2006 Husker Volleyball Schedule Date Opponent/Tournament Time Aug. 29 No. 20 San Diego W, 3-0 Sept. 1-3 Nebraska Invitational 1st Sept. 1 vs. St. Mary s W, 3-0 Sept. 2 vs. Middle Tennessee W, 3-0 Sept. 3 vs. Long Beach State W, 3-0 Sept. 8-10 Ameritas Players Challenge 1st Sept. 8 vs. No. 20 Louisville W, 3-0 Sept. 9 vs. No. 25 Cal Poly W, 3-0 Sept. 10 vs. Minnesota (NET/CSTV) W, 3-1 Sept. 13 Kansas^ (NET/CSTV) W, 3-0 Sept. 16 at Oklahoma^ W, 3-0 Sept. 20 Iowa State^ W, 3-0 Sept. 23 Texas Tech^ (NET/CSTV) W, 3-0 Sept. 24 at Creighton W, 3-1 Sept. 30 at Baylor^ W, 3-1 Oct. 4 Kansas State^ (NET/CSTV) W, 3-0 Oct. 7 at Texas A&M^ W, 3-0 Oct. 11 at No. 15 Missouri^ (FSN) W, 3-0 Oct. 14 Colorado^ 3 p.m. - time change Oct. 18 at No. 10 Texas^ (ESPNU) 6:30 p.m. Oct. 25 Missouri^ (FSN) 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at Kansas State^ 7 p.m. Nov. 1 at Texas Tech^ 7 p.m. Nov. 4 Oklahoma^ (NET/CSTV) TBA Nov. 8 at Iowa State^ 6:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at Colorado^ 8 p.m. Nov. 15 Texas A&M^ 7 p.m. Nov. 18 Baylor^ 7 p.m. Nov. 22 at Kansas^ 7 p.m. Nov. 25 Texas^ (NET/CSTV) 7 p.m. Nov. 30-Dec. 3 NCAA First/Second Rounds TBA Dec. 8 NCAA Regionals TBA Dec. 9 NCAA Regionals TBA Dec. 14 NCAA Semifinals 6/8:30 p.m. Dec. 16 NCAA Finals 8 p.m. All times listed are Central. ^- Denotes Big 12 Conference match. All matches can be heard live on B107.3 FM in Lincoln and selected Husker Sports Network Stations (complete list on page 7) Home matches in bold and at the NU Coliseum unless otherwise noted TV Guide: NET-Nebraska Educational Television; FSN - Fox Sports Net CSTV - College Sports Television 2006 VOLLEYBALL -- Oct. 13, 2006 Contact: Shamus McKnight Office Phone: (402) 472-7772 Cell Phone: (402) 540-0268 Fax Number: (402) 472-2005 E-Mail: smcknight@huskers.com This Week in Husker Volleyball Match #17 No. 1 Nebraska (16-0, 8-0) vs. Colorado (9-6, 5-3 Big 12) Saturday, Oct. 14 NU Coliseum 3 p.m. Radio: Husker Sports Network ( B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) and Huskers.com Live Stats: Huskers.com Live Video Feed: HuskersNside (subscription required) Match #18 No. 1 Nebraska at No. 10 Texas (11-4, 6-2 Big 12) Wednesday, Oct. 18 Gregory Gymnasium 6:30 p.m. Radio: Husker Sports Network ( B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) and Huskers.com Live Stats: Huskers.com Live Video Feed: None Television: ESPNU - (Ch. 609 on DirecTV; Ch. 148 on DISH Network) No. 1 Huskers Host Colorado Saturday Afternoon The No. 1 ranked Nebraska volleyball team returns to the Nebraska Coliseum on Saturday afternoon, as they take on the Colorado Buffaloes in an important Big 12 matchup. First serve from the historic NU Coliseum - the 83rd consecutive sellout in the building - is set for 3 p.m. (central) and the match will be carried on B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha and on Huskers.com. HuskerNside subscribers can also watch Saturday s match on HuskersNside and for more information on the service, visit Huskers.com. Saturday s time change was necessitated because of the Husker football game against Kansas State that was moved to 6 p.m. The Huskers come off arguably their strongest performance of the season, a 3-0 sweep at No. 15 Missouri on Wednesday night in front of a crowd of over 6,000 at the Hearnes Center. In that match, the Huskers hit.339 as a team, as four players had at least nine kills in the win. Sarah Pavan led all players with 16 kills on.467 hitting, while Jordan Larson posted her eighth straight doubledouble with 14 kills and 14 digs, as the Huskers improved to 4-0 against ranked teams this season. Colorado comes into Saturday s match with a 9-6 overall record and a 5-3 Big 12 mark after falling against Iowa State on Wednesday. The Buffaloes began the week in third place in the conference race, but Wednesday s loss dropped CU into fifth in the conference standings. Colorado features one of the best attacking outside hitters in the conference in Amber Sutherland, who is fourth in the Big 12 with 4.27 kills per game, and one of the Big 12 s top setters in senior Ashley Nu u, who averages 12.04 assists, 1.40 kills and 1.52 digs per game. Did You Know? -Nebraska is one of three remaining unbeaten teams in the country, joining Penn State (No. 2) and UCLA (No. 3). No. 4 USC lost for the first time on Thursday at home against No. 6 Stanford. -Freshman Kori Cooper averaged 2.22 kills on.390 hitting and 1.11 blocks in NU s two matches last week. Cooper tied her career high with eight kills in both matches. -Jordan Larson has posted doubledoubles in each of NU s last eight matches. It is the longest streak by a Husker in the Big 12 era, as the previous high was seven by Jennifer Saleaumua in 2003. Larson was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Monday, averaging 5.17 kills and 4.17 digs per game. -With 5.29 kills per game, Sarah Pavan is on pace to break the school record for most kills per game, currently held by U.S. Olympian Nancy Metcalf (Meendering) in 1999. The 2006 Nebraska Cornhuskers No. Name Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown K/G B/G A/GM D/G SA/G Worth Noting 1 Maggie Griffin S 6-0 Jr. St. Charles, Ill..20.10 4.05 1.05.16 43 assists and nine digs vs. Texas Tech; Spent part of summer w/ USA Volleyball Program 3 Christina Houghtelling (C) OH 6-2 Sr. Cambridge, Neb. -- -- -- -- -- AVCA National Player of the Year who will redshirt after shoulder surgery in July 4 Brooke Bartek OH 6-2 Fr. Lincoln, Neb..50.00.00.00.25 Totaled first two kills vs. No. 20 Louisville; 05 Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year 5 Rachel Schwartz L/DS 5-9 So. Lincoln, Neb..00.00.27 2.29.16 Tied or set career highs in digs in four of NU s last six matches; 14 digs vs. KSU 7 Dani Mancuso OH 6-2 Sr. Omaha, Neb. 2.55.67.12.67.00 8+ kills in nine of last 11 matches; 9 kills on.400 hitting at No. 15 Missouri on Wed. 9 Sarah Pavan RS 6-5 Jr. Kitchener, Ontario 5.29 1.20.27 1.55.35 2-Time All-American; 11 career matches with 20+ kills; Season-high 24 kills at BU on Sept. 29 10 Jordan Larson OH 6-2 So. Hooper, Neb. 4.33.63.73 3.82.59 Big 12 POW (10/9); 12 double-doubles; Leads Big 12 in aces, 4th in kills and 9th in digs 11 Tracy Stalls (C) MB 6-3 Jr. Denver, Colo. 2.62 1.43.24.82.08 1st in the Big 12 in hitting (.433) and 5th in blocks; 4 matches with 10+ kills 12 Rachel Holloway S 5-10 R-Fr. Franklin, Tenn. 1.19.42 13.35 2.90.15 3rd in Big 12 in assists; six double-doubles; 2006 U.S. Junior Natl. Team captain 15 Kori Cooper MB 6-2 Fr. Amarillo, Texas 1.68.68.28.24.00 2005 U.S. Youth National Team Co-captain; Set career high w/8 kills vs. KSU; at TAMU 17 Amanda Gates MB 6-1 So. Columbus, Neb. 1.21 1.24.17.21.00 Totaled 10 blocks in first career start vs. USD; 2005 Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 Pick 18 Dani Busboom (C) L 5-11 Sr. Cortland, Neb..16.00.69 5.18.24 Leads Big 12 in digs (5.18); Career-high 23 digs vs. CU; 4 20+dig matches in 2006 (C) - Denotes 2006 captains Head Coach: John Cook, Seventh Year (San Diego, 1979), 203-13 Overall at Nebraska, 124-4 Big 12 Assistant Coaches: Lee Maes, Second Year (Long Beach State, 1994), Charlene Johnson-Tagaloa, Fourth Year (Brigham Young, 1999)
Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #9 Page 2 Oct. 10, 2006 Huskers.com Year-by-Year Record (Overall: 364-86,.809) (Nebraska: 203-13,.940, Big 12: 124-4) (Wisconsin: 161-73, Big Ten: 89-51) Year Record Pct. League Pct. Place 1992 (UW) 14-17.452 9-11.450 7th 1993 (UW) 19-13.593 11-9.550 5th 1994 (UW) 21-12.636 11-9.550 5th 1995 (UW) 22-15.595 9-11.450 7th 1996 (UW) 25-8.758 13-7.650 5th 1997 (UW) 30-3.909 19-1.950 t1st 1998 (UW) 30-5.857 17-3.850 2nd 2000 (NU) 34-0 1.000 20-0 1.000 1st 2001 (NU) 31-2.940 20-0 1.000 1st 2002 (NU) 31-2.940 20-0 1.000 1st 2003 (NU) 28-5.875 17-3.850 2nd 2004 (NU) 30-2.938 20-0 1.000 1st 2005 (NU) 33-2.943 19-1.950 1st 2006 (NU) 16-0 1.000 8-0 1.000 -- Totals 364-86.809 213-55.795 -- Coaching Honors Two-time AVCA National Coach of the Year (2000, 2005) One of only four coaches in NCAA history to be a two-time AVCA National Coach of the Year Two-time Big 12 Coach of the Year (2001, 2005) Two-time AVCA Central Regional Coach of the Year (2000, 2005) 1997 Big Ten Co-Coach of the Year 1997 NACDA/USOC Collegiate Coaches Award Coaching Ledger Seasons at Nebraska Head Coach, 2000-present Associate Head Coach, 1999 Assistant Coach, 1988-91 John Cook (San Diego, 1979) Head Coach Seventh Season 363-86 (overall) 202-13 (at NU) Other Coaching Experience U.S. A2 National Team, 2004 University of Wisconsin Head Coach, 1992-98 U.S. Men s National Team, 1992 San Diego VB Club, 1986-88 UC-San Diego, 1983-84 Francis Parker High School, 1981-88 More About Cook University of San Diego, 1979 (Bachelor s Degree, History) San Diego State University, 1991 (Master s Degree, Teaching and Coaching Effectiveness) Worth Noting -Saturday s match will give a pair of Huskers an opportunity to see several familiar faces on the other side of the net. NU junior middle blocker Tracy Stalls and redshirt freshman setter Rachel Holloway were former club teammates of CU s Lara Bossow, Amber Nu u, Ashley Nu u under coach Jim Miret at Front Range. In addition, Holloway and the Nu u sisters all played high school volleyball together for one season (2002), winning a state title at Smoky Hill High School. In that year, Ashley Nu u was the starting setter while Holloway played right side hitter. -Nebraska has won 51 of its last 52 matches against Big 12 teams dating back to the 2003 season. The Huskers had won 43 straight conference matches before Texas ended that streak in the 2005 regular-season finale. -Following Wednesday s win at Missouri, Nebraska is 30-3 (.909) against ranked opponents since the start of the 2004 season and 67-11 (.859) since John Cook took over the Husker program in 2000. -Saturday s match will be the 83rd consecutive sellout at the NU Coliseum. The Huskers are 76-6 at the NU Coliseum during the current sellout streak. -NU has won its last 46 home matches, dating back to the 2004 season, including its last 40 at the NU Coliseum. The current home streak is nation s longest active streak and three wins away from cracking the NCAA s top-10 list. -NU has opened the season with at least 16 straight wins for the sixth time in school history. The following chart lists the other quick starts in school annals. Husker Fast Starts No. Year Matches Before 1st Loss Final Record 1. 1976 36-0 49-13 2. 1994 31-0 31-1 3. 2000 34-0 34-0 4. 2005 28-0 33-2 5. 1998 25-0 32-2 6. 2006 16-0 -- -The 2006 season has seen a changing of the guard at the setter position. In fact, six of the league s 11 schools now start rookies at the position, including NU s Rachel Holloway and Missouri s Lei Wang. Holloway leads all conference freshmen and ranks third in the Big 12 with 13.16 assists per game. Her assist per game total also leads all freshmen nationally. Big 12 Freshmen Setters (Big 12 Stats as of Oct. 9) No. Player School Asst./Gm 1. Rachel Holloway NU 13.16 2. Kaylee Manns ISU 12.55 3. Lei Wang MU 12.00 4. Katie Martincich KU 11.41 5. Taylor Barnes BU 11.23 The trend also continues nationally where three of the top five teams in this week s AVCA poll are led by freshmen setters: No. 1 Nebraska; No. 2 Penn State (Alisha Glass) and No. 4 USC (Taylor Carico). -The Big 12 conference features four teams in the top- 25 this week: No. 1 Nebraska, No. 10 Texas, No. 15 Missouri and No. 24 Oklahoma. In addition, Colorado and Baylor are also receiving votes in this week s poll. -Nebraska has been stout on the defensive end, holding nine of its last 10 opponents to under.200 hitting. NU leads the Big 12 and ranks fourth among this week s AVCA Top-25 teams, holding opponents to.127 hitting. Top Defensive Hitting Percentage Among this Week s Top 25 No. Team Opponent Hitting Pct. 1. Penn State.097 2. Utah.098 3. New Mexico State.101 4. Nebraska.127 5. Southern California.133 -With the No. 1 ranking in Monday s AVCA poll, the Huskers have spent 62 weeks all-time at No. 1, the most of any Division I program. UCLA is second with 51 weeks. NU has been ranked No. 1 in 22 of the last 23 polls dating back to the start of 2005. Weeks Ranked No. 1 in AVCA Poll No. School Weeks 1. Nebraska 62 2. UCLA 51 3. Hawaii 48 Scouting Colorado Head Coach Pi i Aiu (172-110 in 10 seasons at CU) leads the Buffaloes into Lincoln with a 9-6 overall record and a 4-3 mark in the Big 12. CU has been tested by a non-conference schedule that included nationally ranked UCLA, Hawaii and Florida, all away from Boulder. CU opened Big 12 play with a 3-2 win over No. 17 Missouri and had won five of its first seven league contests before Wednesday s loss to Iowa State. Colorado features one of the Big 12 s most balanced offenses, as four players average over two kills per game. Senior All-Big 12 setter Ashley Nu u runs the Buffs offense, averaging 12.04 assists, 1.40 kills and 1.52 digs per game. Outside hitter Amber Sutherland paces the Buffaloes with 4.27 kills per game, while Austin Zimmerman (1.95 k/gm,.380 pct) and Lauren Schaefer (2.23 k/gm,.341 pct) both rank among the Big 12 leaders in hitting percentage. Nebraska leads the all-time series, 41-5 and has won the last 17 meetings dating back to 1997, including 10 of the past 11 in three-game sweeps. Statistical Comparison Team Record Conf. Record K/Gm Pct. Opp Pct. A/Gm SA/Gm D/Gm B/gm Nebraska 16-0 8-0 (Big 12) 17.71 (1).302 (1).127 (1) 16.71 (1) 1.63 (6) 17.71 (1) 3.11 (3) Colorado 9-6 5-3 (Big 12) 15.98 (5).240 (4).225 (11) 14.92 (4) 1.69 (5) 14.37 (10) 2.21 (10) Oct. 10 - Tues. Depart for Missouri 2:30 p.m. Practice 7:30-9 p.m. Oct. 11- Wed. Match Day at Missouri, W, 3-0 Television: Live on FSN Midwest (Ch. 37 in Lincoln) Radio: B107.3 FM Huskers.com Video: None Oct. 12 - Thurs. Practice 2:30-5 p.m. Oct. 13 - Fri. Practice 2:30-6 p.m. Oct. 14 - Sat. Match Day vs. Colorado, 3 p.m. Radio: B107.3 FM Huskers.com Video: HuskersNside Oct. 15 - Sun. OFF DAY No player availability Oct. 16 - Monday Practice TBA (fall break on campus)
Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #9 Page 3 Oct. 10, 2006 Huskers.com Husker Probable Starters MB - #15 Kori Cooper: 6-2, Fr., Amarillo, Texas - Cooper splits time with Amanda Gates at middle blocker, averaging 1.68 kills and 0.68 blocks per game, while hitting.429. Cooper has started the last three matches, averaging 2.22 kills and 1.11 blocks per game in the stretch. Against KSU, she set career bests in both kills (eight) and blocks (five). At Texas A&M, she also totaled eight kills and three blocks while hitting.615. A Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 pick, Cooper enrolled at NU in January after graduating from Amarillo High School a semester early. Cooper was a co-captain of the 2005 U.S. Youth National Team, helping Team USA to a fourthplace finish. MB - #11 Tracy Stalls: 6-3, Jr., Denver, Colo. - Stalls has been one of the Big 12 s top middle blockers, averaging 2.62 kills and 1.45 blocks per game. She leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth nationally in hitting percentage (.433) and is fifth in the league in blocks. Stalls has had six matches where she has hit at least.500, including a season-best of.727 (9-1-11) with six blocks against Texas Tech on Sept. 24. Stalls had nine kills and matched her season high with eight blocks against No. 15 Missouri on Oct. 11. She had seven kills on just 12 swings and three blocks in a sweep of Texas A&M on Oct. 7. Stalls had one of her best matches of the year against Iowa State on Sept. 20, totaling eight kills and season highs in both blocks (eight) and digs (seven). Stalls has matched her career high in kills twice, including a 14-kill effort at Minnesota on Sept. 10 and 14 kills on.600 hitting aganinst Long Beach State on Sept. 3. Last season, Stalls ranked third in the Big 12 with 1.59 blocks per game and led NU in blocks nine times, including a career-high 12 blocks vs. Kansas State. Stalls ranked 11th nationally in blocking as a freshman at 1.65 blocks per game. Before enrolling at NU, Stalls was a two-year member of the U.S. National Developmental Program and a member of Team USA. OPP - #9 Sarah Pavan: 6-5, Jr., Kitchener, Ontario - A two-time first-team AVCA All-American, Pavan leads the Big 12 in both kills (5.29) and points per game (6.29) while hitting.325 on the year. Pavan, who ranks eighth nationally in kills per game, has topped NU in kills in each of the last two matches, delivering 16 kills on.467 hitting at Missouri on Oct. 11 and 17 kills on.394 hitting at Texas A&M on Oct. 5. Pavan has two double-doubles on the year, with her most recent coming with 13 kills and 10 digs against Kansas State on Oct. 4. She has four 20-kill matches this season, including a 24-kill effort at Baylor on Sept. 30. She earned tournament MVP honors in both of NU s earlyseason tournaments and was the Big 12 Player of the Week on Sept. 11, averaging 6.70 points and 5.90 kills (.409 hitting percentage) in three matches. She had one of the best matches of her career against Long Beach State on Sept. 9, totaling 24 kills on.400 hitting against the 49ers, including eight kills on eight swings in the opener. Pavan was the 2005 Big 12 Player of the Year, averaging 3.82 kills, 1.66 digs and 1.25 blocks per game. She established her career high in kills as a freshman with 35 in the NCAA Regional against USC. Pavan, who carries a 4.0 GPA in biochemistry, was a member of the Canadian National Team at age 16. OH - #10 Jordan Larson: 6-2, So., Hooper, Neb. - Larson is a returning starter at outside hitter who was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2005. She averages 4.33 kills and 3.82 digs per game, ranking in the top 10 in aces (0.59/gm, first), points (5.38, third), kills (third) and digs (eighth). Named the Big 12 Player of the Week on Monday, Larson has a team-best 12 double-doubles, including 10 in NU s last 11 contests. Larson had 14 kills and 14 digs in NU s win at No. 15 Missouri on Oct. 11. She earned the Big 12 honor after averaging 5.17 kills and 4.17 digs in two matches last week. She had her best performance of the year against Kansas State on Oct. 4, posting a career-high 20 kills on.400 hitting and 10 digs. Against No. 20 Louisville, she set a career high with five aces while adding 14 kills on.440 hitting. As a freshman, Larson averaged 2.82 kills, 2.79 digs and 0.38 service aces per game, topping all conference freshmen in kills, digs, hitting percentage and service aces. She was rated the No. 2 player in the country by Prepvolleyball.com and spent two years on the U.S. Junior National Team. DS - #5 Rachel Schwartz: 5-9, So., Lincoln, Neb. - Schwartz is a former walk-on who is used as a defensive specialist and averages 2.29 digs per game. She has tied or set career highs in digs seven times this season, including in four of NU s last six matches. Schwartz, who had 10 digs at Missouri on Oct. 11, keyed NU s strong defensive effort against Kansas State on Oct. 4, matching her career best with 14 digs. Schwartz had her best match of the year at Baylor on Sept. 30, totaling 14 digs and a career-high three aces. She also had 14 digs in a win over Creighton on Sept. 24 and 12 digs against Texas Tech on Sept. 23. Schwartz appeared in 30 matches as a freshman as NU s defensive specialist, finishing with 18 digs and five aces. She was a first-team all-state selection at outside hitter at Lincoln East High School in 2004. -or- OH - #7 Dani Mancuso: 6-2, Sr., Omaha, Neb. - Mancuso moved into the outside hitter position vacated after Christina Houghtelling s season-ending injury. Mancuso averages 2.55 kills, 0.67 blocks and 0.67 digs per game, primarily playing the front row. She has notched at least eight kills in seven of NU s last eight matches and comes off her best effort of the season, hitting.400 with nine kills against No. 15 Missouri on Oct. 11. She had 11 kills in wins over Creighton and Saint Mary s. In 2005, Mancuso was NU s backup at all three outside hitter spots, averaging 1.38 kills, 1.15 digs and 0.68 blocks per game. She shared the outside hitter spot with Houghtelling in 2004, averaging 2.77 kills and 0.29 service aces per game, including a career-high 22 kills in a win at Kansas State. S - #12 Rachel Holloway: 5-10, R-Fr., Franklin, Tenn. - Holloway is the first Husker