This Week in Husker Volleyball

2005 VOLLEYBALL RELEASE - Oct. 18, 2005 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 2005 Schedule Date Opponent/Tournament Time Aug. 26-27 AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase Aug. 26 vs. No. 4 Hawaii W, 3-0 Aug. 27 vs. No. 3 Stanford W, 3-0 Sept. 2-3 at Sports Imports Challenge Sept. 2 at No. 12 Ohio State W, 3-0 Sept. 3 vs. Michigan W, 3-0 Sept. 5 at No. 5 Minnesota W, 3-2 Sept. 9-11 InfoUSA/Arby s Players Challenge Sept. 9 vs. Pepperdine W, 3-1 Sept. 10 vs. Pacific W, 3-0 Sept. 11 vs. No. 4 Penn State W, 3-0 Sept. 17 at Colorado^ W, 3-0 Sept. 21 No. 20 Texas A&M^ W, 3-0 Sept. 24 Iowa State^ W, 3-0 Sept. 28 at Oklahoma^ W, 3-1 Oct. 1 Baylor^ W, 3-0 Oct. 5 at No. 7 Missouri^ W, 3-1 Oct. 8 at Kansas^ W, 3-1 Oct. 11 Creighton W, 3-0 Oct. 12 Texas Tech^ W, 3-0 Oct. 15 No. 18 Texas^ W, 3-0 Oct. 19 at 23 Kansas State^ 7 p.m. Oct. 26 Kansas^ 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at Texas Tech^ 7 p.m. Nov. 2 Oklahoma^ 7 p.m. Nov. 5 at Iowa State^ 7 p.m. Nov. 9 at Texas A&M^ 6:30 p.m. Nov. 13 Missouri^ 5 p.m. Nov. 16 at Baylor^ 7 p.m. Nov. 19 Kansas State^ 7 p.m. Nov. 23 Colorado^ 7 p.m. Nov. 26 at Texas^ 6:30 p.m. Dec. 1-4 NCAA First/Second Rounds TBA Dec. 9-11 NCAA Regionals TBA Dec. 15 NCAA National Semifinals TBA Dec. 17 NCAA Finals TBA All times listed are Central. ^- Denotes Big 12 Conference match. All matches can be heard live on B107.3 FM in Lincoln. Home matches in bold and at the NU Coliseum unless otherwise noted. Match: #19: No. 1 Nebraska (18-0, 9-0 Big 12) at No. 23 Kansas State (15-4, 6-3 Big 12) Wednesday, Oct. 19 7 p.m. (central) Ahearn Fieldhouse Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) Huskers.com Radio: Live Stats: Live Internet Video: HuskersNside (subscription required) Internet Audio: Huskers.com All-Time Series: Nebraska leads, 70-3 Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 30-27, 30-24, 30-13 in Lincoln on Nov. 6, 2004 Match: #20: NU vs. Kansas (12-6, 4-5 Big 12) Wednesday, Oct. 26 7 p.m. (central) NU Coliseum Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) Television: Live on NET-1 (Ch. 12) and NET-HD (Ch. 112) and tape-delayed on College Sports Television (10 p.m. central on 10/26) Live Stats: Huskers.com Live Internet Video: HuskersNside (subscription required) Internet Audio: Huskers.com All-Time Series: Nebraska leads, 75-0 Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 30-16, 26-30, 30-22, 30-16 in Lawrence on Oct. 8, 2005 No. 1 Huskers Travel to No. 23 Kansas State The No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team wraps up the fi rst round of Big 12 play on Wednesday night with one of its toughest tests of the year, as the Huskers travel to Manhattan, Kan., to take on the No. 23 Wildcats. First serve from Ahearn Fieldhouse is set for 7 p.m., and the match will be carried on selected Pinnacle Sports Network stations, including B107.3 FM in both Lincoln and Omaha. The match will also be shown on HuskersNside, a subscription site that carries nearly all of the Huskers regular-season matches. Nebraska heads to Manhattan with an 18-0 record and a two-match lead in the Big 12 following a sweep of Texas on Saturday in Lincoln. In that match, Jordan Larson, Melissa Elmer and Sarah Pavan all reached double fi gures in kills, while NU out-blocked the taller Longhorns, 10-4. Balance has been the key for Nebraska throughout 2005, as four players (Elmer, Pavan, Larson and Christina Houghtelling) average over 2.95 kills per game while NU ranks fi rst or second in the Big 12 nearly every offensive category, including a Big 12 best.324 hitting percentage. Kansas State is 15-4 on the season and 5-3 in the Big 12 following Did You Know? Nebraska has held its last four opponents to a combined.072 hitting, as it leads the Big 12 in opponent hitting (.129). Jordan Larson was chosen as the Big 12 s Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 4.78 points, 3.89 kills and 3.11 digs while hitting.397 in three matches last week. Nebraska s eight wins over ranked opponents leads the nation, as Nebraska (8-0), Washington (7-0) and Penn State (6-2) are the only teams with at least five wins against ranked teams. a fi ve-game win at Baylor on Saturday. The Wildcats are tough at home, going 7-2 with the losses coming to nationally ranked Minnesota and Texas. The 2005 Nebraska Cornhuskers No. Name Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown (High School) Worth Noting 1 Maggie Griffin S 6-0 So. St. Charles, Ill. (Rosary/Michigan State) Michigan St. transfer is 10th in Big 12 in assists (7.59/gm); 37 asst./15 digs at MU 3 Christina Houghtelling (C) OH 6-2 Jr. Cambridge, Neb. (Cambridge) Recorded 3rd double-double with 14 kills/12 digs at KU; AVCA National POW (8/29) 5 Rachel Schwartz L 5-9 Fr. Lincoln, Neb. (East) First-team Super-State selection in HS; Had two aces & two digs vs. No. 4 PSU 6 Meghan Smith MB 6-1 So. Sidney, Neb. (Sidney) NU s top reserve at MB; career-high 8 kills and 7 blocks at No. 5 Minn. on 9/5 7 Dani Mancuso OH 6-2 Jr. Omaha, Neb. (Omaha Gross) Had five kills and a block in game three against Iowa State on 9/24 8 Melissa Elmer (C) MB 6-2 Sr. Fort Wayne, Ind. (Northrop) Two-Time AVCA All-American; Has 10+ blocks five times in 2005; 2.33 b/gm 9 Sarah Pavan RS 6-5 So. Kitchener, Ontario (Forest Hts. Collegiate Institute) Triple-double vs. Pepp (11k, 11b, 10d); 3.77 kills/gm on.362 hitting in Big 12 matches 10 Jordan Larson OH 6-2 Fr. Hooper, Neb. (Logan View) Big 12 Player of the Week (10/17); leads all Big 12 frosh with 3.42 K/gm and.327 hitting 11 Tracy Stalls MB 6-3 So. Arvada, Colo. (Lakewood) Averaging 1.45 b/gm since returning to lineup; season-best kills (8) and blocks (8) at OU 12 Rachel Holloway S 5-10 Fr. Franklin, Tenn. (Smoky Hill, Colo.) Captained U.S.Youth National Team to 4th-place finish at U-18 World Championships 17 Amanda Gates MB 6-1 Fr. Columbus, Neb. (Columbus) Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 Pick; Totaled 1,132 kills during prep career 18 Dani Busboom S 5-11 Jr. Cortland, Neb. (Freeman) AVCA All-Midwest pick; 6.43 asst/2.05 digs; 31 asst/11 digs at Minn. 26 Jennifer Saleaumua (C) OH 5-11 Sr. National City, Calif. (Bonita Vista) 2nd-team All-American; 3-time All-Big 12 pick; 10k, 13d, 7b vs. Texas A&M on 9/21 (C) - Denotes 2005 captains Head Coach: John Cook, Sixth Year (San Diego, 1979), 172-11 Overall at Nebraska, 106-3 Big 12 Assistant Coaches: Lee Maes, First Year (Long Beach State, 1994), Charlene Tagaloa, Third Year (Brigham Young, 1999); Christie Landry, First Year (Michigan State, 2002)

Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #12 Page 2 Oct. 18, 2005 Huskers.com Year-by-Year Record (Overall: 333-84,.799) (Nebraska: 172-11,.940, Big 12: 106-3) (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) 18-0 1.000 9-0 1.000 -- Totals 333-84.799 195-54.783 -- Coaching Honors 2001 Big 12 Coach of the Year 2000 AVCA D-I National Coach of the Year 2000 AVCA D-I Central Region Coach of the Year 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 Other Coaching Experience U.S. A-2 National Team, 2004 University of Wisconsin, 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 Education University of San Diego, 1979 Bachelor s Degree, History John Cook (San Diego, 1979) Head Coach Sixth Season 333-84 (overall) 172-11 (at NU) San Diego State University, 1991-Master s Degree, Teaching and Coaching Effectiveness Worth Noting and Streaks to Watch -Dani Busboom is 25 assists away from becoming only the eighth Husker in school history to record 2,500 assists in her career. The junior setter had a career-high 66 assists in NU s four-game win at Kansas State last season. -While Monday and Tuesday are fall break from classes, a quartet of Huskers have been busy as Busboom, Sarah Pavan, Christina Houghtelling and Amanda Gates are part of the Fall Tour of Excellence, talking to elementary school students in Blair and Nebraska City on the importance of education. -Nebraska is 53-1 in Big 12 road matches under Head Coach John Cook with the only loss coming at Kansas State in 2003. - In 22 career matches against ranked opponents, Sarah Pavan averages 4.64 kills per game, well above her 4.20 career kills per game average. -Nebraska has won its last 21 road matches dating back to November of 2003. In fact, NU has won 26 of its last 27 matches outside of Lincoln in that span with the only loss coming to USC in the 2004 NCAA Regional Final. -The Huskers have won their last 32 matches in Big 12 play, dating back to Nov. 19, 2003. -Nebraska has won its last 42 regular-season matches dating back to Sept. 11, 2004. -Middle blocker Tracy Stalls averaged 3.00 kills and 1.86 blocks in two wins over KSU last season, while Dani Mancuso had a career-high 23 kills in NU s victory in Manhattan last October. Husker Probable Starters MB - #8 Melissa Elmer: 6-2, Sr., Fort Wayne, Ind. - Elmer is a two-time AVCA All-American and one of the best middle blockers in the country. She leads the nation with 2.33 blocks per game, including 10 or more blocks fi ve times, and is second in the Big 12 with a.446 hitting percentage, as she averages 2.95 kills per game. She also leads the Big 12 in both categories (2.23 blocks and.479 hitting). She ranks second all-time at NU in total blocks (657), trailing only Amber Holmquist s school mark of 728 (1999-02). Over NU s last fi ve matches, Elmer is averaging 3.35 kills on.510 hitting while also averaging 2.71 blocks per game. Elmer had 11 kills on 12 swings against Creighton, 10 blocks against Texas Tech and 11 kills and six stuffs vs. No. 18 Texas on Saturday. At Missouri on Oct. 5, she had a season-high 17 kills on.546 hitting before totaling a Big 12 record 16 blocks at Kansas on Oct. 8. Elmer has been named MVP in two tournaments (Sports Imports Classic and InfoUSA/Arby s Players Challenge). MB - #11 Tracy Stalls: 6-3, So., Arvada, Colo. - Stalls has played in 11 matches, averaging 1.45 blocks and 1.18 kills per game. She enjoyed her best match of the year at Oklahoma on Sept. 28, setting season highs in both kills (eight) and blocks (eight). She had seven against No. 20 Texas A&M on Sept. 21 and fi ve against fourth-ranked Penn State on Sept. 11. Stalls also had six kills and three blocks against No. 7 Missouri on Oct. 5. Stalls ranked 11th nationally in blocking as a freshman at 1.65 blocks per game. Before enrolling at NU, Stalls served a two-year stint in the U.S. National Developmental Program and was on the U.S. National Team. OPP - #9 Sarah Pavan (rhymes with Have-in): 6-5, Soph., Kitchener, Ontario - The AVCA National Freshman of the Year and fi rst-team All-American in 2004, Pavan is having a stellar 2005 season, averaging 3.62 kills, 1.63 digs and 1.40 blocks per game. She ranks sixth in the league in blocks and in points per game (4.62) and eighth in hitting percentage (.346). In Big 12 matches, she is hitting.362 and averaging 3.77 kills per game, ranking among the league leaders in both categories. Pavan had 12 kills, six digs and three blocks in Saturday s win over Texas. She posted her second double-double of the year with 12 kills and 12 digs against Creighton on Oct. 11. Pavan had 11 kills and nine blocks at Kansas on Oct. 8 and had a season-high 18 kills and 11 digs at Missouri on Oct. 5. She hit.500 or better in NU s fi rst three Big 12 matches, capped by 13 kills on.522 hitting and seven blocks vs. Iowa State on Sept. 24. Against Pepperdine on Sept. 9, Pavan recorded her fi rst career triple-double with 11 kills, 11 blocks and 10 digs, becoming the fi rst Husker outside hitter since Nancy Metcalf in 1999 to accomplish the feat. Pavan, who carries a 4.0 GPA in biochemistry, was a member of the Canadian National Team at age 16. OH - #3 Christina Houghtelling (HOTEL-ing): 6-2, Jr., Cambridge, Neb. - Houghtelling has emerged as one of the Big 12 s top performers in 2005. She is second on the team with 3.52 kills per game, while ranking ninth in the league with a.336 hitting percentage. She has reached double figures in kills 13 times, and led NU fi ve times. On Wednesday, she totaled 11 kills on.550 hitting against Texas Tech and had eight kills, fi ve blocks and a match-high 13 digs in a sweep of No. 18 Texas. She picked up her third double-double of 2005 at Kansas on Oct. 8 with 14 kills on.454 hitting and 10 digs. She starred in NU s win at Oklahoma on Sept. 28, delivering a career-high 20 kills and hitting.404 against the Sooners. Houghtelling has earned all-tournament honors two times, including MVP honors of the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase, where she averaged 4.83 kills on.404 hitting, 2.33 digs and 1.67 blocks per game in wins over No. 4 Hawaii and No. 3 Stanford. Houghtelling spent the summer in the USA Volleyball training program, competing with the A-2 National team in Switzerland. Oct. 18 - Tues. Press Conf. Memorial Stadium (6th floor) - 11:15 a.m. TRAVEL DAY Leave for Manhattan, 2 p.m. Oct. 19 - Wed. MATCH DAY at Kansas State, 7 p.m. Audio: B107.3 FM/ Huskers.com Video: HuskersNside Oct. 20 - Thurs. Practice NU Coliseum - TBA Oct. 21- Fri. Practice NU Coliseum - TBA Oct. 22 - Sat. No Practice Oct. 23 - Sun. No Practice Oct. 24 - Mon. Practice NU Coliseum - 3 p.m.

Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #12 Page 3 Oct. 18, 2005 Huskers.com OH - #26 Jennifer Saleaumua (Sal-ee-ah- MOO-uh): 5-11, Sr., National City, Calif. - A returning AVCA All-American and three-time All-Big 12 performer, Saleaumua s all-around abilities key the NU attack. She is sixth in the Big 12 with 3.77 digs per game and has recorded double fi gures in digs 13 times, including a career-high 27 at Minnesota and 20 versus Pepperdine. She shined against No. 20 Texas A&M on Sept. 21 with 10 kills, 13 digs and seven blocks. At Ohio State on Sept. 2, Saleaumua became the second Husker to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. She totaled 12 kills on 16 swings, while adding 14 digs in the sweep of No. 4 Hawaii on Aug. 26. Saleaumua already holds NU s record in digs (1,352) and has 36 career double-doubles. The Big 12 co-defensive Player of the Year in 2004, she was in the USA Volleyball Training Program. OH - #10 Jordan Larson: 6-2, Fr., Hooper, Neb. - One of two newcomers in the Huskers starting lineup, Larson is one of the Big 12 s top freshman performers. She averages 3.42 kills on.327 hitting and 2.76 digs per game, topping all Big 12 rookies in kills and hitting percentage. Larson has four doubledoubles, including three against top-10 teams. She has led NU in kills a team-best eight times, including a 14-kill effort on.420 hitting against No. 18 Texas on Oct. 15 and a 13-kill, 14-dig, four-ace effort on Oct. 12 against Texas Tech. Larson also had a match-high 14 kills on.480 hitting against No. 4 Penn State on Sept. 11 and 14 kills against No. 20 Texas A&M on Sept. 21. The Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year, Larson was a three-time Super-State selection who was rated the No. 2 player in the country by prepvolleyball.com. Larson set a Class C-1 state record with 501 kills on.490 hitting while establishing an all-class record with 179 service Scouting Kansas State Under coach Suzie Fritz (106-37 in fi ve seasons) Kansas State is 15-4 overall and ranked 23rd in this week s AVCA/CSTV national poll. The Wildcats are in fourth place in the Big 12 race at 6-3, one-match behind second place Missouri and Texas. Ahearn Fieldhouse has been a tough place for opponents, as KSU is 7-2 at home with losses coming to Minnesota and Texas. KSU is led by the duo of outside hitters Agata Rezende (3.90 kills/gm on.350 hitting) and Sandy Warner (3.60 kills/gm), as the duo combines for nearly half of Kansas State s team total. The Wildcats are also one of the best blocking teams in the league, averaging 3.11 blocks per game, including a team-best 1.44 per game by Joy Hamlin, and feature one of the league s top liberos in Angie Lastra (4.12 digs/gm). The Huskers are 68-3 all-time versus KSU, and 55 of those victories have been two- (11) or three-game (43) sweeps. KSU s three wins in Big 12 play are the most by any conference school. In 1999, the Wildcats defeated NU in five games in Lincoln, becoming the fi rst Big Eight/Big 12 team to defeat Nebraska at the NU Coliseum during the regular season. In 2003, the Wildcats won both meetings, snapping the Huskers 78-game Big 12 winning streak in the fi rst meeting and winning for the first time in 30 tries in Manhattan in the second match-up. NU is 31-1 all-time at KSU. aces in 2004. She also spent two years on the U.S. Junior National Team and was the MVP of the 2004 NORCECA Tournament. S - #18 Dani Busboom: 5-11, Jr., Cortland, Neb. - Busboom is in her third season as Nebraska s starting setter and splits time with Maggie Griffin in the Huskers 6-2 offense. Busboom averages 6.43 assists and 2.05 digs per game, helping the Huskers rank second nationally in team hitting and sixth in assists. She comes off her second double-double of the year with 17 assists and 10 digs against No. 18 Texas on Oct. 15. Busboom recorded her first double-double of the year with 31 assists and 11 digs in a five-game win over No. 5 Minnesota and had 26 assists and nine digs at No. 7 Missouri on Oct. 5. She split time with Michelle Lynch in NU s 6-2 offense in 2003 before taking over the full-time role last season. She averaged 13.10 assists per game in 2004, the highest total by a Husker in seven years, to earn honorable-mention AVCA All-Midwest Region honors. S - #1 Maggie Griffin: 6-0, So., St. Charles, Ill. - A transfer from Michigan State, Maggie Griffi n is in her fi rst season at Nebraska. She splits time with Dani Busboom in running NU s 6-2 offense, averaging a team-high 7.50 assists and 1.67 digs per game. Griffi n, who has helped NU rank second nationally in hitting, had 36 assists, three service aces and six digs in a win at No. 5 Minnesota on Sept. 5. Griffi n picked up her fi rst double-double of the year at No. 7 Missouri on Oct. 5, setting season bests in assists (37) and digs (15). Griffi n spent her freshman year at MSU, ranking sixth in the Big Ten with 12.98 assists per game to earn All-Freshman honors. She had eight double-doubles and 50 or more assists 12 times. Griffi n was a Fab 50 selection at Rosary (Ill.) High School. Statistical Comparison Team Record Conf. Record K/Gm Pct. Opp Pct. A/Gm SA/Gm D/Gm B/gm Nebraska 18-0 9-0 (Big 12) 17.27 (2).324 (1).129 (1) 15.75 (2) 1.13 (10) 15.05 (4) 4.18 (1) Kansas State 15-4 6-3 (Big 12) 15.40 (7).250 (5).199 (6) 13.91 (7) 1.45 (7) 13.39 (10) 3.11 (3) Last Time Out: Huskers Show Balance in Sweep of Texas Jordan Larson s 13 kills led three Huskers in double fi gures, as No. 1 Nebraska improved to 18-0 on the season with a 30-24, 30-20, 30-26 victory over No. 18 Texas Saturday evening at the NU Coliseum. The freshman from Hooper, Neb., topped NU in kills for the eighth time this season, hitting.423 on 26 swings and had eight digs, as NU (18-0, 9-0 Big 12) took a two-match lead over Missouri and Texas in the Big 12 race. All-Americans Sarah Pavan and Melissa Elmer also reached double fi gures in kills with 12 and 11, respectively. Pavan, who had eight of her kills in the opening game, also had six digs and three blocks, while Elmer hit.529 and had six blocks for NU, which out-blocked Texas, 10-4. Nebraska out-hit Texas,.311-.123 in a matchup of two of the league s top offensive teams, while outdigging Texas, 53-45, as Christina Houghtelling and Dani Busboom totaled 13 and 10 digs, respectively. Busboom posted her second double-double of the year with 17 assists and 10 digs, as