Volleyball

NU Turns to Missouri, KU After Record-Breaking Week

Probable Starters

No.

Name

Cl.

Pos.

Ht.

kpg

pct.

dpg

bpg

1

Greichaly Cepero

So.

S

6-2

1.72

.339

1.96

1.26

2

Angie Oxley

Sr.

RS

6-0

1.79

.302

2.67

0.93

3

Amber Holmquist

So.

MB

6-4

3.03

.417

0.34

1.85

9

Laura Pilakowski

So.

OH

6-1

4.24

.362

2.54

0.80

17

Jenny Kropp

Jr.

MB

6-2

2.70

.362

1.26

1.72

25

Kim Behrends

Sr.

OH

6-0

2.00

.237

2.31

0.69


The top-ranked Nebraska volleyball team, fresh off a record-breaking performance at Texas Oct. 22, will travel to Columbia, Mo., Wednesday to face the No. 25 Tigers (17-3 overall and 8-3 in the Big 12 Conference) in a 7 p.m. match at the Hearnes Center.

Saturday, the Huskers (19-0, 11-0) return home to play host to Kansas (12-8, 3-8) in a 7 p.m. match at the NU Coliseum.

The Tigers, tied for second in the Big 12 standings, and Jayhawks will face a Nebraska team that continues to stifle opponents at the net. The Huskers, who are out-blocking their opponents 252.5-72.0, set a new NU record for block assists in a single match with 46 in a 3-1 win over the Longhorns in Austin, smashing the 9-year-old record of 41 set in 1991 against UCLA. The total also broke the Big 12 record for blocks in a four-game match. And with 16 total blocks against the Longhorns, sophomore middle blocker Amber Holmquist broke the Big 12 Conference and the Nebraska record for total blocks in a single match.

Holmquist currently ranks first in the league in blocks with 1.85 per game. Junior middle blocker Jenny Kropp is second in the conference with 1.72 blocks per game, and sophomore setter Greichaly Cepero is sixth with 1.26 blocks per game.

Offensively, sophomore outside hitter Laura Pilakowski has continued to play a big role for NU, posting 4.24 kills per game on a .362 hitting efficiency. Eight Huskers are hitting .302 or better under Cepero, the only setter in the Big 12 to rank among the league's top 11 in hitting efficiency, assists, blocks per game and service aces per game.

Nebraska, ranked No. 1 in the AVCA/USA Today Coaches poll for seven weeks, has swept 15 of its 19 opponents this season, including nine of its 11 league foes. The Huskers have dropped just two games in Big 12 play in 2000.

A Look at No. 25 Missouri
The Huskers continue their string of difficult road matches in the second half of the Big 12 season with a trip to Missouri Wednesday. The Tigers have surprised many this season, earning their first ranking since 1982 with a 17-3 mark overall and an 8-3 league record.

The Tigers are especially dangerous at home as they have gone 9-0 at the Hearnes Center this season. Missouri has defeated two ranked opponents at home, including then-No. 19 Texas A&M and then-No. 24 Kansas State.

Senior setter Heather Gerber leads a high-powered Missouri offense. She ranks first on the MU all-time assist chart and has led the Tigers to a .294 hitting percentage in 2000. Sophomore outside hitter Lisa Morris averages 4.31 kills per game to lead five other Missouri players averaging 2.26 or more kills per game.

The Tigers are coming off a 3-0 loss to Texas A&M in College Station Saturday. Nebraska swept Missouri in the two squads' last meeting Oct. 25 in Lincoln. NU outside hitter Laura Pilakowski totaled 17 kills in the match.

A Look at Kansas
After escaping September with an 11-4 record, the Jayhawks have lost four of their last five and are now 12-8 overall and 3-8 in the Big 12. Kansas was swept by Kansas State and Colorado, but the Jayhawks have dropped tough five-game decisions to Baylor, Texas Tech and Texas during the last three weeks.

KU features one of the best attackers in the conference in Amy Myatt, a senior outside hitter who averages 4.93 kills per game and hits .302. Senior outside hitter Nancy Bell has produced 3.45 kills per game.

The Jayhawks have a strong Nebraska connection, with three players on their roster hailing from the Cornhusker state. Junior setter Molly LaMere, who averages 13.08 assists per game, is from Papillion. Sophomore middle blocker Kylie Thomas is from Sutherland, and freshman middle blocker/outside hitter Anna Wheeler hails from Bellevue.

