2008 Husker VOLLEYBALL NOTES -- Nov. 17, 2008 Contact: Shamus McKnight Office Phone: (402) 472-7772 Cell Phone: (402) 540-0268 Fax Number: (402) 472-2005 E-Mail: smcknight@huskers.com 2008 Husker Volleyball Schedule Date Opponent/Tournament Time/Result Aug. 29 & 31 at Runza/AVCA Showcase Aug. 29 vs. No. 2 Stanford (CBS College Sports) W, 3-0 Aug. 31 vs. No. 4 USC (CBS College Sports) W, 3-1 Sept. 1 Oral Roberts W, 3-0 Sept. 5 vs. Northeastern (Cal Poly Tourney) W, 3-0 at No. 14 Cal Poly (Cal Poly Tourney) W, 3-0 Sept. 6 vs. Tulane (Cal Poly Tourney) W, 3-0 Sept. 12-13 Ameritas Players Challenge Sept. 12 vs. LSU (Devaney Center) W, 3-0 Sept. 13 vs. New Mexico W, 3-0 Sept. 17 at No. 18 Kansas State ^ W, 3-1 Sept. 20 No. 3 Texas ^ (NET/CBS CS) W, 3-1 Sept. 24 Kansas ^ (NET/CBS CS) W, 3-1 Sept. 27 at Iowa State ^ (Mediacomm) W, 3-1 Oct. 1 at Texas Tech ^ (MyTV) W, 3-0 Oct. 4 Colorado ^ W, 3-0 Oct. 5 at Creighton (NET/CBS CS) W, 3-0 Oct. 8 Oklahoma ^ (ESPNU) W, 3-0 Oct. 12 at Missouri ^ (FSN) W, 3-0 Oct. 15 Baylor ^ (NET/CBS CS) W, 3-0 Oct. 22 Texas A&M ^ (NET/CBS CS) W, 3-0 Oct. 25 at Oklahoma ^ W, 3-0 Oct. 29 at Colorado ^ L, 1-3 Nov. 1 Iowa State ^ (NET) W, 3-1 Nov. 5 at Texas A&M ^ W, 3-2 Nov. 8 No. 15 Kansas State ^ (NET) W, 3-0 Nov. 12 Missouri ^ (NET/CBS CS) W, 3-0 Nov. 15 at Kansas ^ W, 3-0 Nov. 19 at No. 4 Texas ^ (ESPNU) 8 p.m. Nov. 22 Texas Tech ^ 7 p.m. Nov. 29 at Baylor ^ 7 p.m. Dec. 5-6 NCAA First/Second Rounds TBA Dec. 12-13 NCAA Regionals TBA Dec. 18 NCAA National Semifinals 6/8:30 p.m. Dec. 20 NCAA Championship Match 8 p.m. All times listed are Central and subject to change. ^- Denotes Big 12 Conference match. All matches can be heard live on B107.3 FM in Lincoln and KTWI 93.3 FM in Omaha and selected Husker Sports Network Stations. TV Key: CBS CS - CBS College Sports Network; NET-NET Television; FSN - Fox Sports Net This Week in Nebraska Volleyball No. 3 Nebraska (25-1, 16-1 Big 12) at No. 4 Texas (21-3, 15-2 Big 12) Wednesday, Nov. 19 Austin, Texas 8 p.m. Radio: Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com Live Stats: Huskers.com TV: ESPNU (DirecTV Ch. 614; DISH Network Ch. 148; Time Warner Cable Ch. 235; Cox Cable Ch. 220) Live Video: None Texas Tech (5-22, 0-16 Big 12) at Nebraska Saturday, Nov. 22 NU Coliseum 7 p.m. Radio: Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com Live Stats: Huskers.com TV: None Live Video: HuskersNside (subscription required) Huskers and Longhorns Clash for Big 12 Lead The Nebraska volleyball team heads to Austin, Texas, with a chance to earn a share of the Big 12 title Wednesday night, as the third-ranked Huskers meet the fourth-ranked Texas Longhorns. First serve from Gregory Gymnasium is slated for 8 p.m. and the match will be carried on the Husker Sports Radio Network with John Baylor and Lindsay Peterson, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on the Internet at Huskers.com. Wednesday s match will also be televised nationally on ESPNU with Beth Mowins and Karch Kiraly calling all of the action. The Huskers (25-1, 16-1 Big 12) come into the final three matches of the season with an opportunity to earn their fifth straight Big 12 title and 30th conference crown in 33 seasons. With a win Wednesday, the Nebraska would capture a share of the league crown, as well as the league s automatic bid for next month s NCAA Tournament by virtue of their regular-season sweep of Texas. If Texas wins, the Huskers can still earn at least a share of the crown by winning its last two regular-season contests. Nebraska put together its best offensive night of the year in sweeping Kansas Saturday night. The Huskers hit.447 as a team, while Jordan Larson s 15 kills and 11 digs led three NU players with at least 10 kills. Nebraska, which became the first Big 12 team to sweep the Jayhawks in Lawrence, received strong efforts from middle blockers Amanda Gates and Kori Cooper, who combined for 14 kills without an error on just 19 swings. Texas (21-3, 15-2 Big 12) comes off one of its best efforts of the season, winning a five-set thriller at No. 14 Kansas State on Saturday. The Longhorns are hitting a league-best.337 and have lost just once at home this season. Quick Sets -NU s win at Kansas was its 25th of the year, as the Huskers have won at least 25 matches for 16 straight years and 33 of 34 years in program history. -Nebraska is hitting.382 over its last three matches and has hit at least.350 in all three contests. -Nebraska held Kansas without an ace, marking the fifth time NU has done that to an opponent this season. The Huskers have not allowed an ace in their last two road matches. -The Huskers will be going for their fourth win against a top-five opponent this year. NU is 6-0 against ranked foes in 2008. The 2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers No. Name Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown K/S B/S A/S D/S SA/S Worth Noting 1 Sydney Anderson S 6-0 So. Salt Lake City, Utah 0.85 0.57 11.79 2.03 0.30 4th nationally in assists; 4x Big 12 Rookie of the Week; Spent 07 with USA Program 2 Kayla Banwarth L/DS 5-10 So. Dubuque, Iowa 0.06 0.00 0.78 4.31 0.19 3rd in the Big 12 in digs; Runza/AVCA Showcase All-Tournament Team 3 Brigette Root S 5-10 Fr. Grand Island, Neb. 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 Two-time all-state at Grand Island HS; Led Class A w/11.4 assists/set in 2007 4 Lindsey Licht RS 6-5 So. Aurora, Colo. 2.60 0.88 0.04 0.32 0.00 Career-best 17 kills on.500 hitting vs. No. 3 Texas; 14 kills and 6 blocks at CU 5 Rachel Schwartz (C) DS/L 5-9 Sr. Lincoln, Neb. 0.00 0.00 0.18 1.96 0.14 Season-high 17 digs vs. No. 18 Kansas State; 9 digs and 2 aces at Kansas 6 Jordan Wilburger MB 6-1 RFr. Scottsbluff, Neb. 1.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2 kills vs. Oklahoma; Redshirted in 2007; 2nd-team all-state pick in 2006 8 Brooke Delano UTL 6-4 RFr. Bellevue, Neb. 1.00 0.67 0.05 0.81 0.05 Had 16 digs, 7 kills and 4 blocks at No. 18 K-State; Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 10 Jordan Larson (C) OH 6-2 Sr. Hooper, Neb. 3.81 0.50 0.39 3.12 0.37 2-time All-American; AVCA National Player of the Week (9/22); 49 career double-doubles 11 Jessica Yanz S 6-0 Jr. Boilingbrook, Ill. N/A Will sit out 2008 after transferring from Penn State; 2006 VB Magazine Fab 50 14 Kaitlynn James OH 5-11 Fr. Louisville, Ky. N/A Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 pick in 2008; 2007 Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year 15 Kori Cooper MB 6-2 Jr. Amarillo, Texas 2.09 0.88 0.03 0.17 0.00 2nd in Big 12 & 18th in NCAA in hitting pct.; 10 kills on.364 hitting vs. Missouri 16 Allison McNeal MB 6-3 Fr. Schulenburg, Texas N/A Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 pick in 2008; No. 4 Senior in country by Prepvolleyball in 2008 17 Amanda Gates (C) MB 6-2 Sr. Columbus, Neb. 1.65 1.16 0.07 0.71 0.14 4th in Big 12 in blocks and 8th in hitting percentage; 8 kills on.727 hitting at KU 19 Tara Mueller OH 6-0 So. Scottsdale, Ariz. 3.60 0.40 0.23 2.43 0.20 Career-high 20 kills on.613 hitting vs. No. 15 K-State; 19 kills and 16 digs at TAMU -Starters in NU s last match (C) - 2008 Team Captains Head Coach: John Cook, Ninth Year (San Diego, 1979); Asst. Coaches: Lizzy Stemke, Second Year (Wisconsin, 2002); Erik Sullivan, First Year (UCLA, 1995)