NU has held its last four opponents to a combined.072 hitting. AVCA/CSTV Coaches Poll (10/17) Rk. Team (No. 1 votes) Pts. Record Last 1 Nebraska (55) 1,495 18-0 1 2 Washington (5) 1,444 16-0 2 3 Penn State 1,373 17-2 4 4 Florida 1,259 18-1 5 5 Stanford 1,246 17-3 3 6 Louisville 1,199 18-0 6 7 Wisconsin 1,131 15-2 8 8 Arizona 1,023 14-2 12 9 Notre Dame 1,013 15-1 10 10 Missouri 932 13-2 7 11 Hawaii 851 13-6 11 12 Minnesota 840 16-3 9 13 Santa Clara 761 16-1 14 14 California 688 13-4 13 15 Brigham Young 664 15-0 16 16 Texas 656 12-3 18 17 Purdue 531 16-3 21 18 San Diego 529 14-3 15 19 Southern California 441 8-7 17 20 Ohio State 412 12-5 19 21 UCLA 244 10-6 22 22 Ohio 241 18-2 23 23 Kansas State 193 15-4 20 24 Long Beach State 93 15-4 NR 25 Wichita State 53 18-2 NR Others receiving points and listed on two or more ballots: Maryland 49, Colorado 34, Texas A&M 26, Saint Mary s 24, UC Santa Barbara 19, Pepperdine 12, Alabama 11, Colorado State 3 Dropped Out: Texas A&M (24), Saint Mary s (25) USA Today/CSTV Coaches Poll Weekly Totals Date... Rank Preseason (8/8)... 1 9/5... 1 9/12... 1 9/19... 1 9/26... 1 10/3... 1 10/10... 1 10/17... 1 10/24... 10/31... 11/7... 11/14... 11/21... 11/28... 12/5... Final... 2005 NCAA Attendance Leaders (as of Oct. 17) No. School Avg. Total Matches 1. Hawaii 7,247 94,216 13 2. Nebraska 4,490 40,408 9 3. Wisconsin 3,846 34,611 9 4. Minnesota 3,339 23,376 7 5. New Mexico State 2,795 16,768 6 6. Purdue 2,528 20,221 8 7. Missouri 2,457 17,202 7 8. Washington 2,377 14,260 6 9. Florida 2,285 27,417 12 10. Penn State 2,251 18,006 8 Note: Nebraska s matches in Omaha are considered neutral site matches, and cannot count in home attendance totals. NCAA Winningest Active Coaches (10/17) No. Coach, School Record Pct. 1 Dave Shoji, Hawaii 883-156.8499 2 Russ Rose, Penn St. 845-153.8467 3 Mary Wise, Florida 558-112.8328 4 John Dunning, Stanford 576-125.8217 5 Brian Gimmillaro, Long Beach St. 567-132.8112 6 Mick Haley, Southern California 644-155-1.8056 7 John Cook, Nebraska 333-84.7986 8 Bobbi Petersen, UNI 145-38.7923 9 Andy Banachowski, UCLA 994-261.7920 10 Wade Benson, E. Washington 166-50.7685 (Min. 5 years as a Division I head coach; includes record at fouryear colleges only)

Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #12 Page 4 Oct. 18, 2005 Huskers.com 2005 Volleyball Quick Facts First Year of Volleyball... 1975 Overall All-Time Record...951-180-1 Conference All-Time Record...359-18 NCAA Tournament Years...23 straight NCAA Tournament Record...59-21 Final Four Appearances...Eight (2001, 2000, 1998, 1996, 1995, 1990, 1989, 1986) National Championships... Two (2000, 1995) Facility (Capacity)...Nebraska Coliseum (4,030) 2005 Team Information Head Coach... John Cook (San Diego, '79) Nebraska Record/Years... 172-11/6 Career Record/Years... 333-84/12 Head Asst. Coach... Lee Maes (Long Beach State, '94) Assistant Coach... Charlene Tagaloa (BYU, '99) Volleyball Office Phone...(402) 472-2399 2004 Overall Record...30-2 2004 Big 12 Record (Finish)...20-0 (First) Final AVCA Ranking...Fifth Starters Returning/Lost... 6/1 (libero) Letterwinners Returning/Lost...8/5 Nebraska Volleyball by the Numbers.841 All-time winning percentage of Nebraska volleyball (951-180-1 record).952 All-time winning percentage of Nebraska in conference matches (359-18) 2 National Titles (1995 and 2000) 3 Number of Huskers who have been in the Olympic Games (Lori Endicott, Allison Weston and Nancy Metcalf) 7 Academic All-Big 12 selections in 2004 Number of Big 12 titles in nine seasons 8 NCAA Volleyball Semifinal Appearances (1986, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001) 23 Number of consecutive NCAA appearances 26 Number of Big Eight/Big 12 titles in school history (29 years) 48 Number of weeks that Nebraska has been ranked No. 1 in the national polls 49 AVCA All-American certificates won by 25 Husker volleyball players 64 Consecutive sellouts at the NU Coliseum (longest streak in NCAA volleyball) 327 Consecutive weeks ranked in the AVCA Poll 10,576 AVCA/NACWAA record crowd at Qwest Center OMAHA on Aug. 27, 2005 (largest crowd in college volleyball in 2005) So Far This Season... Nebraska has enjoyed a stellar start to the season, going 18-0 heading into Wednesday s match against No. 23 Kansas State. So far this season, the Huskers have... Earned the No. 1 ranking in the preseason poll for only the second time in school history (also 2001). Ended Hawaii s 59-match regular-season winning streak with a 3-0 victory on Aug. 26. Swept Stanford on Aug. 27, as Nebraska posted its fi rst-ever win over a defending national champion. Became the fi rst host team in 11 years to win the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase. Defeated No. 5 Minnesota on Sept. 5, to post their fi rst road win over a top-fi ve team since the 2001 season. Swept No. 4 Penn State at the NU Coliseum on Sept. 11, picking up their fi rst regular-season home win over a top-fi ve team in a decade. Recorded four wins over top-fi ve teams, their highest total since the 2000 national title season, and a national-best eight wins over nationally ranked teams. Defeated No. 7 Missouri on Oct. 5, marking the highest ranked opponent that NU has ever beaten in Big 12 play. Went 9-0 during the non-conference schedule, marking NU s fi rst undefeated non-conference slate since 2000. Husker Offense Proving Tough to Stop According to Head Coach John Cook, one of the benefi ts to the 6-2 offense was that Nebraska would become more diffi cult to defend, as NU had three hitters across the front row at all times. In the latest NCAA stats, the Huskers rank third nationally in hitting percentage, fourth in kills per game and sixth in assists per game in the latest NCAA stats. NCAA Team Hitting Percentage Leaders (10/15) No. Name Pct. 1. Washington.377 2. Western Kentucky.325 3. Nebraska.324 School-Best Hitting Percentage (Season) No. Hitting Percentage Year Record 1..331 1986 29-6 --.324 2005 18-0 2..322 2002 31-2 3..318 1985 28-3.318 1994 31-1 Comparing Nebraska s Offensive Totals Category 2003 2004 2005 Record Kills/Gm 16.37 17.20 17.27 17.20 ( 04) Assists/Gm 14.94 15.63 15.75 15.63 ( 04) Hitting Pct..249.281.324.331 ( 86) With four hitters among the league s top 11 in the latest conference stats, NU has enjoyed a balanced offense throughout the year. Four different Huskers have led the team in kills (Houghtelling, Pavan, Larson and