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^ W, 3-0 Oct. 18 at No. 9 Texas^ (ESPNU) W, 3-2 Oct. 25 No. 16 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^ 2 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. 24, 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 #19 No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 16 Missouri (14-6, 8-3 Big 12) Wednesday, Oct. 25 NU Coliseum 7:30 p.m. Radio: Husker Sports Network ( B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) and Huskers.com Live Stats: Huskers.com Television: Fox Sports Midwest - Larry Punteney (PBP), Patti Phillips (Color) (Ch. 37 on Time Warner Cable in Lincoln; Ch. 47 on Cox Cable in Omaha; Ch. 647 on DirecTV; Ch. 418 on DISH Network) Complete list on Page 2 Match #20 No. 1 Nebraska at Kansas State (9-12, 1-10 Big 12) Wednesday, Oct. 28 Ahearn Fieldhouse 7 p.m. Radio: Husker Sports Network ( B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) and Huskers.com Live Stats: Huskers.com Live Video Feed: HuskersNside Huskers Return Home to Host No. 16 Missouri The top-ranked Nebraska volleyball team returns to action on Wednesday evening, as the Huskers play host to the No. 16 Missouri Tigers. The match from a sold-out Nebraska Coliseum, has a special 7:30 p.m. start time and will be carried on the Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha, and Huskers.com. The match will also be shown to a significant portion of the country, as it will be shown live on FSN Midwest, FSN Southwest and FSN Rocky Mountain among other FSN affiliates (complete list on page 2 of this release). The Huskers begin the second half of Big 12 play with an 18-0 record following a 3-2 victory over No. 9 Texas in Austin on Oct. 18. In that match, Sarah Pavan had a team-high 22 kills, as the Huskers relied on a balanced attack in overcoming a 2-1 deficit. Pavan was one of three Huskers in double figures, while all six attackers had at least seven kills, as NU became the first Big 12 team to win in Austin since the Huskers accomplished the feat in 2004. Entering this week s action, Nebraska is 10-0 in the Big 12 and has a twomatch lead on Oklahoma, which saw its eight-match win streak snapped at Texas on Saturday, and a three-match lead on Texas and Missouri. Wednesday s opponent will have a familiar look, as Nebraska took on Missouri on Columbia just two weeks earlier, posting a 3-0 victory on Oct. 11. In fact, the Tigers have played just two matches since the teams first encounter, falling to No. 23 Oklahoma last Wednesday before rebounding to down Kansas State in five games last Saturday in Columbia. In that match, middle blocker Nicole Wilson totaled a career-high 23 kills, while Jessica Vander Kooi had 19 kills and seven blocks, helping the Tigers snap a two-match losing streak. Did You Know? -Texas became the first team to out-hit NU in 2006 and only the third team since the start of 2004 to accomplish the feat. In fact, NU had lost its last five matches when it was out-hit, dating back to 2003. -Wednesday s match between NU and Missouri takes place just two weeks following NU s win in Columbia. In fact, it is only the second time in NU s Big 12 history where the Huskers played the same opponent twice in a two-week span (Iowa State, 2004). -Jordan Larson has posted doubledoubles in each of NU s last 10 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. -With 5.15 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..18.09 3.73 0.95.14 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. -- -- -- -- -- 2005 AVCA National Player of the Year who will redshirt after shoulder surgery in July 4 Brooke Bartek OH 6-2 Fr. Lincoln, Neb..50.00.00.00.17 Totaled first two kills vs. No. 20 Louisville; 05 Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year 5 Rachel Schwartz DS 5-9 So. Lincoln, Neb..00.00.31 2.41.15 3.32 digs/gm over NU s last eight matches; 15 digs at No. 9 Texas on Oct. 18 7F Dani Mancuso OH 6-2 Sr. Omaha, Neb. 2.44.69.10.69.00 8+ kills in 10 of last 13 matches; nine kills and