NU Prepares for Kansas State Tournament

The Nebraska volleyball team continues its exhibition season this weekend with one of the nation’s most competitive spring tournaments. The Huskers will travel to Manhattan, Kan., April 10 for a tournament hosted by Kansas State at Ahearn Field House. In addition to Nebraska, which finished the 2003 season ranked 13th in the USA Today/AVCA Coaches poll, the tournament field includes three teams that ended the year with a top-15 ranking. In one day, the Huskers will face No. 2 Florida, No. 11 Kansas State and No. 14 Colorado State, as well as Wichita State.

The tournament format allows for quick matches, as the teams will play two games to 30 points without a tiebreaker. The schedule is as follows, with the teams’ 2003 final records listed in parentheses:

Match Schedule

• 10 a.m.: Kansas State (30-5) vs. Colorado State (30-5); Florida (36-2) vs. Nebraska (28-5)
• 11 a.m.: Colorado State (30-5) vs. Florida (36-2); Wichita State (21-10) vs. Nebraska (28-5)
• 1 p.m.: Wichita State (21-10) vs. Colorado State (30-5); Florida vs. Kansas State (30-5)
• 2 p.m.: Nebraska (28-5) vs. Colorado State (30-5); Wichita State (21-10) vs. Kansas State (30-5)
• 3 p.m.: Kansas State (30-5) vs. Nebraska (28-5)

Nebraska enters the Kansas State tournament with a 2-0 spring record. The Huskers defeated Division II Barry University, 30-24, 28-30, 15-8, and Florida Atlantic, 30-19, 30-14. Following the Kansas State Tournament, Nebraska will take on 2003 NCAA final four participant Minnesota Saturday, April 17, at the NU Coliseum at 7 p.m. in its only home match of the spring. NU concludes the spring season Saturday, April 24, at Minnesota.

Huskers Win Two in Florida
Nebraska opened its 2004 spring exhibition season with two wins in Florida March 20. NU ended a week long training trip in Boca Raton, Fla., by defeating Division II Barry University, 30-24, 28-30, 15-8, and Florida Atlantic, 30-19, 30-14.

It had previously been determined that the teams would play two games to 30 and a third game to 15 if necessary.

Nebraska Coach John Cook said he was happy with the Huskers’ team effort and was especially impressed with middle blockers Melissa Elmer and Christina Houghtelling. Elmer posted a match-high 10 kills on a .300 hitting percentage against Barry, and she also had seven solo blocks. Against Florida Atlantic, Houghtelling tallied six kills, hit .420 and posted four solo blocks.

Instead of using a 6-2 (two-setter) offense as they did throughout the 2003 season, the Huskers ran a 5-1 (one-setter) in Florida. Michelle Lynch, who underwent back surgery in January, set the Florida Atlantic match, while Dani Busboom was at the controls against Barry.

"It was very good to see how far our floor defense and blocking have come," Cook said. "I was also excited that we served well. We still have a ways to go on offense, but it was great to have Michelle Lynch back on the floor. She is recovering very well, which is a real positive for us."

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 RollEight 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:4Finished 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.