No. 1 Huskers Travel to No. 23 Kansas State

 No. 1 Huskers Travel to No. 23 Kansas State
The No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team wraps up the first round of Big 12 play on Wednesday night with one of its toughest tests of the year, as the Huskers travel to Manhattan, Kan., to take on the No. 23 Wildcats. First serve from Ahearn Fieldhouse is set for 7 p.m., and the match will be carried on selected Pinnacle Sports Network stations, including B107.3 FM in both Lincoln and Omaha. The match will also be shown on HuskersNside, a subscription site that carries nearly all of the Huskers’ regular-season matches.

Nebraska heads to Manhattan with an 18-0 record and a two-match lead in the Big 12 following a sweep of Texas on Saturday in Lincoln. In that match, Jordan Larson, Melissa Elmer and Sarah Pavan all reached double figures in kills, while NU out-blocked the taller Longhorns, 10-4. Balance has been the key for Nebraska throughout 2005, as four players (Elmer, Pavan, Larson and Christina Houghtelling) average over 2.95 kills per game while NU ranks first or second in the Big 12 nearly every offensive category, including a Big 12 best .324 hitting percentage.

Kansas State is 15-4 on the season and 5-3 in the Big 12 following a five-game win at Baylor on Saturday. The Wildcats are tough at home, going 7-2 with the losses coming to nationally ranked Minnesota and Texas.

No. 1 Nebraska (18-0, 9-0 Big 12) at No. 23 Kansas State (15-4, 6-3 Big 12)

Wednesday, Oct. 19 ? 7 p.m.
Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network
(B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha)

Live Stats: Huskers.com

Live Internet Video: HuskersNside (subscription required)

Internet Audio: Huskers.com

All-Time Series: Nebraska leads, 70-3

Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 30-27, 30-24, 30-13 in Lincoln on Nov. 6, 2004

Did You Know?
? Nebraska has held its last four opponents to a combined .072 hitting, as it leads the Big 12 in opponent hitting (.129).
? Jordan Larson was chosen as the Big 12’s Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 4.78 points, 3.89 kills and 3.11 digs while hitting .397 in three matches last week. ? Nebraska’s eight wins over ranked opponents leads the nation, as Nebraska (8-0), Washington (7-0) and Penn State (6-2) are the only teams with at least five wins against ranked teams.

Worth Noting and Streaks to Watch
?-Dani Busboom is 25 assists away from becoming only the eighth Husker in school history to record 2,500 assists in her career. The junior setter had a career-high 66 assists in NU’s four-game win at Kansas State last season.

?-While Monday and Tuesday are fall break from classes, a quartet of Huskers have been busy as Busboom, Sarah Pavan, Christina Houghtelling and Amanda Gates are part of the Fall Tour of Excellence, talking to elementary school students in Blair and Nebraska City on the importance of education.

?-Nebraska is 53-1 in Big 12 road matches under Head Coach John Cook with the only loss coming at Kansas State in 2003.

?- In 22 career matches against ranked opponents, Sarah Pavan averages 4.64 kills per game, well above her 4.20 career kills per game average.

?-Nebraska has won its last 21 road matches dating back to November of 2003. In fact, NU has won 26 of its last 27 matches outside of Lincoln in that span with the only loss coming to USC in the 2004 NCAA Regional Final.

?-The Huskers have won their last 32 matches in Big 12 play, dating back to Nov. 19, 2003.

?-Nebraska has won its last 42 regular-season matches dating back to Sept. 11, 2004.

?-Middle blocker Tracy Stalls averaged 3.00 kills and 1.86 blocks in two wins over KSU last season, while Dani Mancuso had a career-high 23 kills in NU’s victory in Manhattan last October.

Husker Probable Starters
MB - #8 Melissa Elmer: 6-2, Sr., Fort Wayne, Ind. - Elmer is a two-time AVCA All-American and one of the best middle blockers in the country. She leads the nation with 2.33 blocks per game, including 10 or more blocks five times, and is second in the Big 12 with a .446 hitting percentage, as she averages 2.95 kills per game. She also leads the Big 12 in both categories (2.23 blocks and .479 hitting). She ranks second all-time at NU in total blocks (657), trailing only Amber Holmquist’s school mark of 728 (1999-02). Over NU’s last five matches, Elmer is averaging 3.35 kills on .510 hitting while also averaging 2.71 blocks per game. Elmer had 11 kills on 12 swings against Creighton, 10 blocks against Texas Tech and 11 kills and six stuffs vs. No. 18 Texas on Saturday. At Missouri on Oct. 5, she had a season-high 17 kills on .546 hitting before totaling a Big 12 record 16 blocks at Kansas on Oct. 8. Elmer has been named MVP in two tournaments (Sports Imports Classic and InfoUSA/Arby’s Players Challenge).