career-high nine blocks at No. 9 UT 9F Sarah Pavan RS 6-5 Jr. Kitchener, Ontario 5.15 1.17.25 1.41.34 2-Time All-American; 12 career matches with 20+ kills; Leads Big 12 in kills & points (6.14/gm) 10F Jordan Larson OH 6-2 So. Hooper, Neb. 4.25.64.69 3.69.54 Big 12 POW (10/9); 14 double-doubles; Big 12 top-10 in kills, aces, digs and points per game 11F Tracy Stalls (C) MB 6-3 Jr. Denver, Colo. 2.69 1.36.22.81.07 1st in Big 12 and 6th in NCAA in hitting (.441); 6 matches with 10+ kills, including 13 at UT 12F Rachel Holloway S 5-10 R-Fr. Franklin, Tenn. 1.23.43 13.27 2.68.20 Big 12 POW (10/16); 2nd in Big 12 in assists; 2006 U.S. Junior Natl. Team captain 15F Kori Cooper MB 6-2 Fr. Amarillo, Texas 1.65.84.23.23.00 2005 U.S. Youth National Team Co-captain; 7 kills & career-high 8 blocks vs. No. 9 UT 17 Amanda Gates MB 6-1 So. Columbus, Neb. 1.23 1.32.16.23.00 Totaled 10 blocks in first career start vs. USD; 2005 Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 Pick 18F Dani Busboom (C) L 5-11 Sr. Cortland, Neb..14.00.71 5.05.22 Leads Big 12 in digs (5.05); Career-high 23 digs vs. CU; Needs 1 dig to reach 1,000 (C) - Denotes 2006 captains; F-Starters in NU s last match Head Coach: John Cook, Seventh Year (San Diego, 1979), 205-13 Overall at Nebraska, 126-4 Big 12 Assistant Coaches: Lee Maes, Second Year (Long Beach State, 1994), Charlene Johnson-Tagaloa, Fourth Year (Brigham Young, 1999)
Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #12 Page 2 Oct. 24, 2006 Huskers.com Year-by-Year Record (Overall: 366-86,.810) (Nebraska: 205-13,.940, Big 12: 126-4) (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) 18-0 1.000 10-0 1.000 -- Totals 366-86.810 215-55.796 -- 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 366-86 (overall) 205-13 (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) Nebraska-Missouri Television Broadcast Info Network Date Time TV FSN Midwest Oct. 25 7:30 p.m. CDT Live FSN North (Minn.) Oct. 25 7:30 p.m. CDT Live FSN North (Wis.) Oct. 25 7:30 p.m. CDT Live FSN Rocky Mountain Oct. 25 6:30 p.m. MDT Live FSN Southwest Oct. 25 7:30 p.m. CDT Live FSN Bay Area Oct. 28 2 a.m. PDT Delay FSN Florida Oct. 26 3 a.m. EDT Delay Worth Noting -Nebraska is 31-3 (.912) against ranked opponents since the start of the 2004 season and 68-11 (.859) since John Cook took over the Husker program in 2000. -Nebraska has won 53 of its last 54 Big 12 matches since 2003. The Huskers had won 43 straight conference matches before Texas ended that streak in the 2005 regular-season finale in Austin. -Wednesday s match against Missouri will be the 84th consecutive sellout at the NU Coliseum. The Huskers are 77-6 at the NU Coliseum during the current sellout streak which dates back to 2001. -NU has won its last 47 home matches, dating back to the 2004 season, including its last 41 at the NU Coliseum. The current home streak is nation s longest active streak and two wins away from cracking the NCAA s top-10 list. NU has also won its last 30 Big 12 home matches dating back to 2003. -NU has opened the season with at least 18 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 18-0 -- -With the No. 1 ranking in Monday s AVCA poll, the Huskers have spent 64 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 24 of the last 25 polls dating back to the start of 2005. Weeks Ranked No. 1 in AVCA Poll No. School Weeks 1. Nebraska 63 2. UCLA 51 3. Hawaii 48 -The Big 12 Conference features four teams in the top- 25 this week: No. 1 Nebraska, No. 8 Texas, No. 16 Missouri and No. 20 Oklahoma. -NU has been stout on the defensive end, holding 10 of its last 12 opponents to under.200 hitting and leading the Big 12 in opponent hitting percentage at.136. Chart Watching -Libero Dani Busboom needs only one more dig to become the eighth Husker to reach 1,000 digs. Busboom, who was NU s setter for three seasons, leads the Big 12 with 5.05 digs per game and is 20 digs shy of moving past Maria Hedbeck for seventh place on NU s career digs list. -Sarah Pavan enters Wednesday s match needing 20 