No. 5 Huskers Host Sooners; Travel to North Platte to Face Creighton

Match: #13
No. 5 Nebraska (11-1, 6-0 Big 12) vs. Oklahoma (8-6, 0-6 Big 12)
NU Coliseum ? Sat., Oct. 9 ? 3 p.m.
Tickets: Sold out; the 48th consecutive sellout at the NU Coliseum
Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) and Huskers.com
Television: Nebraska Educational Television (NETV)
Live Internet Video: HuskersNside. For more information visit Huskers.com
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Series Record: Nebraska leads the all-time series 60-6, dating back to Nov. 8, 1975
Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 3-0 (30-17, 30-18, 30-19) in Lincoln on Nov. 1, 2003
Coach Cook vs. Oklahoma: 8-0

Match: #14:
No. 5 Nebraska vs. Creighton (11-4)
North Platte High School (North Platte, Neb.) ? Sun., Oct. 10 ? 3 p.m.
Tickets: Sold out; A crowd of 2,400 is expected
Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) and Huskers.com
Television: None
Live Internet Video: Free Live Video Streaming is available at Huskers.com
Live Stats: None
Series Record: Nebraska leads the all-time series 6-0, dating back to Sept. 16, 1980
Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 3-0 (30-11, 30-15, 30-14) in Lincoln on Sept. 29, 2002
Coach Cook vs. Creighton: 2-0

No. 5 Huskers Host Sooners; Travel to North Platte to Face Creighton
Lincoln -- Nebraska continues a stretch of three matches in five days this weekend with a pair of matches this weekend. The Huskers (11-1, 5-0 Big 12) will play host to Oklahoma on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the NU Coliseum before traveling to North Platte to face in-state rival Creighton Sunday at 3 p.m. Both matches will be carried live on the Pinnacle Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln with John Baylor and Diane Mendenhall calling the action. Saturday’s match will also be shown live throughout Nebraska on Nebraska Educational Television with Larry Punteney and Kathi Weiskamp. Both matches will be shown live on video on HuskersNside.com (Saturday) and Huskers.com (Sunday). Fans can watch Sunday’s match from North Platte for free on Huskers.com with a high speed connection.

Nebraska comes into the weekend matches on an eight-match winning streak after defeating Baylor, 3-0, on Wednesday. In that match, Christina Houghtelling (12 kills and 13 digs), Jennifer Saleaumua (10 kills and 14 digs) and Dani Busboom (37 assists and 11 digs) all recorded double-doubles, as the Huskers posted their eighth straight sweep.

Nebraska also received a big boost from senior Ally Rebholz, who had five kills and a season-high six blocks in her first start of the season, as she replaced Tracy Stalls in the lineup.

Oklahoma (8-6, 0-6 Big 12) opened the season with eight straight wins before struggling in league play, as they have dropped all six matches, including a sweep to Missouri on Wednesday.

Storylines
? - Nebraska has won the last 13 meetings against Oklahoma dating back to 1997. In fact, the last 22 meetings between the two teams have been sweeps.
? - Nebraska is 23-0 against the Sooners in Lincoln and has not dropped a game at home since the 1993 season.
? - Nebraska has won all six meetings against Creighton - all by sweeps.
? - 14 of the 28 players in the Nebraska-Creighton match are from the state of Nebraska.
? - The Huskers have played one other time in North Platte, when the Huskers defeated Wyoming in five games on Sept. 18, 1992, at Mid-Plains Community College. Sunday’s match at North Platte High School is a sellout, as all 2,400 tickets were sold out within an hour.
? - Nebraska will look to hold its fifth opponent to negative hitting numbers in the last nine matches, as opponents are hitting just .037 since the loss to Florida A&M on Sept. 11. In fact, only Missouri, which hit .155 in a Husker sweep on Sept. 15, has hit over .150 in that stretch.
? - One Husker tradition that has continued in 2004 has been outstanding blocking, as the Huskers have out-blocked all 12 foes this season, and the last 18 dating back to last season. Melissa Elmer (1.77 b/g) and Tracy Stalls (1.65 b/g) rank first and fifth, respectively, in the league in that category.
? - One of the overlooked reasons for the success of the Huskers this season has been the improved play of sophomore Dani Busboom, who is second in the Big 12 averaging 13.31 assists per game. Her current average is the highest by a Husker setter since three-time All-American Fiona Nepo averaged 13.79 as a senior in 1998. Only four setters in NU history have averaged more than 13 assists per game.