Nebraska defeated Kansas in the teams' first meeting this season,Sept. 20 at Kansas. The Huskers hit .495 in the match, led again by sophomore outside hitter Laura Pilakowski's 17 kills. NU has never lost to Kansas.

Holmquist Named Big 12 Player-of-the-Week
Dallas -- Nebraska's Amber Holmquist became the third Husker this season to earn Big 12 Volleyball Player-of-the-Week honors, the conference office announced Monday afternoon.

The Houston, Texas, native led the No. 1-ranked Huskers to a 3-0 win over Kansas State Wednesday in Lincoln and a 3-1 victory over Texas Saturday in Austin. For the week, Holmquist averaged 3.43 kills per game on a .409 hitting percentage and 3.29 blocks per game.

Against the Wildcats, the sophomore middle blocker had 12 kills on 16 attempts and only one error for a .688 hitting percentage. She also added seven blocks.

At Texas, Holmquist broke the Big 12 Conference and the Nebraska school record for total blocks in a game with 16, a four blocks a game average. Holmquist also produced 12 kills on 28 attempts in the match.

Holmquist currently ranks first in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.417) and blocks per game (1.85). She ranked seventh nationally in both categories in the Oct. 16 NCAA statistics.

Holmquist is the third NU sophomore to earn the Big 12 honor, joining outside hitter Laura Pilakowski and setter Greichaly Cepero. No other league team boasts more than one Big 12 Player-of-the-Week selection.

2000 Big 12 Conference Players of the Week

Week

Player

School

Pos.

1.

Laura Pilakowski

Nebraska

OH

2.

Heather Marshall

Texas A&M

MB

3.

Stevie Nicholas

Baylor

OH

4.

Janelle Jones

Texas Tech

MB

5.

Greichaly Cepero

Nebraska

S

6.

Gipy Duarte

Texas

RS

7.

Lisa Morris

Missouri

OH

8.

Amber Holmquist

Nebraska

MB

Huskers Break Conference Blocking Records
Nebraska staged its own block party at Texas Oct. 22, breaking two NU school records and two Big 12 Conference records for block assists.

The Huskers set a new NU record for block assists in a single match with 46, smashing the 9-year-old record of 41 set in 1991 against UCLA. The total also broke the Big 12 record for blocks in a four-game match. The previous mark of 42 was set by both Texas A&M and Kansas State in 1998.

With 16 total blocks against Texas, sophomore middle blocker Amber Holmquist broke the Big 12 Conference and the Nebraska record for total blocks in a single match. The previous record of 15 was held by former NU middle blocker Tonia Tauke, who accomplished the feat against Michigan State in 1996.

For the week of Oct. 16, the Huskers averaged an amazing 6.00 blocks per game in wins over Kansas State and Texas. Holmquist averaged 3.29 blocks per game for the week

Nebraska Nation's Top Blocking Team
In the NCAA statistics released Oct. 16, Nebraska ranked No. 1 in the nation in team blocking with 3.90 per game. Junior middle blocker Jenny Kropp ranked fifth nationally and sophomore middle blocker Amber Holmquist ranked seventh nationally.

Brigham Young was the only other team with two players among the country's top 20 blockers, as Nina Puikkonen ranked first (1.85 bpg), and Jackie Bundy was tied for 18th (1.45 bpg).

The Huskers also lead the Big 12 in blocking, averaging 3.84 blocks per game in league matches. Holmquist ranks first in the conference (1.85 bpg), Kropp ranks second (1.72) and sophomore setter Greichaly Cepero ranks sixth (1.26 bpg). Nebraska, which has led the conference in blocking three of the past four years, is out-blocking its opponents 252.5 to 72.0 this season.

Cepero Living up to Preseason Hype
After being voted the preseason co-Big 12 Player of the Year before ever starting a match as Nebraska's setter, Greichaly Cepero had something to prove. And through the Huskers' 19 matches in 2000, Cepero has lived up to the hype.

In the Oct. 23 Big 12 statistics, Cepero was the only player in the Big 12 to rank among the league's top 12 in hitting percentage (fourth, .359), assists (ninth, 11.91), blocks per game (sixth, 1.41), and service aces per game (11th, 0.31) in conference matches. Cepero, who is also the only setter in the league who has earned Big 12 Volleyball Athlete-of-the-Week honors, leads the Huskers with three double-doubles and two triple-doubles.

