Seventh-Ranked Huskers Travel to No. 25 Colorado; Host No. 11 Texas A&M

Match: #9
No. 7 Nebraska (7-1, 2-0 Big 12) at No. 25 Colorado (5-2, 1-0 Big 12)
Coors Event Center ? Wed., Sept. 22 ? 8 p.m. (central)

Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) and Huskers.com
Live Internet Video: HuskersNside. For more information visit Huskers.com ? Live Stats: Huskers.com
Series Record: Nebraska leads the all-time series 37-5, dating back to Oct. 2, 1987
Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 3-1 (33-31, 15-30, 30-18, 30-26) in Boulder on Nov. 26, 2003
Coach Cook vs. Colorado: 8-1

Match: #10
No. 7 Nebraska vs. No. 11 Texas A&M (6-2, 2-0 Big 12)
Nebraska Coliseum ? Sat., Sept. 25 ? 7 p.m.

Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) and Huskers.com
Live Internet Video: HuskersNside. For more information visit Huskers.com ? Live Stats: Huskers.com
Series Record: Nebraska leads the all-time series 19-6, dating back to Oct. 2, 1987
Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 3-0 (30-22, 30-24, 30-19) in College State on Nov. 5, 2003
Coach Cook vs. Texas A&M: 10-0

Seventh-Ranked Huskers Travel to No. 25 Colorado; Host No. 11 Texas A&M
Lincoln -- Nebraska looks to stay on top of the Big 12 race, as the Huskers will face a pair of ranked foes this week. The Huskers, who are 7-1 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12, will travel to Boulder, Colo., to take on the No. 25 Colorado Buffaloes on Wednesday, Sept. 22, before returning home to take on No. 11 Texas A&M on Saturday, Sept. 25. The Huskers moved from eighth to seventh in this week’s USA Today/CSTV Poll released Monday.

The Huskers opened Big 12 play last week with a pair of sweeps over Missouri and at Texas Tech and are one of three teams undefeated in Big 12 play (also Texas and Texas A&M) after the first week of competition. Colorado, which is making its first poll appearance of 2004, is 1-1 in the league after sweeping defending champion Kansas State in its Big 12 opener before dropping a heart-breaking 3-2 loss at Texas on Saturday,. Texas A&M, which jumped from 12th to 11th this week, picked up a pair of 3-1 wins over Iowa State and Kansas heading into a match against Kansas State on Wednesday.

Both of this week’s contests will be carried live on the Pinnacle Sports Network, including radio flagship B107.3 FM in Lincoln. Volleyball fans with high-speed internet access can watch the match live on HuskersNside.com, a subscription-based service of the NU Athletic Department. Every regular-season match - both home and away - will be video streamed this season on the site.

Storylines
? - Wednesday’s match will be a reunion of sorts for freshman middle blocker Tracy Stalls, as three of her former Front Range Volleyball Club (FRVC) teammates are on the Colorado roster (Kelly Masumiya, Amber Nu’u and Ashley Nu’u). FRVC won the 2002 Junior Olympic National title in the 18 Open Division.

? - Christina Houghtelling has emerged as one of the Huskers’ top options at the outside hitter position. The 6-2 sophomore from Cambridge has recorded career highs in kills in each of her last two matches, including 11 in Saturday’s win over Texas Tech. Her 3.40 kills per game over the last four matches is second only to Sarah Pavan in that stretch.

Matches Kills K/gm Pct.
Matches 1-4 11 2.20 .161
Matches 5-8 34 3.40 .204

? - Nebraska is seeking its 13th straight win over Colorado, dating back to 1998. In all, the Huskers have won 20 of the last 22 meetings since 1994, as Colorado posted its only two wins in that stretch in 1997.

? - One Husker tradition which has carried over to 2004 has been a strong block, as the Huskers have out-blocked all eight foes this season, and the last 14 dating back to last season. Tracy Stalls (1.78 b/g) and Melissa Elmer (1.67 b/g) rank third and fourth, respectively, in the league in that category.