Nebraska Volleyball Three-Time National Champions Page 2 Weekly Release Nov. 17, 2008 Year-by-Year Record (Overall: 436-90,.829) (Nebraska: 275-17,.942, Big 12: 170-7,.960) (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) 33-1.971 19-1.950 1st 2007 (NU) 30-2.938 19-1.950 t1st 2008 (NU) 25-1.962 16-1.941 -- Totals 436-90.829 259-58.817 -- Coaching Honors Guided Nebraska to two NCAA titles (2000, 2006) and four NCAA semifinal appearances (2000-01, 2005-06) Two-time AVCA National Coach of the Year (2000, 2005) One of only six coaches in NCAA history to be a two-time AVCA National Coach of the Year 2008 USA Volleyball All-Time Great Coach Award Recipient Two-time Big 12 Coach of the Year (2001, 2005) 1997 Big Ten Co-Coach of the Year 1997 NACDA/USOC Collegiate Coaches Award Nebraska Coaching Ledger Head Coach, 2000-present Associate Head Coach, 1999 Assistant Coach, 1988-1991 John Cook (San Diego, 1979) Head Coach Ninth Season 275-17 (at Nebraska) 436-90 (overall) Other Coaching Experience U.S. Women s A-2 National Team, 2004 University of Wisconsin Head Coach, 1992-98 U.S. Men s National Team, 1992 San Diego VB Club, 1986-88 UC-San Diego, 1983-84 Francis Parker High School, 1981-88 More About Cook University of San Diego, 1979 (Bachelor s Degree, History) San Diego State University, 1991 (Master s Degree, Teaching and Coaching Effectiveness) Worth Noting -Nebraska is 83-5 (.943) on the road in Big 12 action over the nine seasons under Coach John Cook. -Nebraska is 92-13 (.876) versus ranked opponents under John Cook. The Huskers are 17-6 (.739) against top-five teams this decade, including an impressive 13-2 mark over the last four years. -Wednesday s match between NU and Texas will be the ninth time since 1996 that both teams have been ranked in the top 10-nationally at game time. NU is 7-1 in the previous matchups. NU-Texas Big 12 Showdowns Date NU UT Location Result 10/19/96 6 9 Lincoln NU, 3-0 11/29/96 5 8 Austin NU, 3-1 10/20/04 4 10 Austin NU, 3-2 10/18/06 1 8 Austin NU, 3-2 11/25/06 1 8 Lincoln NU, 3-0 9/12/07 1 7 Lincoln NU, 3-0 10/24/07 1 5 Austin UT, 3-0 9/20/08 2 3 Lincoln NU, 3-0 -A win on Wednesday at Texas will give the Huskers their 11th Big 12 title in the last 13 years and will match their high of five straight Big 12 crowns also accomplished from 1998 until 2002. -The Huskers lead the Big 12 in three team categories, including kills (14.70/set), assists (13.48/ set) and opponent hitting percentage (.140) and also rank second in hitting percentage (.275), blocks (2.60/ set) and service aces (1.33/set). -The Huskers have swept 18 of their 26 opponents during the 2008 season. -Jordan Larson collected her 49th career doubledouble against Kansas on Saturday. NU is now 48-1 in her career when she has a double-double. -The Huskers are a perfect 6-0 against ranked opponents in 2008, including wins over No. 2 Stanford and No. 4 Texas. -The Huskers are 95-4 (.960) in their last 99 conference matches dating back to 2003. -Two-time All-American Jordan Larson is on pace to become the first Husker to average more than three kills and digs per set in a career. She enters the Texas match averaging 3.56 kills and 3.16 digs per set in 126 career matches. -Tara Mueller has been on a tear of late, averaging 3.95 kills and 2.82 digs per set over her last six matches. -Nebraska reached the 20-win plateau with its win at Oklahoma on Oct. 25. The Huskers have won at least 20 matches every year in program history (a total of 34 years). The second-longest active streak in the Big 12 is five by Texas. Nebraska s senior class of Amanda Gates, Jordan Larson and Rachel Schwartz will go for their 122nd career win Wednesday at Texas. The trio has helped NU to a 121-6 record (.953 winning pct.) over the last four years. Of their 127 matches, NU has been ranked in the top three of the Bison/AVCA poll in 125 of them. -NU s nine non-conference opponents are a combined 166-66 (.716) entering this week s matches. All nine teams have winning records, while Stanford, Tulane and Oral Roberts and New Mexico have already won at least 20 matches. -The Huskers were ranked third in the latest NCAA s RPI rankings released on Nov. 10. NU is 6-0 against top-20 teams in the RPI, including wins over No. 2 Stanford and No. 5 Texas. NCAA RPI (Released Nov. 10) No. School Conference Record 1. Penn State Big Ten 26-0 2. Stanford Pacific-10 21-3 3. Nebraska Big 12 23-1 4. Minnesota Big Ten 20-6 5. Texas Big 12 19-3 Scouting Texas Under Head Coach Jerritt Elliott (177-61 in eight years), the Longhorns are 21-3 and ranked fourth in the country. With a lineup featuring four returning All- Americans, the Longhorns have reached the regional final in each of the last two years. Outside hitter Destinee Hooker paces the Longhorn attack with 4.20 kills per set, while All-Americans Juliann Faucette and Ashley Engle also average nearly three kills per set. Series History: NU is 29-13 all-time against Texas in a series that dates back to 1981. The Huskers have won 16 of the last 18 meetings and 21 of 25 tilts since the Big 12 was formed in 1996. The most memorable matchup between the two schools was a 3-1 NU win in the 1995 NCAA title match in Amherst, Mass. Last Meeting: Behind a career-high 17 kills from Lindsey Licht, NU toppled Texas, 3-1 on Sept. 21. Licht hit.500 on 30 swings and added three blocks in the win. Jordan Larson posted a double-double with a match-high 19 kills and 11 digs while Tara Mueller chipped in 14 kills and 11 digs. Sydney Anderson was the third Husker to record a double-double, finishing with a season-high 53 assists and 10 digs, while guiding the Huskers to a.319 hitting percentage. Statistical Comparison Team Record Conf. K/Set Pct. Opp Pct. A/Set SA/Set D/Set B/Set Nebraska 25-1 16-1 14.70.275.140 13.48 1.33 14.96 2.60 Texas 21-3 15-2 14.34.337.172 12.94 1.31 13.32 2.61 Nov. 18 - Tues. DEPART FOR AUSTIN Practice 6-8 p.m. Nov. 19 - Wed. at Texas, 8 p.m. Radio: Husker Sports Network; Huskers.com TV: ESPNU Video: None Nov. 20 - Thurs. Practice 3-5 p.m. Nov. 21 - Fri. Practice 3-5:30 p.m. Nov. 22 - Sat. Texas Tech, 7 p.m. Radio: Husker Sports Network; Huskers.com TV: None Video: HuskersNside Nov. 23 - Sun. OFF DAY Nov. 24 - Mon. Practice TBA