freshman to start in a 5-1 system in the NCAA era (1981-present) after earning the starting nod in fall camp. She averages 13.35 assists, 2.90 digs and 1.19 kills per game, ranking third in the Big 12 and 13th nationally in assists. She has six double-doubles, including a 54-assist, 15-dig, seven-kill effort at Baylor on Sept. 30, matching career highs in both digs and kills. Holloway, who leads all freshmen nationally in assists, played one of her best matches of the year against Minnesota on Sept. 10, with a career-high 57 assists, eight digs and seven kills, while helping NU hit.337 against the Golden Gophers. Over the summer, Holloway captained the U.S. Youth National Team to a gold medal at the NORCECA Junior Championships in Mexico. Holloway, who graduated high school a year early, was the Colorado Gatorade High School Player of the Year in 2004. CSTV/AVCA Coaches Poll (Oct. 9) Rk. Team (No. 1 votes) Pts. Record Last 1. Nebraska (45) 1476 15-0 1 2. Penn State (12) 1451 17-0 2 3. UCLA (3) 1387 19-0 3 4. Southern California 1325 17-0 4 5. Washington 1252 14-3 5 6. Stanford 1207 13-2 6 7. California 1093 14-2 7 8. Florida 1089 14-2 8 9. Purdue 1016 15-2 9 10. Texas 914 11-4 11 11. Hawaii 744 11-4 15 12. Utah 740 15-2 16 13. LSU 727 15-2 10 14. Wisconsin 645 12-4 13 15. Missouri 629 13-4 17 16. Ohio State 619 13-3 14 17. Santa Clara 607 12-4 12 18. Tennessee 501 15-3 18 19. BYU 426 15-2 19 20. Cal Poly 410 13-4 20 21. Ohio 312 14-3 21 22. San Diego 285 14-4 22 23. Minnesota 277 11-5 24 24. Oklahoma 157 14-3 25 25. New Mexico State 42 19-1 NR Others receiving points and listed on two or more ballots: Duke 31; Pepperdine 27; Loyola Marymount 23; St John s 20; Long Beach State 16; Colorado 11; Sacramento State 10; Alabama 9; Bowling Green State 4; Oregon 4; Saint Mary s 4; Baylor 3. Dropped out: Pepperdine (23) USA Today/CSTV Coaches Poll Weekly Totals Date... Rank Preseason (8/9)... 1 9/4... 1 9/11... 1 9/18... 1 9/25... 1 10/2... 1 10/9... 1 10/16... 10/23... 10/30... 11/6... 11/13... 11/20... 11/27... 12/4... Final... 2006 NCAA Attendance Leaders (Oct. 9) No. School Avg. Total Matches 1. Hawaii 7,226 93,932 13 2. Nebraska 4,141 45,546 11 3. Wisconsin 4,000 28,002 7 4. Minnesota 3,594 17,971 5 5. Florida 2,511 17,577 7 6. Penn State 2,431 21,880 9 7. BYU 2,279 18,233 8 8. Missouri 2,218 11,091 5 9. Wichita State 2,106 14,742 7 10. Texas A&M 1,956 11,737 6 NCAA Winningest Active Coaches (as of Oct. 9) No. Coach, School Record Pct. 1. Russ Rose, Penn St. 876-154.8505 2. Dave Shoji, Hawaii 908-161.8494 3. Mary Wise, Florida 587-116.8350 4. John Dunning, Stanford 596-130.8209 5. Brian Gimmillaro, Long Beach St. 590-139.8093 6. John Cook, Nebraska 363-86.8085 7. Mick Haley, Southern California 670-159-1.8078 8. Andy Banachowski, UCLA 1023-266.7936 9. Leonid Yelin, Louisville 381-109.7776 10. Bobbi Petersen, UNI 167-48.7767 (Min. 5 years as a Division I head coach; includes record at four-year colleges only)
Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #9 Page 4 Oct. 10, 2006 Huskers.com 2006 Volleyball Quick Facts First Year of Volleyball... 1975 Overall All-Time Record... 981-182-1 Conference All-Time Record...376-19 NCAA Tournament Years... 24 straight NCAA Tournament Record...64-22 Final Four Appearances...Eight (2001, 2000, 1998, 1996, 1995, 1990, 1989, 1986) National Championships...Two (2000, 1995) Facility (Capacity)... Nebraska Coliseum (4,030) 2006 Team Information Head Coach... John Cook (San Diego, '79) Nebraska Record/Years... 202-13/7th Career Record/Years... 363-86/13th Head Asst. Coach... Lee Maes (Long Beach State, '94) Assistant Coach... Charlene Johnson-Tagaloa (BYU, '99) Volleyball Office Phone... (402) 472-2399 2005 Overall Record...33-2 2005 Big 12 Record (Finish)... 19-1 (First) Final AVCA Ranking...Second Starters Returning/Lost...4/2 Letterwinners Returning/Lost...9/3 Husker Volleyball by the Numbers.843 All-time winning percentage of Nebraska volleyball (982-182-1 record).953 All-time winning percentage of Nebraska in conference matches (377-19) 2 National Titles (1995 and 2000) 3 Number of Huskers who have been in the Olympic Games (Lori Endicott, Allison Weston and Nancy Metcalf) 9 NCAA Volleyball Semifinal Appearances (1986, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2005) 24 Number of consecutive NCAA appearances 27 Number of Big Eight/Big 12 titles in school history (30 years, including 2005) 28 Nebraska s nation-leading total of volleyball academic all-americans 53 AVCA All-American certificates won by 26 Husker volleyball players 61 Number of weeks that Nebraska has been ranked No. 1 in the national polls 82 Consecutive sellouts at the NU Coliseum (NCAA Volleyball record) 342 Consecutive weeks ranked in the AVCA Poll 5,969 Nebraska s average attendance in 2005, an average that was second nationally 15,119 Nebraska s 2005 NCAA regional final crowd, the largest in NCAA postseason history L - #18 Dani Busboom: 5-11, Sr., Cortland, Neb. - Busboom makes the shift to libero after sharing time at setter in her first three years at NU. She leads the Big 12 with 5.18 digs per game and has reached double figures in digs 15 times in 16 matches. WIth 13 digs at Missouri on Oct. 11, Busboom moved past Cris Hall (955, 1988-91) and Jaime Krondak (960, 1995-98) for sole possession of eighth place in school history. She has totaled 20-or-more digs in four matches, including a career-high 23 against Creighton on Sept. 24. She also turned in 20+ dig efforts against No. 25 Cal Poly on Sept. 3, No. 20 San Diego on Aug. 29 and at Oklahoma on Sept. 15. Against No. 20 Louisville on Sept. 8, Busboom had 14 digs and three aces while helping to hold Louisville to.044 hitting. Last season, she averaged 6.45 assists and 1.82 digs in NU s 6-2 offense, helping NU hit.322 as a team. She is seventh on NU s career assists list with 2,868 and is the second player in school history on top-10 lists in both assists and digs, joining former NU All-American Val Novak. Last Time Out: No. 1 Nebraska 3, Texas A&M 0 Sarah Pavan had a match-high 16 kills on.467 hitting, as No. 1 Nebraska posted a 30-25, 30-22, 31-29 sweep of No. 15 Missouri on Oct. 11 Pavan, the Big 12 s reigning player of the year, was dominant with 16 kills in 30 swings, while adding four blocks and eight digs, as the Huskers handed Missouri its first home loss of the season. Pavan was one of several offensive stars for Nebraska (16-0, 8-0 Big 12), which hit.339 as a team and out-digged and out-blocked the Tigers. Jordan Larson totaled 14 kills and 14 digs for her eighth straight double-double and team-best 12th of the year, while Dani Mancuso and Tracy Stalls both totaled nine kills in the win. Mancuso hit a seasonbest.400 on 20 swings, while Stalls led all players with eight stuffs, matching her season high. The