Husker Probable Starters
L - #1 Amanda McCormick (5-8, So., Muncie, Ind.) - Sophomore co-captain returned as Nebraska’s starter at libero and is second in the Big 12 with 4.44 digs per game in 2004. She has had at least 15 digs in each of Nebraska’s last five matches, including 19 against Missouri and Texas Tech. She set a school freshman mark with 3.72 digs per game in 2003.

MB - #8 Melissa Elmer (6-2, Jr., Fort Wayne, Ind.) - Returning AVCA All-American who anchors the Huskers’ potent blocking corps and averages 2.85 kills and 1.67 blocks per game. Elmer matched a season high with 13 kills on .455 hitting against Missouri on Wednesday. She ranks fourth in the league in blocks and leads the Husker starters in hitting percentage (.329). Elmer averaged 3.57 kills and 2.57 blocks, while hitting .404 in two matches vs. Colorado last year. She earned All-Big 12 honors in 2003, leading NU with 1.59 blocks per game and with a .352 hitting percentage. Elmer, who was named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year by the league coaches, spent the spring working with the U.S. National Training Team. She joins Amanda McCormick as a co-captain for the 2004 season.

MB - #11 Tracy Stalls (6-3, Fr., Arvada, Colo.) - Stalls has started all eight matches at middle blocker, and is third in the Big 12 with 1.78 blocks per game. She has had at least five blocks seven times, including a season-high eight against Notre Dame (Sept. 4) and Texas Tech (Sept. 18). Stalls has upped her play in NU’s last four matches, averaging 2.33 kills and 2.17 blocks per game while hitting .368 in that stretch. She served a two-year stint in the U.S. National Developmental program in Colorado Springs, Colo., after graduating from high school in 2002. She competed with the U.S. National Team in several competitions, including the 2003 Pan American Games and the 2004 Yeltsin Cup.

S - #18 Dani Busboom (5-11, So., Cortland, Neb.) - Busboom has performed well in handling NU’s shift back to a 5-1 offense, as she is second in the Big 12 with 13.52 assists per game. Busboom has had 50 or more assists three times, including a career-high 64 at Notre Dame on Sept. 4, the highest total by a Husker since the 2000 season. Busboom also averages nearly three digs per game. Last Wednesday, she posted her fourth double-double of the year with 50 assists and 13 digs, while adding four kills in the win over Missouri. In 2003, she totaled 700 assists as a freshman, which is the second-best total by any Husker freshman.

OPP - #9 Sarah Pavan (6-5, Fr., Kitchener, Ontario) - The Big 12 Preseason co-Freshman of the Year, Pavan leads the Huskers in kills per game (4.70) and topped the Huskers seven times in eight matches. Pavan has made great strides in her blocking, as she averaged 2.17 blocks in two matches last week after averaging 0.86 blocks in NU’s first six contests. On Saturday, Pavan hit a season-best .550 (14 kills on 20 attacks) and added six blocks in the win at Texas Tech. Pavan recorded her first career double-double with 24 kills and 15 digs against Florida A&M on Sept. 10. Considered by many to be the nation’s top freshman, Pavan has been a member of the Canadian National Team since July of 2003 - at age 16.

OH - #26 Jennifer Saleaumua (5-11, Jr., National City, Calif.) - Two-time All-Big 12 outside hitter who is second on the team in kills (3.15 per game) and digs (3.96), while hitting .279. She has three double-doubles (kills and digs) and had 18 kills - one off her career high - at Notre Dame on Sept. 4. Saleaumua tied for team-high honors with 13 kills on .423 hitting against Missouri on Wednesday and had eight kills, 13 digs and six blocks in Saturday’s win over Texas Tech. Saleaumua led the Huskers in kills (3.27) and digs (3.90) per game in 2003, as her 441 digs were a school record, breaking the school mark of 390 by Kate Crnich in 1996.

