Colorado Volleyball Star Ana Burilovic Earns AVCA All-America Honors
Colorado volleyball junior Ana Burilovic has been recognized as one of the nation’s top players, earning a spot on the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America Third Team on Wednesday, December 17. This prestigious accolade marks a significant achievement for both Burilovic and the Colorado volleyball program.
Burilovic’s selection represents the seventh time a Colorado volleyball player has been named an All-American, and the fifth instance of the honor being presented by the AVCA since 1981. The program previously saw an AVCA All-American in 2018 with middle blocker Naghede Abu. The Buffs also have a history of recognition, boasting six AVCA All-American honorable mentions and two Volleyball Magazine All-American honorable mentions.
“We couldn’t be more proud of Ana’s efforts and achievements this season, and it’s gratifying to see her get the recognition she deserves,” stated head coach Jesse Mahoney. “She has grown into one of the premier six-rotation players in the country.”
The recognition follows a string of accolades for Burilovic, who was recently named to the AVCA All-West Region First Team and the 2025 All-Big 12 First Team. Her exceptional performance throughout the season earned her AVCA Player of the Week and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors on September 30, following sweeps over then-No. 14 BYU and then-No. 23 Utah. She repeated as Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on November 4, after a dominant 30-kill performance against Northern Colorado on October 28, where she also recorded nine digs, two blocks, and one ace. Burilovic’s consistent excellence was also recognized with a selection to the 2025 Preseason Big 12 Team and all-tournament team honors at both the Anteater Classic and Buffs Invitational.
Statistically, Burilovic dominated the Big 12 and ranked among the nation’s leaders. She led the conference in both points per set (5.47, sixth in the NCAA) and kills per set (4.71, ninth in the NCAA). Her offensive prowess extended to aces, where she ranked third in the Big 12 (0.43 per set, 46th nationally). Nationally, Burilovic finished fifth in total points (656.0), seventh in total attacks (1,424), eighth in total kills (565), 17th in attacks per set (11.87), and 23rd in total aces (51).
In 32 matches during the 2025 season, Burilovic amassed 565 kills, 211 digs, 51 aces, 64 blocks, and 19 assists. She recorded four kill-dig double-doubles this season, bringing her career total to 10. Burilovic also set a new Colorado volleyball record with 13 matches of 20 or more kills. She surpassed the 1,000 career kill milestone at West Virginia, becoming the 19th Buff to achieve this feat, and currently boasts 1,061 career kills, alongside 521 career digs, 118 career aces, and 116 career blocks.
Burilovic’s impact extends beyond a single season. She currently leads the Colorado program in rally-scoring era aces with 115, ranking eighth all-time. She is 15th in CU history for career kills (1,061) and second for kills in a single season with 537. Her ability to take over a match is highlighted by being only the second player in Colorado Volleyball history to record two 30-kill performances in a single season, achieving this against UCF and Northern Colorado.
Fourteen student-athletes were selected to each of the AVCA All-America First, Second, and Third Teams, with an additional 57 receiving Honorable Mention. A complete list of honorees is available at avca.org.
Under the leadership of 10th-year head coach Jesse Mahoney, Colorado concluded the 2025 season with a 23-9 overall record and a 12-6 mark in Big 12 play. Mahoney has guided the Buffs to a 164-135 record during his tenure. The team made its 22nd appearance in the NCAA tournament, securing a first-round sweep of American before falling to four-seed Indiana in the second round. This second-round appearance was the 12th in program history. The 23-win season represents the program’s 13th 20-win season and its best since 2017, tying for the third-most wins in a single season in Colorado volleyball history.
For further information on the Colorado volleyball team, visit cubuffs.com/vb. Fans can also follow the team on social media at @cubuffsvb on Instagram, X, and Facebook.