CliffsNotes Season in Review Nebraska takes a 16-0 record and a No. 1 ranking into Saturday s match against Colorado. In honor of CliffsNotes (which was founded in Lincoln in 1958), here is q quick refresher of the season to date. The Huskers graduated two AVCA All-Americans in middle blocker Melissa Elmer and outside hitter Jennifer Saleaumua from last year s NCAA runner-up squad, while reigning AVCA National Player of the Year Christina Houghtelling underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in July. The Huskers opened No. 1 in the AVCA preseason poll for the third time in school history (2001 and 2005) and have remained No. 1 for the first seven polls of the season. NU sold out its entire season ticket package prior to the season for the second straight year, needing less than two weeks to sell out all 18 matches. The Huskers are 3-0 against ranked opponents, sweeping No. 20 San Diego (Aug. 29); No. 20 Louisville (Sept. 8) and No. 25 Cal Poly (Sept. 29). NU is also 4-0 against teams ranked in this week s top 25. NU held Middle Tennessee to -.088 hitting, the third-lowest percentage by a Husker opponent since the 2000 campaign. Nebraska s victory over Long Beach State on Sept. 3 snapped a three-match losing streak to the 49ers dating back to 1985. Nebraska held No. 20 Louisville to 13 points in two of the three games - the Cardinals lowest-ever total in rally scoring. In addition, it was the eighth and ninth times that NU held a ranked opponent to 15 points or less (not counting game five). The Huskers opened the season with six straight sweeps for the first time since 1976. Sarah Pavan earned Big 12 Player-of-the-Week honors for her performance at the Ameritas Players Challenge. In three matches, she averaged 6.70 points, 5.90 kills on.409 hitting and 2.30 digs per game. Nebraska dropped only one game in its first 11 matches, the first time that has happened at NU since 1988 and only the fourth time in school history. Nebraska wrapped up an unbeaten non-conference slate with its win over Creighton on Sept. 24. It marked the third time under John Cook (also 2000 and 2005) that NU completed the non-conference schedule unblemished. Nebraska totaled 72 digs against Kansas State on Oct. 4, its highest three-game total in the rally-scoring era. Five Huskers had at least 10 digs, including 19 by Dani Busboom. On Oct. 9, Jordan Larson was named Big 12 Player of the Week, as she averaged 5.17 kills and 4.17 digs per game in sweeps of Kansas State and Texas A&M. Husker Attack on Record-Breaking Pace Despite losing three All-Americans and breaking in several first-year starters, Nebraska s offensive output is on track for a record-breaking year. The Huskers lead the nation in both kills and assists per game, putting together numbers that would easily top the school records in both categories. Setting a Record Pace Category 2006 NCAA Rank NU Record Year Assists/Gm 16.71 1st 15.72 2005 Kills/Gm 17.71 1st 17.20 2004 Pavan & Larson Cause Double Trouble for Foes Nebraska s Sarah Pavan and Jordan Larson are in rare company among Husker outside hitting duos at this point in the season. The pair will look to join the 1995 duo of Allison Weston and Lisa Reitsma as the only group to both average more than 4.00 kills per game. In fact, two Huskers have totaled 3.80 kills in the same season only four other times. Husker Duos with 4.00 Kills Per Game Year Husker No. Husker No, 2006 Sarah Pavan 5.29 Jordan Larson 4.33 1995 Allison Weston 4.59 Lisa Reitsma 4.08 1988 Linda Barsness 4.08 Virginia Stahr 3.94 1989 Eileen Shannon 4.24 Janet Kruse 3.89 1991 Stephanie Thater 3.87 Cris Hall 3.80 Pavan Produces Points at Prolific Pace Junior All-American Sarah Pavan is producing kills at a record-breaking pace in 2006. The 6-foot-5 right side hitter from Kitchener, Ontario, leads the Big 12 by nearly a half kill per game (Texas Tech s Philister Sang is second with 4.67 kills per game) with 5.29 kills per game. She also leads the conference in points per game (6.29) and is hitting.325. At this pace, Pavan is on track to re-write the Husker record books this season. She will look to become the first Husker to lead the Big 12 in kills since Lisa Reitsma in 1996 - the only time a Husker led the Big 12 in that category. She would easily top NU s single-season record
Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #9 Page 5 Oct. 10, 2006 Huskers.com for kills per game, a mark that was set in 1999 by U.S. Olympian Nancy Metcalf. In fact, Pavan would become the third Husker to average more than 5.00 kills per game. Pavan s 5.29 kills per game would rank seventh on the Big 12 s single-season list. NU Single-Season Kills Per Game No. K/Gm Name Year - 5.29 Sarah Pavan 2006 1. 5.09 Nancy Metcalf 1999 2. 5.05 Lisa Reitsma 1996 3. 4.99 Allison Weston 1994 Pavan already set one milestone on Sept. 8 against No. 20 Louisville, when she reached 1,000 career kills quicker than any other Husker in school history. Pavan needed 236 games to reach 1,000 kills, eclipsing Metcalf s mark of 238 games set in 1999. Fastest Husker Players to 1,000 Kills No. Player Games 1. Sarah Pavan 236 2. Nancy Metcalf (Meendering) 238 3. Allison Weston 258 A two-time AVCA All-American, Pavan already ranks 11th on NU s all-time kills list, and is 17 kills away from passing former NU All-American Melissa Elmer for 10th on the Husker career kills chart. Nebraska s All-Time Kills List No. Player Kills 1. Allison Weston 1,778 10. Melissa Elmer, 2002-05 1,210 11. Sarah Pavan, 2004-present 1,194 12. Laura Pilakowski, 1999-02 1.183 13. Stephanie Thater, 1989-92 1,158 Larson s All-Around Game Shines One of the reasons for Nebraska s continued success is the improved all-around play of outside hitter Jordan Larson. The Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2005, Larson is off to an All-America-caliber start this season. She ranks in the top 10 in the Big 12 in kills (4.33, third), services aces (0.59, first), digs (3.82, eighth) and points per game (5.39, second) and is the only player in the Big 12 on the top-10 list for both kills and digs. The Hooper, Neb., native has 12 double-doubles in NU s 16 contests, more than doubling her total of five double-doubles as a freshman. She has notched double-doubles in each of her last eight matches, the longest streak by a Husker in nearly a decade. She had a season-high 20 kills and 10 digs against Kansas State on Oct. 4 and 14 kills and 14 digs in a win at No. 15 Missouri on Oct. 11. Nebraska is 17-0 in Larson s career when she totals a double-double. Comparing Larson - 2005 & 2006 Year K/Gm Hitting Pct. D/Gm SA/Gm 2005 2.82.277 2.79 0.38 2006 4.33.293 3.82 0.59 Busboom Digs in at Libero After not playing with a libero during the 2005 season, Nebraska can still claim a returning starter