DENVER - The University of Denver volleyball program opens its 2025 season on Friday night when the Pioneers take on (21) Southern California in Los Angeles. DU will play the second match of its opening weekend on Saturday afternoon against Loyola Marymount.
DENVER VS USC SERIES HISTORY:
Denver is 1-0 all-time against the Trojans. In the lone meeting between the two programs, the Pioneers came out on top, 3-2, in California on Aug. 27, 2021.
DENVER VS LMU SERIES HISTORY:
DU is a perfect 2-0 all-time against LMU. In the most recent meeting between the Pioneers and the Lions, Denver earned the 3-2 victory on Sept. 13, 2019 at a neutral site match in Lincoln, Nebraska.
SCHEDULE NOTABLES
• Denver opens the season with a trip to the west coast for a pair of matches against USC and Loyola Marymount.
• The Crimson and Gold host the Denver Classic, Sept. 4-6, with matches against Memphis, Texas Southern and Idaho State.
• The Pioneers then head up I-25 for the Buffs Invitational on Sept. 12-14 (vs. Toledo, Arkansas, Colorado).
• DU will close out its nonconference schedule at the Into the Blue Invitational against Air Force, Utah Tech and Northern Colorado on Sept. 18-20.
• The Pioneers open Summit League play on Sept. 25 at Oral Roberts.
• Longest road trip: 3 games (2x - Buffalo Invitational, Into the Blue Invitational)
• Longest homestand: 3 games (2x - Denver Invitational, Sept. 27-Oct. 4 Kansas City, South Dakota State, South Dakota).
FRESH FACES
• Megan Pendergast signed five freshmen and one graduate transfer to the 2025 roster who are joined by redshirt freshman
Izabela Molina.
• The true freshman class is made up of players from Texas, Kentucky, California, Wisconsin and Quebec.
THE LAST TIME OUT
• The Pioneers fell to Summit League tournament runner-up South Dakota State in five sets in the tournament semifinal.
•
Ava Reynolds recorded a double-double with 14 kills and 11 digs,
Jamia Johnson added 11 kills and
Alayna Finucan chipped in with 19 digs.
•
Molly Mirabelli was named to the All-Tournament Team.
THE PENDERGAST ERA
•Three Pios earned All-Summit League honors in 2024:
Cassie Davis,
Molly Mirabelli and All-Freshman selection
Jamia Johnson.
• In her first season at the helm, Pendergast led the Pioneers to a 12-4 record in conference play, earning a share of the Summit League regular season title, the first since 2020.
•DU was a perfect 9-0 in Hamilton Gymnasium, Denver's first perfect record at home since the 2015 season (18-0).
• Megan Pendergast was named the eighth head coach of the DU Volleyball program on June 12, 2023.
• Spent eight seasons as an assistant coach with UCLA (3), Oklahoma (1) and Tulsa (4).
Up Next:
DU returns home to host the Denver Invitational on Sept. 4-6 with matches against Memphis, Texas Southern and Idaho State in Hamilton Gymnasium.
Tickets:
Tickets are on sale now for the 2025 Denver volleyball seasons. Purchase tickets for the Denver Invitational and the rest of the 2025 campaign
here.
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