Huskers Open 2005 at AVCA/NACWAA Showcase

Matches: #1-2:  at ACVA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase
Fri.-Sat., Aug. 26-27 ? Qwest Center OMAHA (9,200)

Tournament Schedule
Friday, Aug. 26       6 p.m.        No. 3 Stanford (0-0) vs. No. 5 Penn State (0-0)
Friday, Aug. 26       8:30 p.m.*  No. 1 Nebraska (0-0) vs. No. 4 Hawaii (0-0)
Saturday, Aug. 27         5 p.m.           Friday’s Losers
Saturday, Aug. 27         7:30 p.m.*      Friday’s Winners
All times listed are central; *-30 minutes following the first match; USA Today/CSTV Rankings (8/8)

Tickets:  All-Session ($36 - reserved, $30 - general admission); Single-Day ($18 - reserved, $15 - GA);  Available from Ticketmaster (402-422-1212 in Omaha; 402-475-1212 in Lincoln) and Ticketmaster.com
NU Radio:                      Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) and Huskers.com
Television:                      All four matches will be shown live on College Sports Television  (Ch. 305 on Time Warner in Lincoln; Ch. 610 on DirecTV)
Live Stats:                      Huskers.com ? Live Internet Video: None  ? Web Audio: Huskers.com
Nebraska vs.:        Hawaii (Tied 5-5) ? Penn State (NU leads 9-5) ? Stanford (Stanford leads 7-3)

Huskers Open 2005 Campaign at AVCA/NACWAA VB Showcase
The college volleyball season opens in a big way this week, as Qwest Center OMAHA hosts the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase this weekend. The season-opening tournament features four of the top-five teams in the CSTV/AVCA preseason poll, including the top-ranked Huskers. The two-day tournament begins Friday evening, as defending national champion and No. 3 Stanford take on fifth-ranked Penn State at  6 p.m before the Huskers and fourth-ranked Hawaii meet up at 8:30 p.m. The two winners will square off Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m., while the consolation match will start at 5 p.m.

All four matches will be carried live nationally on College Sports Television (Jason Knapp-play-by-play; Annemarie Anderson-color), while all of Nebraska’s matches can be heard on selected Pinnacle Sports Network stations, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and on the Internet at Huskers.com.

This weekend’s tournament is the first volleyball matches in the 2-year-old Qwest Center, a $292 million arena/convention center that will host an NCAA Regional this December and the 2006 NCAA Volleyball Championships. Over 8,300 all-session tickets have been sold as of Tuesday afternoon, while a crowd of over 9,000 is expected. This weekend’s attendance will break the all-time AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase record of 16,292, set in 2003, while the single-match record of 9,345 (Hawaii vs. USC on Aug. 23, 2003) could also be in jeopardy.

Storylines
?- Nebraska is hosting this event for the third time in the 11-year history, as it hosted in 1995 and 1999. In both years, Nebraska did not win the event, going 1-1 with a title match loss to Stanford in 1995 before going 0-2 in 1999.

?-Nebraska will look to make history, as no host has won this tournament in the event’s 10-year history.

?-Nebraska is 27-3 (.900) all-time in season openers, including a perfect 5-0 under John Cook. The last time the Huskers dropped a season opener came in the 1999 NACWAA Classic.

?-Nebraska will be looking for its first win over a top-five opponent since defeating fifth-ranked Hawaii in the 2001 NACWAA Classic in Stockton, Calif.

?-The weekend’s tradition-rich field has combined to win 12 of the 24 all-time NCAA team titles (Stanford-6; Hawaii-3; Nebraska-2; Penn State-1) and has four of the top-10 coaches in terms of winning percentage.

 Winningest Active Coaches in Division I Volleyball
No. Coach, School                                   Record             Pct.
1.     Dave Shoji, Hawaii                        870-150-0        .853
2.     Russ Rose, Penn St.                        828-151             .846
4.     John Dunning, Stanford             559-122             .821
10.   John Cook, Nebraska                  315-84               .789
(Min. 5 years as a Division I head coach; includes record at four-year colleges only)

?-Nebraska has played well away from the NU Coliseum, winning 17 of its last 18 matches away from Lincoln.

