Huskers Open Spring Season in Florida

The Nebraska volleyball team opens its spring exhibition season Saturday, March 20, when it takes on Florida Atlantic. The match highlights a week-long training trip to Boca Raton, Fla., from March 13-20. The Huskers will practice for approximately three hours each day, but will also have time to see the sights. Nebraska’s list of activities includes a Miami Heat vs. New Orleans Hornets basketball game and a Florida Marlins vs. St. Louis Cardinals baseball game.

The Huskers will use their time in Florida to strengthen relationships and build leadership, NU Coach John Cook said.

"Training over spring break creates a tremendous opportunity to spend quality time together and train without the stress of school," Cook said. "It is my favorite time of year because of the dynamics of the trip. Our daily schedule is to train and work as hard as we can in the mornings, then to enjoy ourselves in the afternoons."

The match against Florida Atlantic, which went 13-16 in 2003, kicks off a competitive spring season for the Huskers. Nebraska will travel to Manhattan, Kan., April 10 for a tournament hosted by Kansas State. Nebraska will then play host to 2004 NCAA final four team Minnesota April 17 at the NU Coliseum. The following week, the Huskers will travel to Minneapolis to face the Gophers April 24.

A Quick Look at the 2004 Team
After entering 2003 with a somewhat young and inexperienced team, the 2004 Huskers are battle-tested and should be much-improved.

Nebraska returns nine letterwinners and five players who started at least 20 of its 33 matches in 2003. The Huskers’ will be led by junior middle blocker Melissa Elmer, who continues to build a reputation as one of the top middle attackers in school history. Elmer earned AVCA Second-Team All-America honors in 2003 after producing the best numbers by a middle blocker in the Big 12 Conference. She led the Big 12 with 1.64 blocks per game and a .379 hitting percentage in conference matches.

NU Coach John Cook is also excited about the return of another top player in the junior class, outside hitter Jennifer Saleaumua. A first-team All-Big 12 and first-team AVCA All-Region pick, Saleaumua led Nebraska in kills per game (3.27) and digs per game (3.90). She shattered NU’s single-season record with 441 digs and also broke the single-season record for digs per game with 3.90.

Setters Michelle Lynch and Dani Busboom also return. In their first seasons as starters, each played in all 117 of the Huskers’ games while running the 6-2 (two-setter) offense. Lynch, who continues to recover from off-season surgery, led Nebraska with 47 service aces.

Nebraska’s lone senior will be outside hitter Ally Rebholz, who started 21 matches on the right side last season and averaged 2.33 kills per game. Rebholz played much of last season with an injured right shoulder and underwent surgery in January.

Other Huskers on the 2004 spring roster include middle blocker Christina Houghtelling, outside hitters Kelsey Fautsch and Dani Mancuso, and sophomore libero Amanda McCormick. All four are sophomores in eligibility and made significant contributions in 2003.

Houghtelling showed tremendous potential early in 2004, securing a spot in the starting lineup nine matches into the season. However, her playing time diminished because of a knee injury. Fautsch played in 90 games while sharing time with Rebholz in NU’s 6-2 offense and averaged 2.17 kills per game.

Mancuso started on the left side in the Huskers' last 12 matches. During that stretch, Mancuso averaged 2.24 kills per game, 2.29 digs per game. McCormick won the starting job at libero midway through the season and finished the year with an NU freshman-record 3.72 digs per game. McCormick's digs-per-game average was also the second-highest single-season total in school history.

The Huskers will also be joined by redshirt freshman Emily Schroeder, who did not play in 2003.

Fourteen Huskers Named to Big 12 Honor Roll
Eight current and six former Nebraska volleyball players were named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Fall 2003 Honor Roll, which recognizes student-athletes who achieve a 3.0 or better semester grade-point average.

Huskers listed on the 2004 roster who were honored for the first time include sophomores-to-be Dani Busboom, Christina Houghtelling, Dani Mancuso and Amanda McCormick. Repeat honorees include Melissa Elmer (second selection), Michelle Lynch (fifth selection) and Kelsey Fautsch (third selection), who had a 4.0.

Former Huskers still enrolled at the University of Nebraska who were recognized included Jenae Dowling (seventh selection), Amber (Holmquist) Limbaugh (eighth selection), Laura Pilakowski (ninth selection), Anna Schrad (seventh selection), Sara Westling (sixth selection), and Lindsay Wischmeier (ninth selection).

Quick 2003 Recap
The Huskers began 2003 searching for an identity. For the first time in three years, Nebraska entered a season without an All-American, without a veteran go-to player, and without the automatic confidence that goes along with a roster full of players who own national championship rings.

Nebraska did, however, have two new setters, three new starters, and five freshmen expecting to play significant roles.

With so much young talent, NU head coach John Cook opted to run a 6-2 (two-setter) offense to utilize as many players as possible. Freshman Dani Busboom and sophomore Michelle Lynch took over the setting duties, and seven Huskers who were first-year starters contributed on a regular basis, including outside hitters Dani Mancuso, Ally Rebholz and Kelsey Fautsch, middle blockers Sara Westling and Christina Houghtelling and liberos Jenae Dowling and Amanda McCormick.

Three returning starters ? middle blocker Melissa Elmer and outside hitters Anna Schrad and Jennifer Saleaumua ? provided the young group with a steady presence.

The mix proved a successful one for the Huskers, who finished the season with a 28-5 record, an 11-4 mark against NCAA Tournament teams, and an appearance in their 10th straight Sweet 16. Nebraska also achieved many other successes in 2003, a year in which they:

• Finished second or better in the Big 12 Conference for the eighth straight season.
• Won at least 25 matches for the 11th straight season and at least 28 for the fourth straight season.
• Defeated four top 25 teams that ended the year ranked in the AVCA top 25, including No. 25 Illinois, No. 16 Texas A&M,No. 18 Northern Iowa and No. 19 Santa Clara.
• Led the Big 12 and ranked sixth nationally in blocks per game.
• Had three players combine to break five school records, including Elmer (postseason single-match hitting percentage); Saleaumua (single-season digs and single-season digs per game); and McCormick (freshman single-season digs per game and postseason single-match digs).
• Had an AVCA All-American (Elmer) for the 21st straight season.
• Had an CoSIDA Academic All-American (Schrad) for the ninth straight season.