Saleaumua) while six players have reached double fi gures in kills at least once this season. Only one player - Christina Houghtelling at Oklahoma on Sept. 28 - has totaled 20 kills in a match this season. Elmer Best on the Block Two-time All-American Melissa Elmer has picked up where she left off after leading the nation in blocking in 2004. Elmer, who is bidding to become the fi rst player to lead the NCAA in blocking in consecutive seasons, tops the nation with 2.33 blocks per game. The senior has reached double fi gures in blocks fi ve times, including a career-high and Big 12 record 16 blocks in a win at Kansas on Oct. 8. For her efforts, Elmer was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Oct. 11, as she averaged 3.50 kills and 2.75 blocks per game while hitting.500 in wins at Missouri and Kansas. At her current rate, Elmer is on track to set an NCAA record for highest blocking average in a season. NCAA Single-Season Blocking Record No. Name, Team B/Gm Year -- Melissa Elmer, NU 2.33 2005 1. Heather Bown, Hawaii 2.25 1999 2. Nina Puikkonen, Brigham Young 2.17 1998 3. Ivana Kuzmic, Ark.-Little Rock 2.16 2002 NCAA Blocking Leaders (Stats as of Oct. 17) No. Name, Team B/Gm 1. Melissa Elmer, Nebraska 2.33 2. Amy Allison, Arkansas 2.01 3 Christina Kirk, St. Mary s (Cal.) 1.87 4 Danielle Brazda, UNI 1.81 NU Single-Season Blocking Record Book No. Name, Team B/Gm -- Melissa Elmer, 2005 2.33 1. Amber Holmquist, 2002 2.01 2. Amber Holmquist, 2000 1.98 3. Stephanie Thater, 1992 1.92 Elmer has already moved from seventh to second on NU s career total blocks list and is closing in on the school record in both categories, held by three-time All-American Amber Holmquist. Block Assists No Player, Years Total 1. Amber Holmquist, 1999-02 646 2. Melissa Elmer, 2002-present 595 Total Blocks No Player, Years Total 1. Amber Holmquist, 1999-02 728 2. Melissa Elmer, 2002-present 657 Elmer Reaches 1,000-Kill Mark All-American Melissa Elmer reached another milestone in NU s victory over Iowa State on Sept. 24. The middle blocker recorded her 1,000th career kill in NU s sweep of the Cyclones, becoming the 17th player in school history to reach that plateau. Elmer is the second current Husker to reach 1,000 career kills, joining fellow senior Jennifer Saleaumua, and just the second player in school history to record 1,000 kills and 600 blocks. In addition, she is just the third player from a conference school to reach 1,000 kills and 600 blocks in their career. All-time Conference Players with 1,000 Kill-600 Blocks Player, School (Years) Kills Blocks Gloria Holcomb, OU (1990-93) 1,774 616 Amber Holmquist, NU (1999-02) 1,122 728 Melissa Elmer, NU (2002-pres.) 1,079 657 Single-Season Hitting Percentage No. Name, Team Hitting Pct. -- Melissa Elmer, 2005.446 1. Virginia Stahr, 1989.440 2. Amber Holmquist, 2000.406 3. Virginia Stahr, 1988.404 4. Amber Holmquist, 2002.402

Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #12 Page 5 Oct. 18, 2005 Huskers.com Elmer s Career Night Elmer nearly put her name into the NCAA record book against Creighton on Oct. 11, as she hit.917 with 11 kills in 12 attempts. She was successful on her fi rst 11 attempts, as her last shot of the evening was dug, falling one attempt shy of becoming only the 21st player in NCAA history to hit 1.000 in a match with at least 10 kills. Elmer s.917 hitting is the highest singlematch hitting night in the Big 12 in 2005. Big 12 Single-Match Hitting Pct. Pct. (K-E-Att) Player (School) vs. Opponent Date.917 (11-0-12) Elmer, Melissa (NU) vs Creighton 10/11.846 (11-0-13) Wilson, Nicole (MU) vs Kansas St. 9/24.833 (10-0-12) Spiegelberg, Stacey (KSU) at KU 10/5 And Then There Were Five... NU enters the week as one of the fi ve remaining undefeated teams in college volleyball. The Huskers are joined by No. 2 Washington, No. 6 Louisville, No. 15 Brigham Young and New Orleans, which fi nished 4-0 before canceling its season because of Hurricane Katrina. Powerful Pavan Produces Points-a-Plenty After the most decorated freshman season in school history, sophomore Sarah Pavan has worked hard to become one of the top all-around players in college volleyball. The 6-foot-5 rightside hitter is among the Big 12 leaders in kills (3.62, 9th), hitting percentage (.346, 8th), blocks (1.40, sixth) and points per game (4.62, sixth). Over NU s last 11 matches, Pavan has been unstoppable offensively, hitting.391 and averaging 3.69 kills per game in that stretch. Many of Pavan s numbers are higher than 2004, except for kills and attempts, as her swings are down by almost 25 percent from last year. Comparing Pavan s 2004 and 2005 Seasons Category 2004 2005 Kills/Gm 4.54 3.62 Attempts/Gm 9.69 7.51 Hitting Pct..322.346 SA/Gm 0.18 0.25 Digs/Gm 1.42 1.63 Blocks/Gm 1.17 1.40 Pavan Posts Triple-Double vs. Pepperdine Sarah Pavan made Husker history in the Sept. 9 win over Pepperdine. The 6-foot-5 sophomore became the first Husker in three years to record a triple-double, finishing the match with 11 kills, 11 blocks and 10 digs. Not only was it the fi rst by a Husker since 2002, but it was the fi rst by a Husker outside hitter since Nancy Metcalf (Meendering) had one against Kansas State in 1999. No Libero, No Problem While several teams in college volleyball run a 6-2 offense, Nebraska s attack is unique because there is no libero on the court. The Huskers rely on the passing and court coverage abilities of their four outside hitters (Sarah Pavan, Jordan Larson, Jennifer Saleaumua and Christina Houghtelling). Nebraska has outdug 15 of its 18 opponents in 2005, while Saleaumua, Larson and Houghtelling all average above 2.25 digs per game, and Dani Busboom and Maggie Griffin combine to average 3.72 digs a game. The only true libero on the roster is freshman Rachel Schwartz, who is primarily used as a serving specialist. Saleaumua Reaches 1,000-1,000 Club Senior captain Jennifer Saleaumua continues to climb in the Husker record books. The All-American from National City, Calif., reached 1,100 career kills in Wednesday s win over Texas Tech, becoming the 13th Husker to reach that milestone. Earlier this year, Saleaumua become only the second player in school history to record both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs when she reached that plateau against Ohio State. Saleaumua already holds NU s record for career digs, while her 3.78 digs per game would rank third