Oct. 16 Start Time vs. ISU Set for 7 p.m.
Nebraska’s Oct. 16 match against Iowa State at the Bob Devaney Sports Center has been set for 7 p.m. Both Nebraska’s volleyball and football teams will be in action that day, as the Husker football team takes on Baylor at 1 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. The match was moved to the 13,595-seat Devaney Center to give more Husker fans the opportunity to see the Huskers in action.

In 2000, Nebraska set a then-NCAA record, as a school-record crowd of 12,504 saw Nebraska’s match with Colorado at the Devaney Center.

Tickets for the Oct. 16 match against the Cyclones are on sale by calling the Nebraska Ticket Office at (800) 8-Big Red or by logging on the Internet at Huskers.com.

NU-CU Match to be Streamed for Free on Huskers.com
Fans who don’t have tickets for Sunday’s match-up between Nebraska and Creighton in North Platte can see all of the action for free on the Internet. Live video streaming of Sunday’s contest between the Huskers and Bluejays will be available for free on Huskers.com. Those wishing to view the live stream should access Huskers.com and click on the match link on the Live Events right-side rollover tab. The stream will use HuskersNside’s innovative streaming technology to bring fans the game in real time with audio provided by John Baylor of B107.3 FM.

Fans who watch the Oct. 10 match can see just a sampling of the volleyball items available on HuskersNside, as the site shows every Husker volleyball match, as well as the Husker volleyball television show, Coach Cook’s weekly press conference and video highlights and features not available anywhere else. The service sends video streams at 300 and 600 kbs which limits access to high speed connections. To find out more information about HuskersNside, please visit Huskers.com.

Husker Probable Starters
L - #1 Amanda McCormick (5-8, So., Muncie, Ind.) - Sophomore co-captain returned as Nebraska’s starter at libero and leads the Big 12 with 4.69 digs per game. She has reached double-figure totals in digs in 10 of NU’s 12 matches, including 25 against No. 11 Texas A&M on Sept. 25 and 20 vs. Florida on Sept. 10. Her 25 digs tied Mandy Monson for the second-most ever by a Husker in a three-game match. McCormick also paces the Big 12 in digs in league matches at 5.61 per game after an 18-dig effort Wednesday.

MB - #8 Melissa Elmer (6-2, Jr., Fort Wayne, Ind.) - Returning AVCA All-American who anchors the Huskers’ blocking corps and averages 3.03 kills and a Big 12-high 1.77 blocks per game. Elmer tops Nebraska in hitting percentage (.347), a total that is ninth in the league. She had nine kills and six blocks in Wednesday’s win. Elmer has shined in NU’s biggest matches, hitting .402 and averaging 3.18 kills and 1.71 blocks per game in NU’s five matches against ranked opponents. She earned All-Big 12 honors in 2003, leading NU with 1.59 blocks per game along 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.

MB - #13 Ally Rebholz (6-1, Sr., Indianapolis, Ind.) - Rebholz made her first start of the year Wednesday against Baylor, recording five kills and six blocks in the win. She trained at the outside hitter position throughout her NU career until recently moving to middle blocker to add depth. Rebholz is averaging 2.00 blocks per game in the wins over Kansas, where she started game three, and BU. On the year, she is averaging 1.21 kills and 0.93 blocks per game. The lone senior on the roster, Rebolz averaged 2.33 kills and 0.92 blocks per game in 2003 while appearing in 29 matches.

S - #18 Dani Busboom (5-11, So., Cortland, Neb.) - Busboom enters the weekend ranked second in the Big 12 with 13.31 assists per game. She leads the team with seven double-doubles after a 37-assist, 11-dig effort in the sweep of Baylor. 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 2.87 digs and 0.56 blocks per game. She guides an offense that second in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.278) and in kills per game (17.44). Busboom totaled 700 assists as a freshman in 2003, 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 (4.79) and topped the Huskers nine times in 12 matches. She is second in the league in kills and eighth in blocks per game (1.33). She dominated in a sweep over No. 11 Texas A&M on Sept. 25, recording 23 kills on .500 hitting with four blocks and eight digs. She was held to 10 kills against Baylor, but added seven digs and five blocks in the sweep. In league matches, she is tied for the lead in blocks per game (1.89) with Melissa Elmer and third in kills per game (4.78) . At Texas Tech on Sept. 18, Pavan hit a season-best .550 (14 kills on 20 attacks) and added six blocks. She 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 (3.97), while hitting .270. She has four double-doubles (kills and digs) this year and had 18 kills - one off a career high - at Notre Dame on Sept. 4. She picked up her fifth double-double of the year on Wednesday against Baylor with 10 kills and 14 digs. She is sixth in the Big 12 in digs and is 102 digs away from becoming the seventh Husker to record 1,000 career digs. 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 previous 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 all six of NU’s Big 12 contests. Is one of four Huskers averaging more than three kills per game, as she averages 3.02 kills, 2.50 digs and 0.42 service aces per game. She recorded her first career double-double on Wednesday against Baylor with 12 kills and a career-high 13 digs. Houghtelling shined in the win at No. 24 Kansas on Sept. 29, setting career highs in kills (13) and hitting percentage (.500) while adding eight digs and four service aces. Over her last three matches, she is averaging 3.67 kills, 3.67 digs and 0.78 service aces per game while hitting .292. She missed part of 2003 with a knee injury, but had eight-or-more kills four times, including nine vs. No. 10 Georgia Tech.