MB - #11 Tracy Stalls: 6-3, So., Arvada, Colo. - Stalls has played in 11 matches, averaging 1.45 blocks and 1.18 kills per game. She enjoyed her best match of the year at Oklahoma on Sept. 28, setting season highs in both kills (eight) and blocks (eight). She had seven against No. 20 Texas A&M on Sept. 21 and five against fourth-ranked Penn State on Sept. 11. Stalls also had six kills and three blocks against No. 7 Missouri on Oct. 5. Stalls ranked 11th nationally in blocking as a freshman at 1.65 blocks per game. Before enrolling at NU, Stalls served a two-year stint in the U.S. National Developmental Program and was on the U.S. National Team.

OPP - #9 Sarah Pavan (rhymes with Have-in): 6-5, Soph., Kitchener, Ontario - The AVCA National Freshman of the Year and first-team All-American in 2004, Pavan is having a stellar 2005 season, averaging 3.62 kills, 1.63 digs and 1.40 blocks per game. She ranks sixth in the league in blocks and in points per game (4.62) and eighth in hitting percentage (.346). In Big 12 matches, she is hitting .362 and averaging 3.77 kills per game, ranking among the league leaders in both categories. Pavan had 12 kills, six digs and three blocks in Saturday’s win over Texas. She posted her second double-double of the year with 12 kills and 12 digs against Creighton on Oct. 11. Pavan had 11 kills and nine blocks at Kansas on Oct. 8 and had a season-high 18 kills and 11 digs at Missouri on Oct. 5. She hit .500 or better in NU’s first three Big 12 matches, capped by 13 kills on .522 hitting and seven blocks vs. Iowa State on Sept. 24. Against Pepperdine on Sept. 9, Pavan recorded her first career triple-double with 11 kills, 11 blocks and 10 digs, becoming the first Husker outside hitter since Nancy Metcalf in 1999 to accomplish the feat. Pavan, who carries a 4.0 GPA in biochemistry, was a member of the Canadian National Team at age 16.

OH - #3 Christina Houghtelling (HOTEL-ing): 6-2, Jr., Cambridge, Neb. - Houghtelling has emerged as one of the Big 12’s top performers in 2005. She is second on the team with 3.52 kills per game, while ranking ninth in the league with a .336 hitting percentage. She has reached double figures in kills 13 times, and led NU five times. On Wednesday, she totaled 11 kills on .550 hitting against Texas Tech and had eight kills, five blocks and a match-high 13 digs in a sweep of No. 18 Texas. She picked up her third double-double of 2005 at Kansas on Oct. 8 with 14 kills on .454 hitting and 10 digs. She starred in NU’s win at Oklahoma on Sept. 28, delivering a career-high 20 kills and hitting .404 against the Sooners. Houghtelling has earned all-tournament honors two times, including MVP honors of the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase, where she averaged 4.83 kills on .404 hitting, 2.33 digs and 1.67 blocks per game in wins over No. 4 Hawaii and No. 3 Stanford. Houghtelling spent the summer in the USA Volleyball training program, competing with the A-2 National team in Switzerland.

OH - #26 Jennifer Saleaumua (Sal-ee-ah-MOO-uh): 5-11, Sr., National City, Calif. - A returning AVCA All-American and three-time All-Big 12 performer, Saleaumua’s all-around abilities key the NU attack. She is sixth in the Big 12 with 3.77 digs per game and has recorded double figures in digs 13 times, including a career-high 27 at Minnesota and 20 versus Pepperdine. She shined against No. 20 Texas A&M on Sept. 21 with 10 kills, 13 digs and seven blocks. At Ohio State on Sept. 2, Saleaumua became the second Husker to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. She totaled 12 kills on 16 swings, while adding 14 digs in the sweep of No. 4 Hawaii on Aug. 26. Saleaumua already holds NU’s record in digs (1,352) and has 36 career double-doubles. The Big 12 co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, she was in the USA Volleyball Training Program.