OH - #3 Christina Houghtelling (6-2, So., Cambridge, Neb.) - Sophomore who moved from middle blocker to outside hitter in 2004 and has started both of NU’s Big 12 matches. She comes off a career-best 11-kill effort in Saturday’s win at Texas Tech, eclipsing her previous high of 10 set twice this season. Houghtelling had one of her best performances of the year against Missouri on Wednesday, matching her then-career high with 10 kills and hitting .346 in the sweep of the Tigers. She also had 10 kills and a career-high nine digs in a win over Notre Dame (9/4). She missed most of 2003 with a knee injury, but had eight-or-more kills four times, including nine against No. 10 Georgia Tech.

-or- #7 Dani Mancuso (6-2 So., Omaha, Neb.) - Mancuso has started four matches at outside hitter and is averaging 2.59 kills per game. She tied a career-high with 16 kills and added 11 digs for her first career double-double vs. Florida A&M. Mancuso played the best match of her career at Notre Dame on Sept. 4, with 11 kills, three blocks and two aces in the final two-plus games vs. the Fighting Irish. She started NU’s final 10 contests in 2003, averaging 2.01 kills and 1.72 digs per game.

Scouting Colorado
Colorado welcomes the Huskers to Boulder looking to bounce back after a tough five-game loss at undefeated Texas on Saturday. The Buffaloes are 6-3 on the year and 5-1 at the Coors Event Center, including victories over then-No. 20 San Diego (3-2 on Sept. 10) and then-No. 16 Kansas State (3-0 on Sept. 15). The only team to win in Boulder in 2004 is Colorado State, which swept Colorado on Sept. 7.

Eighth-year coach Pi’i Aiu (143-79 at CU) returns five starters from a squad that finished 21-10 and reached the NCAA Tournament in 2003. The Buffaloes rank among the league leaders in kills per game (16.55, third) and assists per game (15.09, third) while ranking second in the league with a .287 team hitting percentage. CU has a pair of players averaging at least four kills per game in right side hitter Allie Grifffin (4.24 kpg) and outside hitter Maragda Santillana (4.00 kpg). Sophomore Ashley Nu’u provides a versatile threat at the setter position, as she ranks among the Big 12 leaders with 13.07 assists per game, while averaging 1.53 kills and 1.63 digs per game. She also paces CU in hitting, as she is hitting .444 on the year.

Nebraska-Colorado Series
Nebraska has enjoyed the upper hand in the series against CU, winning 37 of the 42 matches between the schools. Four of NU’s five losses have come away from Lincoln, including the most recent setback in 1997. The Huskers have won 12 straight matches against CU and are 19-2 in the last 21 meetings with the Buffaloes. The Huskers had won 24 straight games dating back to 1999 before CU won a 30-15 decision (game 2) in last year’s match in Boulder.

Last Meeting: Nebraska 3, Colorado 1
Middle blockers Melissa Elmer and Sara Westling combined for 26 kills and 18 blocks to lead No. 10 Nebraska to a 33-31, 15-30, 30-18, 30-26 win over Colorado before 2,124 fans at the Coors Events Center on Nov. 27, 2003.

Elmer pounded a team-high 14 kills while swinging at a .423 clip and adding 10 blocks, while Westling added 12 kills on a .455 hitting percentage to go along with eight blocks. Nebraska totaled 21.5 team blocks, its second-highest total of the year season. Anna Schrad contributed eight stops, while Jennifer Saleaumua recorded five blocks and Ally Rebholz added four more.

CU was led by Nicole Carr with 15 kills, but hit just .162, as the Buffaloes hit just .096 against the Nebraska block.

Texas Tech Recap
Eighth-ranked Nebraska used strong efforts from Christina Houghtelling and Sarah Pavan to sweep Texas Tech, 32-30, 30-23, 30-11, Saturday evening.

Houghtelling, whose previous career high was 10 kills set twice earlier this season, had 11 kills and hit .192, as the Huskers improved to 7-1 on the season. Pavan joined Houghtelling in double figures with a match-high 14 kills, while hitting a season-high .550 on 20 attempts. Pavan also added six blocks, as the Huskers dominated the net with a 16-6.5 advantage in blocks.

