Thursday, September 18
USAFA
6:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Denver
Air Force Volleyball Set to Host Into the Blue Invitational
9/16/2025 4:04:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Air Force volleyball team [8-1] returns to the Academy this week to close out the non-conference season hosting the Into to the Blue Invitational on Sept. 18-20. The Falcons will welcome local foes from Denver, Northern Colorado, and Utah Tech to Cadet East Gym for the three-day tournament.
MATCH INFORMATION
The Into the Blue Invitational, which features Air Force, Denver, Northern Colorado, and Utah Tech, will take place at the Academy's Cadet East Gym on Sept. 18-20. Tickets can be purchased at AFTickets.com and the Academy's Clear Bag Policy will be in effect. Live stats will be available via StatBroadcast and all six matches will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network and MW App (available on Android, iOS, Apple TV, Roku, and Android TV).
INTO THE BLUE INVITATIONAL
Thursday-Saturday | September 18-20
USAFA | Cadet East Gym
Tickets | Base Access | Air Force Volleyball Notes
SCHEDULE OF MATCHES
09.18 – Air Force vs Denver – 6:00 pm – Stats Feed – MWN
09.19 – Northern Colorado vs Utah Tech – 12:00 pm– Stats Feed – MWN
09.19 – Utah Tech vs Denver – 4:00 pm – Stats Feed – MWN
09.19 – Air Force vs Northern Colorado – 7:00 pm– Stats Feed – MWN
09.20 – Air Force vs Utah Tech – 11:00 am – Stats Feed – MWN
09.20 – Denver vs Northern Colorado – 2:00 pm – Stats Feed – MWN
BASE ACCESS
Anyone without a DoD ID card must obtain a visitor pass to enter the Air Force Academy for athletic events. Please click HERE for more information and to apply for a visitors pass.
HONORING MATT McSHANE
Prior to Air Force's match with Northern Colorado on Sept. 19, the Falcons will honor former Air Force head coach Matt McShane, who passed away in November 2024, at the age of 70. A coaching legend, McShane spent six seasons as the head coach of the Falcons' program (2010-15) and laid the groundwork for some of the most successful seasons in Air Force's Division I history.
McSHANE MILESTONES
MATCH INFORMATION
The Into the Blue Invitational, which features Air Force, Denver, Northern Colorado, and Utah Tech, will take place at the Academy's Cadet East Gym on Sept. 18-20. Tickets can be purchased at AFTickets.com and the Academy's Clear Bag Policy will be in effect. Live stats will be available via StatBroadcast and all six matches will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network and MW App (available on Android, iOS, Apple TV, Roku, and Android TV).
INTO THE BLUE INVITATIONAL
Thursday-Saturday | September 18-20
USAFA | Cadet East Gym
Tickets | Base Access | Air Force Volleyball Notes
SCHEDULE OF MATCHES
09.18 – Air Force vs Denver – 6:00 pm – Stats Feed – MWN
09.19 – Northern Colorado vs Utah Tech – 12:00 pm– Stats Feed – MWN
09.19 – Utah Tech vs Denver – 4:00 pm – Stats Feed – MWN
09.19 – Air Force vs Northern Colorado – 7:00 pm– Stats Feed – MWN
09.20 – Air Force vs Utah Tech – 11:00 am – Stats Feed – MWN
09.20 – Denver vs Northern Colorado – 2:00 pm – Stats Feed – MWN
BASE ACCESS
Anyone without a DoD ID card must obtain a visitor pass to enter the Air Force Academy for athletic events. Please click HERE for more information and to apply for a visitors pass.
HONORING MATT McSHANE
Prior to Air Force's match with Northern Colorado on Sept. 19, the Falcons will honor former Air Force head coach Matt McShane, who passed away in November 2024, at the age of 70. A coaching legend, McShane spent six seasons as the head coach of the Falcons' program (2010-15) and laid the groundwork for some of the most successful seasons in Air Force's Division I history.