OH - #10 Jordan Larson: 6-2, Fr., Hooper, Neb. - One of two newcomers in the Huskers’ starting lineup, Larson is one of the Big 12’s top freshman performers. She averages 3.42 kills on .327 hitting and 2.76 digs per game, topping all Big 12 rookies in kills and hitting percentage. Larson has four double-doubles, including three against top-10 teams. She has led NU in kills a team-best eight times, including a 14-kill effort on .420 hitting against No. 18 Texas on Oct. 15 and a 13-kill, 14-dig, four-ace effort on Oct. 12 against Texas Tech. Larson also had a match-high 14 kills on .480 hitting against No. 4 Penn State on Sept. 11 and 14 kills against No. 20 Texas A&M on Sept. 21. The Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year, Larson was a three-time Super-State selection who was rated the No. 2 player in the country by prepvolleyball.com. Larson set a Class C-1 state record with 501 kills on .490 hitting while establishing an all-class record with 179 service aces in 2004. She also spent two years on the U.S. Junior National Team and was the MVP of the 2004 NORCECA Tournament.

S - #18 Dani Busboom: 5-11, Jr., Cortland, Neb. - Busboom is in her third season as Nebraska’s starting setter and splits time with Maggie Griffin in the Huskers’ 6-2 offense. Busboom averages 6.43 assists and 2.05 digs per game, helping the Huskers rank second nationally in team hitting and sixth in assists. She comes off her second double-double of the year with 17 assists and 10 digs against No. 18 Texas on Oct. 15. Busboom recorded her first double-double of the year with 31 assists and 11 digs in a five-game win over No. 5 Minnesota and had 26 assists and nine digs at No. 7 Missouri on Oct. 5. She split time with Michelle Lynch in NU’s 6-2 offense in 2003 before taking over the full-time role last season. She averaged 13.10 assists per game in 2004, the highest total by a Husker in seven years, to earn honorable-mention AVCA All-Midwest Region honors.

S - #1 Maggie Griffin: 6-0, So., St. Charles, Ill. - A transfer from Michigan State, Maggie Griffin is in her first season at Nebraska. She splits time with Dani Busboom in running NU’s 6-2 offense, averaging a team-high 7.50 assists and 1.67 digs per game. Griffin, who has helped NU rank second nationally in hitting, had 36 assists, three service aces and six digs in a win at No. 5 Minnesota on Sept. 5. Griffin picked up her first double-double of the year at No. 7 Missouri on Oct. 5, setting season bests in assists (37) and digs (15). Griffin 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 50 or more assists 12 times. Griffin was a Fab 50 selection at Rosary (Ill.) High School.

Scouting Kansas State
Under coach Suzie Fritz (106-37 in five seasons) Kansas State is 15-4 overall and ranked 23rd in this week’s AVCA/CSTV national poll. The Wildcats are in fourth place in the Big 12 race at 6-3, one-match behind second place Missouri and Texas. Ahearn Fieldhouse has been a tough place for opponents, as KSU is 7-2 at home with losses coming to Minnesota and Texas. KSU is led by the duo of outside hitters Agata Rezende (3.90 kills/gm on .350 hitting) and Sandy Warner (3.60 kills/gm), as the duo combines for nearly half of Kansas State’s team total. The Wildcats are also one of the best blocking teams in the league, averaging 3.11 blocks per game, including a team-best 1.44 per game by Joy Hamlin, and feature one of the league’s top liberos in Angie Lastra (4.12 digs/gm).

The Huskers are 68-3 all-time versus KSU, and 55 of those victories have been two- (11) or three-game (43) sweeps. KSU’s three wins in Big 12 play are the most by any conference school. In 1999, the Wildcats defeated NU in five games in Lincoln, becoming the first Big Eight/Big 12 team to defeat Nebraska at the NU Coliseum during the regular season. In 2003, the Wildcats won both meetings, snapping the Huskers’ 78-game Big 12 winning streak in the first meeting and winning for the first time in 30 tries in Manhattan in the second match-up. NU is 31-1 all-time at KSU.