Through NU's 19 matches this season, Cepero has averaged 11.26 assists per game, 1.96 digs per game, 1.26 blocks per game and 1.72 kills per game on .339 hitting. She has guided the Huskers to a .340 hitting percentage, a mark that ranks first in the Big 12 and first nationally. In its 11 league matches, NU has hit an even more impressive .345. Eight of the 10 Huskers who have attempted kills this season are hitting .302 or better under the direction of Cepero.

Nebraska Ranks First Nationally in Hitting Percentage
The Huskers ranked first in the nation with a .350 hitting percentage in the Oct. 16 NCAA statistics. The mark includes just their first 17 matches. Nebraska currently ranks first in the Big 12 Conference with a .340 efficiency, and the Huskers are on track to break the school-record single-season mark of .331 set in 1986. In its 11 league matches this season, Nebraska has hit .345 while holding its opponents to a .107 percentage.

As a team, the Huskers have hit .300 or higher in 15 of their 19 matches under the direction of first-year setter Greichaly Cepero. Their most impressive statistical offensive showing came against Creighton Oct. 3 when NU posted a .567 hitting percentage, their best mark in at least seven years. Nebraska has hit .485 or higher three times and .433 or higher five times already this season. Nebraska hit .400 or higher only two times in 1999.

For the season, eight of the 10 NU players who have attempted a kill are hitting .302 or higher, and the Huskers are dominating the Big 12 statistics in conference matches only, as four players rank among the top eight in hitting percentage. Sophomore middle blocker Amber Holmquist ranks first with a .474 hitting percentage. Cepero is third (.417), junior middle blocker Jenny Kropp is fourth (.388) and sophomore outside hitter Laura Pilakowski ranks eighth (.368).

Pilakowski Pounding NU Opponents
After playing just nine games in 1999, sophomore outside hitter Laura Pilakowski has emerged as a go-to player for the Huskers in 2000.

Through Nebraska's first 19 matches, Pilakowski leads the Huskers with 4.24 kills per game on .362 hitting. Pilakowski's hitting numbers are up in Big 12 play, where she ranks fifth in conference matches only with 4.44 kills per game. She has posted the Huskers' top five kill totals this season with 25 against Colorado State, 20 against UCLA and Texas and 18 at Texas Tech, and she has led Nebraska in kills in 11 matches. Pilakowski's heroics have not gone unnoticed by others this season. The Big 12 Conference honored the Columbus (Neb.) High graduate with its first volleyball athlete-of-the-week honor. Pilakowski was also the MVP of the US Bank Tournament and was named to the Notre Dame adidas Invitational all-tournament team.

With Pilakowski, senior Kim Behrends and freshman Anna Schrad staffing the left side, the Huskers are swinging at a .318 hitting efficiency from the position. In 1999, NU's starting outside hitter combined for a .205 hitting percentage on the season.

NU Remains No. 1 in AVCA/USA Today Coaches Poll
For the fifth straight week, Nebraska was voted No. 1 in the AVCA/USA Today Coaches Poll. The 19-0 Huskers received 50 first-place votes after a 3-0 win over Kansas State and a 3-1 win at Texas last week.

Second-place Hawaii earned 11 first-place votes and 1,449 points. Colorado State, which fell to Nebraska 3-1, in Lincoln Sept. 2, remained third. Southern California and Arizona rounded out the top five.

Six of the teams on NU's 2000 schedule are ranked, including Big 12 foes Missouri (No. 25) and Texas A&M (No. 21).

The Huskers were voted the nation's No. 1 team for the first time in 2000 in the Sept. 11 poll. The poll marked the first time since 1995 that NU has held the top spot.

Nebraska joins the NU football team, which is also ranked No. 1 in the country this week. The last time both the Husker volleyball and football teams were ranked No. 1 was in 1995 when both teams won national championships.

The Huskers moved into the No. 1 ranking on the strength of their successful weekend in South Bend. NU first posted sweeps of then-No. 22 Notre Dame Sept. 8 and then-No. 16 Michigan State Sept. 9. In the adidas Invitational title match Sept. 10, Nebraska knocked off previously third-ranked UCLA, 12-15, 15-11, 13-15, 15-1, 15-10.

Nebraska has produced an overall 54-2 mark when holding the nation's top spot. The Huskers are 13-0 in 2000, and were 27-0 at No. 1 in 1995, 9-1 in 1994 and 5-1 in 1990. Nebraska's only losses while ranked No. 1 were to Pacific in 1990 and Penn State in 1994.

