No. 1 Huskers Begin Postseason Run against Alabama A&M

NCAA First and Second Rounds
Friday-Saturday, Dec. 2-3 ? NU Coliseum ? Lincoln, Neb.
First Round #1 Duke (23-7) vs. American (25-9)
Friday, Dec. 2 ? NU Coliseum ? 5 p.m.

First Round #2 No. 1 Nebraska (28-1) vs. Alabama A&M (15-11)
Friday, Dec. 2 ? NU Coliseum ? 7 p.m (or 30 minutes after match #1)

Second Round #3 Friday’s Winners
Saturday, Dec. 3 ? NU Coliseum ? 7 p.m.

Nebraska First/Second Round Information
Tickets: Sold Out
Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln, 1110 AM in Omaha and 17 other stations across Nebraska)
Live Stats/Audio: Huskers.com/NCAAsports.com
Live Internet Video: TBA
Television: Nebraska Educational Television (Ch.12) and NET-HD (Ch. 112)
Series Records: vs. Alabama A&M (1st meeting); vs. American (1st meeting) vs. Duke (NU leads, 3-1)

No. 1 Huskers Begin Postseason Run against Alabama A&M
Nebraska returns home to the NU Coliseum this week, as the Huskers host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament this weekend in Lincoln. The Huskers (28-1, 19-1 Big 12) were chosen as the tournament’s overall No. 1 seed and will take on SWAC champion Alabama A&M (15-11, 7-1 SWAC) in the first round on Friday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. That contest is the second match of the evening, as Duke (23-7, 17-5 ACC) takes on American University (25-9, 13-1 Patriot League) in the other opening-round contest, which is set for 5 p.m. The winners of Friday’s matchups will square off on Saturday, Dec. 3, to earn a spot in the Omaha Regional at the Qwest Center.

All of Nebraska’s postseason contests will be carried on selected Pinnacle Sports Network affiliates, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and KFAB 1110 AM in Omaha, and on the Internet at Huskers.com. Live stats and other tournament information is also available at the site, as well as comprehensive coverage heading into Friday’s matchups.

The Huskers, who remained No. 1 in the AVCA/CSTV Coaches poll, look to rebound after suffering their first loss of the season to No. 11 Texas on Saturday in Austin. In that match, the Huskers jumped out to a 2-0 lead, only to see the Longhorns rebound to hand NU its second road loss in conference play under sixth-year Head Coach John Cook.

Did You Know?
? NU makes its 24th straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2005.
? The Huskers are 39-3 all-time in the NCAA Tournament at the Nebraska Coliseum.
? Nebraska has won its last 29 home matches, including all 14 in 2005.
? Melissa Elmer is the first player in Big 12 history to record 200 or more blocks in consecutive seasons.
? Jennifer Saleaumua has three of the four highest single-season dig averages in school history.
? NU has hit .350 or better in 13 of 28 matches this season.

Worth Noting
? Nebraska is making its 24th NCAA tournament appearance, a total that ranks fourth among NCAA programs. NU ranks third all-time among Division I programs in NCAA tournament wins (59) and winning percentage (.738).
? According to research compiled by Rich Kern, Nebraska’s 17-1 record against NCAA qualifiers is the best of any school in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskers’ 18 matches against NCAA qualifiers is also the most of any school.
? Nebraska was one of seven Big 12 teams selected for the NCAA Tournament, the highest total among any conference.
? Friday’s match will be the 70th consecutive sellout at the NU Coliseum. Nebraska is 64-5 at home during its Coliseum sellout streak.
? NU owns a 29-match home winning streak, which also includes seven wins over ranked teams.
? NU has now spent 54 weeks all-time at No. 1 in the AVCA poll, the most weeks at No. 1 of any Division I program. The state of Nebraska has the No. 1 teams in Division I (Nebraska) and Division II (Nebraska-Kearney), as the Lopers are 36-1 and host the national championships this weekend.