Last Time Out: Huskers Show Balance in Sweep of Texas
Jordan Larson’s 13 kills led three Huskers in double figures, as No. 1 Nebraska improved to 18-0 on the season with a 30-24, 30-20, 30-26 victory over No. 18 Texas Saturday evening at the NU Coliseum. The freshman from Hooper, Neb., topped NU in kills for the eighth time this season, hitting .423 on 26 swings and had eight digs, as NU (18-0, 9-0 Big 12) took a two-match lead over Missouri and Texas in the Big 12 race. All-Americans Sarah Pavan and Melissa Elmer also reached double figures in kills with 12 and 11, respectively. Pavan, who had eight of her kills in the opening game, also had six digs and three blocks, while Elmer hit .529 and had six blocks for NU, which out-blocked Texas, 10-4. Nebraska out-hit Texas, .311-.123 in a matchup of two of the league’s top offensive teams, while out-digging Texas, 53-45, as Christina Houghtelling and Dani Busboom totaled 13 and 10 digs, respectively. Busboom posted her second double-double of the year with 17 assists and 10 digs, as NU has held its last four opponents to a combined .072 hitting.

So Far This Season...
Nebraska has enjoyed a stellar start to the season, going 18-0 heading into Wednesday’s match against No. 23 Kansas State. So far this season, the Huskers have...

? Earned the No. 1 ranking in the preseason poll for only the second time in school history (also 2001).
? Ended Hawaii’s 59-match regular-season winning streak with a 3-0 victory on Aug. 26.
? Swept Stanford on Aug. 27, as Nebraska posted its first-ever win over a defending national champion.
? Became the first host team in 11 years to win the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase.
? Defeated No. 5 Minnesota on Sept. 5, to post their first road win over a top-five team since the 2001 season.
? Swept No. 4 Penn State at the NU Coliseum on Sept. 11, picking up their first regular-season home win over a top-five team in a decade.
? Recorded four wins over top-five teams, their highest total since the 2000 national title season, and a national-best eight wins over nationally ranked teams.
? Defeated No. 7 Missouri on Oct. 5, marking the highest ranked opponent that NU has ever beaten in Big 12 play.
? Went 9-0 during the non-conference schedule, marking NU’s first undefeated non-conference slate since 2000.

Husker Offense Proving Tough to Stop
According to Head Coach John Cook, one of the benefits to the 6-2 offense was that Nebraska would become more difficult to defend, as NU had three hitters across the front row at all times. In the latest NCAA stats, the Huskers rank third nationally in hitting percentage, fourth in kills per game and sixth in assists per game in the latest NCAA stats.

NCAA Team Hitting Percentage Leaders (10/15)
No. Name Pct.
1. Washington .377
2. Western Kentucky .325
3. Nebraska .324

School-Best Hitting Percentage (Season)

No. Hitting Percentage Year Record

1. .331 1986 29-6
-- .324 2005 18-0
2. .322 2002 31-2
3. .318 1985 28-3
... .318 1994 31-1

With four hitters among the league’s top 11 in the latest conference stats, NU has enjoyed a balanced offense throughout the year. Four different Huskers have led the team in kills (Houghtelling, Pavan, Larson and Saleaumua) while six players have reached double figures in kills at least once this season. Only one player - Christina Houghtelling at Oklahoma on Sept. 28 - has totaled 20 kills in a match this season.

Elmer Best on the Block
Two-time All-American Melissa Elmer has picked up where she left off after leading the nation in blocking in 2004. Elmer, who is bidding to become the first player to lead the NCAA in blocking in consecutive seasons, tops the nation with 2.33 blocks per game. The senior has reached double figures in blocks five times, including a career-high and Big 12 record 16 blocks in a win at Kansas on Oct. 8. For her efforts, Elmer was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Oct. 11, as she averaged 3.50 kills and 2.75 blocks per game while hitting .500 in wins at Missouri and Kansas. At her current rate, Elmer is on track to set an NCAA record for highest blocking average in a season.

NCAA Single-Season Blocking Record
No. Name, Team B/Gm Year
-- Melissa Elmer, NU 2.33 2005
1. Heather Bown, Hawaii 2.25 1999
2. Nina Puikkonen, Brigham Young 2.17 1998
3. Ivana Kuzmic, Ark.-Little Rock 2.16 2002

NCAA Blocking Leaders (Stats as of Oct. 17)

No. Name, Team B/Gm
1. Melissa Elmer, Nebraska 2.33
2. Amy Allison, Arkansas 2.01
3 Christina Kirk, St. Mary’s (Cal.) 1.87
4 Danielle Brazda, UNI 1.81

NU Single-Season Blocking Record Book
No. Name, Team B/Gm
-- Melissa Elmer, 2005 2.33
1. Amber Holmquist, 2002 2.01
2. Amber Holmquist, 2000 1.98
3. Stephanie Thater, 1992 1.92

Elmer has already moved from seventh to second on NU’s career total blocks list and is closing in on the school record in both categories, held by three-time All-American Amber Holmquist.