kills to pass Jennifer Saleaumua for ninth place on NU s career kills list and 24 kills from passing Cris Hall for eighth place. -Senior outside hitter Dani Mancuso needs four kills to reach 500 for her career. If she does it on Wednesday, it will be the second straight match that a Husker has reached 500 kills, joining Tracy Stalls, who reached that plateau in last Wednesday s win at Texas. Scouting Missouri Under second-year Coach Wayne Kreklow, the No. 16 Tigers are 14-6 on the season and 8-3 in the Big 12 heading into Wednesday s match with the Huskers. MU, which advanced to the regional final before losing to Tennessee a year ago, had won seven straight matches before losing to the Huskers in Columbia. Since then, the Tigers were swept at No. 23 Oklahoma and rebounded for a five-game win over Kansas State last Saturday. The Tigers feature one of the Big 12 s top outside hitters in senior Jessica Vander Kooi. She averages a team-best 4.24 kills per game to rank sixth in the Big 12 in that category and is second on the squad in both digs (3.15) and blocks (1.02). She is one of three returning All-Big 12 performers, joining libero Tatum Ailes (4.29 digs per game) and middle blocker Nicole Wilson (3.51 k/gm and 1.22 b/gm). The Tigers have a distinctive Nebraska look, as four players, Ailes, Nicole Wilson, Megan Wilson and Amanda Hnatouli, all hail from Nebraska. In fact, the 10-player roster features as many players from China as from Missouri. The Huskers lead the all-time series, 62-3-1, in a series that dates back to Oct. 31, 1975. The Huskers have won the last six matches in the series. In last season s match in Lincoln, NU fell behind 2-0 at home, only to win the last three games. Sarah Pavan had a season-high 22 kills, as NU rallied from a 2-0 home deficit for only the second time in school history. Statistical Comparison Team Record Conf. Record K/Gm Pct. Opp Pct. A/Gm SA/Gm D/Gm B/gm Nebraska 18-0 10-0 17.47 (1).295 (1).136 (1) 16.47 (1) 1.58 (6) 17.20 (1) 3.15 (2) Missouri 14-6 8-3 15.39 (7).236 (5).214 (9) 14.08 (7) 1.64 (4) 15.97 (7) 2.81 (6) Oct. 24 - Tues. Practice 3:30-6:30 p.m. Oct. 25- Wed. Match Day vs. Missouri, 7:30 p.m. Television: FSN Midwest Radio: B107.3 FM Huskers.com Video: None Oct. 26- Thurs. Practice 2:30-5 p.m. Oct. 27 - Fri. Practice 3:30-6 p.m. Depart for Manhattan Following Practice Oct. 28 - Sat. Match Day at Kansas State, 7 p.m. Television: None Radio: B107.3 FM Huskers.com Video: HuskersNside Oct. 29 - Sun. OFF DAY No player availability Oct. 30 - Monday Practice 3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #12 Page 3 Oct. 24, 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 1.65 kills and 0.83 blocks per game, while hitting.417, a total that is second in the Big 12. Cooper has started the last five matches, averaging 1.93 kills and 1.27 blocks per game in the stretch. She comes off one of her best matches of the year at Texas on Oct. 18, totaling seven kills while adding a career-high eight blocks against the Longhorns. Against Kansas State on Oct. 4, she set then-career bests in both kills (eight) and blocks (five). At Texas A&M on Oct. 7, 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 2.69 kills and 1.36 blocks per game. She leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth nationally in hitting percentage (.441) and is fourth in the league in blocks. Stalls has had eight 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 has recorded double figures in kills six times, including each of NU s last two matches. At No. 9 Texas, Stalls had 13 kills on.417 hitting, while posting 12 kills and hitting.571 against Colorado on Oct. 14. She keyed NU s win over No. 15 Missouri on Oct. 11 with nine kills and matched her season high with eight blocks. 