Husker Probable Starters
MB - #8 Melissa Elmer: 6-2, Sr., Fort Wayne, Ind. - Elmer is a two-time All-American and arguably the country’s top middle blocker. She leads the nation in blocking (2.15/gm) and is second in the Big 12 and eighth nationally with a .407 hitting percentage, as she averages 2.69 kills per game. A three-time All-Big 12 pick, she has totaled 10 or more blocks eight times, including a school and Big 12 record-tying 16 blocks against Kansas on Oct. 8. Elmer has matched the school and Big 12 record with 728 career blocks held by Amber Holmquist (1999-2002) and needs one block to become the league’s all-time leader. Elmer has 211 blocks this season and is nine away from Holmquist’s single-season mark set in 2000. She has four double-doubles, including two in NU’s last five matches (vs. Missouri and vs. Kansas State). She recorded a season-best 17 kills on .546 hitting at No. 7 Missouri on Oct. 5. She has been named MVP of the Sports Imports Classic and InfoUSA/Arby’s Players Challenge.

MB - #11 Tracy Stalls: 6-3, So., Arvada, Colo. - Stalls averages 1.46 kills and 1.58 blocks per game, ranking fourth in the Big 12 and 11th nationally in blocks. She comes off her best offensive night of the year at No. 11 Texas on Nov. 26, totaling a season-high 11 kills on .400 hitting. Stalls has averaged 1.68 blocks and 1.71 kills on .315 hitting over her last 11 matches. She had her best blocking effort of the season against Kansas State on Nov. 19, recording a career-high 12 stuffs. Her five solo blocks vs. KSU were the most by a Husker since Angie Oxley in 2000. 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: 6-5, So., Kitchener, Ontario - The reigning Big 12 Player of the Year, Pavan averages 3.79 kills, 1.67 digs, 1.27 blocks and 0.31 aces per game. A first-team All-American in 2004, she ranks among the league leaders in hitting percentage (.354, seventh), kills (seventh), blocks (eighth), aces (13th) and points per game (4.77, fifth). Over NU’s last 14 matches, Pavan is hitting .380 and averaging 4.00 kills per game, including a season-high 22 kills, six blocks and two aces against No. 12 Missouri on Nov. 13. A first-team Academic All-District VII pick, Pavan has four double-doubles, including 14 kills, 10 digs and five blocks against Kansas State on Nov. 19 and 18 kills and 11 digs at No. 8 Missouri on Oct. 8. 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: 6-2, Jr., Cambridge, Neb. - One of three first-team All-Big 12 selections, Houghtelling has been one of the nation’s top outside hitters in 2005. She comes into the NCAA Tournament averaging 3.65 kills, 2.47 digs and 1.01 blocks per game, ranking among the Big 12 leaders in hitting percentage (.360, sixth) and kills (3.65, 10th). She has led Nebaska in kills 10 times and has hit over .400 in 15 of NU’s 29 matches. Houghtelling has five double-doubles in 2005, including a 14-kill, 13-dig effort at No. 11 Texas on Nov. 26. She had a double-double with 19 kills and set career highs with 20 digs and six blocks against Kansas State on Nov. 19 and had 14 kills on .591 hitting against Colorado on Nov. 26. Houghtelling is hitting .401 over NU’s last eight matches, averaging 3.93 kills and 2.55 digs per game in that stretch. She starred in NU’s win at OU on Sept. 28, delivering a career-high 20 kills and hitting .404. 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: 5-11, Sr., National City, Calif. - A four-time All-Big 12 selection, Saleaumua’s all-around abilities key the Husker attack. A second-team All-American in 2004, she is two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, topping all conference hitters in averaging 3.87 digs per game. Saleaumua also averages 2.23 kills on .281 hitting, her best percentage since 2002. This year, she is sixth in the Big 12 in digs, totaling 20 or more four times including a career-high 27 at Minnesota on Sept. 5. She is ninth in school history in kills (1,196), passing former All-American Laura Pilakowski on Nov. 26. Saleaumua had nine kills on .615 hitting and a match-high 15 digs against Colorado on Nov. 26. She had seven kills on .375 hitting, 10 digs and four blocks in a sweep of Kansas on Oct. 26. Saleaumua shined against No. 20 Texas A&M on Sept. 21 with 10 kills, 13 digs and seven blocks. She totaled 12 kills on 16 swings, while adding 14 digs vs. No. 4 Hawaii on Aug. 26. She holds NU’s record in digs (1,511) and has 38 career double-doubles. Last summer, she trained with the USA Volleyball A-2 team.