?-Friday’s season opener will also mark John Cook’s 400th career match as a head coach.

 Nebraska’s NACWAA History
This season will mark Nebraska’s fifth appearance in the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase (formerly NACWAA Classic). The Huskers are 4-4 all-time in the event with three of those losses coming to the No. 1 team in the country at the time.

 Nebraska’s NACWAA History
Year      Opponent                 Result    Opponent              Result     
1995      No. 6 Penn State   W, 3-0    No. 1 Stanford       L, 1-3
1996      Illinois State            W, 3-1    No. 1 Hawaii           L, 0-3
1999      No. 6 Pacific               L, 2-3    No. 1 Penn State  L, 1-3
2001      No. 5 Hawaii           W, 3-0    No. 12 Pacific       W, 3-1 

Husker Captains Named
Nebraska Head Coach John Cook announced on Aug. 19, that seniors Melissa Elmer and Jennifer Saleaumua and junior Christina Houghtelling were elected captains for the 2005 season. Elmer is in her second year as team captain, while the honor was the first for both Saleaumua, a three-time All-Big 12 selection, and Houghtelling.

Husker Probable Starters
MB - #8 Melissa Elmer (6-2, Sr., Fort Wayne, Ind.) - Elmer is a two-time All-American who is bidding to become one of the best blockers in school history. She led the nation in blocking in 2004, averaging 1.89 blocks per game, while also topping NU in hitting percentage (.345). A three-year starter, she ranks third on NU’s career block assist chart (464) and seventh in total blocks (517) and could threaten school marks in both categories. Elmer has spent the last two summers training with the U.S. National Team Program.

MB - #6 Meghan Smith (6-1, So., Sidney, Neb.) - Sophomore who was one of NU’s top reserves at middle blocker in 2004. Smith appeared in eight matches, recording one kill and one block in limited duty. She was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 pick and earned Super-State honors in high school, as she led Class B in kills (6.15 per game), blocks (2.54 per game) and aces (0.80 aces per game).

-or- #17 Amanda Gates (6-2, Fr., Columbus, Neb.) - Freshman who earned first-team Super-State honors in 2004, leading Columbus High School to a Class A runner-up finish. Gates as a Fab 50 pick in 2004, as she topped Class A in hitting percentage (.476), totaling 476 kills and 97 blocks as a senior. She also earned All-America honors at the 2005 USA Volleyball Junior National Championships.

OPP - #9 Sarah Pavan (rhymes with Have-in): 6-5, Soph., Kitchener, Ontario - Returning first-team AVCA All-American and National Freshman of the Year in 2004. Pavan led NU with 4.54 kills per game, becoming the first freshman to lead the Huskers in that category since Eileen Shannon in 1989. Pavan had 20 or more kills in seven matches, including a career-high 35 in the regional title match against USC. She also averaged 1.17 blocks and 1.42 digs per game as a freshman, earning first-team All-Big 12 honors in the process. Pavan was chosen as the Big 12’s Preseason Player of the Year. Pavan, who was on the Canadian National Team at age 16, spent the summer on campus, adding 20 pounds of muscle and posting a 4.00 GPA in biochemistry.

OH - #26 Jennifer Saleaumua (Sal-ee-ah-MOO-uh); 5-11, Jr., National City, Calif. - Three-time All-Big 12 outside hitter who is one of the nation’s top outside hitters. Second-team All-American who was second on the team in both kills (3.09) and digs (3.74), earning Big 12 co-Defensive Player-of-the-Year honors. Already holds NU’s school record in digs (1,132) and has 34 career double-doubles (kills-digs). She is only 23 digs away from becoming the second player in school history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. Saleaumua, who could also play libero, joined Elmer and Houghtelling in the USA Volleyball Training program over the summer.