Nebraska Volleyball Three-Time National Champions Page 3 Weekly Release Nov. 17, 2008 Husker Probable Starters MB - #17 Amanda Gates: 6-2, Sr., Columbus, Neb. - Gates is in her first year as a full-time starter for NU after being the Huskers top backup. She averages 1.65 kills and a team-best 1.16 blocks per set, ranking fourth in the league in blocks and eighth in hitting percentage (.327). Gates had eight kills on a career-best.727 hitting and a pair of blocks against Kansas on Nov. 15. She has led NU in blocks 13 times, including a careerhigh 10 stuffs at No. 18 Kansas State on Sept. 17. Gates had 10 kills on.571 hitting at Texas Tech on Oct. 1 and totaled a personal-best 11 kills at Iowa State on Sept. 27. It is the second time she has tied or bettered her career high this season, as Gates tied career highs in both blocks (10) and kills (eight) at Kansas State on Sept. 17. Last year, she averaged 1.29 kills and 0.81 blocks per set over 16 matches. Gates appeared in 23 matches as a sophomore and had 10 blocks against San Diego in her first career start in 2006. Gates is one of three Huskers named Academic All-District, carrying a 3.96 GPA in communication studies. MB - #15 Kori Cooper: 6-2, Jr., Amarillo, Texas - A preseason All-Big 12 selection, Cooper is averaging 2.09 kills on.397 hitting and 0.88 blocks per set, ranking second in the Big 12 and 16th nationally in hitting percentage. Cooper has hit.500 or better eight times in 2008, including a season-best.875 against New Mexico on Sept. 13 and.750 with six kills at Kansas on Nov. 15. She has reached double figures in kills four times, including 10 kills and a pair of blocks in a sweep of Missouri on Nov. 12. Cooper tied her season high with six blocks and added nine kills on.467 hitting in a win over Iowa State on Nov. 1. She also had six blocks in wins over Creighton (Oct. 5) and USC (Aug. 31). Cooper s season best in kills was 12 in a win at Iowa State on Sept. 27. Cooper dominated the inside at K-State on Sept. 17, pounding 11 kills without an error and five stuffs. Last year, Cooper averaged 2.31 kills and 1.01 blocks per set, ranking seventh in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.356). Her career high for kills is 14, set against Missouri in 2007. Cooper was one of NU s starting middle blockers as a freshman, averaging 1.67 kills and 0.95 blocks per set in 30 contests. She also carries a 3.81 GPA in speech language pathology. S - #1 Sydney Anderson: 6-0, So., Salt Lake City, Utah - Anderson is in her first season at NU after spending 2007 with the U.S. National Team in Colorado Springs. The Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year, Anderson averages 11.79 assists, 2.03 digs and 0.30 aces per set, leading the league in assists and ranking eighth in service aces. She is fourth in the country in assists and has five double-doubles, including 43 assists and 14 digs at Colorado on Oct. 29. She has helped NU rank in the top 15 in kills, assists and hitting percentage, as the Huskers have hit.300 or better 12 times. Anderson had 42 assists, nine digs and four kills, while helping the Huskers hit.447 at Kansas on Nov. 15. She had 38 assists and seven digs as NU hit.351 in a sweep of Missouri on Nov. 12. Anderson had 42 assists and two blocks in helping NU hit.352 against No. 15 K-State on Nov. 8. Anderson dished out a season-high 53 assists and added 10 digs while helping NU hit.319 versus No. 3 Texas on Sept. 20. She began her collegiate career at Utah, earning first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors in 2006. That year, she averaged 12.45 assists, 2.77 digs and 0.76 blocks per set en route to being named both the MWC Setter and Freshman of the Year. L - #2 Kayla Banwarth: 5-10, So., Dubuque, Iowa - Banwarth is in her first full season as NU s libero, averaging 4.31 digs and 0.78 assists per set, ranking third in the Big 12 in digs. She has reached double figures in digs in 23 matches and 31 of her 34 career starts after recording 10 digs at Kansas on Nov. 15. She has topped NU in digs 20 times and has had at least nine digs in every match this season. Banwarth enjoyed a career night at Texas A&M on Nov. 5, setting personal bests in both digs (27) and aces (three) and chipping in four assists. It is one of nine matches with at least 15 digs, including 20 digs at Creighton on Oct. 4 and against USC on Aug. 31. Banwarth earned a spot on the Runza/AVCA Showcase All-Tournament team after averaging 4.85 digs per set in wins over No. 2 Stanford and No. 4 USC. Banwarth closed the 2007 season as Nebraska s libero and averaged 2.75 digs, 0.45 assists and 0.17 service aces per set. She was a three-time allstate selection at Wahlert Catholic High School in Iowa and was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection. OPP - #4 Lindsey Licht: 6-5, So., Aurora, Colo. - Licht is in her first year as a full-time starter, averaging 2.60 kills and 0.88 blocks per set this season. Licht has hit.450 or better five times, including a season-high.667 with nine kills on 12 swings at Texas Tech on Oct. 1. Licht picked up her fifth consecutive double-digit kill effort with 10 kills and a team-high three blocks at Kansas on Nov. 15. She had 11 kills in NU s sweep of No. 15 K-State on Nov. 8. She turned in a strong effort in the win over Iowa State, coming up with 12 kills on.435 hitting and two blocks. She had team bests in both kills (14) and blocks (six) at Colorado on Oct. 29 and had eight kills and five blocks, including three solo stuffs, at Oklahoma on Oct. 25. She established personal bests in kills (17) and attempts (30), hitting.500 against No. 3 Texas on Sept. 20. Licht had 10 kills on.450 hitting against No. 2 Stanford and had a career-high eight blocks against No. 4 USC. As a freshman, Licht was a two-time Mizuno/Volleyball Magazine All-American and was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection. -or- - DS - #5 Rachel Schwartz: 5-9, Sr., Lincoln, Neb. - Schwartz is one of NU s primary defensive players, averaging 1.97 digs and 0.14 service aces per set. She has reached double figures in digs three matches this year, including a season-best 17 at No. 18 Kansas State on Sept. 17. She also had 15 digs and a service ace in the win over Texas A&M on Nov. 5 and had 11 digs off the bench in the win over Iowa State on Nov. 1. She has eight matches with at least eight digs, as she replaces the right side hitter in the back row. Her