at the position, as Dani Busboom has made the shift from setter to libero. The senior shared setting duties last year in NU s 6-2 offense and was a three-year performer at setter, guiding NU to a 63-4 mark the last two seasons. Busboom has adapted quickly, leading the Big 12 with 5.18 digs per game, a fact that is more impressive when you consider the league also returns its libero of the year in both 2004 (KSU s Angie Lastra) and 2005 (MU s Tatum Ailes). NU Head Coach John Cook credits Busboom s play in putting the Huskers on recordsetting pace for most digs per game. Busboom has reached double figures in digs 15 times in 16 matches, including four matches with at least 20 digs. She totaled a career-high 23 digs in a four-game win against Creighton on Sept. 20, while all three of her other 20-dig matches came in Husker sweeps. The only match Busboom didn t reach double figures came against a Middle Tennessee team that hit -.088 against NU. Busboom, who ranks seventh on NU s all-time assist chart with 2,872 assists, will finish her career as one of only two players ranked in the top 10 in both assists and digs (also Val Novak), as Busboom moved into 10th place on NU s career digs list against Texas A&M on Oct. 7. She is now in eighth place on NU s digs list with 965 after totaling 13 in Wednesday s win at Missouri. Nebraska s Single-Season Record for Digs per Game No. Player D/Gm - Dani Busboom, 2006 5.18 1. Amanda McCormick, 2004 4.53 2. Jennifer Saleaumua, 2003 3.90 Nebraska s All-Time Digs List No. Player Digs 7. Maria Hedbeck, 1993-96 1,018 8. Dani Busboom, 2003-pres. 965 9. Jaime Krondak, 1995-98 960 10. Cris Hall, 1988-91 955 No Stalling Stalls Traditionally, Nebraska s strength has been the play of its middle blockers, and junior Tracy Stalls has continued the excellence at the position in 2006. The Denver, Colo., native is enjoying the best offensive stretch of her career this season, averaging 2.63 kills per game and 1.43 blocks while hitting.435. She leads the Big 12 in hitting percentage and ranks sixth nationally in the latest NCAA rankings. Stalls.433 hitting percentage is threatening not only the NU s single-season record (Virginia Stahr,.440, 1989) but would top the Big 12 single-season record of.415 set by Missouri s Nicole Wilson in 2005. Nebraska Single-Season Hitting Pct. No. Player, Year Pct. 1. Virginia Stahr, 1989.440 - Tracy Stalls, 2005.433 2. Amber Holmquist, 2000.406 3. Virginia Stahr, 1988.404 4. Amber Holmquist, 2002.402 5. Cathy Noth, 1984.398 Stalls, who missed part of last season after knee surgery, has reached double figures in kills three times after accomplishing the feat once in 2005. She totaled a season-best 14 kills against Long Beach State on Sept. 3 and against Minnesota on Sept. 10. She had one of her best matches of the year at No. 15 Missouri, totaling nine kills and eight blocks. Three weeks ago, Stalls powered the Huskers to three wins, totaling 2.80 kills on.451 hitting, 2.20 blocks and 1.50 digs per game. She established a season best in blocks with eight in two matches and delivered nine kills on 11 swings in a sweep of Texas Tech on Sept. 23. The Set-Up on Holloway Rachel Holloway made Husker history in the season opener against San Diego on Aug. 29, becoming the first NU freshman in the NCAA era (1981-present) Big 12 Standings (as of Oct. 11) Team Big 12 Pct. Overall Pct. Nebraska 8-0 1.000 16-0 1.000 Oklahoma 7-1.875 15-3.833 Missouri 7-2.778 13-5.722 Texas 6-2.750 11-4.733 Colorado 5-3.625 9-6.600 Iowa State 4-4.500 12-6.667 Texas A&M 2-6.250 9-7.562 Baylor 2-6.250 13-7.650 Texas Tech 2-6.250 9-8.529 Kansas 2-7.222 9-9.500 Kansas State 0-8.000 8-10.444 Upcoming Big 12 Schedule Wed., Oct. 11 Nebraska def Missouri* 3-0 Oklahoma def Texas Tech* 3-2 Texas A&M def Baylor* 3-1 Kansas def. Kansas State* 3-1 Iowa State def Colorado* 3-0 Fri., Oct. 13 Texas at Texas A&M* 6:30 p.m. Sat., Oct. 14 Oklahoma at Kansas State* 1 p.m. Colorado at Nebraska* 3 p.m. Baylor at Kansas* 7 p.m. Iowa State at Texas Tech* 7 p.m. Wed., Oct. 18 Texas A&M at Iowa State* 6:30 p.m. Nebraska at Texas* 6:30 p.m. Texas Tech at Kansas State* 7 p.m. Colorado at Baylor* 7 p.m. Missouri at Oklahoma* 7 p.m. Sat., Oct. 21 Oklahoma at Texas* 6:30 p.m. Kansas at Texas A&M* 6:30 p.m. Texas Tech at Colorado* 7 p.m. Iowa State at Baylor* TBA Kansas State at Missouri* TBA The Big 12 vs. Nebraska (1996-2006) School Record Baylor 0-21 Colorado 2-18 Iowa State 0-21 Kansas 0-21 Kansas State 3-18 Missouri 1-20 Oklahoma 1-20 Texas 3-17 Texas A&M 2-19 Texas Tech 1-20 Totals 13-195
Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #9 Page 6 Oct. 10, 2006 Huskers.com 2006 Husker Honors Team Honors Ameritas Players Challenge Champions Nebraska Invitational Champions Jordan Larson Big 12 Player of the Week (Oct. 9) Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament Team Nebraska Invitational All-Tournament Team Preseason First-Team All-Big 12 Sarah Pavan Ameritas Players Challenge Most Valuable Player Nebraska Invitational Most Valuable Player Big 12 Player of the Week (Sept. 11) Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament Team Nebraska Invitational All-Tournament Team Preseason First-Team All-Big 12 Rachel Holloway Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament Team Nebraska Invitational All-Tournament Team Tracy Stalls Nebraska Invitational All-Tournament Team 2006 Double-Doubles (19 by 3 players) Dani Busboom - 2006 (0) - Career (22) Maggie Griffin - 2006 (0) - Career (16)* * 12 at Michigan State in 2004 Rachel Holloway - 2006 (6) - Career (6) 2006 Opponent K A D B San Diego - 36 11 - Long Beach State - 53 11 - Cal Poly - 44 11 - Kansas - 35 14 - Baylor - 54 15 - Kansas State - 46 11 - Christina Houghtelling - 2006 (0) - Career (10) Jordan Larson - 2006 (11) - Career (16) 2006 Opponent K A D B Saint Mary s 13-12 - Middle Tennessee St. 10-19 - Cal Poly 16-13 - Minnesota 17-11 - Oklahoma 17-11 - Iowa State 11-11 - Texas Tech 10-10 - Creighton 18-13 - Baylor 17-16 - Kansas State 20-10 - Texas A&M 11-15 - Dani Mancuso - 2005 (0) - Career (2) Sarah Pavan - 2006 (2) - Career (8) Triple-Doubles (1) 2006 Opponent K A D B Minnesota 23-11 - Kansas State 13-10 - Tracy Stalls - 2000 (0) - Career (1) Husker Pronunciation Guide Name...Pronunciation Christina Houghtelling... HOTEL-ing Dani Mancuso...Man-CUE-so Sarah Pavan...