The DU volleyball team turned in its best season in program history this year. The Pioneers cruised to a 27-7 overall record, including an impressive 13-3 record against conference foes.

Unfortunately, the team lost to Colorado State University in three straight sets in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Colorado State team boasted an impressive 30-2 record and was the nation’s no. 15 seed. Despite the loss, the team made great strides this year with contributions from all grade levels.

The Pioneers relied on the leadership of seniors Kate Acker, Erica Denney and Bailey Karst throughout the season. Next year, the torch will be passed to Sarah Schmid, who is the lone junior on the squad. The young talent on the team is encouraging, as sophomores Nola Basey, Moni Corrujedo, Monique Domme and Ruth Okoye all provided key support for the entire squad.

Pioneer freshmen Cassie Baird, Piyusha Boteju, Nikki Kennedy, Taylor Loyd, Kayla Principato and Cassidy Rooke took the experience in and learned at their own individual paces.

The future looks bright despite three prominent players graduating. This past season saw the team win its first Summit League Championship in program history, which it accomplished against IUPUI.

Before drawing their NCAA bid, the Pioneers finished the year with three consecutive sweeps over University of Northern Colorado, UIPUI and North Dakota State University. The Denver volleyball program is definitely on the rise and has made great improvements to its overall performance over the past few months.

With the 2015-2016 season on the horizon, Denver looks promising to continue to perform at a new and impressive level.