Block Assists
No Player, Years Total
1. Amber Holmquist, 1999-02 646
2. Melissa Elmer, 2002-present 595

Total Blocks
No Player, Years Total
1. Amber Holmquist, 1999-02 728
2. Melissa Elmer, 2002-present 657

Elmer Reaches 1,000-Kill Mark
All-American Melissa Elmer reached another milestone in NU’s victory over Iowa State on Sept. 24. The middle blocker recorded her 1,000th career kill in NU’s sweep of the Cyclones, becoming the 17th player in school history to reach that plateau. Elmer is the second current Husker to reach 1,000 career kills, joining fellow senior Jennifer Saleaumua, and just the second player in school history to record 1,000 kills and 600 blocks. In addition, she is just the third player from a conference school to reach 1,000 kills and 600 blocks in their career.

 

All-time Conference Players

with 1,000 Kill-600 Blocks

Player, School (Years) Kills Blocks

Gloria Holcomb, OU (1990-93) 1,774 616

Amber Holmquist, NU (1999-02) 1,122 728

Melissa Elmer, NU (2002-pres.) 1,079 657

 

Single-Season Hitting Percentage

No. Name, Team Hitting Pct.

-- Melissa Elmer, 2005 .446

1. Virginia Stahr, 1989 .440

2. Amber Holmquist, 2000 .406

3. Virginia Stahr, 1988 .404

4. Amber Holmquist, 2002 .402

 

Elmer’s Career Night

Elmer nearly put her name into the NCAA record book against Creighton on Oct. 11, as she hit .917 with 11 kills in 12 attempts. She was successful on her first 11 attempts, as her last shot of the evening was dug, falling one attempt shy of becoming only the 21st player in NCAA history to hit 1.000 in a match with at least 10 kills. Elmer’s .917 hitting is the highest single-match hitting night in the Big 12 in 2005.

 

Big 12 Single-Match Hitting Pct.

Pct. (K-E-Att) Player (School) vs. Opponent Date
.917 (11-0-12) Elmer, Melissa (NU) vs Creighton 10/11
.846 (11-0-13) Wilson, Nicole (MU) vs Kansas St. 9/24
.833 (10-0-12) Spiegelberg, Stacey (KSU) at KU 10/5

And Then There Were Five...
NU enters the week as one of the five remaining undefeated teams in college volleyball. The Huskers are joined by No. 2 Washington, No. 6 Louisville, No. 15 Brigham Young and New Orleans, which finished 4-0 before canceling its season because of Hurricane Katrina.

Powerful Pavan Produces Points-a-Plenty
After the most decorated freshman season in school history, sophomore Sarah Pavan has worked hard to become one of the top all-around players in college volleyball. The 6-foot-5 rightside hitter is among the Big 12 leaders in kills (3.62, 9th), hitting percentage (.346, 8th), blocks (1.40, sixth) and points per game (4.62, sixth).

Over NU’s last 11 matches, Pavan has been unstoppable offensively, hitting .391 and averaging 3.69 kills per game in that stretch. Many of Pavan’s numbers are higher than 2004, except for kills and attempts, as her swings are down by almost 25 percent from last year.

Comparing Pavan’s 2004 and 2005 Seasons
Category 2004 2005
Kills/Gm 4.54 3.62
Attempts/Gm 9.69 7.51
Hitting Pct. .322 .346
SA/Gm 0.18 0.25
Digs/Gm 1.42 1.63
Blocks/Gm 1.17 1.40

Pavan Posts Triple-Double vs. Pepperdine
Sarah Pavan made Husker history in the Sept. 9 win over Pepperdine. The 6-foot-5 sophomore became the first Husker in three years to record a triple-double, finishing the match with 11 kills, 11 blocks and 10 digs. Not only was it the first by a Husker since 2002, but it was the first by a Husker outside hitter since Nancy Metcalf (Meendering) had one against Kansas State in 1999.

No Libero, No Problem
While several teams in college volleyball run a 6-2 offense, Nebraska’s attack is unique because there is no libero on the court. The Huskers rely on the passing and court coverage abilities of their four outside hitters (Sarah Pavan, Jordan Larson, Jennifer Saleaumua and Christina Houghtelling). Nebraska has outdug 15 of its 18 opponents in 2005, while Saleaumua, Larson and Houghtelling all average above 2.25 digs per game, and Dani Busboom and Maggie Griffin combine to average 3.72 digs a game. The only true libero on the roster is freshman Rachel Schwartz, who is primarily used as a serving specialist.