-or- #7 Dani Mancuso (6-2 So., Omaha, Neb.) - Mancuso has started four matches at outside hitter and is averaging 2.63 kills per game. She saw her first action since Sept. 22 in Wednesday’s win over Baylor, recording three kills in the finale. Mancuso tied a career-high with 16 kills and added 11 digs for her first career double-double vs. Florida A&M on Sept. 10. 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 Oklahoma
Under the direction of first-year coach Santiago Restrepo, Oklahoma comes to Lincoln looking to snap a six-match losing streak. The Sooners are 8-6 overall, highlighted by a eight-match winning streak to open the year. The eight-match winning streak helped Oklahoma to its best start in school history and included an impressive five-game win over BYU.

Before taking over the Sooner program, Restrepo was the head coach at Southern Miss for three years, guiding USM to a 27-6 record in 2003.

The Sooners are led by outside hitter Joanna Schmitt, who ranks 10th in the league with an average of 3.73 kills per game. Schmitt is one of two Oklahoma players averaging more than three kills per game, as Keri Coats is at 3.10 kills per game, while hitting .331 on the season.

Nebraska-Oklahoma Series
Nebraska has had the best of the all-time series with Oklahoma, holding a commanding 60-6 lead in a series that dates back to 1975. The Huskers have won the last 13 matches over Oklahoma - all by sweeps - dating back to the 1997 season. In fact, the Nebraska has won all 23 meetings with the Sooners in Lincoln.

Scouting Creighton
Second-year coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth has orchestrated a quick turnaround of the Bluejay program, as Creighton heads into the weekend with an 11-4 record, one win shy of last season’s victory total. Outside hitter Leah Ratzlaff leads Creighton, averaging a team-best 4.17 kills per game, while middle blocker Ashley Williams hits a team-high .304 while averaging 3.11 kills and 1.05 blocks per game.

Nebraska-Creighton Series
Nebraska has won all six meetings in the series between the state’s two Division I programs, including a 30-11, 30-15, 30-14 sweep at the Devaney Center during the 2002 season.

Baylor Recap
Christina Houghtelling recorded her first career double-double, lifting the fifth-ranked Nebraska volleyball team to a 30-22, 30-23, 30-13 win over Baylor in front of a sellout crowd of 4,124 at the NU Coliseum Wednesday evening.

The 6-foot-2 sophomore finished with a match-high 12 kills, a career-high 13 digs and a season-high three service aces, as the Huskers (11-1, 6-0 Big 12) posted their eighth consecutive sweep.

Houghtelling was one of three Huskers with double-doubles in the win as Jennifer Saleaumua finished with 10 kills and 14 digs for her fourth double-double of the season and first since Sept. 11. Dani Busboom also had a double-double with 37 assists and 11 digs.

The double-doubles, along with another solid defensive performance, helped the Huskers overcome a slow start en route to their 18th win in as many meetings over Baylor. Nebraska, which has allowed only one opponent to hit over .200 all season, held Baylor to .022 hitting and out-blocked the Bears, 14-8, sparked by a 8-0 advantage in the finale.

Freshman Sarah Pavan totaled 10 kills, five blocks and seven digs, while All-American Melissa Elmer had nine kills and six blocks for Nebraska, which has out-blocked all 12 opponents this season. Senior Ally Rebholz, making her first start of the year, also provided the big spark in game three with four blocks, as she finished with five kills and six blocks.

Huskers Have Foes Seeing Red
One of the reasons for Nebraska’s continued success is its play on the defensive side of the court. The Huskers are holding opponents to a league-low .085 hitting percentage and have allowed only one opponent ? Notre Dame, which hit .277 on Sept. 4 ? to hit above .200.

Over the last eight matches, the Huskers have been even tougher, holding four opponents to negative hitting totals, as opponents have combined to hit just .037 in that stretch.