McSHANE MILESTONES
- Air Force's first conference victory in 74 matches [2010, vs San Diego State]
- Air Force first conference road in 66 matches [2012, at Nevada]
- Recorded a [then] Division I record for conference wins in a season [seven in 2014]
- Air Force's first victory over Wyoming in 18 matches [2013]
- Air Force's first victory over San Deigo State in 22 matches [2010]
- Air Force's first victory over UNLV in 31 matches [2015]
- 4-0 Record over Navy
- Defeated two-time NCAA Tournament team Long Island in coaching debut [2010]
- Defeated a Long Beach State team that was receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll [2013]
- Captured the program's first-ever victory over a team from the Pac-12 [2015]
SEMPER SUPRA, ALWAYS ABOVE
The Falcons will debut their new Space Force uniform during the Northern Colorado match on Sept. 19, as the Space Force has partnered with Air Force Athletics to provide uniforms for each team. The Air Force Academy is the premier undergraduate commissioning source for the Space Force, as about 10-percent of each class commission as Guardians each year. The Academy has always been the place for space – housing one of the only undergraduate programs in the nation to design, develop and fly real-world satellites, and offering space-focused majors. Additionally, the academy hosts Azimuth annually, which is a three-week program to introduce cadets to operations in the space domain modeled after NASA's two-year Astronaut Training Program. Space is critical to our way of life and vital to our nation's defense. The Space Force was created to protect U.S. interests in, from, through and to space. The U.S. Air Force Academy is here to train and inspire the men and women who are ready to lead these efforts.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Denver is 5-3 on the year, following a 1-2 weekend at the Buffalo Invitational that included a 3-2 win over Arkansas. While Northern Colorado enters the week with a 2-7 mark, the record includes wins over Washington and Colorado State, as well as a narrow five-set road loss to (then) No. 18 BYU in Provo. Utah Tech heads into the tournament with a 7-2 record after going 2-1 at the Boise State Invitational.
HISTORY 101
Although this will be their first-ever meeting between Air Force and Utah Tech, the Falcons have a long history with both Denver and Northern Colorado. Backed by a 20-match win streak to start the series, Air Force is 36-17 lifetime against the Pioneers – but Denver maintains a 15-7 advantage at the Division I level. The Falcons, who lost the first 20 meetings with Northern Colorado, is currently 13-55 all-time against the Bears – and 0-11 since the two program's resumed competition at the Division I level in 2004.
MAKING
With an 8-1 record, Air Force tied the 2023 squad for the best nine-match start to a season at Division I level.
LAST ONE STANDING
With a 7-0 record on Sept. 11, Air Force was the last undefeated team in the Mountain West in 2025.
WHAT'S ON DECK
With the non-conference season complete, Air Force will turn its attention to the Mountain West. The conference season begins next Thursday (Sept. 25), when the Falcons host Nevada at 6:00 p.m. (MT) at the Academy.
The Falcons will debut their new Space Force uniform during the Northern Colorado match on Sept. 19, as the Space Force has partnered with Air Force Athletics to provide uniforms for each team. The Air Force Academy is the premier undergraduate commissioning source for the Space Force, as about 10-percent of each class commission as Guardians each year. The Academy has always been the place for space – housing one of the only undergraduate programs in the nation to design, develop and fly real-world satellites, and offering space-focused majors. Additionally, the academy hosts Azimuth annually, which is a three-week program to introduce cadets to operations in the space domain modeled after NASA's two-year Astronaut Training Program. Space is critical to our way of life and vital to our nation's defense. The Space Force was created to protect U.S. interests in, from, through and to space. The U.S. Air Force Academy is here to train and inspire the men and women who are ready to lead these efforts.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Denver is 5-3 on the year, following a 1-2 weekend at the Buffalo Invitational that included a 3-2 win over Arkansas. While Northern Colorado enters the week with a 2-7 mark, the record includes wins over Washington and Colorado State, as well as a narrow five-set road loss to (then) No. 18 BYU in Provo. Utah Tech heads into the tournament with a 7-2 record after going 2-1 at the Boise State Invitational.
HISTORY 101
Although this will be their first-ever meeting between Air Force and Utah Tech, the Falcons have a long history with both Denver and Northern Colorado. Backed by a 20-match win streak to start the series, Air Force is 36-17 lifetime against the Pioneers – but Denver maintains a 15-7 advantage at the Division I level. The Falcons, who lost the first 20 meetings with Northern Colorado, is currently 13-55 all-time against the Bears – and 0-11 since the two program's resumed competition at the Division I level in 2004.
MAKING
With an 8-1 record, Air Force tied the 2023 squad for the best nine-match start to a season at Division I level.
LAST ONE STANDING
With a 7-0 record on Sept. 11, Air Force was the last undefeated team in the Mountain West in 2025.
WHAT'S ON DECK
With the non-conference season complete, Air Force will turn its attention to the Mountain West. The conference season begins next Thursday (Sept. 25), when the Falcons host Nevada at 6:00 p.m. (MT) at the Academy.
Utah Tech gives Falcons a loss in four sets
Saturday, September 20
Falcons fall in 5 sets to Northern Colorado
Friday, September 19
Falcons fall in close straight sets to Denver
Thursday, September 18
Macey Donathan Interview - September 16th, 2025
Tuesday, September 16