on NU s single-season list. 1,000-1,000 Club (Kills and Digs) Player, Year Kills Digs Eileen Shannon, 1989-92 1,521 1,074 Jennifer Saleaumua, 2002-05 1,111 1,358 Houghtelling Emerges on National Scene When John Cook was asked to name his MVP following the fi rst part of the season, he quickly responded with Christina Houghtelling. The junior outside hitter has developed into a focal point of the Husker offense, averaging 3.52 kills per game and hitting.336 to rank among the conference leaders in both categories. She has also averaged 2.47 digs and 0.93 blocks per game. Houghtelling enjoyed her best Big 12 match of the year at Oklahoma, recording a career-high 20 kills on.405 hitting and adding 10 digs for her second doubledouble of the year. She had nine of her kills in game three, as the Huskers rallied for a 31-29 win. Against Kansas on Oct. 8, she had her third double-double of the year with 14 kills on.458 hitting with 11 digs in a four-game win over the Jayhawks and had 11 kills on.550 hitting against Texas Tech on Oct. 12. She burst on the national stage in the seasonopening AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase, averaging 4.83 kills on.404 hitting, with 2.33 digs and 1.67 blocks per game in helping No. 1 Nebraska to sweeps of No. 4 Hawaii and No. 3 Stanford. For her efforts, she was named the tournament MVP, along with the AVCA and Big 12 National Player of the Week. Air Jordan One of the primary weapons in the Huskers 6-2 offense is outside hitter Jordan Larson. The freshman from Hooper, Neb., leads all Big 12 freshmen in kills and hitting percentage, as she is averaging 3.42 kills per game on.327 hitting. Larson, a former member of the U.S. Junior National Team, has played her best against ranked teams, averaging a team-high 3.96 kills and 2.93 digs in NU s eight wins against ranked foes. Larson has topped NU in kills a team-best eight times, including a career-high 19 kills in a win at No. 5 Minnesota on Sept. 5. She also recorded three of her four double-doubles against ranked teams (Stanford, Minnesota and Missouri) and had 13 kills on.440 hitting and a team-high 14 digs against Texas Tech on Wednesday. Larson was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Monday, as she averaged 4.78 points, 3.89 kills on.397 hitting, 3.11 digs, 0.78 blocks, 0.56 assists and 0.44 aces per game in three matches last week. Husker Freshman Kills Record Rk. K/GM Player Year 1. 4.54 Sarah Pavan 2004 2. 4.24 Eileen Shannon 1989 -- 3.42 Jordan Larson 2005 3. 2.98 Jen McFadden 1993 Big 12 Standings (as of Oct. 18) Team Big 12 Pct. Overall Pct. Nebraska 9-0 1.000 18-0 1.000 Missouri 7-2.778 13-2.867 Texas 7-2.778 12-3.800 Kansas State 6-3.667 15-4.789 Iowa State 5-4.556 12-8.600 Kansas 4-5.444 12-6.667 Colorado 4-6.400 8-7.533 Texas Tech 3-5.375 10-9.526 Texas A&M 2-6.250 9-8.529 Baylor 2-7.222 10-10.500 Oklahoma 0-9.000 5-13.278 Big 12 Schedule Wednesday, Oct. 19 Oklahoma at Missouri* 6:30 p.m. Baylor at Texas A&M* 6:30 p.m. Texas at Texas Tech* 7 p.m. Iowa State at Kansas* 7 p.m. Nebraska at Kansas State* 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22 Missouri at Iowa State* 7 p.m. Kansas State at Texas* 7 p.m. Texas A&M at Texas Tech* 7 p.m. Kansas at Baylor* 7 p.m. Oklahoma at Colorado* 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24 Baylor at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 7 p.m. Wednesday., Oct. 26 Missouri at Kansas State* 7 p.m. Kansas at Nebraska* 7 p.m. Texas Tech at Oklahoma* 7 p.m. Iowa State at Colorado* 8 p.m. Texas A&M at Texas* 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28 Oklahoma at Texas A&M* 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29 Colorado at Missouri* 6:30 p.m. Baylor at Iowa State* 7 p.m. Nebraska at Texas Tech* 7 p.m. Texas at Kansas* TBA *-Big 12 Matches The Big 12 vs. Nebraska (1996-2005) School Record Baylor 0-19 Colorado 2-17 Iowa State 0-19 Kansas 0-19 Kansas State 3-15 Missouri 1-18 Oklahoma 1-18 Texas 2-17 Texas A&M 2-17 Texas Tech 1-18 Totals 12-177

Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #12 Page 6 Oct. 18, 2005 Huskers.com Husker Volleyball on the Radio Fans can listen to all of the action of Nebraska volleyball as Pinnacle Sports Network will carry every match of the 2005 season. John Baylor enters his 11th year as the voice of the Nebraska volleyball team. Baylor will continue to handle the play-by-play duties during the 2005 season and will be joined by Tina Westerhold (away matches) and Diane Mendenhall (home matches). Every match will go on the air 10 minutes prior to first serve. 2005 Pinnacle Sports Volleyball Network City Affiliate Signal Ainsworth KBRB-AM 1400AM Alliance* KCOW-AM 1400AM Aurora* KRGY-FM 97.3FM Beatrice KWBE-AM 1450AM Broken Bow KCNI-AM 1280AM Chadron * KCSR-AM 610AM Falls City KTNC-AM 1230AM Fremont* KHUB-AM 1340AM Grand Island* KRGI-AM 1430AM Holdrege KUVR-AM 1380AM Kearney* KGFW-AM 1340AM Lexington* KRVN-AM 880AM Lincoln KBBK-FM 107.3FM North Platte KODY-AM 1240AM Scottsbluff* KNEB-AM 960AM Sidney* KSID-AM 1340AM Valentine KVSH-AM 940AM York* KAWL-AM 1370AM *Stations will only broadcast select matches 2005 Husker Honors Team Honors AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase Champs Sports Imports Classic Champs InfoUSA/Arby s Players Challenge Champions Melissa Elmer Sports Imports Classic MVP InfoUSA/Arby s Players MVP Big 12 Player of the Week (10/10) InfoUSA/Arby s Players Challenge All-Tournament Team AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase All-Tournament Team Preseason All-Big 12 Christina Houghtelling AVCA/Sports Import National Player of the Week (8/29) Big 12 Player of the Week (8/29) AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase MVP InfoUSA/Arby s Players Challenge All-Tournament Team AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase All-Tournament Team Jordan Larson Big 12 Player of the Week (10/21) Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year Sarah Pavan Preseason All-Big 12 Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year InfoUSA/Arby s Players Challenge All-Tournament Team Jennifer Saleaumua Preseason All-Big 12 InfoUSA/Arby s Players Challenge All-Tournament Team Pronunciation Guide Name... Pronunciation Christina Houghtelling... HOTEL-ing Dani Mancuso...Man-CUE-so Sarah Pavan... (PAV-in, rhymes with HAVE-in) Jennifer Saleaumua... Sal-ee-ah-MOO-uh Charlene