best performance of 2008 came at No. 18 Kansas State on Sept. 17, when she had a season-high 17 digs while handling nearly all of the Huskers passing duties as NU s libero against the Wildcats. In 2007, Schwartz ranked 11th in the Big 12 in digs, averaging a career-high 3.66 digs and 0.16 service aces per set. She totaled double figures in digs 17 times, including a career-best 21 digs against Missouri. OH - #10 Jordan Larson: 6-2, Sr., Hooper, Neb. - A two-time All-American and 2008 Big 12 Preseason co-player of the Year, Larson averages 3.85 kills, 3.14 digs and 0.37 service aces per game, ranking among the league leaders in aces (second), points (4.54, third) and kills (fourth). She has a team-high 11 doubledoubles, including six of the last seven contests. She had 15 kills and 11 digs at Kansas on Nov. 15. Larson had 16 kills, 13 digs and three service aces against Missouri on Nov. 12 and 10 kills and 14 digs in a sweep Bison/AVCA Division I Coaches Poll (Nov. 17) Rk. Team (No. 1 votes) Pts. Record Last Wk 1. Penn State (60) 1500 28-0 1 2. Stanford 1425 22-3 2 3. Nebraska 1376 25-1 3 4. Texas 1308 21-3 4 5. Washington 1277 21-4 5 6. Hawaii 1170 23-3 6 7. California 1137 20-5 7 8. Oregon 1073 21-6 8 9. UCLA 971 18-8 9 10. USC 936 16-8 10 11. Wichita State 911 28-0 11 12. Minnesota 773 22-6 15 13. Kansas State 742 22-6 14 14. Florida 724 21-3 12 15. Colorado State 643 22-3 16 16. Illinois 592 20-7 17 17. San Diego 576 20-4 13 18. Purdue 441 21-7 18 19. Kentucky 403 25-4 22 20. Michigan 360 22-6 19 21. Saint Louis 295 24-4 20 22. Utah 228 20-5 23 23. Long Beach State 172 23-4 25 24. Pepperdine 134 19-5 24 25. San Francisco 108 21-6 NR Others receiving points and listed on two or more ballots New Mexico State 70; Santa Clara 51; St. Mary s (Ca.) 27; Tulane 22; Cincinnati 13; Iowa State 7; North Carolina 7; Florida International 4 Coaches Poll Weekly Totals Date... Rank Preseason (8/14)... 7 9/1... 2 9/8... 2 9/15... 2 9/22... 2 9/29... 2 10/6... 2 10/13... 2 10/20... 2 10/27... 2 11/3... 3 11/10... 3 11/17... 3 11/24 12/1 Final (12/23) NCAA Attendance Leaders (as of Nov. 17) No. School Total Avg. Matches 1. Hawaii 6,138 104,352 17 2. Nebraska 4,913 58,960 12 3. Wisconsin 4,419 48,608 11 4. Minnesota 3,924 54,937 14 5. Wichita State 3,097 40,259 13 6. Penn State 2,986 41,809 14 7. Michigan State 2,856 34,262 12 8. Purdue 2,837 31,203 11 9. Florida 2,464 29,574 12 10. Colorado State 2,387 33,429 14 NCAA Winningest Active Coaches (as of Nov. 17) No. Coach, School Record Pct. 1. Russ Rose, Penn State 953-159.8570 2. Dave Shoji, Hawaii 976-172-1.8499 3. Mary Wise, Florida 653-123.8415 4. John Cook, Nebraska 436-90.8289 5. John Dunning, Stanford 667-138.8286 6. Brian Gimmillaro, Long Beach State 653-152.8112 7. Mick Haley, USC 725-177-1.8034 8. Andy Banachowski, UCLA 1078-289.7886 9. Leonid Yelin, Louisville 432-128.7714 10. Bobbi Peterson, Northern Iowa 225-67.7705 (Min. 5 years as a Division I head coach; includes record at four-year colleges only)
Nebraska Volleyball Three-Time National Champions Page 4 Weekly Release Nov. 17, 2008 Volleyball Quick Facts First Year of Volleyball... 1975 Overall All-Time Record... 1,054-186-1 Conference All-Time Record...423-22 NCAA Tournament Years...26 straight NCAA Tournament Record...73-23 Final Four Appearances... 10 National Championships... Three (2006, 2000, 1995) Facility (Capacity)... Nebraska Coliseum (4,030) 2008 Team Information Head Coach... John Cook (San Diego, 1979) Nebraska Record/Years... 275-17/9th Career Record/Years... 436-90/15th Assistant Coach... Lizzy Stemke (Wisconsin, 2004) Assistant Coach...Erik Sullivan (UCLA, 1995) Volleyball Office Phone... (402) 472-2399 2007 Overall Record...30-2 2007 Big 12 Record (Finish)... 19-1 (T-First) Husker Volleyball by the Numbers.849...All-time winning percentage of Nebraska volleyball (1,054-186-1 record).950...all-time winning percentage of Nebraska in conference matches (423-22) 1...Honda-Broderick Cup Winner (Sarah Pavan, 2006) 3...National Titles (1995, 2000, 2006) 3...Number of Huskers Volleyball Olympians (Lori Endicott, Allison Weston & Nancy Metcalf) 4...Huskers who won the NCAA Today s Top Eight Award, the most of any program 10...NCAA Volleyball Semifinal Appearances (1986, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006) 26...Number of consecutive NCAA appearances 29...Number of Big Eight/Big 12 titles in school history (32 years, including 2007) 32...Nebraska s nation-leading total of volleyball academic all-americans 62...AVCA All-American certificates won by 29 Husker volleyball players 81...Number of weeks that Nebraska has been ranked No. 1 in the national polls 117...Consecutive sellouts at the NU Coliseum (NCAA Volleyball record, as of Nov. 12) 380...Consecutive weeks in the AVCA Poll (Nov. 17) 13,412...NCAA regular-season record crowd vs. LSU on Sept. 12, 2008 17,209...Nebraska s 2006 NCAA Championship Match crowd vs. Stanford, the largest in NCAA history of No. 15 K-State on Nov. 8. Larson totaled 17 kills, 18 digs and a career-high eight blocks in the win at Texas A&M on Nov. 5. She was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Oct. 27, averaging 4.17 kills and 2.67 digs per set in sweeps of Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Larson had 13 kills on.407 hitting in a sweep of Texas A&M on Oct. 22. She was named AVCA National Player of the Week on Sept. 22, as she averaged 5.00 kills on.319 hitting, 2.62 digs and 0.50 blocks per set in wins over Texas and K-State. Larson had a match-high 19 kills and 10 digs in the win over the Longhorns on Sept. 20. Larson carried the Huskers to a win at K-State, matching her career best with 21 kills and adding 10 digs. She was named to the all-tournament teams in each of NU s first three events and was chosen as MVP of the Players Challenge after averaging 3.83 kills, 0.60 aces and 0.67 blocks per set. Larson was a third-team AVCA All-American in 2007 after averaging 3.45 kills, 3.18 digs, 0.51 aces and 0.63 blocks per set. The 2006 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Larson averaged 4.13 kills and 3.50 digs per set and was the only player in the Big 12 to rank in the top 10 in kills and digs. OH - #19 Tara Mueller: 6-0, So., Scottsdale, Ariz. - Mueller is in her first year starting at outside hitter and averages 3.60 kills and 2.43 digs per set, ranking sixth in the league in kills and points. Mueller is second on the squad with six double-doubles - all coming in conference action. She had 10 kills on.381 hitting and eight digs at Kansas on Nov. 15. Mueller established career bests in kills for the second straight match against No. 15 Kansas State on Nov. 