Behrends Heating up in Big 12 Conference Play
In her first season as a starter, Kim Behrends has produced solid numbers, ranking fifth on the team in kills per game (2.00) and third on the team in digs per game (2.31). But it has been the during the Big 12 Conference season when the senior outside hitter has done most of her damage.

Behrends' numbers have improved in two key areas against league opponents: service aces and hitting errors. The Chappell, Neb., native ranks first among Huskers and ninth in the league in Big 12 matches only with 0.32 service aces per game. Behrends has 12 service aces in her last 10 matches after posting just three aces in NU's first nine matches of 2000.

Behrends has also worked to cut down on her hitting errors. In Big 12 matches, Behrends has erred 18 times, an improvement from her 21 errors in nonconference play. Behrends had zero errors at Kansas, against Oklahoma, and against Kansas State. She has hit over .467 or higher in three of her last six matches. Against Texas Tech Oct. 14, Behrends produced a career-best 17 digs.

Holmquist Ranks Seventh Nationally in Hitting
With impressive offensive performances in her last six matches, sophomore middle blocker Amber Holmquist rose to first in hitting percentage in conferences matches only in the Oct. 23 Big 12 statistics with a .460 efficiency. She also ranked seventh nationally in the Oct. 16 NCAA statistics.

Holmquist currently owns a .418 hitting percentage for the season and is hitting .474 in Big 12 matches. If Holmquist continues at her current pace, she will end the year ranked second all-time in hitting percentage on the NU single-season charts.

Holmquist hit .500 or higher in five of her last six matches, posting marks of .522, .667, .750, .500, .500 , .688 and .250. Overall, Holmquist has hit .500 or higher in eight of her last 11 matches. Holmquist hit .750 for the second time this season Oct. 8 at Iowa State when she produced 12 kills and no errors on 16 attacks. Holmquist, ranked second in the Big 12 and seventh in the nation in blocks per game, is second on the team with 3.04 kills per game. The Houston, Texas, product has led NU in kills in six matches this season.

Oxley Rock Solid on the Right Side
When two-time All-American Nancy Meendering opted to redshirt in 2000 after training with the U.S. Olympic Team during the off-season, Angie Oxley, a three-year starter on the left side, was moved to give the Huskers a steady attacker on the right side.

The move has proven successful. Oxley has provided the Huskers with solid numbers at the position, leading the team in digs with 2.67 per game, and she is second on the team with 18 service aces. Oxley has produced 1.79 kills per game on a .302 hitting percentage. The Ogallala, Neb., native hit just .217 on the left side last season.

Wischmeier and McWilliams Successful in New Roles
Sophomore Lindsay Wischmeier and senior Jill McWilliams spent the 1999 season sharing the setting duties for Nebraska in the Huskers' unique 6-2 offensive scheme. The combination worked well for NU, as the Huskers captured the Big 12 championship.

But despite their success in 1999, Wischmeier and McWilliams entered the 2000 season with new roles. NU Coach John Cook decided to revert back to a 5-1 offense and use the more athletic Greichaly Cepero as the starter. In order to continue to take advantage of Wischmeier's consistent play, Cook moved her into a defensive specialist role, and the Burchard, Neb., product has flourished.

As a back-row substitute for sophomore middle blocker Amber Holmquist, Wischmeier ranks fourth on the team in digs with 2.03 per game. Wischmeier leads the team in service aces with 19. She has produced at least two service aces in a match five times this season, including a season-best three service aces at Kansas. Wischmeier is tied for 10th in the Big 12 with 0.31 service aces per game.

McWilliams also plays a defensive specialist role in matches, coming in for middle blocker Jenny Kropp for two rotations in the back row. She has started two matches this season, and played the entire Iowa State match at the setter position, posting a season-best 41 assists.

Freshman Schrad a Quick Study
With the success of starting outside hitters Kim Behrends and Laura Pilakowski, NU Coach John Cook has had the luxury of slowly breaking in freshman outside hitter Anna Schrad.

However, Schrad appears to be catching on quickly. Schrad has played in 35 of 62 games this season, usually spelling Behrends in third games or in the front row periodically. In the Big 12 statistics released Oct. 22, Schrad ranked 14th with a .329 hitting efficiency. The Lincoln Pius X graduate is averaging 2.09 kills per game. Schrad has shown continuous improvement, producing her best match of the season Oct. 14 at Texas Tech. Playing in the third and fourth games only, Schrad posted a career-best 14 kills on 31 attacks. She hit .387 for the match.