OH - #3 Christina Houghtelling (HOTEL-ing): 6-2, Jr., Cambridge, Neb. - Houghtelling is a versatile player who could play either outside or inside for NU. She started at outside hitter as a sophomore, averaging 2.90 kills and 2.34 blocks per game in 30 matches. Houghtelling closed the 2004 campaign with three straight double-doubles in the NCAA Tournament after posting one during the regular season. She enjoyed her best match against Missouri last November, drilling 17 kills on .739 hitting, the highest single-match total without an error in school history. Houghtelling was one of three Huskers to play in the USA Volleyball program last summer, competing on the A-2 National Team.

OH - #7 Dani Mancuso (Man-CUE-so): 6-2, Jr., Omaha, Neb. - Mancuso is the only Husker from Omaha on the 2005 roster. She split time last season with Christina Houghtelling at outside hitter, ranking fifth on the squad with 2.77 kills per game. Mancuso had a career-high 22 kills off the bench in a four-game victory at Kansas State, joining Pavan as the only Huskers with a 20-kill effort in 2004. Mancuso also was third on the team with 0.29 service aces per game in 2004.

- or - #10 Jordan Larson: 6-2, Fr., Hooper, Neb. - Larson is a true freshman who comes into NU following a decorated prep career. She was a three-time Super-State selection who was rated the No. 2 player in the country by Prepvolleyball.com. Larson set a state Class C-1 record with 501 kills on .490 hitting while establishing an all-class record with 179 service aces. She also spent two years on the U.S. Junior National Team and was named the MVP of the 2004 NORCECA Tournament. Larson was chosen as the Big 12’s Preseason Freshman of the Year by the league coaches.

S - #18 Dani Busboom, 5-11, Jr., Cortland, Neb.) - Busboom begins her third season as Nebraska’s starting setter. She split time with Michelle Lynch in NU’s 6-2 offense in 2003 before taking over the full-time reigns last season. Busboom averaged 13.10 assists per game in 2004, the highest total by a Husker setter in seven years, to earn honorable-mention AVCA All-Midwest Regional honors. She helped NU rank in the top-15 nationally in both hitting percentage and kills per game. Busboom had a team-high 15 double-doubles, including 10 in Big 12 matches.

S - #1 Maggie Griffin, 6-0, So., St. Charles, Ill.) - A transfer from Michigan State, Maggie Griffin is expected to occupy one of the Huskers’ setting roles in the 6-2 offense. She spent her freshman year at MSU, ranking sixth in the Big Ten with 12.98 assists per game to earn All-Freshman honors. She had eight double-doubles and had 50 or more aces 12 times in 26 matches for the Spartans. Griffin was a Fab 50 selection at Rosary (Ill.) High School, ranking 12th on Prepvolleyball.com’s senior aces list.

Scouting the AVCA/NACWAA Classic Field
No. 3 Stanford (30-6): Defending NCAA  champion Stanford received eight first-place votes to put them at the No. 3 spot on the preseason poll. Last year, the Cardinal relied on the play of AVCA Co-National Player of the Year Ogonna Nnamani to win the school’s sixth NCAA Championship and second under fifth-year coach John Dunning. One of only two coaches to win national titles at two Division I programs, Dunning returns four starters and his libero from last year’s 30-6 squad, including All-Pac-10 performer Kristin Richards. The Cardinal also welcome a heralded recruiting class that includes Cynthia Barboza, the reigning Gatorade National High School Player of the Year, in hopes of reclaiming its Pac-10 crown from second-ranked Washington.

Stanford leads the all-time series, 7-3, taking the last meeting in the 2001 NCAA semifinals.

No. 4 Hawaii (30-1 in 2004): Another team looking for big things in 2005 is the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine, which won their first 30 matches a year ago before falling to Wisconsin in the NCAA Regional Semifinals. Hawaii, which was ranked No. 1 for a portion of last season, is loaded with 12 of their 14 letterwinners back this fall. Hawaii welcomes back all seven starters, including five players picked for the preseason All-Western Athletic Conference team. The Rainbow Wahine are led by two-time All-America setter Kanoe Kamana’o, who was chosen as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year and All-America middle blocker Victoria Prince. Hawaii has won the last nine WAC titles and is riding a 91-match winning streak in league play.