The Huskers, who have won 16 straight against the Red Raiders, held Texas Tech to -.032 hitting, the third time in four matches NU held an opponent to negative numbers. Amanda McCormick also added 19 digs, as the Huskers kept numerous rallies alive before wearing down Texas Tech. Jennifer Saleaumua also added eight kills, 13 digs and six blocks in the sweep.

Kelly Johnson led Texas Tech with eight kills, as four of the six Red Raider starters were held to negative hitting percentages.

Texas Tech Quick Sets
? - With the win, the Huskers have now won 37 straight matches against the four Big 12 schools from Texas (Baylor, Texas,
Texas A&M and Texas Tech) dating back to 1999.
? - Nebraska has won 16 straight matches against the Red Raiders dating back to 1996
? - Texas Tech’s -.032 hitting was the lowest by a Husker opponent since Iowa State hit -.051 on Nov. 13, 2002.
? - Nebraska’s 16 blocks were a season-high for any match and the Huskers’ highest three-game total since recording 20 against Illinois on Aug. 30, 2003. NU’s previous high in blocks was 15 against Maryland on Sept. 12 (three games) and at Notre Dame on Sept. 4 (five games).
? - Sarah Pavan’s previous best hitting night before Saturday was a .441 effort at Western Michigan (17 kills on 34 swings) on Sept. 6
? - With her 19 digs vs. Texas Tech Amanda McCormick has had 10 or more digs in Nebraska’s last five matches, and is averaging 5.63 digs per game in that stretch.

When Negative is a Positive for the Big Red
One of the reasons for Nebraska’s continued success it its play on the defensive side of the court. The Huskers are holding opponents to a league-low .106 hitting percentage and have allowed only one opponent ? Notre Dame, which hit .277 in NU’s five-game win on Sept. 4 ? to hit above .200.

Over the last four matches, the Huskers have been even tougher, holding three opponents to negative hitting totals, as opponents have combined to hit just .028 in that stretch. Two weeks ago at the First National Bank/Arby’s Classic, NU held Ball State (-.018) and Maryland (-.016) to negative numbers - marking the first time since November of 2002 that the Huskers held consecutive foes to below .000 hitting. Against Texas Tech on Saturday, the Red Raiders hit -.032, the lowest by a Nebraska opponent since Iowa State hit -.051 on Nov. 14, 2003

Under John Cook, the Huskers have now held 11 opponents to a negative hitting percentage. The following is a list of NU opponents held below .000 hitting since 2000.

Year No. (Opponent)
2000 3 (Oral Roberts, Oklahoma, Creighton)
2001 1 (Iowa State)
2002 4 (Creighton, Iowa St., Oklahoma, UT-Martin)
2003 1 (New Orleans)
2004 3 (Ball State, Maryland, Texas Tech)
Total 11

Saleaumua Shows All-Around Excellence
One of the strengths of Nebraska’s attack is the all-around game of outside hitter Jennifer Saleaumua. The Husker coaching staff believes the 5-11 junior from National City, Calif., is one of the best outside hitters in the nation because she does so many things well.

She ranks second on the squad in both digs (3.96 per game) and kills (3.15) while hitting .279. Saleaumua sparked the Huskers to a win over Missouri last Wednesday with 13 kills, eight digs and two blocks while hitting .423. On Saturday, she continued to show her all-around fine play with eight kills, 13 digs and a season-high six blocks in the sweep of Texas Tech.

She enjoyed one of her finest performances in NU’s comeback against Notre Dame on Sept. 4, recording 18 kills on 36 attacks while leading NU with 16 digs in the five-game win. In 2004, she has already recorded three double-doubles in kills and digs, upping her career total to 27, including a team-high 17 in 2003.

A two-time All-Big 12 honoree, Saleaumua has the potential to be Nebraska’s first four-time all-conference honoree at outside hitter.