One of the top volleyball players to ever come out of the state of Nebraska, Schrad joined the Huskers after a stellar prep career. She was named a three-time all-state selection and was the 1999 Gatorade Nebraska Volleyball Player of the Year. A first-team Volleyball Magazine All-American, Schrad served as the captain of the USA Junior National Team as a senior.

Husker Fans Keep NU Coliseum Packed
Nebraska's fans continue to fuel their team's success at the NU Coliseum. Through the first five weeks of collegiate volleyball action, the Husker crowds ranked second in average attendance with 3,576 fans per contest. NU boasts four crowds this season of 4,000 fans or more.

Hawaii ranks first, Wisconsin ranked third, Minnesota was fourth and Illinois State was fifth.

The 1999 season marked the best year ever for Husker attendance, as Nebraska drew 71,577 fans, breaking the 1998 record of 69,594.

Nebraska drew an average of 3,767 fans per match in 1999. Nebraska has posted 10 undefeated seasons in the NU Coliseum, including an 18-0 mark in 1998. The Huskers own an amazing 349-24 all-time record at the Coliseum.

John Cook Enters His First Season as NU's Head Coach
It came as no surprise to Husker fans when John Cook was tabbed Nebraska's head volleyball coach by Director of Athletics Bill Byrne on Dec. 14, 1999.

That's because Cook had already shocked the volleyball world one year earlier when he left his post as head coach at Wisconsin, another top 10 program, to take the position as associate head coach for the Huskers, setting up his succession of 23-year head coach Terry Pettit who retired from coaching last season.

Cook is not a stranger to the Husker program. He served as an assistant coach under Terry Pettit for three seasons from 1988 to 1991. In his first season at the helm of the program, Cook has led the Huskers to a No. 1 ranking and a 19-0 start to improve his career record to 178-73.

Cook earned praise as one of the game's top young coaches after building the Badger program into a top-10 program during his seven-year career in Madison. Cook, 43, compiled a 161-73 record at the helm of the Badgers, including an 89-51 league mark in the Big Ten, one of the nation's toughest conferences. He was named the Big Ten Co-Coach and AVCA District 2 Coach of the Year in 1997 after leading the Badgers to a share of the Big Ten title with a 19-1 mark and school-record 30-3 overall record. In his seven years as head coach, the Badgers advanced to six straight postseason tournaments, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament in 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1998. In 1995, Wisconsin won the National Invitational Volleyball Championship with a perfect 6-0 record.

During his tenure at UW, Cook coached four All-Americans, nine AVCA All-District award winners, 11 All-Big Ten honorees and two Big Ten freshmen of the year. He also coached 21 Academic All-Big 10 selections during his seven seasons. Cook has also served on the coaching staffs of the U.S. Men's National Team and California-San Diego.

A graduate of the University of San Diego, Cook earned his bachelor's degree in history in 1979. He completed his master's degree in teaching and coaching effectiveness from San Diego State in 1991. Cook and his wife Wendy, a former two-time All-America setter at San Diego State, are the parents of two children, Lauren, 9, and Taylor, 6.

NU, Three Huskers Earn Big 12 Preseason Honors
In a vote by league head coaches released by the Big12 Conference office, Nebraska was the preseason favorite to win its third straight Big 12 Conference volleyball championship, and sophomore setter Greichaly Cepero, along with Texas A&M setter Jenna Moscovic are the preseason co-players-of-the-year.

Cepero completed her first season in the league as the 1999 Big 12 Freshman of the Year while also taking first-team all-conference honors. The Dorado, Puerto Rico native averaged 2.20 kills per game and 2.10 digs per game from the right side hitter position last season. Husker freshman Anna Schrad, a 6-2 outside hitter, was the preseason pick for freshman of the year after attending Pius X High School in Lincoln, Neb. NU sophomore Amber Holmquist was also a preseason first-team All-Big 12 selection after leading the Big 12 with a .377 hitting percentage in league matches.

Nebraska, ranked No. 6 in the preseason USA Today/AVCA Coaches Poll, received nine of the possible 11 first-place votes after winning the 1999 Big 12 championship with a 17-3 record. The polling was based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system with a first-place vote receiving 10 points. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. The Huskers have locked up three of the four conference titles since 1996. Texas won top honors in 1997.