the United States in the women’s steeplechase event, and is the first in the steeplechase since 1968.
… “We are thrilled with the medal and record of course, but I am most gratified by the courage and poise with which she raced. She was completely professional,” said Wetmore, who is in Rio with Coburn and Simpson. “We are sincerely thankful for the support we get from CU and Boulder. There is no place equal to conduct this trade.”
In typical Coburn fashion, she jumped out to the front of the pack to start, partially to keep the pace honest in the final. She entered the meet with the third fastest time of the season, so she knew she belonged up front.
Coburn fell back slightly to fourth, but kept the top three in her sight. She continued to look comfortable and didn’t get frustrated, which paid off as she gained ground on Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech. Coburn caught her and with one lap to go, it looked like she might have enough to move into second, which was held by another Kenyan, Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi. Coburn didn’t have quite enough as Jepkemoi crossed the finish just .51 seconds in front of her (9:07.12).
… The Crested Butte, Colo. native, became just the fifth CU varsity athlete to win an Olympic medal, CU’s 1th overall (although one was stripped in 2012).
She joins previous varsity athletes Burdie Haldorson (two medals), Bob Jeangerard, Jimmie Heuga and Bill Toomey (Billy Kidd was not on the ski team, but was attending CU). She is CU’s first female varsity athlete to earn a medal (three others were club sport performers), and is just the second track performer to medal. The last Buff to medal in a summer games was Bill Toomey in 1968 when he won the gold in the decathlon.
1. Ruth Jebet – Bahrain – 8:59.75.
2. Hyvin Jepkemoi – Kenya – 9:07:12
3. Emma Coburn – USA – 9:07:63
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August 14th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
Jenny Simpson qualifies for 1,500-meter final
From the Daily Camera … After contemplating the point of delineation between healthy and harmful nervousness, Jenny Simpson figured out a reasonable answer Sunday and used it in her race strategy in the semifinals of the 1,500 meters.
She decided to take the lead early to eliminate some of the worry in a race that would determine which 12 women would compete in the final Tuesday night.
“I was thinking about, what about nervousness tips you over the edge?” said Simpson, a Boulder resident and former Colorado Buffalo who is a former world champion in the 1,500. “I decided that what tips you over the edge is when nerves turn into worrying. I saw the pace of the first heat (of three) was a little slow, so I thought, ‘I don’t have to worry about the pace if I take (the lead).’ Nobody ever wants to take it, so I thought, ‘If I do it, I have a little bit of control, and I don’t have to worry about it.’ ”
Simpson went to the front from the gun and held the lead until the bell lap when Ganesh Dibaba of Ethiopia burst past her to finish first in the heat. There was no worry in that either: Simpson finished fourth, and that got her into Tuesday’s finals with ease. Sifan Hassan, a native of Ethiopia who runs for the Netherlands, and Laura Muir of Great Britain also passed Simpson.
… Continue reading story here …
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August 13th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
Emma Coburn advances to steeplechase finals at Rio Olympics
From the Daily Camera … In an event that presents trouble lurking around every turn on the track, Emma Coburn glides over every obstacle with fluidity, grace and a serene countenance that has made her America’s best female steeplechase runner and a medal contender in these Olympics.
Having to leap over 30-inch-high wooden barriers 35 times in 3,000 meters (1.86 miles) – with every fourth one having a water pit for a landing – is a perilous way to make a living. A minor mishap in the steeplechase can knock a runner down and out of the race. More serious crashes can cause bodily harm or chain-reaction pile-ups. Coburn makes it look a romp on her favorite trail run in Crested Butte, where she grew up, seemingly oblivious to the potential for carnage.
Coburn advanced easily in Saturday’s semifinals and will run in the finals of the event Monday morning. Her time of nine minutes, 18.12 seconds was third among the 53 woman who ran in three heats.
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August 11th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
Emma Coburn and Jenny Simpson two of four former Buffs competing in Rio Olympics
From CUBuffs.com … All the hard work is done. Four years of training and racing, four years of long runs in the cold and heat, four years of track workouts, time in the training room, injuries and recovery, are in the books.
All that’s left for Jenny Simpson and Emma Coburn, two of the University of Colorado’s most-decorated track and field athletes, is another competition on the world’s largest stage.
Friday evening, Simpson will line up for her third Olympics when she runs in the first round of the 1,500-meter competition at Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Saturday morning, Coburn will walk to the line for her second Olympic competition when she races in the first round of the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
If Simpson advances through the first round, she’ll race again in Sunday’s semifinals, with the finals scheduled for Tuesday evening. If Coburn advances past the opening round, she’ll race again in Monday morning’s finals.