Elmer Climbs Block by Block
Junior All-American Melissa Elmer has an opportunity to break into Nebraska’s top-10 block assist chart with a strong effort at No. 25 Colorado on Wednesday. The middle blocker from Fort Wayne, Ind., has 333 career block assists and needs six more to move past Carla Baker (338, 1986-89) for 10th place on NU’s all-time list.

The Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, Elmer ranked sixth nationally in blocks last season (1.59), and is averging 1.67 blocks per game through NU’s first eight matches to rank 18th nationally in the latest NCAA rankings.

Elmer, who tied a season high with 13 kills on .455 hitting against Missouri, averages 2.85 kills per game and leads the Husker starters in hitting percentage (.329). She totaled double figures in kills four times this fall, highlighted by a .562 performance on 11 kills against Notre Dame.

In her career, she is averaging 2.74 kills and 1.48 blocks per game, while her .361 career hitting percentage would rank among the top performers in NU history.

Setting Up
With the switch back to the 5-1 offense this season, Dani Busboom has taken full advantage of her expanded role at the center of Nebraska’s attack.

The 5-11 sophomore is second in the Big 12, averaging 13.52 assists per game. She has had a trio of 50-assist contests in 2004, including a career-high 64 assists in the five-game thriller over Notre Dame on Sept. 4. Busboom, who ranked 18th nationally in last week’s NCAA stats, is the only setter in the league to have 50 assists in a three-game match this season and has done it twice (vs. Western Michigan, 9/4; vs. Missouri, 9/15).

Her 64 assists in the win at Notre Dame ties for the third-highest total in the league this season and was most by a Husker since Greichaly Cepero had 71 against Texas A&M in the 2000 season. In fact, her 64 assists were one off Nebraska’s all-time top-20 list.

Busboom, who was an outside hitter in high school until her senior season, delivered two of her career-high four kills in Wednesday’s second game after setting a career-high with five blocks vs. Maryland on Sept. 12. Busboom has a team-high five double-doubles this season, including a 50-assist, 13-dig performance against Missouri last Wednesday.

Fabulous Freshmen
Nebraska’s top-ranked recruiting class has provided immediate dividends for the Huskers in 2004, as Sarah Pavan and Tracy Stalls have more than lived up to the lofty expectations.

Pavan leads the Huskers in kills (4.70), a total that is second in the Big 12 and among the top-30 nationally, and is third on the team in blocks (1.15). The 6-foot-5 opposite hitter has topped the Huskers in kills seven times, most recently a 14-kill effort against Texas Tech on Saturday when hit .550 and added six blocks. Pavan’s 24 kills against Florida A&M on Sept. 10 were the third-most by a Husker in the rally scoring era (2001-present) and the most since 2004 U.S. Olympian Nancy Metcalf had 25 against Florida in the 2001 NCAA Regional Final.

Over the last 21 years, only one freshman - Eileen Shannon - has led the Huskers in kills, as she holds freshmen marks in total kills (479) and kills per game (4.24).

Stalls has been equally impressive in showing the all-around abilities that made her one of the nation’s top recruits. The 6-foot-3 middle hitter is third in the Big 12 in blocking, as she averages a team-best 1.78 blocks per game. She also leads NU in service aces (six) and is third in assists (0.52 per game). Stalls has had nine or more kills in three of the Huskers’ last six matches, including a career-high 10 kills on .643 hitting at Western Michigan on Sept. 4. She also has at least five blocks on seven occasions, including eight blocks in Saturday’s win over Texas Tech. Her eight blocks against the Red Raiders matched her season high set against Notre Dame on Sept. 4.

The third member of the Husker freshman class, middle blocker Meghan Smith, is a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 recruit and provides depth at middle blocker behind Elmer and Stalls. Smith has made three appearances including last Saturday’s win against Texas Tech

Husker Youth Movement: Part 2
After a year where the Huskers played as many as five freshmen at the same time, Nebraska has seemingly gotten more youthful in 2004. All eight of the players who have started matches this year are underclassmen (two juniors, four sophomores and two freshmen). Ally Rebholz is the only senior on the 2004 roster, while only four of the 13 players are upperclassman.