8, finishing with 20 kills on.613 hitting. She set personal bests with 19 kills and 16 digs in the five-set win at Texas A&M on Nov. 5. She had strong effort against Texas A&M on Oct. 22, drilling 13 kills and setting career bests in both hitting percentage (.478) and blocks (five). She was selected to the Cal Poly all-tournament team after averaging 3.67 kills, 1.67 digs and 0.78 blocks per set. Mueller opened the year with 15 kills in a sweep of No. 2 Stanford on Aug. 29. As a freshman, Mueller averaged 1.27 kills and 0.95 digs per set. A Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection, Mueller was the 2005 Gatorade Player of the Year in Arizona and started for the U.S. Junior National Team in 2007. Last Time Out: Huskers Erupt against KU No. 3 Nebraska used its best offensive night of the year, sweeping Kansas, 25-21, 25-18, 25-12 Saturday night. The Huskers hit a blistering.447 as a team, hitting over the.400 mark for the first time this season in handing Kansas its first conference home sweep of the season. Nebraska used a balanced offensive effort, putting three players in double figures in kills. Jordan Larson led the Huskers with 15 kills on a season-high.438 hitting and 11 digs for her 11th double-double of the year. Lindsey Licht and Tara Mueller added 10 kills apiece, while Licht added three stuffs. Sydney Anderson keyed the attack with 42 assists, four kills and nine digs, helping NU hit.400 or better in all three sets. Nebraska also got strong efforts from middle blockers Amanda Gates and Kori Cooper, who combined for 14 kills without an error on 19 swings, including eight kills on.727 hitting from Gates. Larson and Mueller Provide 1-2 Punch Nebraska s outside hitting duo of Jordan Larson and Tara Mueller has been one of the nation s top outside hitting duos. The pair combines for 7.45 kills per set, as Nebraska and Kansas State are the only two Big 12 schools with multiple hitters in the top 10 in kills. The Husker duo joins Penn State s All-American duo of Megan Hodge and Nicole Fawcett as the only pair of hitters averaging more than 3.50 kills apiece for ranked teams. Either Larson or Mueller has led the Huskers in kills in 25 of 26 matches this season, as Larson has topped NU 15 times, while Mueller has enjoyed team-high honors in 12 contests. They have tied on two occasions, most recently against Texas A&M on Oct. 22. Lindsey Licht is the only other Husker to lead NU in kills, as she totaled 14 at Colorado on Oct. 29. Ranked Teams with Two Players Averaging 3.50 Kills/Set School Player #1 Player #2 Penn State Nicole Fawcett (3.94) Megan Hodge (3.90) Nebraska Jordan Larson (3.85) Tara Mueller (3.60) Three Huskers Earn Academic Honors Three NU players were honored on Nov. 8, as Kori Cooper, Amanda Gates and Jordan Larson were chosen to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District VII team. It is the first time that any of the three were named first-team academic all-district, and all three are eligible for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. Nebraska is the only Division I program with three firstteam all-district selections in 2008. Cooper, a three-year starter at middle blocker, carries a 3.82 GPA in speech-language pathology. On the court, she is among the Big 12 leaders in hitting percentage and blocks and has hit better than.400 in 15 matches. Gates earns her second academic all-district award after being a third-team choice in 2006. She tops NU in blocks at 1.16 per set, ranking fourth in the league in that category and is eighth in hitting percentage. A communication studies major with a 3.96 GPA, Gates has been named to the Big 12 Community of Champions Good Works team in both 2007 and 2008. Larson picks up her second academic all-district award and is among the Big 12 leaders in kills, aces and points. A two-time AVCA All-American, Larson holds NU s career record for aces (178) and is second in digs (1,307) and sixth in kills (1,472). In the classroom, A two-time academic All-Big 12 honoree, she has a 3.31 GPA in communication studies. Senior Make Bid for Home Perfection Nebraska s senior class of Amanda Gates, Jordan Larson and Rachel Schwartz has already forged an impressive legacy at Nebraska. The trio has helped NU win three straight Big 12 titles and reached the NCAA title match in both 2005 and 2006. -The group became the first Husker senior class in program history to go an entire career without losing a regular-season non-conference match. They went 34-0, including 16 wins over ranked teams and a perfect 8-0 versus top-five foes. -The 2008 seniors are now potentially only one win away from becoming the first-ever senior class to post an unblemished home record. NU s final regular-season home match is against Texas Tech on Nov. 23.
Nebraska Volleyball Three-Time National Champions Page 5 Weekly Release Nov. 17, 2008 -Nebraska s seniors are a combined 121-6 (.953) over the last four years, posting three 30-win seasons and helping the Huskers to a national title in 2006 and a runner-up finish in 2005. Most Wins at NU over Four-Year Stretch (NCAA Era) No. Wins (Record) Pct. Years 1. 126 (126-7).947 2004-07 2. 124 (124-9).932 2000-03 124 (124-10).925 2003-06 124 (124-10).925 1998-01 5. 123 (123-10).925 1999-02 6. 122 (122-11).917 2002-05 7. 121 (121-6).953 2005-present Sophomores Step Up in 2008 After replacing four All-Americans, Nebraska needed its sophomore class to step to the forefront this fall. Nebraska lost over 60 percent of its kills and total points from 2007. Percentage Back from 2007 Category K A SA D Pts. Pct. back 35.2% 9.0% 40.1% 47.8% 36.2% To offset those losses, the Huskers have relied on a quartet of sophomore starters - setter Sydney Anderson, libero Kayla Banwarth, right side hitter Linsdey Licht and outside hitter Tara Mueller - and all four have helped the Huskers to a 25-1 record. Prior to this season, the group combined for 11 starts at Nebraska - including 10 starts at libero by Banwarth and Mueller. The group has combined for nearly half of Nebraska s total of kills and aces, as well as most of the Huskers assists and digs. Stellar Sophomores Category Pct. Soph. Team Total Kills 46.6% 596 1,279 Assists 94.4% 1,108 1,173 Aces 50.0% 58 116 Digs 56.6% 736 1,301 Points 46.2% 749 1,621 No Place Like Home Nebraska has enjoyed an overwhelming homecourt advantage across the state. The Huskers have won their last 93 matches inside the state s borders dating back to 2004, including matches in Lincoln (79), Omaha (13) and North Platte (1). With the Nov. 12 win over Missouri, the Huskers extended their home winning streak to 84 matches - the second-longest streak in NCAA history and the longest since Penn State won 87 consecutive home matches between 1995 and 2000. NU is the only program to have a pair of home win streaks of at least 60 matches, as Nebraska won 63 consecutive home matches between 1999 and 2002. NCAA Home Court Win Streaks No. Wins Team Dates of Streak 1. 