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 against Long Beach State on Sept. 3. Last season, Stalls ranked third in the Big 12 with 1.59 blocks per game and 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 (5.15) and points per game (6.14) while ranking eighth in service aces (0.34/gm). Pavan, who ranks 10th nationally in kills per game, has four 20- kill performances this season, including a 22-kill effort at No. 9 Texas on Oct. 18. She led NU in kills at No. 15 Missouri on Oct. 11 with 16 on.467 hitting, while also delivering 17 kills on.394 hitting at Texas A&M on Oct. 7. 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 earned tournament MVP honors in both of NU s early-season 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 4.25 kills and 3.68 digs per game, ranking in the top 10 in aces (0.54/gm, third), points (5.28, third), kills (fourth) and digs (eighth). She has a team-high 14 double-doubles, including a current streak of 10 in a row - the longest streak by a Husker in the Big 12 era. Larson had 17 kills and 10 digs against Colorado on Oct. 15 and 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, including a career-high 20 kills against Kansas State on Oct. 4. 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 2.41 digs per game. She has tied or set career highs in digs eight times this season, and has been in double figures in digs in seven of the last eight matches. Schwartz came up with a careerhigh 15 digs in NU s win at No. 9 Texas on Oct. 18. She enjoyed her best match of the year at Baylor on Sept. 30, totaling a then-career high14 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 2.44 kills, 0.69 blocks and 0.69 digs per game, primarily playing the front row. She has notched at least eight kills in eight of NU s last 10 matches and had her best effort of the year, hitting.400 with nine kills against No. 15 Missouri on Oct. 11. Mancuso had nine kills and matched her career best with six blocks in NU s win over No. 9 Texas on Oct. 18. 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 careerhigh 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). She averages 13.27 assists, 2.80 digs and 1.23 kills per game, ranking third in the Big 12 and sixth nationally in assists in last week s rankings. Holloway, who had 55 assists and eight kills in NU s win at No. 9 Texas, was selected as the Big 12 s Player of the Week on Oct. 16, after averaging 16.00 assists per game in sweeps of Colorado and Missouri. 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 CSTV/AVCA Coaches Poll (Oct. 23) Rk. Team (No. 1 votes) Pts. Record Last 1. Nebraska (43) 1480 18-0 1 2. Penn State (17) 1457 21-0 2 3. Stanford 1379 17-2 3 4. UCLA 1321 21-1 4 5. Southern California 1230 18-2 5 6. Washington 1213 17-3 6 7. Florida 1148 18-2 7 8. Texas 1066 13-5 9 9. Utah 987 19-2 10 10. LSU 827 17-3 T-12 11. California 824 15-5 8 12. Minnesota 785 15-5 17 13. Purdue 748 17-4 14 14. Wisconsin 737 15-5 11 15. Hawaii 578 15-5 16 16. Missouri 546 14-6 T-12 17. BYU 512 18-2 18 18. San Diego 491 17-4 20 19. Cal Poly 477 16-4 19 20. Oklahoma 432 17-4 23 21. Santa Clara 387 14-5 15 22. Ohio 286 18-3 21 23. New Mexico State 252 24-1 22 24. Ohio State 140 15-5 24 25. Duke 72 18-2 NR Others receiving points and listed on two or more ballots: Oregon 47; St John s 29; Long Beach State 21; Sacramento State 13; San Francisco 7; Bowling Green 5. Dropped out: Tennessee (25) 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... 1 10/23... 1 10/30... 11/6... 11/13... 11/20... 11/27... 12/4... Final... 2006 NCAA Attendance Leaders (Oct. 23) No. School Avg. Total Matches 1. Hawaii 7,017 112,275 16 2. Wisconsin 4,341 39,068 9 3. Nebraska 4,133 49,592 12 4. Minnesota 3,954 31,632 8 5. Missouri 2,917 20,417 7 6. Florida 2,630 28,929 11 7. Penn State 2,615 28,764 11 8. BYU 2,147 21,468 10 9. Wichita State 2,146 19,316 9 10. Texas A&M 2,105 16,838 8 NCAA Winningest Active Coaches (as of Oct. 23) No. Coach, School Record Pct. 1. Russ Rose, Penn St. 880-154.8511 2. Dave Shoji, Hawaii 912-162.8492 3. Mary Wise, Florida 591-116.8359 4. John Dunning, Stanford 600-130.8219 5. Brian Gimmillaro, Long Beach St. 594-139.8104 6. John Cook, Nebraska 366-86.8097 7. Mick Haley, Southern California 671-161-1.8061 8. Andy Banachowski, UCLA 1025-267.7933 9. Leonid Yelin, Louisville 384-109.7789 10. Bobbi Petersen, UNI 170-49.7763 (Min. 5 years as a Division I head coach; includes record at four-year colleges only)
Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #12 Page 4 Oct. 24, 2006 Huskers.com 2006 Volleyball Quick Facts First Year of Volleyball... 1975 Overall All-Time Record... 984-182-1 Conference All-Time Record...379-19 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... 205-13/7th Career Record/Years... 366-86/13th 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.844 All-time winning percentage of Nebraska volleyball (984-182-1 record).952 All-time winning percentage of Nebraska in conference matches (379-19) 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 63 Number of weeks that Nebraska has been ranked No. 1 in the national polls 83 Consecutive sellouts at the NU Coliseum (NCAA Volleyball record) 344 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 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. 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 5.05 digs per game and has reached double figures in digs 17 times in 18 matches. Busboom, who is in eighth place on NU s career charts, needs one dig to become the eighth Husker to reach 1,000 career digs. 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 2,879 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, No. 9 Texas 2 Sarah Pavan totaled a team-high 22 kills, including six in the decisive fifth game, as No. 1 Nebraska overcame a 2-1 deficit to top No. 9 Texas, 27-30, 30-22, 22-30, 30-22, 15-13 at Gregory Gymnasium on Oct. 18. Pavan struggled offensively through the first four games, but was clutch in the finale, totaling six kills on 10 swings, as the Huskers became the first Big 12 team to win in Gregory Gym since 2004. While Pavan carried the Husker offense in game five, it was the rest of the squad that keyed the Huskers comeback performance. All six of NU s attackers had at least seven kills in the win, including three players in double figures. Tracy Stalls and Jordan Larson had 13 kills apiece, as Larson totaled her 10th straight double-double, while Stalls hit.417 and added three blocks. Dani Mancuso also came up big with nine kills and matched her career high with six blocks, while freshman Kori Cooper had seven kills and a careerbest eight blocks. Rachel Holloway nearly posted a triple-double with 55 assists, a career-high eight kills on.462 hitting and seven digs. The Huskers, who were out-hit for the first time all year and for only the second time in the last 53 matches, out-blocked Texas, 15.5-9, while limiting Texas to just two service aces. Nebraska-Missouri Recap from Oct. 11 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 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, which hit.339 as a team and out-digged and out-blocked the Tigers. Jordan Larson totaled 14 kills and 14 digs, while Dani Mancuso and Tracy Stalls both totaled nine kills in the win. Mancuso hit a season-best.400 on 20 swings, while Stalls led all players with eight blocks, matching her season high. The CliffsNotes Season in Review Nebraska takes a 18-0 record and a No. 1 ranking into Wednesday s match against No. 16 Missouri. In honor of CliffsNotes (which was founded in Lincoln in 1958), here is a 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 runnerup 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 & 2005) and have remained No. 1 for the first nine polls. -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 17 home matches. -The Huskers are 5-0 against ranked opponents, sweeping No. 20 San Diego (Aug. 29); No. 20 Louisville (Sept. 8), No. 25 Cal Poly (Sept. 29) and No. 15 Missouri (Oct. 11) before going five games at No. 9 Texas on Oct. 18. NU is also 6-0 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 nonconference 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. -On Oct. 16, redshirt freshman Rachel Holloway was named the Big 12 Player of the Week, averaging 16.00 assists, 2.00 digs, 1.17 kills and 0.83 blocks per game in a pair of wins. She is the first Husker setter to earn the Big 12 s weekly honor since 2002. -Nebraska became the first Big 12 team since 2004 to win at Gregory Gym, defeating No. 9 Texas, 3-2 on Oct. 18.