… “Now that I’m eight or nine years removed from my first Olympics, I think that time helps us have a greater understanding for what we’ve experienced,” said Simpson, who finished ninth in her first Olympics in the steeplechase in 2008 in Beijing, then advanced to the semifinals of the 1,500 in London in 2012. “I appreciate the opportunity more than I did in 2008 and even more than I did in 2012. My respect for the Olympics is growing and so is my ability to focus in on one thing and eliminate all the distractions. I remember my first Olympics experiencing all the firsts that come with going to the Olympics, and I think it’s important for every athlete to absorb that and take it in. And now being years removed from that, I can focus strictly on my performance.”
Coburn, who finished ninth in 2012 in London in her Olympic debut, also believes the distractions will be limited and her concentration on the race improved.
“This time around, it’s less about the Olympic experience and more about the Olympic race,” Coburn said. “I can focus more on the nine minutes on the track, seeing what I can do there and trying to make it as similar to other race experiences that I’ve had, and less about the Olympic hype and moment.”
… Continue reading story here …
… OTHER BUFFS IN RIO: Two other competitors with strong Colorado ties will be competing in Rio. Former CU sprinter Jeremy Dodson will be competing in the 200 meters, with his first race scheduled for Tuesday morning. Colorado graduate Flora Duffy, meanwhile, will be competing in the women’s triathlon on Aug. 20th.
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July 21st
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
Emma Coburn and Jenny Simpson begin final preparations for Olympic games
From CUBuffs.com … If there’s one thing to be learned from an athlete’s first Olympic experience, it is how to deal with the distractions that accompany such a monumental event.
Those athletes good enough to live the experience again apply those lessons from their maiden voyage.
Jenny Simpson and Emma Coburn have learned. The two University of Colorado graduates and training partners will line up in August at the XXXI Olympiad in Rio with the first-time jitters out of the way and their eyes focused clearly on medal-worthy performances.
Simpson, an NCAA champion and multiple-time All-American as a Buff, made her Olympic debut in 2008 in the steeplechase in Beijing, where she finished ninth. She then competed in the 1,500-meter run in London in 2012, advancing to the semifinals, and this year will compete again in the 1,500 in her third Olympic appearance.
Coburn, also an NCAA champion and All-American at CU, ran in her first Olympics in London in the steeplechase and finished ninth. She’ll compete in the same event this year after setting the American steeplechase record earlier this year — breaking the mark previously held by Simpson.
… Simpson will be the first of the two to run when she opens competition on the evening of Friday, Aug. 12, in round one of the 1,500. The semifinals are set for Aug. 14 and the finals Aug. 16. Coburn will run in the first round of the steeplechase in the morning on Aug. 13 with the finals set for Aug. 15.
… Continue reading story here …
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July 13th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
Former CU golfer Alexis Keating qualifies to participate in U.S. Women’s Amateur
From CUBuffs.com … Former University of Colorado golfer Alexis Keating shot a 1-under par 70 here at Fort Collins Country Club and in the process qualified for the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.
Keating earned one of the six qualifying spots as she finished third place overall and was one of only three golfers to post a subpar round on the par 71 course. Keating’s strong 18-hole performance included a pair of birdies and 15 pars against only one bogey as the recent CU graduate shot a 35 on both the front and back nine.
The Elma, Wash. native is planning to attend the first stage of LPGA qualifying school, which begins next month.
A pair of current Buffs, soon-to-be sophomore Gillian Vance and junior Tori Glenn also participated in the event. Vance finished tied for 20th at 5-over par and Glenn closed her round at plus-9, tying her for 35th place.
The 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship is scheduled for Aug. 1-7 and will be held at Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa.
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July 10th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
Jenny Simpson earns third trip to Olympics by winning 1,500-meter run
From CUBuffs.com … Jenny Simpson earned her third trip to the Olympic Games on Sunday afternoon, winning the 1,500-meter run at the U.S. Olympic Team Track & Field Trials.
Simpson ran a brilliant race, finishing in 4:04.74. She came through the first 300 meters in 50.56, which was third and by 700 meters, Simpson was second. About 100 meters later, Simpson made her move to the front, taking the lead from another former Buff, Sara Vaughn. As the field entered the bell lap, Simpson was off, running the final 400 meters in 59.97, and easily defeated the runner-up, Shannon Rowbury, who clocked in at 4:05.39.
“Everybody talks about how making the team is a relief,” Simpson said. “But the hardest thing is you are the one who has to prove it to you. You’re the one who is standing at the starting line, and you’re the one who has to believe ‘I’m 1,500 meters away from another team.’ I’m just so grateful I proved to myself that I could do it.”
Vaughn ended up seventh overall, finishing with a time of 4:10.28, while another former Buff, Sara Sutherland, was ninth (4:10.70).
Jessica Tebo, yet another former Buff competing on Sunday at the trials, came away with an 11th place finish in the 5,000-meter finals, finishing in 15:41.02.