Hawaii and Nebraska have split the 10 all-time meetings. The Rainbow Wahine snapped NU’s 63-match home winning streak, downing the Huskers in four games in the 2002 NCAA Regional Finals.

No. 5 Penn State (29-3 in 2004): Penn State rounds out the quartet with one first-place vote to put them fifth in the preseason poll. The Nittany Lions, who have won the Big Ten race in each of the past two seasons, were picked as the favorite in the league by the Big Ten coaches for the first time since 2001. Penn State welcomes back five starters from a 29-3 team that reached the NCAA Regional semifinals. The Nittany Lions placed four players on the preseason All-Big Ten team, including returning first-team All-American Sam Tortorello, who ranked sixth nationally in assists a year ago. Other preseason honorees for Coach Russ Rose include senior libero Kaleena Walters, junior middle hitter/opposite Cassy Salyer and sophomore outside hitter Kate Price. Penn State also welcomes a talented class of newcomers, including three state players of the year.

The Huskers hold a 9-5 lead over Penn State in the all-time series, but are looking to snap a three-match losing streak to the Nittany Lions. The Huskers have not defeated Penn State since the epic 1996 regional final, a match NU won 20-18 in game five. That match is considered by long-time Husker fans as one of the most memorable matches in school history.

Stalls to Miss AVCA Tourney
Nebraska will be without one of its starters this weekend, as middle blocker Tracy Stalls continues to recover from off-season knee surgery. The 6-foot-3 sophomore from Arvada, Colo., ranked 11th nationally in blocking in 2004, averaging 1.65 blocks per game in 30 contests. Stalls, a former member of the U.S. National Team, established NU freshman marks for total blocks (160) and block assists (148), while ranking eighth in the Big 12 with a .322 hitting percentage. Stalls has been practicing on a limited basis, and should be back for the start of Big 12 play in mid-September.

Saleaumua Goes for 1,000-1,000 Mark
Senior captain Jennifer Saleaumua is on the verge of becoming only the second player to reach 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs during her career. The senior from National City, Calif., enters the year with 977 kills and a school-record 1,132 digs. She broke the career mark of 1,111 set by Lindsay Wischmeier (1999-2000) during the NCAA Regional Final against USC. The only other player in school history to reach the 1,000-1,000 mark is Eileen Shannon, who had 1,521 kills and 1,074 digs from 1989 to 1992.

Rank and File
Nebraska is one of two teams to be ranked in the USA Today/AVCA Coaches poll for all 320 weeks of its existence (including the preseason poll).  The Huskers have been ranked in the top 10 for 286 of the 320 weeks, which ranks second behind Stanford’s 291. NU has spent a total of 41 weeks in the top spot, and its most recent No. 1 ranking was Dec. 6, 2004. Only UCLA (51), Hawaii (48) and Stanford (47) have spent more weeks at No. 1 than Nebraska.

Huskers Picked to Win Big 12
Defending Big 12 champion Nebraska was selected to win the 2005 volleyball title in the annual preseason polling of the league’s head coaches.  The Huskers captured all 10 of the possible first-place votes and 100 points overall, with coaches not being allowed to vote for their own teams.

In 2004, NU finished the season with a perfect league record (20-0) for the fourth time in conference history (2000-02, ?04) and 15th overall. The Huskers have earned seven of the nine previous crowns.  

Missouri finished second behind NU with 88 points.  Texas, Texas A&M and Kansas round out the top five, while Kansas State, Baylor and Colorado hold the six-eight spots.  Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Iowa State are ninth, 10th, and 11th, respectively. 

Nebraska paced the conference with three All-Big 12 selections while earning two of the three individual honors. 