Saleaumua Reaches 1,000-1,000 Club
Senior captain Jennifer Saleaumua continues to climb in the Husker record books. The All-American from National City, Calif., reached 1,100 career kills in Wednesday’s win over Texas Tech, becoming the 13th Husker to reach that milestone.

Earlier this year, Saleaumua become only the second player in school history to record both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs when she reached that plateau against Ohio State. Saleaumua already holds NU’s record for career digs, while her 3.78 digs per game would rank third on NU’s single-season list.

1,000-1,000 Club (Kills and Digs)
Player, Year Kills Digs
Eileen Shannon, 1989-92 1,521 1,074
Jennifer Saleaumua, 2002-05 1,111 1,358

Houghtelling Emerges on National Scene
When John Cook was asked to name his MVP following the first part of the season, he quickly responded with Christina Houghtelling. The junior outside hitter has developed into a focal point of the Husker offense, averaging 3.52 kills per game and hitting .336 to rank among the conference leaders in both categories. She has also averaged 2.47 digs and 0.93 blocks per game.

Houghtelling enjoyed her best Big 12 match of the year at Oklahoma, recording a career-high 20 kills on .405 hitting and adding 10 digs for her second double-double of the year. She had nine of her kills in game three, as the Huskers rallied for a 31-29 win. Against Kansas on Oct. 8, she had her third double-double of the year with 14 kills on .458 hitting with 11 digs in a four-game win over the Jayhawks and had 11 kills on .550 hitting against Texas Tech on Oct. 12.

She burst on the national stage in the season-opening AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase, averaging 4.83 kills on .404 hitting, with 2.33 digs and 1.67 blocks per game in helping No. 1 Nebraska to sweeps of No. 4 Hawaii and No. 3 Stanford. For her efforts, she was named the tournament MVP, along with the AVCA and Big 12 National Player of the Week.

Air Jordan
One of the primary weapons in the Huskers’ 6-2 offense is outside hitter Jordan Larson. The freshman from Hooper, Neb., leads all Big 12 freshmen in kills and hitting percentage, as she is averaging 3.42 kills per game on .327 hitting. Larson, a former member of the U.S. Junior National Team, has played her best against ranked teams, averaging a team-high 3.96 kills and 2.93 digs in NU’s eight wins against ranked foes. Larson has topped NU in kills a team-best eight times, including a career-high 19 kills in a win at No. 5 Minnesota on Sept. 5. She also recorded three of her four double-doubles against ranked teams (Stanford, Minnesota and Missouri) and had 13 kills on .440 hitting and a team-high 14 digs against Texas Tech on Wednesday. Larson was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Monday, as she averaged 4.78 points, 3.89 kills on .397 hitting, 3.11 digs, 0.78 blocks, 0.56 assists and 0.44 aces per game in three matches last week.

 

Husker Freshman Kills Record

Rk. K/GM Player Year

1. 4.54 Sarah Pavan 2004

2. 4.24 Eileen Shannon 1989

-- 3.42 Jordan Larson 2005

3. 2.98 Jen McFadden 1993

The Two Set
Nebraska’s two-setter offense has paid off on the offensive end, with NU ranking third nationally in hitting percentage, but has also paid defensive dividends as well. Dani Buboom and Maggie Griffin combine for 13.60 assists per game, a total that would rank second in the Big 12. In addition, the duo combine for 3.72 digs per game, a total that would be second on the NU squad and rank eighth in the Big 12.

Comparing Big 12 Setters
School K/gm A/Gm D/Gm SA/gm Team Pct.
NU* 0.08 13.60 3.72 0.16 .324
MU 0.80 14.55 2.53 0.43 .303
CU 0.90 13.26 1.89 0.10 .294
KU 0.80 13.27 1.69 0.38 .253
UT 0.74 13.35 1.96 0.26 .274

*-6-2 offense; all others listed run a 5-1

Stalls Stuffs Foes
The Huskers may have the nation’s best blocking duo with two-time All-American Melissa Elmer and sophomore Tracy Stalls. After missing NU’s first six matches following off-season knee surgery, Stalls has made an immediate impact on the Husker defense. The 6-foot-3 sophomore is averaging 1.45 blocks per game in her last 10 matches, including a season-high eight stuffs against Oklahoma on Sept. 28.