87 Penn State Nov. 25, 1995-Sept. 16, 2000 2. 84 Nebraska Sept. 11, 2004-present 3. 74 Northern Iowa Nov. 1, 1997-Sept. 18, 2004 4. 63 Nebraska Sept. 29, 1999-Dec. 14, 2002 Home Streak Breakdown Location Matches NU Coliseum 75 Bob Devaney Sports Center 4 Qwest Center Omaha 5 Longest Active Home Win Streaks No. Wins Team Dates of Streak 1. 84 Nebraska 2004-present 2. 51 Penn State 2006-present Air Jordan Climbs Husker Career Lists Jordan Larson has continued to climb the Husker career charts, jumping into the top 10 in kills, digs and solo blocks during the 2008 campaign. Larson has moved from 14th to sixth on NU s kills list and is now within striking distance of Eileen Shannon for fifth place on NU s career kills list. In digs, Larson moved from eighth to second this year, passing former teammate Dani Busboom against K-State on Nov. 8. She now only trails another former teammate, as Jennifer Saleaumua holds the school mark with 1,568. Larson is also seventh on NU s career solo blocks list, joining Greichaly Cepero as the only nonmiddle blockers on the top-10 list. Career Kill Leaders No. Player, Years Kills 3. Lisa Reitsma, 1994-97 1,633 4. Nancy Metcalf (Meendering), 1997-01 1,603 5. Eileen Shannon, 1989-92 1,521 6. Jordan Larson, 2005-present 1,472 Career Dig Leaders No. Player, Years Digs 1. Jennifer Saleaumua, 2002-05 1,568 2. Jordan Larson, 2005-present 1,307 Career Solo Block Leaders No. Player, Years Digs 4. Greichaly Cepero, 1999-02 84 Allison Weston, 1992-95 84 6. Amber Holmquist, 1999-02 82 7. Jordan Larson, 2005-present 78 Larson is New Queen of Aces Jordan Larson took sole possession of one of the oldest marks in the NU record book on Sept. 27, overtaking Val Novak s school mark for career aces. Larson now has 179 career aces, surpassing Novak s total of 161 set between 1987 and 1990. The record for Larson is impressive considering that only 31 of the 126 matches she played has gone longer than three sets. Since Mary Buysse s career ended in 1984, four players have held the school record for aces at one time or another. Novak held the mark for 18 years, and it may take a long time for someone to eclipse Larson, especially since several scoring changes have occurred since the start of the decade. Nebraska All-Time Service Aces No. Player Years Holding Record Aces 1. Jordan Larson 2008-present 179 2. Val Novak 1990-2008 161 3. Lori Endicott 1988-90 159 4 Mary Buysse 1984-88 134 Completing the Ace Chase No. Player Aces Matches Sets Aces/Set 1. Jordan Larson 179 126 414 0.43 2. Val Novak 161 136 453 0.36 1,000-1,000 Club Outside hitter Jordan Larson is part of another exclusive club in Husker volleyball, as she is one of only three players in school history with more than 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. Larson joined All-American Jennifer Saleaumua and Eileen Shannon on the prestigious list 2008 Big 12 Standings (as of Nov. 18) Team Big 12 Pct. Overall Pct. Nebraska 16-1.941 25-1.962 Texas 14-2.875 21-3.875 Kansas State 12-5.706 22-6.786 Iowa State 8-8.500 16-11.593 Baylor 7-9.438 16-11.593 Missouri 7-9.438 13-13.500 Texas A&M 7-9.438 12-14.462 Oklahoma 7-10.412 11-14.440 Colorado 6-10.375 12-13.480 Kansas 6-11.353 12-14.462 Texas Tech 0-16.000 5-22.185 Upcoming Big 12 Schedule Date Match Time Sat., Nov. 15 Nebraska 3, at Kansas 0 Texas 3, at Kansas State 2 Missouri 3, at Colorado 1 Texas A&M 3, at Baylor 0 Wed., Nov. 19 Kansas State at Missouri 6:30 p.m. Colorado at Iowa State 6:30 p.m. Baylor at Texas Tech 7 p.m. Texas A&M at Oklahoma 7 p.m. Nebraska at Texas 8 p.m. Sat., Nov. 22 Iowa State at Oklahoma 3 p.m. Kansas at Texas 6:30 p.m. Colorado at Texas A&M 6:30 p.m. Missouri at Baylor 7 p.m. Texas Tech at Nebraska 7 p.m. Wed., Nov. 26 Texas Tech at Texas A&M 6:30 p.m. Texas at Missouri 6:30 p.m. Iowa State at Kansas State 7 p.m. Baylor at Kansas 7 p.m. Oklahoma at Colorado 7:30 p.m. Fri., Nov. 28 Texas A&M at Missouri 6:30 p.m. Sat., Nov. 29 Colorado at Texas 6:30 p.m. Kansas at Iowa State 6:30 p.m. Kansas State at Texas Tech 7 p.m. Nebraska at Baylor 7 p.m. end of regular season The Big 12 vs. Nebraska (1996-2008) School Record Baylor 0-25 Colorado 4-22 Iowa State 0-26 Kansas 0-26 Kansas State 3-23 Missouri 1-25 Oklahoma 1-25 Texas 4-21 Texas A&M 2-24 Texas Tech 1-24 Totals 16-241
Nebraska Volleyball Three-Time National Champions Page 6 Weekly Release Nov. 17, 2008 Big 12 Team Rankings (as of Nov. 17) Category Rank NU Leader Hitting Percentage 2nd.275 UT-.337 Opponent Hitting Pct. 1st.140 -- Assists 1st 13.48 Kills 1st 14.70 -- Blocks 2nd 2.60 UT-2.61 Service Aces 2nd 1.33 BU-1.51 Digs 5th 14.95 MU-16.30 Big 12 Individual Rankings (as of Nov. 17) Category Player Avg. Rank Hitting Percentage Cooper.397 2nd Gates.327 8th Assists Anderson 11.79 1st Kills Larson 3.85 4th Mueller 3.60 6th Service Aces Larson 0.37 2nd Anderson 0.30 9th Digs Banwarth 4.31 3rd Blocks Gates 1.16 4th Big 12 Team Rankings (as of Nov. 17) Category Rank NU Leader Hitting Percentage 2nd.278 UT-.345 Opponent Hitting Pct. 1st.150 -- Assists 1st 13.71 -- Kills 1st 15.00 -- Blocks 1st 2.51 -- Service Aces 3rd 1.19 KSU-1.22 Digs 4th 15.20 MU-17.12 Big 12 Individual Rankings (as of Nov. 17) Category Player Avg. Rank Hitting Percentage Cooper.383 2nd Gates.369 3rd Assists Anderson 12.00 1st Kills Larson 4.03 3rd Mueller 3.71 5th Service Aces Larson 0.32 4th Anderson 0.25 10th Blocks Gates 1.17 2nd Digs Banwarth 4.33 3rd Huskers in the NCAA Rankings (as of Nov. 18) Team Category Rank Actual Aces Per Set 121 1.33 Assists Per Set 9 13.48 Blocks Per Set 26 2.6 Digs Per Set 104 14.95 Hitting Percentage 14 0.275 Kills Per Set 5 14.7 Match W-L Pctg. 3 0.962 Individual Categories Category Player Rank Total Aces Per Set Jordan Larson 86 0.37 Assists Per Set Sydney Anderson 4 11.79 Blocks Per Set Amanda Gates 49 1.16 Digs Per Set Kayla Banwarth 90 4.31 Hitting Percentage Kori Cooper 16 0.397 Kills Per Set Jordan Larson 50 3.85 Tara Mueller 76 3.60 in 2007, becoming the first Husker to reach the 1,000-1,000 plateau prior to her senior campaign. Larson is now poised to become the first player at Nebraska to ever average more than 3.00 kills and 3.00 digs in an entire career. Larson is currently at 3.56 kills and 3.16 digs per set entering Wednesday s match at Texas. Huskers 1,000-1,000 Club Player, Years Kills Digs Jordan Larson, 2005-present 1,472 1,307 