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July 8th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
Emma Coburn wins 3,000-meter steeplechase at Olympic trials; Kipp finishes fourth (one spot out)
From CUBuffs.com … Heading into Thursday night’s 3,000-meter steeplechase final at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials, former Colorado all-star Emma Coburn was the heavy favorite.
She didn’t disappoint.
The American record holder cruised to her second straight U.S. Olympic Trials Championship, her fifth overall U.S. Championship, to earn her second trip to the Olympic Games. Coburn’s time of 9:17.48 was 3.44 seconds faster than the runner-up, Courtney Frerichs (9:20.92), which is the largest margin of victory in trials history. Colleen Quigley was third in 9:21.29. Frerichs and Quigley will join Coburn on the U.S. team in Rio.
Coburn, who also made the Olympic team in 2012, ran a different style of race than what she has in the past. She didn’t take the lead at the beginning, but stayed behind Ashley Higginson until there were two and a half laps remaining. Once Coburn moved to the lead, she was off and everyone knew it was a race for second and third.
“I was just trying to stay relaxed and in a steeplechase especially there’s so much risk and drama with the barriers, so I was just trying to stay relaxed and confident,” Coburn said. “In the previous two U.S. championships, someone else has taken it out at a modest pace and I’ve been able to sit back for half the race and then try and take it over. So I had a pace in the back of my head so if the pace was slower than about 9:30 pace I was going to take it over, but luckily Ashley Higginson and Stephanie Garcia made it an honest pace early on so I didn’t bother taking the lead until 1K to go. And then when I did I wanted to make as definitive a move as I could. Any athlete will tell you that once you take the lead you better be willing to hold it and fight for it so once I took the lead I was kicking.”
Another former Buff, Shalaya Kipp, just missed her second trip to an Olympic Games in the steeplechase, finishing fourth overall. She will serve as an alternate.
… Continue reading story here …
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July 6th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
CU soccer star Madison Krauser signs professional contract to play in France
From CUBuffs.com … Former Colorado soccer player Madison Krauser has signed a professional contract to play in France. She will compete as an outside back for ASJ Soyaux-Charente in France’s top division, Division 1 Féminine.
“I am extremely excited and super blessed to have the opportunity to continue playing soccer, at a top level,” Krauser said. “I still can’t believe that my lifelong dream is becoming a reality. I am looking forward to continuously pushing myself to become not only a better athlete, but also person. I would like to thank my family, friends, coaches, and teammates for always challenging me and supporting me from day one. Without any of them, I would not be where I am today.”
Krauser was a four-year starter for the Buffaloes, wrapping up her career in Boulder this past fall when she was named second-team all-Pac-12. She was recognized as an unselfish player, finishing her career third in CU history with 16 assists. As a senior, she made the move from forward to defense to help fill a void in the back line. She still managed four assists in 2015 despite the position change, and was named the team’s Defensive MVP.
Also strong in the classroom, she earned Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention three times and majored in art practices with minors in both art history and business. She graduated from CU in May with a 3.186 grade point average and still has plans to attend graduate school for graphic design when her playing career allows for time.
In her four season with the Buffs, she led them to a 43-32-10 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances.
She will be one of three former Buffaloes playing professionally this year. Both Kate Scheele and Bianca Jones are currently playing in Sweden.
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July 5th
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
Emma Coburn and Shalaya Kipp both advance to Olympic 3000-meter steeplechase
From CUBuffs.com … On the most patriotic day of the year, four Buffs, one current and three former, competed for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Two of those athletes’ dreams were kept alive as former Buffs Emma Coburn and Shalaya Kipp advanced to the finals of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials on Monday afternoon.
Coburn cruised to an easy finish, taking the third heat with the fastest time of the day at 9:35.28, while Kipp ended up third in the section with a mark of 9:38.01.
“Today was all about getting though,” Coburn said. “I wanted to be as relaxed as possible. I wanted to make sure I got over every barrier without clipping it and through the water jump without any drama. Today was just about being careful. Today was making sure nothing crazy happened.”
The duo ran in the third section of the event with current Buff, Erin Clark, who ended her sophomore track season by placing seventh in the section in 10:00.85.
… Coburn and Kipp will be looking for their second trip to the Olympic Games as they both qualified for the U.S. team in 2012. That year Coburn won the trials, while Kipp was third. The finals are set for Thursday night and will be shown live on NBC Sports Network at 8:48 p.m. MT.
… Continue reading story here (including event times for other Buffs competing for Olympic berths …
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July 1st
… Citius, Altius, Fortius …
Emma Coburn explains how to handle the water jump in the steeplechase
From ESPN … The steeplechase is like hurdles set to the music of “Yakety Sax.” Instead of barriers that tip over, the steeplechase contains four immovable barriers and a 30-inch wall set in front of a 10-foot-long pool of water. Sound crazy? U.S. Olympic hopeful Emma Coburn shows how it’s done.
… Continue reading the story here …
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