Husker Attack on Record-Breaking Pace Despite losing three All-Americans and breaking in a trio of 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. NU also ranks in the top-10 nationally in hitting percentage (.295). Setting a Record Pace Category 2006 NCAA Rank NU Record Year Assists/Gm 16.47 1st 15.72 2005 Kills/Gm 17.47 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 are looking to join the 1995 duo of All- American 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 5.15 Jordan Larson 4.25 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 4.61 kills per game) with 5.15 kills per game. She also leads the conference in points per game (6.14) and is hitting.304. 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 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 5.15 kills per game would rank seventh on the Big 12 s all-time single-season list. NU Single-Season Kills Per Game No. K/Gm Name Year - 5.15 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 10th on NU s all-time kills list, passing Melissa Elmer Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #12 Page 5 Oct. 24, 2006 Huskers.com for 10th place after her 22-kill performance at No. 9 Texas. Pavan within 20 kills of moving past Jennifer Saleaumua for ninth place on NU s career kills list. Nebraska s All-Time Kills List No. Player Kills 1. Allison Weston 1,778 8. Cris Hall, 1988-91 1,251 9. Jennifer Saleaumua, 2002-05 1,247 10. Sarah Pavan, 2004-present 1,228 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 enjoying an All-America-caliber year this fall. She ranks in the top 10 in the Big 12 in kills (4.25, fourth), services aces (0.54, third), digs (3.69, eighth) and points per game (5.28, third) and is the only player in the Big 12 on the top-10 list for both kills and digs. The Hooper, Neb., native has 14 double-doubles (kills-digs) in NU s 18 contests, nearly tripling her total of five as a freshman. More impressively, she has recorded a double-double in each of NU s last 10 matches, the longest streak by a Husker in the Big 12 era. Among those double-doubles were a career-high 20 kills and 10 digs against Kansas State on Oct. 4, a 14-kill, 14-dig effort at No. 15 Missouri on Oct. 11 and a 13-kill, 13-dig performance at No. 9 Texas on Oct. 18. Nebraska is 19-0 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 4.25.278 3.69 0.54 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 5.05 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 performance for NU s Big 12 leading defensive performance, holding foes to a.136 hitting percentage. Busboom has reached double figures in digs 17 times in 18 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 2,879 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. With 999 career digs, she will look to become the eighth Husker to reach 1,000 career digs on Wednesday against Missouri. Big 12 Standings (as of Oct. 23) Team Big 12 Pct. Overall Pct. Nebraska 10-0 1.000 18-0 1.000 Oklahoma 9-2.818 17-4.810 Missouri 8-3.727 14-6.700 Texas 8-3.727 13-5.722 Colorado 7-4.636 11-7.611 Iowa State 6-5.545 14-7.667 Texas A&M 3-8.273 10-9.526 Texas Tech 3-8.273 10-10.500 Kansas 3-8.273 10-10.500 Baylor 2-9.182 13-10.565 Kansas State 1-10.091 9-12.429 Upcoming Big 12 Schedule Wed., Oct. 25 Colorado at Texas A&M* 6:30 p.m. Kansas State at Iowa State* 6:30 p.m. Oklahoma at Kansas* 7 p.m. Texas at Texas Tech* 7 p.m. Missouri at Nebraska* 7:30 p.m. Fri., Oct. 27 Missouri at Baylor 7 p.m. Sat., Oct. 28 Nebraska at Kansas State* 7 p.m. Texas A&M at Oklahoma* 7 p.m. Texas Tech at Kansas* 7 p.m. Texas at Colorado* 8 p.m. Tue., Oct. 31 TCU at Oklahoma 7 p.m. Wed., Nov. 1 Baylor at Texas A&M* 6:30 p.m. Iowa State at Missouri* 6:30 p.m. Kansas at Texas* 6:30 p.m. Nebraska at Texas Tech* 7 p.m. Kansas State at Colorado* 8 p.m. Sat., Nov. 4 Colorado at Missouri* 6:30 p.m. Kansas at Iowa State* 6:30 p.m. Texas A&M at Kansas State* 7 p.m. Texas at Baylor* 7 p.m. Oklahoma at Nebraska* TBA Mon., Nov. 6 Texas A&M Corpus-Christi at Baylor 7 p.m. The Big 12 vs. Nebraska (1996-2006) School Record Baylor 0-21 Colorado 2-19 Iowa State 0-21 Kansas 0-21 Kansas State 3-18 Missouri 1-20 Oklahoma 1-20 Texas 3-18 Texas A&M 2-19 Texas Tech 1-20 Totals 13-197
Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #12 Page 6 Oct. 24, 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 Big 12 Player of the Week (Oct. 16) Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament Team Nebraska Invitational All-Tournament Team Tracy Stalls Nebraska Invitational All-Tournament Team 2006 Double-Doubles (22 by 3 players) 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 - Jordan Larson - 2006 (14) - Career (19) 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 - Missouri 14-14 - Colorado 17-10 - Texas 13-13 - Sarah Pavan - 2006 (2) - Career (8) - Triple-Doubles (1) 2006 Opponent K A D B Minnesota 23-11 - Kansas State 13-10 - 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 Nebraska s Single-Season Record for Digs per Game No. Player D/Gm - Dani Busboom, 2006 5.05 1. Amanda McCormick, 2004 4.53 2. Jennifer Saleaumua, 2003 3.90 Big 12 Record for Digs per Game No. Player D/Gm 1. Laura Downey-Wallace, KSU, 2002 5.47 - Dani Busboom, 2006 5.05 2. Jill Dorsey, KU, 2004 4.64 3. Amanda McCormick, NU, 2004 4.53 Nebraska s All-Time Digs List No. Player Digs 5. Val Novak, 1987-90 1,068 6. Billie Winsett, 1992-95 1,032 7. Maria Hedbeck, 1993-96 1,018 8. Dani Busboom, 2003-pres. 999 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 2.69 kills per game and 1.36 blocks while hitting.441. She leads the Big 12 in hitting percentage and ranks sixth nationally in the latest NCAA rankings, while ranking fourth in the league in blocks. Stalls.441 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. - Tracy Stalls, 2005.441 1. Virginia Stahr, 1989.440 2. Amber Holmquist, 2000.406 3. Virginia Stahr, 1988.404 4. Amber Holmquist, 2002.402 5. Cathy Noth, 1984.398 Big 12 Single-Season Hitting Pct. No. Player, Year Pct. - Tracy Stalls, 2005.441 1. Nicole Wilson, MU, 2005.415 2. Lauren Goehring, KSU, 2003.409 3. Amber Holmquist, NU, 2000.406 Kelly Campbell, CU, 1998.406 5. Amber Holmquist, NU, 2002.402 Stalls, who missed part of last season after knee surgery, has reached double figures in kills six times after accomplishing the feat once in 2005, including 12 kills without an error against Colorado on Oct. 14. Stalls totaled a season-best 14 kills against Long Beach State on Sept. 3 and against Minnesota on Sept. 10. She had 13 kills and three blocks at No. 9 Texas on Oct. 18 and played one of her best matches of the year at No. 15 Missouri, totaling nine kills and eight blocks. 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) 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 13.27 assists per game to rank third in the Big 12 and sixth nationally, while helping the Huskers lead the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.295). Holloway s total tops all freshmen nationally. National Freshman Leaders in Assists (as of Oct. 18) Rank Name, Team A/Gm 1 Rachel Holloway, Nebraska 13.27 2 Kaylee Manns, Iowa St. 13.19 3 Dominique Fradella, Portland St. 13.04 4 Cassie Chesney, Murray St. 12.92 Holloway, who was named the Big 12 Player of the Week on Oct. 16, has been named to a pair of alltournament teams and is second on the squad with six double-doubles. She averaged 16.00 assists in wins over No. 15 Missouri and Colorado to earn her first Big 12 honor. 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. 