Jennifer Saleaumua, 2002-05 1,247 1,568 Elieen Shannon, 1989-92 1,521 1,074 Larson Doubles Up With double-doubles in her last five matches, twotime All-American Jordan Larson raised her career total to 49. That is the most by a Husker in the Big 12 era, breaking the previous high of 44 established by three-time All-American Nancy Metcalf from 1997 to 2001. Larson has a team-best 11 double-doubles this season, including 10 in conference play. The Huskers are 11-0 in 2008 and have won 48 of 49 matches when Larson records a double-double. Husker Double-Doubles Leaders (Big 12 Era) Player, Years Double-Doubles Matches Jordan Larson, 2005-pres. 49 126 Nancy Metcalf, 1997-99, 2001 44 123 Jennifer Saleaumua, 2002-05 40 131 Anderson Sets Her Sights on Big 12 Sydney Anderson has made an immediate impact in her first season as a Husker. The Salt Lake City, Utah, native enters the weekend leading the Big 12 in assists (11.79) and ranking eighth in aces (0.30). She has helped the Huskers hit.300 or better 12 times, including.350 or better in NU s last three contests. It is the first time in two years that the Huskers have hit that well in three consecutive matches. Anderson is is bidding to become the first Husker to ever lead the Big 12 in assists, an impressive fact considering that NU has had three multiple All- American setters in Big 12 Conference history (Fiona Nepo, Greichaly Cepero and Rachel Holloway). In fact, the last Husker to lead a conference in assists is current Iowa State head coach Christy Johnson in 1995. Anderson has lived up to her billing as the league s top newcomer, earning the weekly honor five times in 2008, most recently on Nov. 17. She is fourth in the country in assists and has helped NU rank in the top 10 nationally in kills and assists per set and 14th in hitting percentage despite losing a trio of All-America hitters from 2007. Anderson has also been effective on the offensive end, averaging nearly a kill per set and hitting.347. She has been tabbed for all-tournament teams in all three of Nebraska s tournaments and has five doubledoubles, including three versus ranked foes. Anderson dished out a season-best 53 assists in NU s win over No. 3 Texas on Sept. 17, helping the Huskers hit.319 as a team. Anderson reached the 50-assist plateau for the second time against Iowa State on Nov. 1. NCAA Assist Leaders (As of Nov. 17) No. Name Team A/Set 1. Alisha Glass Penn St. 12.44 2. Jenna Hagglund Washington 12.24 3. Carli Lloyd California 12.13 4. Sydney Anderson Nebraska 11.79 5. Leslie Clark Middle Tenn. St. 11.73 Tara s Just Getting Better Outside hitter Tara Mueller has performed admirably replacing two-time All-American and former AVCA National Player of the Year Christina Houghtelling. Mueller is one of the league s top outside hitters, ranking sixth in the league with 3.60 kills per set, while also chipping in 2.43 digs and 0.49 blocks per set. Mueller, who has steadily increased her numbers each month, opened November with two straight double-doubles before going off for a career-best 20 kills on.613 hitting against No. 15 Kansas State on Nov. 8. She had career bests in both kills (19) and digs (16) at Texas A&M on Nov. 5, collecting her third straight double-double in the process. Mueller now has six double doubles - all coming in Big 12 action - and has reached double figures in kills in 15 of NU s last 17 matches. Tracking Tara s Progress Month Matches K/Set D/Set Double-Doubles August 2 3.14 1.14 0 September 9 3.33 2.17 2 October 9 3.68 2.82 2 November 5 4.11 2.78 2 Super Duper Cooper is Efficient Kori Cooper has been one of the Huskers most efficient hitters during her Husker career. She has a career.366 itting percentage in 85 matches and has ranked among the Big 12 hitting leaders in all three years. With her 500th career kill on Nov. 1 against Iowa State, Cooper now is among the most efficient hitters in school history. Her.366 hitting percentage is tied for sixth among all Huskers with at least 500 career kills. Cooper has 40 career matches where she has hit.400 or better (with a minimum of 10 swings) and is hitting a personal-best.397 in 2008 to rank second in the Big 12 and 16th nationally entering Wednesday s match at Texas. Cooper reached double figures for the fourth time this year against Missouri on Nov. 12, drilling 10 kills on.363 hitting and had six kills on eight swings. All four double-figure efforts have come in conference play. She enjoyed one of her best matches of the year against Iowa State on Nov. 1, chipping in nine kills on.467 hitting and equaling her season best with six blocks against the Cyclones.Her season best is 12 kills on.524 hitting against Iowa State on Sept. 27. She also together a solid effort at No. 18 K-State on Sept. 17, when she totaled 11 kills on.524 hitting and five blocks. Charting Cooper Year Hitting Pct. Big 12 Rank 2006.344 Fourth 2007.356 Seventh 2008.397 Second NU Career Hitting Percentage Leaders (min. 500 kills) No. Hitting Pct. Player years 1..401 Virginia Stahr 1986-89 2..396 Amber Holmquist 1999-02 3..395 Cathy Noth 1983-84 4..387 Karen Dahlgren 1983-86 5..375 Tracy Stalls 2004-07 6..366 Kori Cooper 2006-08 7..363 Melissa Elmer 2001-05 Gates Gains During Big 12 Action One of the most overlooked aspects of the Huskers Big 12 success has been the play of senior middle blocker Amanda Gates. The Columbus, Neb., native is averaging nearly two kills per set and among
Nebraska Volleyball Three-Time National Champions Page 7 Weekly Release Nov. 17, 2008 conference leaders in both blocks (1.17, second) and hitting percentage (.369, third) in league play. Gates has raised her totals significantly since the start of Big 12 action, including a 145 point jump in hitting percentage. Gates comes off a strong offensive night, hitting a career-best.727 with eight kills at Kansas on Nov. 15. She has reached double figures in kills twice this season (Iowa State and Texas Tech), setting a personal best with 11 against the Cyclones on Sept. 27. She had tied career highs with eight kills and 10 blocks at K- State on Sept. 17. Comparing Gates in Big 12 vs. Non-Conference Matches K/Set Pct. Bl/Set Big 12 1.81.369 1.17 Non-Conf. 1.30.225 1.15 KGB Spies on Opposing Hitters For Kayla Grace Banwarth, shutting down the opposition has been her speciality. Banwarth is third in the Big 12 in digs with 4.31 digs per set and is bidding to be only the third Husker to ever average at least four digs per set. Her defensive efforts have been instrumental, as Nebraska has limited 15 opponents to under.150 hitting and has allowed only three teams to hit.200 this season. She is also second among liberos in assists (0.78/set) and is a primary reason NU has allowed a Big 12-best 0.70 service aces per set. Banwarth has reached double figures in digs in 31 of her 34 career starts, including a career-best 27 digs in the win at Texas A&M on Nov. 5. It is the third time Banwarth has collected at least 20 digs in a match, with the others coming against No. 4 USC (Aug. 31) and at Creighton (Oct. 5). In fact, she has recorded at least eight digs in all 34 career starts and the only three matches she didn t reach double figures were Husker sweeps. Single-Season Dig Leaders No. Player Digs/Set Year 1. Dani Busboom 5.05 2006 2. Amanda McCormick 4.54 2004 - Kayla Banwarth 4.31 2008 3. Christina Houghtelling 3.95 2007 Nation s Best Since 2000 John Cook has been amazingly successful during his Husker tenure, posting a 275-17 record (.942 winning pct.) to lead all programs this decade. A two-time AVCA National Coach of the Year, Cook has enjoyed greater success in the Big 12, going 170-7 in conference matches over the past nine seasons. NU has won seven Big 12 titles in that stretch, including each of the past four years. NCAA Best Winning Percentages This Decade (.800 or better) No. School Record Pct. 1. Nebraska 275-17.942 2. Florida 268-29.902 3. Hawaii 266-34.887 4. Penn State 260-38.872 5. USC 232-43.844 6. Stanford 249-48.838 7. Long Beach State 228-55.806 As of Nov. 18, 2008 Huskers Rank Second All-Time in Wins The Nebraska volleyball team is one of only six programs to reach the 1,000-win plateau and rank second in NCAA history with 1,054 wins. Most Wins by NCAA Division I Programs No. School Wins 1. UCLA 1,078 2. Nebraska 1,054 3. Missouri State 1,046 4. Brigham Young 1,029 5. Long Beach State 1,023 6. Penn State 1,004 Courtesy: Northern Iowa and BYU SID Offices; As of Nov. 17, 2008 Larson Captures AVCA National Honor Jordan Larson received a national honor on Sept. 23, as she was selected as the Sports Imports/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division I National Player of the Week. She earned the accolade after lifting NU to wins over No. 18 Kansas State and No. 3 Texas. Larson averaged 5.0 kills, 2.62 digs and 5.44 points per set, collecting a pair of double-doubles in the process. At No. 18 Kansas State, Larson matched a career high with 21 kills, while also getting 10 digs, two blocks and an ace. She followed that up with her 41st career double-double, recording a match-high 19 kills and 11 digs in the win over the Longhorns. The honor marked the 10th time a Husker volleyball player has been chosen for the AVCA s weekly national honor, while Larson becomes the seventh different Husker to receive the accolade. Nebraska s All-Time AVCA National Players of the Week Player Date Jordan Larson 9/23/08 Sarah Pavan 11/29/04 & 8/27/07 Christina Houghtelling 8/29/05 Greichaly Cepero 12/2/02 Amber Holmquist 9/10/01 & 11/25/02 Kelly Aspegren 9/6/94 Allison Weston 9/20/93 & 10/31/94 Crowd Pleasers Nebraska has traditionally shown the ability to draw big crowds, and 2008 has been no different. Not only did the Huskers break the NCAA regular-season singlematch record for attendance against LSU on Sept. 12, but they have been involved in four of the seven largest crowds of 2008. The Huskers are second nationally in average attendance (4,913) and that total does not include the Runza/AVCA Showcase matches in Omaha, which both drew crowds in excess of 7,000. Nebraska has now broken the NCAA regular-season single match attendance mark three times over the last two years and has been involved in the eight largest regularseason crowds in NCAA history. Largest Regular-Season NCAA Volleyball Crowds No. Attend. Match (Location) Date 1. 13,412# Nebraska vs. LSU (Devaney) 9/12/08 2. 13,396 Nebraska vs. Hawaii, (Devaney) 10/21/07 3. 13,081* Nebraska vs. Penn State (Qwest) 9/2/07 4. 12,504 Nebraska vs. Colorado (Devaney) 11/4/00 5. 12,112 Nebraska at Creigton (Qwest) 9/24/06 6. 11,529 Nebraska vs. Colorado (Devaney) 10/22/95 7. 11,076! Nebraska vs. UCLA (Qwest) 8/25/07 8. 11,032 Nebraska vs. UCLA (Devaney) 9/14/91 *-also included Creighton/Cal Poly match;!-avca Showcase w/ Tennessee and Utah #-also included St. John s/new Mexico match Nebraska Coliseum: Sold Out for 2008 One school record has already been established this fall, as it took just 10 minutes to sell out the entire 2008 ticket allotment at the 4,030-seat NU Coliseum. It was the quickest that the single-match Coliseum allotment had ever sold out. In 2007, it took 45 minutes 2008 Team and Individual Honors Team Accolades Paso Robles Marriott Invitational Champions Ameritas Players Challenge Champions Individual Accolades Sydney Anderson Runza/AVCA Showcase All-Tournament Team Paso Robles Marriott All-Tournament Team Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament Team Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Nov. 17) Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Oct. 27) Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Sept. 22) Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Sept. 8) Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Sept. 2) Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Week Kayla Banwarth Runza/AVCA Showcase All-Tournament Team Kori Cooper Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament Team ESPN the Magazine First-Team Academic All-District VII Preseason All-Big 12 Amanda Gates ESPN the Magazine First-Team Academic All-District VII Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 27) Big 12 Community of Champion Award Jordan Larson Big 12 Preseason Co-Player of the Year Preseason All-Big 12 AVCA National Player of the Week (Sept. 23) ESPN the Magazine First-Team Academic All-District VII Ameritas Players Challenge MVP Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 27) Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 22) Runza/AVCA Showcase All-Tournament Team Paso Robles Marriott All-Tournament Team Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament Team Tara Mueller Paso Robles Marriott All-Tournament Team 2008 Double-Doubles (22 by 3 players) Jordan Larson - 2008 (11) - Career (49) 2008 Opponent K A D B Cal Poly 11-11 - Kansas State 21-10 - Texas 19-11 - Kansas 12-11 - Iowa State 11-19 - Oklahoma 12-10 - Iowa State 17-15 - Texas A&M 17-18 - Kansas State 10-14 - Missouri 16-13 - Kansas 15-11 - Sydney Anderson - 2008 (5) - NU Career (5) - All (14) 2008 Opponent K A D B Cal Poly - 39 10 - Kansas State - 46 10 - Texas - 53 10 - Iowa State - 48 10 - Colorado - 43 14 - Tara Mueller - 2008 (6) - NU Career (6) 2008 Opponent K A D B Texas 14-11 - Iowa State 16-10 - Okahoma 13-10 - Colorado 13-12 - Iowa State 12-12 - Texas A&M 19-16 -