Rank and File
With the No. 7 ranking in this week’s poll, Nebraska is one of two teams to be ranked in the USA Today/CSTV Coaches poll for all 307 weeks of its existence. The Huskers have been ranked in the top 10 for 273 of the 307 weeks, which ranks second behind Stanford’s 288. NU has spent 38 weeks in the top spot, and its most recent No. 1 ranking was Sept. 24, 2001.

Big 12 Well Represented in Weekly Poll
The Big 12’s early season success is evident in looking at the USA Today/CSTV Coaches poll released Monday afternoon. In addition to Nebraska, which is ranked seventh this week, five other conference teams are in the national rankings, including Texas A&M (11), Kansas State (19), Kansas (21), Texas (22) and Colorado (25). The six Big 12 teams matches the Pacific-10, which also has six teams in this week’s poll. The two leagues comprise nearly half of this week’s top-25.

No. Conference Ranked Schools
1  Big 12              Six
    Pacific-10         Six
3. Big Ten             Four
4. SEC                 Two
    Mountain West Two
    Big West          Two

Cook’s Winning Ways
Nebraska Coach John Cook has been amazingly successful during his five seasons at the helm, posting a 131-10 record (.929 winning percentage). All nine losses prior to this season have come against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including the eventual NCAA champion in both 2001 (Stanford) and 2002 (USC). In the Big 12, Cook has enjoyed even greater success, going 79-3 in his four-plus seasons. Nebraska swept through the Big 12 in 2000, 2001 and 2002 before seeing its 77-match Big 12 winning streak (dating back to 1999) end in a loss to Kansas State on Oct. 11, 2003.

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.

Sellout Streak Extends to 45
Nebraska will carry a streak of 45 consecutive sellouts at the NU Coliseum into Saturday’s match against No. 11 Texas A&M. The streak began with a 10-game stretch to close the 2001 season and extended through the 2002 and 2003 campaigns. The last non-sellout came on Sept. 25, 2001, against Creighton. Nebraska ranked third nationally in total attendance, averaging 4,239 fans per match. In 2004, every reserve seat is sold out for the season while limited general admission seating is available for most matches by calling 800-8 BIG RED.

McCormick, Elmer Named 2004 Captains
NU Volleyball Coach John Cook announced Aug. 24 that junior Melissa Elmer and sophomore Amanda McCormick have been named captains for the 2004 season. The pair are returning starters from a team that went 28-5 and reached the NCAA Regional semifinals in 2003.

The preseason Big 12 Player of the Year, Elmer is a two-year starter at middle blocker and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2003. She led the Big 12 with 1.59 blocks per game while ranking among the conference leaders with a .352 hitting percentage. The 6-foot-2 junior from Fort Wayne, Ind., was third in school history with 169 blocks, including a career-high 15 in a win over Kansas last season.

McCormick served as the Huskers’ libero in 2003, appearing in 22 matches as a true freshman. The 5-foot-6 sophomore from Muncie, Ind., set a school freshman record with 3.72 digs per game - the second-highest total in school history. She had a career-high 31 digs - the highest total in the Big 12 in 2003 - against Missouri last season.

All-America U
Melissa Elmer continued Nebraska's remarkable streak of AVCA All-Americans by earning second-team accolades in 2003. With Elmer’s selection, Nebraska has had at least one All-American every season since 1983, a total of 21 straight seasons, including 11 in Coach John Cook's four seasons at Nebraska. A total of 23 players have combined to earn 46 AVCA All-America certificates. Nebraska leads the nation in both categories.