(PAV-in, rhymes with HAVE-in) Charlene Johnson-Tagaloa...SHAR-leen Ton-ga-LOE-uh Lee Maes... MAYS to start a match under the 5-1 system. NU had two other freshmen split time in the 6-2 offense (Lindsay Wischmeier-1999; Dani Busboom-2003), but neither started their first match as a Husker. The Franklin, Tenn., native has been impressive during her first season, averaging 13.39 assists per game to rank third in the Big 12 and 13th nationally, while helping the Huskers lead the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.302). Holloway s total not only ranks among the Big 12 leaders, but tops all freshmen nationally. National Freshman Leaders in Assists Rank Name, Team A/Gm 1 Rachel Holloway, Nebraska 13.35 2 Dominique Fradella, Portland State 13.03 3 Heidi Krug, East Carolina 12.87 4 Whitney Roth, St. Louis 12.75 5 Sarah Rumely, Kentucky 12.61 After a debut that saw NU hit just.191 in a sweep of No. 20 San Diego, Holloway helped the Huskers hit.356 over a six-match stretch, including a string of four straight contests where they hit.350 or better - the first time that has happened at NU since 2002. Holloway has been named to a pair of all-tournament teams and is second on the squad with six doubledoubles. Against Minnesota on Sept. 10, Holloway totaled career highs in assists (57), kills (seven) and blocks (two). Against Saint Mary s on Sept. 1, Holloway guided the Huskers to a.487 hitting percentage - NU s highest single-match performance since 2002. Holloway, who also averages 2.90 digs and 1.19 kills per game, nearly recorded a triple-double at Baylor on Sept. 30 with seven kills, 54 assists and 15 digs, setting season bests in both kills and digs. Holloway spent part of the summer leading the U.S. Junior National Team to a gold medal at the NORCECA Junior Championships. Husker Freshman Assist Chart No. Player Asst. Year 1. Lindsay Wischmeier 724 1999 2. Dani Busboom 700 2003 3. Rachel Holloway 641 2006 Huskers No Strangers to Big Crowds Nebraska is used to playing in front of the biggest crowds in college volleyball. Not only have the Huskers sold out their last 82 home matches, but they also have their fingerprints on the NCAA attendance marks. Over the last two seasons, there have been five matches that have had crowds of at least 10,000 fans - and Nebraska has been a part of all of them. Largest Crowds in College Volleyball Since 2005 No. Attend. Match Date 1. 15,119 Nebraska vs. Florida 12/10/05 2. 14.489 Nebraska vs. UCLA 12/9/05 3 11,112 Nebraska at Creighton 9/24/06 4. 10,576 Nebraska vs. Stanford 8/27/05 5. 10,028 Nebraska vs. Hawaii 8/26/05 Drawing a Crowd - Husker Style Number Attend. Match, Date Largest Crowd of 2006 12,112 at Creighton, 9/24/06 NCAA Postseason Record 15,119 vs. Florida, 12/10/05 2005 Regular-Season Crowd 10,576 vs. Stanford, 8/27/05 NCAA Regular-Season Record* 12,504 vs. Colorado, 11/4/00 AVCA Showcase Record 10,576 vs. Stanford, 8/27/05 *-volleyball match only; not in conjuction with other event Cook s Winning Ways Nebraska Coach John Cook has been amazingly successful during his seven seasons at the helm, posting a 203-13 record (.939 winning percentage). All 13 losses have come against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including the eventual NCAA champion in 2001 (Stanford), 2002 (USC) and 2005 (Washington). Cook picked up his 200th career win at Nebraska on Sept. 30, against Baylor. A two-time AVCA National Coach of the Year, Cook has enjoyed greater success in the Big 12, going 123-4 in conference play. The Huskers have won five Big 12 titles over the last six seasons (2000-02, 2004-05) and have dropped just 43 of the 425 conference games they have played over the past seven years. Winningest Programs Since 2000 (as of Oct. 12) No. Team W-L Pct. 1. Nebraska 203-13.940 2. Florida 202-22.902 3. Hawaii 199-23.896 4. USC 177-25.876 5. Penn State 183-33.847 Rank and File Nebraska is one of two teams to be ranked in the USA Today/AVCA Coaches poll for all 342 weeks of its existence. The Huskers have been ranked in the top 10 for 308 of the 342 weeks, which ranks second behind Stanford s 313. Additional Television Time for the Huskers A pair of Husker road matches have been added to the 2006 NU volleyball television schedule. Nebraska s road match at No. 10 Texas on Oct. 18, will be carried nationally on ESPNU. The additions will give the Huskers a total of nine nationally or regionally televised matches this fall. NU is currently 5-0 on TV in 2006. 2006 Husker Volleyball Television Schedule Date Opponent Time NET CSTV FSN Sept. 10 Minnesota W, 3-1 Live Live -- Sept. 13 Kansas W, 3-0 Live Live -- Sept. 23 Texas Tech W, 3-0 Live 9/24, 7 p.m. -- Oct. 4 Kansas State W, 3-0 Live Live -- Oct. 11 at Missouri W, 3-0 -- -- Live Oct. 18 at Texas 6:30 p.m. -- ESPNU -- Oct. 25 Missouri 7:30 p.m. -- -- Live Nov. 4 Oklahoma TBA Live 11/5, 7 p.m. -- Nov. 25 Texas 7 p.m. Live 11/26, 7 p.m. -- Huskers in the NCAA Rankings Nebraska is well represented in the NCAA rankings released 10 Wednesday. The Huskers rank in the top 10 nationally in three categories, while four Huskers are also in the individual rankings lists. Huskers in the NCAA Rankings (Oct. 12) Team Categories Category Rank Actual Assists Per Game 1 16.58 Blocks Per Game 23 3.06 Hitting Percentage 6 0.299 Kills Per Game 1 17.65 Individual Categories Category Player Rank Total Aces Per Game Jordan Larson 16 0.63 Assists Per Game Rachel Holloway 13 13.16 Hitting Percentage Tracy Stalls 6 0.445 Kills Per Game Sarah Pavan 8 5.29 Huskers Strong on the Block Nebraska volleyball has been traditionally known for its blocking attack, and the 2006 squad is looking to continue NU s blocking reputation. The Huskers, who have led the nation in blocks in five of the last
Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #9 Page 7 Oct. 10, 2006 Huskers.com six seasons, are among the national blocking leaders again with 3.11 per game. Last season, Nebraska averaged a nation-leading 4.12 blocks per game, topping the 4.00 blocks per game mark for the sixth time in school history (also 1986, 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2004) and fourth time under Head Coach John Cook. Johnson-Tagaloa Inducted into BYU Hall of Fame Nebraska assistant coach Charlene Johnson-Tagaloa received a special honor last month - induction into BYU s Athletic Hall of Fame. Johnson-Tagaloa was a two-time All-American during her playing career at BYU from 1991-94, earning Western Athletic Conference Player-of-the-Year honors when she guided the Cougars to an NCAA semifinal appearance in 1994. Following her BYU career, she was a member of the U.S. National Team from 1997 to 2001, representing the United States at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. How I Spent My Summer Vacation Several Husker players and head assistant coach Lee Maes were busy during the summer helping out the USA Volleyball Program. Maes coached the A2 Red team to a gold medal at the USA Volleyball Girls High Performance Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Tracy Stalls and Maggie Griffin trained with the USA National Program in Colorado Springs during July. Rachel Holloway captained the U.S. Junior National Team to a gold medal at the