Tagaloa... Ton-ga-LOE-uh Lee Maes...MAYS The Two Set Nebraska s two-setter offense has paid off on the offensive end, with NU ranking third nationally in hitting percentage, but has also paid defensive dividends as well. Dani Buboom and Maggie Griffin combine for 13.60 assists per game, a total that would rank second in the Big 12. In addition, the duo combine for 3.72 digs per game, a total that would be second on the NU squad and rank eighth in the Big 12. Comparing Big 12 Setters School K/gm A/Gm D/Gm SA/gm Team Pct. NU* 0.08 13.60 3.72 0.16.324 MU 0.80 14.55 2.53 0.43.303 CU 0.90 13.26 1.89 0.10.294 KU 0.80 13.27 1.69 0.38.253 UT 0.74 13.35 1.96 0.26.274 *-6-2 offense; all others listed run a 5-1 Stalls Stuffs Foes The Huskers may have the nation s best blocking duo with two-time All-American Melissa Elmer and sophomore Tracy Stalls. After missing NU s fi rst six matches following off-season knee surgery, Stalls has made an immediate impact on the Husker defense. The 6-foot-3 sophomore is averaging 1.45 blocks per game in her last 10 matches, including a season-high eight stuffs against Oklahoma on Sept. 28. As a freshman in 2004, Stalls ranked 11th nationally in blocking, averaging 1.65 blocks per game in 30 contests. A former member of the U.S. National Team, Stalls established NU freshman marks for total blocks (160) and block assists (148), while ranking eighth in the Big 12 with a.322 hitting percentage. Huskers Continue to Climb No. 1 Rank Nebraska is one of two teams to be ranked in the CSTV/AVCA Coaches poll for all 327 weeks of its existence. The Huskers have been ranked in the top 10 for 293 weeks, which ranks second behind Stanford s 298. With the Oct. 17 No. 1 ranking, NU has now spent a total of 48 weeks in the top spot, tying Hawaii for second all-time. The only school that leads NU in weeks at No. 1 in Stanford, which has spent 51 weeks at the top of the AVCA chart. NCAA Regional Tickets Top 8,500 Mark Qwest Center offi cials have announced that over 8,500 tickets have been sold for the NCAA Regional at the Qwest Center since they went on sale on Sept. 10. All-session tickets for the regional, which will take place Dec. 9-10, are $36 (reserved) and $30 (general admission) and can be purchased at the Qwest Center box offi ce, by calling Ticketmaster at (402) 422-1212 or at Ticketmaster locations around the state (Baker s, Younkers and the Nebraska Student Union in Lincoln). In addition, tickets can also be ordered at Ticketmaster.com. Nebraska drew crowds of over 10,000 during the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase in August, including 10,576 for the title match, the 11th largest crowd in NCAA Volleyball history. Huskers Reload with Young Talent One year after pulling in the nation s best recruiting class, Nebraska produced its second straight topthree class in the offseason. The group is led by outside hitter Jordan Larson, who was rated the No. 2 high school senior in the country by prepvolleyball.com. All four freshmen earned prep All-America honors, while Rachel Holloway (U.S. Youth National Team) and Larson (U.S. Junior National Team) both have extensive experience in the USA Volleyball program. 2005 Top Recruiting Classes No. PrepVolleyball.com Volleyball Magazine 1. Stanford Stanford 2. Penn State Penn State 3. Nebraska Nebraska 4. Minnesota Georgia Tech 5. California Minnesota The Qwest was a Success Nebraska volleyball s fi rst visit to Qwest Center OMAHA was a smashing success, as over 20,000 fans came out for the two-day event while a national television audience saw four of the top five teams in the preseason poll battle for the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase title. -Both night s attendance totals (10,028 and 10,576, respectively) shattered the AVCA/NACWAA single-match record (9,345 between Hawaii and USC in 2003), while the total of 20,604 easily eclipsed the tournament record of 16,292 set in 2003. -The attendance totals ranked as the 26th and 11th largest crowds to see an NCAA volleyball match. -The AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase drew two of the largest off-campus regular-season crowds in NCAA volleyball history. -Nebraska became the third school to win two event titles (also Stanford and USC) and became the fi rst host school to win in the event s 11-year history. Vote for Big 12 Anniversary Team Volleyball fans from around the conference have an opportunity to vote for their favorite players, as part of the Big 12 10th Anniversary team. Voting is currently underway and will continue throughout the month of October. The 10th anniversary team picked by the fans and media will be announced early next month. For more information and to vote, log on to Big12sports.com. Cook s Winning Ways Nebraska Coach John Cook has been amazingly successful during his fi ve seasons at the helm, posting a 172-11 record (.940 winning percentage). All 11 losses have come against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including the eventual NCAA champion in 2001 (Stanford) and 2002 (USC). In the Big 12, Cook has enjoyed even greater success, going 106-3 in his fi ve seasons. Nebraska has posted four undefeated seasons in league play (2000-02, 2004) and has dropped just 36 of the 359 conference games it has played over the past six seasons. Cook was the AVCA Coach of the Year in 2000 after leading Nebraska to a 34-0 season and a national title. He was also named the 2001 Big 12 Coach of the Year. Winningest Division I Programs (2000-present) No. Team Record Pct. 1 Nebraska 172-11.940 2 Hawaii 173-18.906 3 Florida 173-18.906 4 USC 151-21.878 5 Penn State 152-32.826 Updated Totals as of Oct. 17