Red, White and Blue
Nebraska continued its Olympic tradition in 2004 with Nancy (Meendering) Metcalf's selection to the U.S. Olympic team. A three-time All-American at Nebraska, Metcalf 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. Metcalf played in all six matches in Athens, as Team USA reached the quarterfinals before losing to Brazil. Of Team USA’s four losses, three came in five sets, while also sweeping three-time gold medalist Cuba in the preliminary round.

Husker Red, White and Blue: Part 2
Junior middle blocker Melisa Elmer spent part off the off-season training with the U.S. National Training Team, which was coached by NU Coach John Cook. The team won the USA Volleyball Adult Open Championships, going a perfect 4-0 and sweeping three of its four opponents en route to the title.

Success in the Classroom
Nebraska continued its successful legacy in the classroom in 2003, as Anna Schrad garnered second-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. Overall, NU has produced an NCAA-leading 17 academic All-Americans, who have earned a nation-best 26 academic All-America certificates. NU has had at least one CoSIDA Academic All-American in 17 of the last 20 seasons.

Kruse Becomes Fifth Husker to have Jersey Retired
One of the many highlights of the Red/White Scrimmage on Aug. 28, was the retiring of Janet Kruse’s jersey during the evening’s festivities.

Kruse became the fifth Husker volleyball player to earn the program's highest honor, as her No. 17 jersey was retired. One of the most decorated student-athletes to ever play in the Husker program, the Fort Calhoun, Neb., native was the Huskers' first three-time All-American, earning first-team honors in 1989 and 1990 and second-team accolades in 1991.

A two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year, Kruse was also an NCAA Top Eight Award winner and NCAA Woman of the Year Finalist. She joined Allison Weston, Lori Endicott, Cathy Noth and Karen Dahlgren in the NU Coliseum display. Kruse’s jersey was the first one retired by the Husker program since 1997.

Pavan Joins Exclusive Husker List
While Nebraska has traditionally excelled in recruiting the Midwest, freshman outside hitter Sarah Pavan joins an exclusive club among Husker volleyball players. The Kitchener, Ontario, product is only the fourth player from outside the United States in the program's 30-year history, joining Greichaly Cepero (Dorado, Puerto Rico; 1999-2002), Maria Hedbeck (Sollentuna, Sweden; 1993-96) and Debbie Brand (Adelaide, Australia; 1989-92).

HuskersNside to Carry Every Match in ?04
Volleyball fans who don’t have season tickets for the NU Coliseum can now watch every Husker match in 2004, as HuskersNside has announced plans to carry all 28 regular-season games live on the Internet. Husker fans with high-speed Internet access can watch every serve, block and spike all season. This marks the third season that Nebraska has carried volleyball matches live on HuskersNside, but the first time that Nebraska has video-streamed an entire regular-season schedule for any sport. For non-televised matches, fans will hear the radio feed with play-by-play announcer John Baylor.

To sign up for HuskerNside, go to Huskers.com and click on "subscribe" on the right-hand portion of the front page. The cost for the service is regularly $9.95 per month or $99.95 for a complete year, but fans who sign up prior to the Big 12 opener can receive a subscription for a special rate of $79.95.

Huskers Tabbed to Win Big 12 Title
The Nebraska volleyball team was picked to win the Big 12 Conference title in a vote of the league coaches released Aug. 9.

Nebraska, which finished the 2003 season with a 28-5 record, received 10 of the 11 first-place votes in the conference preseason poll, as coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. Kansas State, which won its first league title in 2003, was second with 80 points while Texas (75), Texas A&M (66) and Missouri (64) rounded out the top five in the preseason voting. The Huskers have won six of the eight league crowns in Big 12 history, including five straight titles from 1998 to 2002, and have won 25 conference titles in the program’s 28-year history. NU finished second to the Wildcats with a 17-3 mark last season.

Up Next: Huskers Return Home for TAMU
The Huskers return to the cozy confines of the Nebraska Coliseum on Saturday, Sept. 25, when No. 11 Texas A&M visits Lincoln. First serve is set for 7 p.m. and the match will be televised state-wide on Nebraska Educational Television and shown nationally on College Sports Television.