As a freshman in 2004, Stalls ranked 11th nationally in blocking, averaging 1.65 blocks per game in 30 contests. A former member of the U.S. National Team, Stalls established NU freshman marks for total blocks (160) and block assists (148), while ranking eighth in the Big 12 with a .322 hitting percentage.

Huskers Continue to Climb No. 1 Rank
Nebraska is one of two teams to be ranked in the CSTV/AVCA Coaches poll for all 327 weeks of its existence. The Huskers have been ranked in the top 10 for 293 weeks, which ranks second behind Stanford’s 298. With the Oct. 17 No. 1 ranking, NU has now spent a total of 48 weeks in the top spot, tying Hawaii for second all-time. The only school that leads NU in weeks at No. 1 in Stanford, which has spent 51 weeks at the top of the AVCA chart.

NCAA Regional Tickets Top 8,500 Mark
Qwest Center officials have announced that over 8,500 tickets have been sold for the NCAA Regional at the Qwest Center since they went on sale on Sept. 10. All-session tickets for the regional, which will take place Dec. 9-10, are $36 (reserved) and $30 (general admission) and can be purchased at the Qwest Center box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (402) 422-1212 or at Ticketmaster locations around the state (Baker’s, Younkers and the Nebraska Student Union in Lincoln). In addition, tickets can also be ordered at Ticketmaster.com.

Nebraska drew crowds of over 10,000 during the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase in August, including 10,576 for the title match, the 11th largest crowd in NCAA Volleyball history.

Huskers Reload with Young Talent
One year after pulling in the nation’s best recruiting class, Nebraska produced 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 freshmen earned prep All-America honors, while Rachel 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

The Qwest was a Success
Nebraska volleyball’s first visit to Qwest Center OMAHA was a smashing success, as over 20,000 fans came out for the two-day event while a national television audience saw four of the top five teams in the preseason poll battle for the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase title.

?-Both night’s attendance totals (10,028 and 10,576, respectively) shattered the AVCA/NACWAA single-match record (9,345 between Hawaii and USC in 2003), while the total of 20,604 easily eclipsed the tournament record of 16,292 set in 2003.

?-The attendance totals ranked as the 26th and 11th largest crowds to see an NCAA volleyball match.

?-The AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase drew two of the largest off-campus regular-season crowds in NCAA volleyball history.

?-Nebraska became the third school to win two event titles (also Stanford and USC) and became the first host school to win in the event’s 11-year history.

Vote for Big 12 Anniversary Team
Volleyball fans from around the conference have an opportunity to vote for their favorite players, as part of the Big 12 10th Anniversary team. Voting is currently underway and will continue throughout the month of October. The 10th anniversary team picked by the fans and media will be announced early next month. For more information and to vote, log on to Big12sports.com.

Cook’s Winning Ways
Nebraska Coach John Cook has been amazingly successful during his five seasons at the helm, posting a 172-11 record (.940 winning percentage). All 11 losses have come against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including the eventual NCAA champion in 2001 (Stanford) and 2002 (USC).

In the Big 12, Cook has enjoyed even greater success, going 106-3 in his five seasons. Nebraska has posted four undefeated seasons in league play (2000-02, 2004) and has dropped just 36 of the 359 conference games it has played over the past six seasons. 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 172-11 .940
2 Hawaii 173-18 .906
3 Florida 173-18 .906
4 USC 151-21 .878
5 Penn State 152-32 .826
Updated Totals as of Oct. 17

Husker Block is Best in the Land
Nebraska volleyball is known nationally for its outstanding blocking, and the 2005 season is no exception. The Huskers, who have led the nation in blocking four times in the last five years, average 4.18 blocks per game and are the only team averaging better than four blocks per game.

In 2004, Nebraska averged a national-best 4.02 blocks per game, topping the 4.00 blocks per game mark for the fifth time in school history (also 1986, 1998, 2000 and 2001). NU also had the individual blocking champion in middle blocker Melissa Elmer, who averaged 1.89 blocks per game.