Nebraska Volleyball Weekly Release #12 Page 7 Oct. 18, 2005 Huskers.com Husker Block is Best in the Land Nebraska volleyball is known nationally for its outstanding blocking, and the 2005 season is no exception. The Huskers, who have led the nation in blocking four times in the last fi ve years, average 4.18 blocks per game and are the only team averaging better than four blocks per game. In 2004, Nebraska averged a national-best 4.02 blocks per game, topping the 4.00 blocks per game mark for the fifth time in school history (also 1986, 1998, 2000 and 2001). NU also had the individual blocking champion in middle blocker Melissa Elmer, who averaged 1.89 blocks per game. NCAA Blocking Leaders (as of 10/12) No. School Blocks/Gm 1 Nebraska 4.23 2 St. Mary s (Cal.) 3.94 3 Colorado State 3.79 4 Northern Iowa 3.71 5 Wisconsin 3.58 All About Defense Nebraska has traditionally been one of the nation s top defensive teams under Head Coach John Cook. In 2004, the Huskers led the nation in opponent hitting percentage, holding opponents to just.103 hitting, breaking the mark of.106 set in 2001. This season, the Huskers are holding foes to a Big 12-best.129 hitting, as only Stanford and Oklahoma have hit over.200 against the Huskers. 2005 s Top Defenses (opp. hitting pct., 10/12) Rank Name Opponent Hitting Pct. 1. Washington.108 2. Minnesota.113 3. Wisconsin.124 4. Nebraska.129 6. Penn State.138 Huskers Have Opponents Seeing Red Under John Cook, the Huskers have held 15 foes to negative hitting percentage, as Pacifi c hit -.073 against Nebraska on Sept. 10, the third-lowest total by a Husker opponent in the last six years. Lowest Hitting Percentages vs. NU since 2000 Date Opponent Pct. 10/3/00 Creighton -.105 10/30/04 Iowa State -.089 9/10/05 Pacific -.073 9/29/02 Creighton -.068 9/4/00 Oral Roberts -.066 Husker Captains Named Nebraska Head Coach John Cook announced on Aug. 19, that seniors Melissa Elmer and Jennifer Saleaumua and junior Christina Houghtelling were elected captains for the 2005 season. Elmer is in her second year as team captain, while the honor was the fi rst for both Saleaumua, a three-time All-Big 12 selection, and Houghtelling. Sellout Streak Reaches 64 Nebraska will carry a streak of 64 consecutive sellouts at the NU Coliseum into Nebraska s next home match on Oct. 26. The Huskers sold out all 15 matches they played at the Coliseum last season and sold out the entire 2005 season in just nine days. The streak began with a 10-game stretch to close the 2001 season and extended through the 2002, 2003 and 2004 campaigns. The last non-sellout came on Sept. 25, 2001, against Creighton. NU ranked second nationally in total attendance this week, averaging 4,490 fans per match. What s New at the NU Coliseum Nebraska became one of the fi rst volleyball programs in the country to institiute premium courtside seating at its facilites. All 64 court line seats, at prices ranging from $2,000 to $2,500 were sold prior to the season, generating over $100,000 of revenue for the Husker volleyball program. 12 Husker Matches to be Televised A total of 12 Husker volleyball matches will be televised this season. The 2005 broadcast schedule began on Aug. 26, with the Huskers season opener against Hawaii. A total of seven matches will be carried live on NET-1, NET-2 and NET-HD, highlighted by contests against Penn State (Sept. 11), Texas A&M (Sept. 21),, Texas (Oct. 15), Kansas (Oct. 26) and Missouri (Nov. 13). In addition, eight matches will be carried nationally by College Sports Television, highlighted by the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase in Omaha. On Oct. 1, Pinnacle Sports Productions announced that three live matches have been added to the television schedule, including a matchup with in-state rival Creighton on Oct. 11. 2005 Husker VB Television Schedule Date Opponent Time NET-1 CSTV FSN Aug. 26 Hawaii 8:30 p.m. -- Live -- Aug. 27 Stanford 7:30 p.m. -- Live -- Sept. 11 Penn State 3 p.m. NET-2 9/11, 5 p.m. -- Sept. 21 Texas A&M 7 p.m. Live Live -- Oct. 1 Baylor 7:30 p.m. Live 10/2, 2:30 p.m. -- Oct. 5 at Missouri 6:30 p.m. -- -- 10/9, 2 p.m. (Pinnacle Sports Productions - Local Cable Broadcast) Oct. 11 Creighton 7 p.m. - - - (Pinnacle Sports Productions - Local Cable Broadcast) Oct. 12 Texas Tech 7 p.m. - - - (Pinnacle Sports Productions - Local Cable Broadcast) Oct. 15 Texas 7 p.m. Live 10/16, 2 p.m. -- Oct. 26 Kansas 7 p.m. Live 10/27, 9 p.m. -- Nov. 2 Oklahoma 7 p.m. Live 11/3, 7 p.m. -- Nov. 13 Missouri 5 p.m. Live Live -- All-America U Nebraska continued its string of All-America success in 2004, as Melissa Elmer, Sarah Pavan and Jennifer Saleaumua were named AVCA All- Americans. For Elmer, it was her second straight All-America certifi cate, as she was a second-team selection in 2003 before earning fi rst-team honors in 2004. It was the fi rst award for both Pavan, a fi rst-team honoree, and Saleaumua, a second-team selection. Nebraska has had at least one All- American every season since 1983, a total of 23 straight seasons, including 14 in Coach John Cook's fi ve seasons at Nebraska. A total of 25 players have combined to earn 49 AVCA All-America certifi cates. Nebraska leads the nation in both categories. Red, White and Blue Nebraska continued its Olympic tradition in 2004 with Nancy Metcalf's (Meendering) selection to the U.S. Olympic team. Metcalf, a three-time All- American at Nebraska, became the third Husker to make an Olympic team, joining Lori Endicott, who competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, and Allison Weston, who was the captain of the U.S. Team in the 2000 Olympics. Current Huskers Melissa Elmer, Christina Houghtelling and Jennifer Saleaumua had an opportunity to train with the U.S. National Team 2005 Double-Doubles (17 by 7 players) Dani Busboom - 2005 (2) - Career (21) 2005 Opponent K A D B Minnesota - 31 11 - Texas - 17 10 - Melissa Elmer - 2005 (2) - Career (7) 2005 Opponent K A D B Pepperdine 12 - - 13 Kansas 11 - - 16 Maggie Griffin - 2005 (1) - Career (13)* 2005 Opponent K A D B Missouri - 37 15 - * 12 at Michigan State in 2004 Christina Houghtelling - 2005 (3) - Career (7) 2005 Opponent K A D B Penn State 12-14 - Oklahoma 20-10 - Kansas 14-11 - Jordan Larson - 2005 (4) - Career (4) 2005 Opponent K A D B Stanford 15-12 - Minnesota 19-19 - Missouri 15-11 - Texas Tech 13-14 - Dani Mancuso - 2005 (0) - Career (2) 2005 Opponent K A D B Sarah Pavan - 2005 (2) - Career (4) Triple-Doubles (1) 2005 Opponent K A D B Pepperdine 11-10 11 Missouri 18-11 - Jennifer Saleaumua - 2005 (3) - Career (36) 2005 Opponent K A D B Hawaii 12-14 - Minnesota 12-27 - Texas A&M 10-13 - Tracy Stalls - 2000 (0) - Career (1) 2005 Opponent K A D B Volleyball Magazine Poll (10/17) Rk. Team Pts. Last Week 1 Nebraska 18-0 1 2 Washington 16-0 2 3 Penn State 17-2 4 4 Stanford 17-3 3 5 Florida 18-1 5 6 Louisville 18-0 7 7 Missouri 13-2 6 8 Wisconsin 15-2 9 9 Minnesota 16-3 8 10 Notre Dame 15-1 10 11 Hawaii 11-6 11 12 Santa Clara 16-1 12 13 Arizona 14-2 13 14 BYU 15-0 19 15 California 13-4 14 16 San Diego 14-3 15 17 USC 8-7 16 18 Texas 12-3 17 19 UCLA 10-6 18 20 Purdue 16-3 NR