Husker sophomore Sarah Pavan headlines the preseason awards as the Player of the Year.  Last season, the Kitchener, Ontario, native became the first freshman in school history to be named an American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American.  She also received the organization’s National Freshman of the Year accolade, another first for an NU player. Pavan earned Big 12 Freshman of the Year and was named all-conference first team after recording 4.54 kills per game and a .322 hitting percentage in all matches.  In  conference action, Pavan averaged 4.43 kills while maintaining a .339 hitting efficiency.  The outside hitter set Husker freshman marks for kills (481) and kills per game, while recording 20-or-more kills seven times.  Pavan posted a career-high and NU postseason record 35 in last year’s regional final loss to USC -- the fifth-highest single-match total in school history.

Pavan’s teammate Jordan Larson was tabbed as the Preseason Freshman of the Year.  The 2004 Gatorade Nebraska High School Player of the Year compiled a Class C-1 state record 501 kills on a .490 hitting clip during her senior campaign at Logan View High School.  Larson, a three-time all-state first team pick, also contributed 179 aces to lead the squad to the state semifinals.  Internationally, she was a member of the U.S. Junior National Team for two years (2003-04). She led Team USA to the gold medal and claimed the Most Valuable Player and Best Receiver honors at the 2004 NORCECA Championships.

Returning All-Americans Melissa Elmer and Jennifer Saleaumua joined Pavan on the preseason all-conference team. Elmer, a first-team All-American in 2004, led the nation in blocking (1.89 blocks per game) while averaging 2.91 kills per game. Saleaumua, a second-team AVCA All-American in 2004, returns after averaging 3.09 kills and 3.74 digs per contest. Saleaumua was the league’s co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, as Nebraska led the country in defense, holding opposing teams to a .103 hitting percentage.

2005 Big 12 Preseason Volleyball Poll
Rank     Team (First-place Votes)         Points
1.              Nebraska(10)                                       100
2.              Missouri                                                88
3.              Texas                                                      77
4.              Texas A&M                                          72
5.              Kansas                                                   68
6.              Kansas State                                       56
7.              Baylor                                                     43
8.              Colorado                                               43
9               Oklahoma                                              24
10.            Texas Tech                                           21
11.            Iowa State                                            13

Huskers to be Tested in 2005
Nebraska Head Coach John Cook has put together one of the most challenging schedules in program history in 2005.

? Nineteen of Nebraska's matches will be against teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2004, including a potential matchup with NCAA Champion Stanford at the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase and a match at NCAA runner-up Minnesota.

? Nebraska could meet four of the top six teams in the AVCA poll, with matches against Hawaii, Penn State and Minnesota already scheduled. NU could also face Stanford at the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase in Omaha

? The Huskers could face 13 times (a total of 19 times) against teams that were ranked or received votes in the preseason CSTV/AVCA Coaches poll.

? Seven Big 12 teams qualified for the 2004 NCAA Tournament in 2004 - the most of any conference.

Huskers Reload with Young Talent
One year after pulling in the nation’s best recruiting class, Nebraska pulled in its second straight top-three class in the offseason. The group is led by outside hitter Jordan Larson, who was rated the No. 2 high school senior in the country by prepvolleyball.com. All four freshman earned prep All-America honors, while Holloway (U.S. Youth National Team) and Larson (U.S. Junior National Team) both have extensive experience in the USA Volleyball program.

2005 Top Recruiting Classes
No.        PrepVolleyball.com               Volleyball Magazine
1.           Stanford                                   Stanford           
2.           Penn State                              Penn State       
3.           Nebraska                                 Nebraska
4.           Minnesota                               Georgia Tech
5.           California                                 Minnesota

Larson Shines in Red/White Scrimmage
Freshman Jordan Larson’s match-high 13 kills led the Red squad to a 30-21, 30-27, 30-28 victory in front of a crowd of 3,496 at the NU Coliseum on Aug. 20.

The fans in attendance were treated to festivities that included honoring former Head Coach Terry Pettit and the 1995 National Champion Husker squad. The crowd of 3,496 broke the Red/White attendance of 2,808 set last season.