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 Sept. 18, the Red Raiders hit -.032, while NU held Kansas to -.046 on Sept 29, the lowest total by a Nebraska opponent since Iowa State hit -.051 on Nov. 14, 2002.

Under John Cook, the Huskers have held 13 opponents to a negative hitting percentage, as the four opponents in 2004 equals the most under Cook, as the 2002 team also held four opponents to negative numbers.

Husker Block is Best in the Land
After a one-year hiatus where the Huskers were sixth nationally in blocking, the 2004 Huskers are back on top of the NCAA rankings in blocking. Nebraska led the nation in blocking in the latest NCAA ranking (3.86 blocks per game as of Oct. 4) and comes into the weekend averaging 3.92 blocks per game. The Huskers have out-blocked their last 18 opponents dating back to last season, including two matches against Notre Dame, which led the nation in blocking during the 2003 season.

Elmer Puts Up All-America Numbers
After earning second-team All-America honors in 2003, Melissa Elmer has continued to make strides this fall. The 6-foot-2 middle blocker was chosen as the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year this fall and has been an instrumental part in NU’s success this fall. She leads the Huskers in blocks (1.77/gm) and hitting percentage (.347) while ranking fourth in kills (3.03). She leads in the Big 12 in blocks and was ranked fifth nationally in this week’s NCAA rankings.

Elmer has played her best matches against NU’s toughest foes, as she is hitting .402 with 3.18 kills per game in five matches against ranked opponents. Elmer comes off one of her best efforts of the year against No. 24 Kansas, when she had 11 kills and five blocks while hitting .562 in the sweep of the Jayhawks.

Elmer ranks 10th all-time with 354 block assists and moved past Carla Baker (338, 1986-89) for 10th place on NU’s all-time list against Colorado on Sept. 22. She needs 14 more blocks to reach 400 in her Husker career.

In her career, she is averaging 2.77 kills and 1.50 blocks per game, while her .360 career hitting percentage would rank among the top performers in NU history.

Saleaumua Digs on in Career Record
One career mark that could be in jeapordy this season is the school record for career digs. Jennifer Saleaumua comes into the weekend with 898 digs, and needs just 102 more digs to become the seventh Husker with 1,000 career digs. At her career average of 3.58 digs per game, Saleaumua could become Nebraska’s all-time leader in digs this season, passing Lindsay Wischmeier, who had 1,111 digs from 1999 to 2002.

Saleaumua could join another exclusive club this season, as only one other player in school history - Eileen Shannon who had 1,521 kills and 1,074 digs - has ever reached the 1,000 mark in both kills and digs in their career.

Houghtelling Shines in Shift Outside
One of the pleasent suprises early in 2004 has been the play of outside hitter Christina Houghtelling, The sophomore from Cambridge, Neb., began her career at Nebraska as a middle blocker before a knee injury curtailed a promising 2003 season. This fall, she was shifted outside and has been a force for Nebraska. She has had five games of at least 10 kills, including a 13-kill effort when she hit .500 in a sweep of Kansas on Sept. 29 and a team-high 12 kills in Wednesday’s win over Baylor. She averages 3.04 kills and 2.50 digs per contest. One of NU’s best servers, she unveiled her jump serve for the first time against No. 11 Texas A&M on Sept. 25 and has had seven aces in NU’s last three matches. She now ranks eighth in the Big 12 in league play, averaging .0.41 service aces per game.

Busboom Gives the Huskers Assists
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.

Busboom is second in the Big 12, averaging 13.31 assists per game. She has had a trio of 50-assist contests in 2004, including a career-high 64 assists in a win at No. 25 Notre Dame on Sept. 4. If she continues her current assist pace, it would be the highest average by a Husker setter since 1998 when Fiona Nepo averaged 13.79 assists per game.

Busboom, who ranked 18th nationally in assists in last week’s NCAA stats, is the only setter in the league to have 50 assists in a three-game match more than once this season, accomplishing the feat against Western Michigan (9/4) and Missouri (9/15).

Busboom, who was an outside hitter in high school until her senior season, has a team-high seven double-doubles this season, including one in each of NU’s last two matches.

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 (4.78), a total that is second in the Big 12, and is eighth in the league in blocks (1.33). Pavan is the only player in the league who is in the top-10 in both kills and blocks.The 6-foot-5 opposite hitter has topped the Huskers in kills nine times, most recently against No. 11 Texas A&M on Sept. 22 when she drilled 23 kills on .500 hitting. Her 24 kills against Florida A&M on Sept. 10 were the third-most by a Husker in the rally scoring era and the most since U.S. Olympian Nancy Metcalf had 25 against Florida in the 2001 NCAA Regional Final.