NCAA Blocking Leaders (as of 10/12)
No. School Blocks/Gm
1 Nebraska 4.23
2 St. Mary’s (Cal.) 3.94
3 Colorado State 3.79
4 Northern Iowa 3.71
5 Wisconsin 3.58

All About Defense
Nebraska has traditionally been one of the nation’s top defensive teams under Head Coach John Cook. In 2004, the Huskers led the nation in opponent hitting percentage, holding opponents to just .103 hitting, breaking the mark of .106 set in 2001. This season, the Huskers are holding foes to a Big 12-best .129 hitting, as only Stanford and Oklahoma have hit over .200 against the Huskers.

2005’s Top Defenses (opp. hitting pct., 10/12)

Rank Name Opponent Hitting Pct.
1. Washington .108
2. Minnesota .113
3. Wisconsin .124
4. Nebraska .129
6. Penn State .138

Huskers Have Opponents Seeing Red
Under John Cook, the Huskers have held 15 foes to negative hitting percentage, as Pacific hit -.073 against Nebraska on Sept. 10, the third-lowest total by a Husker opponent in the last six years.

Lowest Hitting Percentages vs. NU since 2000
Date Opponent Pct.
10/3/00 Creighton - .105
10/30/04 Iowa State - .089
9/10/05 Pacific -.073
9/29/02 Creighton - .068
9/4/00 Oral Roberts - .066

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.

Sellout Streak Reaches 64
Nebraska will carry a streak of 64 consecutive sellouts at the NU Coliseum into Nebraska’s next home match on Oct. 26. The Huskers sold out all 15 matches they played at the Coliseum last season and sold out the entire 2005 season in just nine days.

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. NU ranked second nationally in total attendance this week, averaging 4,490 fans per match.

What’s New at the NU Coliseum
Nebraska became one of the first volleyball programs in the country to institiute premium courtside seating at its facilites. All 64 court line seats, at prices ranging from $2,000 to $2,500 were sold prior to the season, generating over $100,000 of revenue for the Husker volleyball program.

12 Husker Matches to be Televised
A total of 12 Husker volleyball matches will be televised this season. The 2005 broadcast schedule began on Aug. 26, with the Huskers’ season opener against Hawaii. A total of seven matches will be carried live on NET-1, NET-2 and NET-HD, highlighted by contests against Penn State (Sept. 11), Texas A&M (Sept. 21), , Texas (Oct. 15), Kansas (Oct. 26) and Missouri (Nov. 13). In addition, eight matches will be carried nationally by College Sports Television, highlighted by the AVCA/NACWAA College Volleyball Showcase in Omaha. On Oct. 1, Pinnacle Sports Productions announced that three live matches have been added to the television schedule, including a matchup with in-state rival Creighton on Oct. 11.

2005 Husker VB Television Schedule
Date Opponent Time NET-1 CSTV FSN
Aug. 26 Hawaii 8:30 p.m. -- Live --
Aug. 27 Stanford 7:30 p.m. -- Live --
Sept. 11 Penn State 3 p.m. NET-2 9/11, 5 p.m. --
Sept. 21 Texas A&M 7 p.m. Live Live --
Oct. 1 Baylor 7:30 p.m. Live 10/2, 2:30 p.m. --
Oct. 5 at Missouri 6:30 p.m. -- -- 10/9, 2 p.m. (Pinnacle Sports Productions - Local Cable Broadcast) Oct. 11 Creighton 7 p.m. - - - (Pinnacle Sports Productions - Local Cable Broadcast)
Oct. 12 Texas Tech 7 p.m. - - - (Pinnacle Sports Productions - Local Cable Broadcast)
Oct. 15 Texas 7 p.m. Live 10/16, 2 p.m. --
Oct. 26 Kansas 7 p.m. Live 10/27, 9 p.m. -- Nov. 2 Oklahoma 7 p.m. Live 11/3, 7 p.m. --
Nov. 13 Missouri 5 p.m. Live Live --

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.

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.

Success in the Classroom
Nebraska continued to excel in the classroom in 2004, as seven Huskers were chosen for the academic All-Big 12 team. The list also included a league-high six first-team honorees. 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 21 seasons.

The Alltel Husker Volleyball Show
The Alltel Husker Volleyball show with John Cook will air throughout the state this fall. On NET-2, the show runs Monday nights at 7:30 p.m. beginning Aug. 28, while UPN Nebraska, which debuts on Sept. 1, will air the show at 10:30 p.m. on Mondays.

Husker Volleyball Television Show
City Station Day Time
Statewide NET-2 Monday 5:30 p.m.
Lincoln UPN Nebraska Monday 10:30 p.m.
North Platte KNOP/KIIT Saturday TBA