NORCECA Junior Championships in Monterrey, Mexico, in early August. Volleyball Tickets Sold Out for 2006 Season For Husker volleyball, one record-setting streak is guaranteed to continue this fall, as the Nebraska Ticket Office announced on Aug. 16 that the entire regularseason home schedule is officially sold out. Single-match tickets went on sale on Aug. 3, with fans camped out overnight waiting for tickets. In fact, 11 of the first 17 matches sold out within three hours of the ticket windows opening, and the final tickets were sold prior to the Huskers annual Red/White Match. The sellout streak began in the 2001 season and will reach 88 at the end of the regular season. NU Picked to Repeat as Big 12 Champs Nebraska is the preseason favorite to win the Big 12 title for the 10th consecutive season in a vote of the league head coaches, the conference office announced on Aug. 3. The Huskers received eight of the 11 possible first-place votes and 98 points overall, while coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. In 2005, NU finished the season as the national runner-up to Washington, tallying a 33-2 overall record and 19-1 conference mark. The Huskers also claimed their eighth Big 12 crown (1996, 1998-02, 2004-05). Coach John Cook earned AVCA Division I National Coach-of-the-Year honors for the second time in his career, in addition to being named Big 12 Coach of the Year (2001, 2005). Nebraska also returns reigning conference player of the year Sarah Pavan. Texas was second behind NU with 93 points, including three first-place votes. The Longhorns were followed by Missouri, Kansas State and Texas A&M filling the top five spots. Colorado was sixth with Kansas, Iowa State, Baylor, Oklahoma and Texas Tech rounding out the poll. Pavan headlines the individual honors as the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year for the second straight season. Last year, the junior from Kitchener, Ontario, averaged 3.82 kills, 1.24 blocks, 1.66 digs and 0.31 aces in 35 matches. Pavan tallied four double-doubles and a triple-double of 11 kills, 11 blocks and 10 digs against Pepperdine. Pavan was one of two Huskers chosen for the preseason All-Big 12 team, as she was joined by sophomore outside hitter Jordan Larson, who averaged 2.82 kills and 2.79 digs per game in 2005, earning Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors. Houghtelling to Miss 2006 Season Nebraska Head Coach John Cook announced on Aug. 8 that AVCA National Player of the Year Christina Houghtelling will miss all of the 2006 season following shoulder surgery. Houghtelling, a first-team All-American in 2005, underwent surgery on her right shoulder on July 13, and underwent arthroscopic surgery on her right knee later that month. Last season, Houghtelling averaged 3.69 kills, 2.49 digs and 1.03 blocks per game, ranking among the Big 12 leaders in kills (10th) and hitting percentage (.375, fifth). According to Head Coach John Cook, having the surgery at this time allows Houghtelling, who has not redshirted, to be completely healthy for the 2007 season and to enhance her chances at success following her Husker career. She developed a shoulder problem in the spring, and we felt it was best to repair it now so that she can come back completely healthy for her senior year, Cook said. She is a big-time athlete and has the opportunity to continue in this sport following her collegiate career, whether it is with Team USA or professionally. We wanted to give her every opportunity to be successful following her career, and we made the decision that she had surgery. Omaha Hosts 2006 NCAA Championships For college volleyball teams around the country, Omaha is the destination, as the University of Nebraska and Qwest Center Omaha play host to the 2006 NCAA Championship this December. The NCAA semifinals take place on Thursday, Dec. 14, with the national championship match taking place on Saturday, Dec. 16. Husker fans have come out in full force, selling out the arena in just four hours the day tickets went on sale in January. The Qwest Center hosted an NCAA Regional for the first time in 2005 to record-setting numbers. The two-day event drew an NCAA postseason record of 29,608 fans, including a near sellout of 15,119 for the regional final. The two crowds were the largest of the 2005 season and easily topped the previous NCAA postseason marks for single match (13,194) and allsession (23,978) both set by Wisconsin in 1998. Husker Volleyball on the Radio The Husker Sports Network had an 18-station network for Husker volleyball, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha. The games can also be heard live on the Internet by accessing Nebraska s home page at Huskers.com. In addition to broadcasting every Husker volleyball match, the Husker Sports Network also provides a daily, live call-in show focusing on NU athletics and other area sports, which airs from 6-9 p.m. Central. Coach Cook s radio show can be heard statewide on Tuesday nights throughout the season from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Coach Cook is also heard weekly on B107.3 FM on Friday mornings during the 8 a.m. hour. The Husker Sports Volleyball Network City Affiliate Signal Ainsworth KBRB-AM 1400 AM Alliance* KCOW-AM 1400 AM Aurora* KRGY-FM 97.3 FM Beatrice KWBE-AM 1450 AM Broken Bow KCNI-AM 1280 AM Chadron * KCSR-AM 610 AM Falls City KTNC-AM 1230 AM Fremont* KHUB-AM 1340 AM Grand Island* KRGI-AM 1430 AM Holdrege KUVR-AM 1380 AM Kearney* KGFW-AM 1340 AM Lexington* KRVN-AM 880 AM Lincoln KBBK-FM 107.3 FM North Platte KODY-AM 1240 AM Scottsbluff* KNEB-AM 960 AM Sidney* KSID-AM 1340 AM Valentine KVSH-AM 940 AM York* KAWL-AM 1370 AM *Stations will only broadcast select games. Big 12 Team Rankings as of 10/12 (all matches) Category Rank NU Leader Hitting Percentage 1st.302 -- Opponent Hitting Pct. 1st.127 -- Assists 1st 16.71 -- Kills 1st 17.71 -- Blocks 3rd 3.11 ISU-3.49 Service Aces 6th 1.63 TTU-1.93 Digs 1st 17.71 -- Big 12 Individual Rankings (all matches) Category Player Avg. Rank Hitting Percentage Stalls.433 1st Pavan 325 10th Assists Holloway 13.35 3rd Kills Pavan 5.29 1st Larson 4.33 3rd Blocks Stalls 1.43 5th Service Aces Larson 0.59 1st Pavan 0.35 8th Digs Busboom 5.18 1st Larson 3.82 8th Big 12 Team Rankings (League Matches only) Category Rank NU Leader Hitting Percentage 1st.275 -- Opponent Hitting Pct. 1st.130 -- Assists 1st 16.52 -- Kills 1st 17.36 -- Blocks 4th 3.04 ISU-3.38 Service Aces 2nd 1.60 MU-1.73 Digs 1st 18.36 -- Big 12 Individual Rankings (League Matches only) Category Player Avg. Rank Hitting Percentage Cooper.424 2nd Stalls.358 6th Assists Holloway 13.22 3rd Kills Pavan 5.20 1st Larson 4.44 5th Blocks Stalls 1.40 5th Service Aces Larson 0.44 4th Pavan 0.44 4th Digs Busboom 5.16 2nd Larson 3.92 7th