Volleyball Season Recap

• The University of Colorado Colorado Springs Mountain Lions had a solid 2024 season, finishing with an 11-15 record and a 5-9 record in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. UCCS only had five returning players from last season's team, adding 11 newcomers this year, including seven true freshmen.
• The Mountain Lions season began with four straight wins at the Mountain Lion Classic over Cameron University, Fort Hays State University, University of Arkansas Fort-Smith, and the University of Mary. Following this hot start, UCCS cooled off, going 1-3 at the FHSU Tiger Classic on Sept. 13 and 14.
• UCCS got their RMAC schedule off to a good start with a win 3-1 over Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D., on Sept. 20 but dropped the next two matches on the road to South Dakota Mines University (3-0) and Regis University (3-2). The Mountain Lions then came home from their road trip to defeat New Mexico Highlands University 3-1 on Sept. 27. UCCS began October with a 1-4 record before beating Westminster University on Oct. 19.
• After two more losses on the road, the Mountain Lions would close the season with six straight matches at home, starting by going 1-1 in the RMAC Power Pod with a loss to Adams State University (3-1) and a win over Fort Lewis College (3-1). UCCS then lost three straight to Colorado School of Mines, MSU Denver, and Colorado State University Pueblo. The Mountain Lions finished the season on a high note, though, with a 3-2 win over Adams State, closing with an 11-15 record and a 5-9 conference record.

 
Award Winners

• Rylie Hahn: RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll
• Maylen Mitrovich: RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll
• Payton Tompkins: All-RMAC Second Team
• Emily Pruitt: RMAC Honorable Mention
• Sydnee Walker: RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll

 
Stat Leaders

• Outside hitter Payton Tompkins led the Mountain Lions offensively this season, recording the most kills and points on the team. The incredible season from the freshman saw her start all 26 matches this year, including all 104 sets. She collected 371 kills and 417.5 points, placing her fifth in the league in overall kills per set (3.57) and sixth in points per set (4.01). Tompkins also recorded 23 aces, 279 digs, and 38 blocks. Of 26 matches, Tompkins recorded at least 10 kills in 20. Tompkins had the fourth-best hitting percentage on the team at .204 in 1,107 total attacks on the year.
• Freshman outside hitter Emily Pruitt had an outstanding first season of her college career. Playing in all 26 matches, Pruitt threw down 319 kills to go along with 13 aces, 134 digs, 39 blocks, and 353 points. Her 3.10 kills per set were good for the 13th most in the conference.
• In Audrey Dowd's first season with UCCS, she assisted her teammates 664 times, the seventh most in the RMAC. The Mountain Lion setter had an assist per set average of 7.46, also marking as the seventh best in the conference. The redshirt freshman tied Tompkins with the most service aces on the team, with 23, and played in 22 matches this year, with 89 sets in total.
• Rylie Pitts had a productive first season with the Mountain Lions, tallying the third-highest number of points on the team (240.5) and tied for the third most kills with 184. The junior collected 1.98 kills per set with a hit percentage of .211. Pitts competed in all 26 matches with 93 sets in total this season. On the defensive end, Pitts was second in blocks with 69 and tied for the most per set at .75 on the team.
• Outside hitter Sydnee Walker was one of five Mountain Lions to play in all 26 matches. Walker tied with Pitts for the third most kills on the team with 184 and contributed 1.86 kills per set. Walker added 20 service aces with 218 points in 99 sets this season and 252 digs on the defensive end.
• Mackenzie Ransom was everywhere on defense for UCCS, digging up the most attacks on the team with 392. The junior libero had 4.17 digs per set, marking the seventh most in the RMAC. On the offensive side, Ransom contributed 18 service aces and had the team's third most assists (82) in 24 matches and 94 sets played.
• Avery Ahlers deflected and blocked more opposing attacks than any other Mountain Lion, with 77 on the season. The sophomore had 64 block assists and 13 solo, blocking .75 blocks per set. On the offensive end, Ahlers tallied 106 kills and 151 points. Her hit percentage of .248 was the highest on the team, with 290 total attacks. Ahlers was a part of all 26 matches and tied with Tompkins for the most sets played on the team with 104.
• Setter Maylen Mitrovich was heavily involved for the Mountain Lions this season, playing in 23 matches, collecting 391 assists, 49 kills, 74.5 points, 20 service aces, and 176 digs.
• Other Mountain Lions who contributed in their first seasons at UCCS include Michelle Fredrick, who tallied 43 kills in 48 sets; Avrey Keim, who recorded 33 kills in 39 sets; Danielle Varela, who added 30 kills in 29 sets; and Addie Stephens, who gathered five kills in 25 sets.

 
Hot Takes

• Payton Tompkins had one of the best starts to a career in program history, breaking multiple records for a freshman season. Tompkins collected the most kills for a freshman season with 371, 30 more than Andrea Weedman (2004), who sits at second now. Her 1,107 total attacks rank as the ninth most in a season and the most from a freshman in program history. Her hit percentage of .203 is the fifth-best for a freshman season. Her 417.5 points is the second most in a freshman season and is the most points by an individual player in a season for UCCS since Taylor Hamilton (2017) with 419.5 points.
• Mackenzie Ransom's 4.17 digs per set ranks as the sixth most in a season in program history.
• Two of the Mountain Lions' wins were sweeps, five came in four sets, and four were decided in the fifth set.
• UCCS struggled in matches in unfamiliar territory, only winning twice in 10 tries on the road and going 1-2 in neutral site matches. The Mountain Lions did, however, compete well at home, finishing with an 8-5 record on their home court. The last time UCCS won this many games at home was in the 2017 season when the Mountain Lions went 11-2 at the Gallogly Events Center.

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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 14 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.