Her numbers in Big 12 matches are even better, as she is tied for first in blocks (1.89), third in kills (4.78) and seventh in hitting percentage (.351). Pavan hit a season-high .550 (14-3-20) at Texas Tech on Sept. 18 while adding six blocks.

Over the last 21 years, only one freshman - Eileen Shannon in 1989 - has led the Huskers in kills, as she holds freshman marks in both kills (479) and kills per game (4.24), totals that Pavan is on pace to obliterate this fall.

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 fifth in the Big 12 and in blocking, averaging 1.66 blocks per game to rank 13th in last week’s NCAA rankings. She also is second on the team in service aces (eight) and is third in assists (0.46 per game). Stalls has had nine or more kills three times, including a career-high 10 kills on .643 hitting at Western Michigan on Sept. 4. She also has at least five blocks in eight matches, including eight at Texas Tech (9/18) and seven at No. 25 Colorado (9/22). 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 and has appeared in three matches.

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. Eight of the nine players who have started matches this year are underclassmen (two juniors, four sophomores and two freshmen), as senior Ally Rebholz made her first start of the year on Wednesday. In fact, only four of the 13 players on the 2004 are upperclassmen.

Rank and File
With the No. 5 ranking in this week’s poll, Nebraska is one of two teams to be ranked in the USA Today/CSTV Coaches poll for all 308 weeks of its existence. The Huskers have been ranked in the top 10 for 274 of the 308 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.

Cook’s Winning Ways
Nebraska Coach John Cook has been amazingly successful during his five seasons at the helm of the Husker program, posting a 135-10 record (.931 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 82-3 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 47
Nebraska will carry a streak of 47 consecutive sellouts at the NU Coliseum into Saturday’s match against Oklahoma. The streak began with a 10-match 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 ranks second nationally in total attendance, averaging 4,152 fans per match this season. In 2004, every reserve seat is sold out for the season while limited general admission seating is available for selected matches by calling 800-8 BIG RED.

Husker Dig in Defensively
One significant improvement for Nebraska has been on the defensive end. The Huskers, who were second in the league with 16.59 digs per game, have upped that total to a league-high 18.13 digs per game.

Although it is almost at the halfway point of the season, Nebraska is on pace to shatter the school mark of 17.27 digs per game set in 1993 and rank among the top-five totals in Big 12 history. Individually, both Amanda McCormick (4.69 digs per game) and Jennifer Saleaumua (3.97) are both above the current school record of 3.90 digs per game set by Saleaumua last season.

Pavan Earns Big 12 Weekly Honor
Sarah Pavan was chosen as the Big 12 Volleyball Player of the Week (Sept. 20-26). The 6-foot-5 outside hitter from Kitchener, Ontario, led NU to sweeps over No. 25 Colorado and No. 11 Texas A&M. In the two matches, she totaled 44.5 points, recorded 39 kills (6.50/game), 10 blocks (1.69/game) and 12 digs (2.00/game), while hitting .492. Pavan totaled 16 kills on .478 hitting and added six blocks in a win at Colorado on Sept. 22 before recording 23 kills on .500 hitting against the 11th-ranked Aggies on Sept. 25.

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.

McCormick, Elmer Named 2004 Captains
NU Coach John Cook announced Aug. 24 that Melissa Elmer and Amanda McCormick were named captains for the 2004 season.

The preseason Big 12 Player of the Year, Elmer 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 at Kansas.

McCormick served as the Huskers’ libero in 2003, appearing in 22 matches. The sophomore from Muncie, Ind., set a school freshman record with 3.72 digs per game, including a career-high 31 against Missouri in 2003.

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.

Husker Volleyball on Television
Nebraska Athletic Department announced that a total of 10 Husker volleyball matches will be televised this season. The 2004 broadcast schedule began on Sept. 15, with the Huskers’ match against Missouri and will continue with. eight other games will be carried live on NETV, highlighted by tilts against Texas A&M (Sept. 25), Colorado (Oct. 27), Kansas State (Nov. 6), Kansas (Nov. 12) and Texas (Nov. 24). In addition, five matches will be carried nationally by College Sports Television, highlighted by the Nov. 7 match against Colorado State, which will be shown live as part of the AVCA Sunday Night Spikes Package.

Oct. 13 Match at KSU on Fox Sports Midwest
In addition to the 10 above matches, Nebraska’s match at Kansas State next Wednesday, Oct. 13, will be carried on Fox Sports Midwest on a tape-delay basis. The match will be aired on Sunday, Oct. 17, at 3 p.m. central.

Kruse Has Jersey Retired
One of the 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.

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.