The 6-foot-2 freshman from Hooper, Neb., split time with both squads, totaling nine of her 12 kills in the final two games. She finished the night hitting .354 on 31 swings, while adding 11 digs and a pair of service aces. Larson was one of three current players who finished in double figures in kills, as All-Americans Sarah Pavan and Jennifer Saleaumua added 11 kills apiece. Saleaumua posted a double-double in the win, as she totaled a match-high 22 digs for the Red squad.  Freshman middle blocker Amanda Gates had seven kills and three blocks in the losing effort.

Husker Block is Best in the Land
Nebraska volleyball is known nationally for its outstanding blocking, and the 2004 season was no exception. The Huskers led the nation for the fourth time in five years, averaging 4.02 blocks per game. Last season marked just the fifth time in school history that Nebraska averaged more than four blocks per game (also 1986, 1998, 2000 and 2001). The Huskers also return the nation’s top individual blocker in two-time All-American Melissa Elmer, who averaged 1.89 blocks per game in 2004.

The Nation’s Top Defense
Another reason for Nebraska’s success in 2004 was its play on the defensive side of the court. NU led the nation in opponent hitting percentage, holding opponents to just .103 hitting. The mark broke the school record of .106 set in 2001. In fact, only four opponents hit above .200 against the Huskers during the 2004 campaign.

Top Defenses (listed by opponent hitting pct.)
Rank          Name                                      Opponent Hitting Pct.
1.                 Nebraska                                                .103
2.                 Florida A&M                                          .127
3.                 Florida                                                      .137

Cook’s Winning Ways
Nebraska Coach John Cook has been amazingly successful during his five seasons at the helm, posting a 154-11 record (.933 winning percentage). All 11 losses have come against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including the eventual NCAA champion in both 2001 (Stanford) and 2002 (USC).  The Huskers have played 545 games during Cook’s tenure, winning 471 and losing just 74 (.864).

In the Big 12, Cook has enjoyed even greater success, going 97-3 in his five seasons. Nebraska has posted four undefeated seasons in league play (2000-02, 2004) and has dropped just 33 of the 329 conference games it has played over the past five seasons, good for an .899 winning percentage. 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.

Winningest Division I Programs (2000-present)
No.      Team                              Record            Pct.      
1.          Nebraska                      154-11           .933
2.          Hawaii                            160-12           .930
3.          USC                                143-14           .911
4.          Florida                            155-17           .901
5.          Northern Iowa             144-26           .847
6.          Florida A&M                127-26           .830
7.          Colorado State           136-30           .819
8.          Penn State                   135-30           .818
9.          Stanford                        139-32           .813
10.       Georgia Tech               138-32           .812

 

All-America U

Nebraska continued its string of All-America success in 2004, as Melissa Elmer, Sarah Pavan and Jennifer Saleaumua were named AVCA All-Americans. For Elmer, it was her second straight All-America certificate, as she was a second-team selection in 2003 before earning first-team honors in 2004. It was the first award for both Pavan, a first-team honoree, and Saleaumua, a second-team selection. Nebraska has had at least one All-American every season since 1983, a total of 23 straight seasons, including 14 in Coach John Cook's five seasons at Nebraska. A total of 25 players have combined to earn 49 AVCA All-America certificates. Nebraska leads the nation in both categories.

Sellout Streak Extends to 56
Nebraska will carry a streak of 56 consecutive sellouts at the NU Coliseum into the 2005 season. The Huskers sold out all 15 matches they played at the Coliseum last season. The streak began with a 10-game stretch to close the 2001 season and extended through the 2002, 2003 and 2004 campaigns. The last non-sellout came on Sept. 25, 2001, against Creighton. Nebraska ranked second nationally in total attendance in 2004, averaging 4,336 fans per match.

Red, White and Blue
Nebraska continued its Olympic tradition in 2004 with Nancy Metcalf's (Meendering) selection to the U.S. Olympic team. Metcalf, a three-time All-American at Nebraska, 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. Current Huskers Melissa Elmer, Christina Houghtelling and Jennifer Saleaumua had an opportunity to train with the U.S. National Team program this summer, while Elmer and Houghtelling also represented Team USA at the Montreux Volley Masters in Montreux, Switzerland.