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 2.68 digs and 1.23 kills per game, led NU to a win at No. 9 Texas, totaling 55 assists and a career-high seven kills against the Longhorns, moving past Dani Busboom and Lindsay Wischmeier to top NU s all-time freshman assist list. She also posted a triple-double at Baylor on Sept. 30 with seven kills, 54 assists and 15 digs, setting season bests in both kills and digs at the time. Holloway, who redshirted last season, 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. Rachel Holloway 743 2006 2. Lindsay Wischmeier 724 1999 3. Dani Busboom 700 2003 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 83 home matches at the 4,030-seat Nebraska Coliseum, but they also have their fingerprints on the NCAA attendance marks. Over the last two years, there have been five matches in NCAA that have had crowds of at least 10,000 fans - and Nebraska has been a part of all five. 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
Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #12 Page 7 Oct. 24, 2006 Huskers.com Cook s Winning Ways Nebraska Coach John Cook has been amazingly successful during his seven seasons at the helm, posting a 205-13 record (.940 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 126-4 in conference play. The Huskers have won five Big 12 titles over the last six seasons (2000-02, 2004-05) and have dropped just 45 of the 430 conference games they have played over the past seven years. Winningest Programs Since 2000 (as of Oct. 23) No. Team W-L Pct. 1. Nebraska 205-13 0.940 2. Florida 206-22 0.904 3. Hawaii 202-24 0.894 4. USC 178-27 0.868 5. Penn State 187-33 0.850 Rank and File Nebraska is one of two teams to be ranked in the USA Today/AVCA Coaches poll for all 344 weeks of its existence. The Huskers have been ranked in the top 10 for 310 of the 344 weeks, which ranks second behind Stanford s 315. Additional Television Time for the Huskers Nebraska volleyball has been annually among the nation s most televised programs and the 2006 season is no exception. The Huskers will make nine televised appearances in 2006, including matches on CSTV, FSN and ESPNU. Wednesday s match against Missouri will be NU s second FSN Midwest appearance, as the match in Columbia was also covered by the network. The Huskers are 6-0 on TV in 2006, including a pair of wins over ranked foes. 2006 Husker Volleyball Television Schedule Date Opponent Time NET CSTV/ESPNU 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 W, 3-0 -- 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 last Wednesday (Oct. 18). 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. 18) Team Category Rank Actual Assists Per Game 1 16.74 Blocks Per Game 19 3.16 Hitting Percentage 4 0.301 Kills Per Game 1 17.76 Individual Category Player Rank Total Assists Per Game Rachel Holloway 6 13.49 Hitting Percentage Tracy Stalls 6 0.444 Kills Per Game Sarah Pavan 10 5.22 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 six seasons, are among the national blocking leaders again with 3.15 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 was 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. NU Picked to Repeat as Big 12 Champs Nebraska was 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). 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. 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. and on Huskers.com 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. Husker Volleyball on the HuskerNside Fans can watch Nebraska s volleyball matches live on HuskersNside throughout the 2006 season. Beacause of Big 12 contractual obligations, Wednesday s match against Missouri cannot be shown on HuskersNside. Eight of Nebraska s final nine regular-season matches will be carried on the sight, including four of the Huskers final road contests. For more information on HuskersNside, visit Huskers.com Nebraska s matches against Oklahoma and Texas will be carried for free on Huskers.com, while the rest will be shown on HuskersNside. 2006 HuskersNside Volleyball Schedule Date Match Start Time Oct. 28 at Kansas State 7 p.m. Nov. 1 at Texas Tech^ 7 p.m. Nov. 4 Oklahoma^ (Huskers.com) 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^ 2 p.m. Nov. 25 Texas^ (Huskers.com) 7 p.m. (Huskers.com) - free video matches; others are subscriber only