Cliff Grassmick / Staff Photographer)
Two years ago, as Jesse Mahoney prepared for his first season at the helm of the Colorado volleyball program, he did so with a team reeling from an offseason coaching change and the disappointment of being one of the last teams left out of the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
Last year, after his initial Buffaloes team finished just 6-14 in the Pac-12 Conference, few were certain what to expect from a CU squad well-stocked with talent that nonetheless was coming off a 2-9 finish in 2016.
The Buffs proved any doubters wrong last season with the program's best postseason run in 20 years.