OH - #10 Jordan Larson: 6-2, Fr., Hooper, Neb. - The Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Larson earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors in 2005. She topped all Big 12 rookies in kills (2.99), hitting percentage (.291), digs (2.87) and service aces (0.35). Larson has five double-doubles, including three against top-10 teams, and had 12 kills and 14 digs against Kansas State on Nov. 19. She had 13 kills on .524 hitting, three aces and three blocks against Colorado on Nov. 26. She has led NU in kills 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. She 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 in 2004 while establishing an all-class record with 179 service aces. She also spent two years on the U.S. Junior National Team.

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 6.61 assists and 1.86 digs per game, helping the Huskers rank fourth nationally in team hitting and fifth in kills per game. Busboom is seventh on NU’s career assist list with 2,737 following a season-high 33 assist effort at No. 10 Texas on Nov. 26. She has three double-doubles in 2005, including a 30-assist, 13-dig effort against No. 10 Missouri on Nov. 10. She also has double-doubles against No. 15 Texas (31 asst./11 digs) and at No. 5 Minnesota (31 asst./11 digs). She split time with Michelle Lynch in NU’s 6-2 offense in 2003 before taking over the full-time role last season. Busboom 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 7.44 assists and 1.64 digs per game. Griffin, who has helped NU rank fourth nationally in hitting, has four double-doubles, including two in NU’s final five regular-season matches. She has posted two double-doubles against Missouri, including the first meeting when she established season highs 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 the Lincoln 1st & 2nd Round
Alabama A&M (15-11): Under 29th-year coach Betty Austin (592-222 record), the Bulldogs make their sixth straight NCAA appearance after moving up to Division I in the late 1990s. Alabama A&M has won its last 12 matches since a 3-11 start, culminating with four wins at the SWAC Tournament on Nov. 11-12. The Bulldogs are led by outside hitter Alexandria Brazelton (3.46 kills & 2.16 digs/gm), who was named the MVP of the SWAC Tournament. She is joined by fellow All-SWAC performers Kara Jerden (8.03 assists & 1.87 digs/gm) and Brittani Lewis (3.24 kills & 2.14 digs/gm). Lewis was also chosen as the SWAC Freshman of the Year. The Bulldogs have never faced Nebraska in volleyball and are 0-1 against NCAA Tournament teams in 2005, losing to Alabama in September.

American (25-9): 17th-year coach Barry Goldberg (423-162) leads American University to its fifth straight NCAA appearance and seventh in school history. The Eagles, who have won 77 of their last 78 matches in league play, earned their NCAA appearance by downing Army, 3-2 in the Patriot League finals on Nov. 19. The Eagles are one of the nation’s best serving units, ranking third in the latest NCAA rankings, as Elizabeth Maloney (.72 aces/game) and Rubena Sukaj (0.68 aces/game) rank in the top-10 nationally. AU also features two-time All-Patriot League middle blocker Cutrina Biddulph, who averages 4.05 kills per game and is hitting .337 after earning honorable-mention All-America honors in 2004. American, which has also never played the Huskers, is used to solid competition, taking on nationally ranked Long Beach State and San Diego, as well as Colorado.

Duke (23-7): The Blue Devils come to Lincoln with a 23-7 record and are making their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance under coach Jolene Nagel. Duke features a balanced attack that is in the top-10 nationally in assists and kills per game, as well as ranking third in digs. The Blue Devils, who are 5-10 all-time in the NCAAs, have won 12 of their last 13 regular-season matches and finished third in the ACC with a 17-5 record. Middle blocker Carrie DeMange leads Duke, as she averages 4.25 kills and 1.14 blocks per contest, while freshman Jourdan Norman ranks among the national leaders with 1.65 blocks per game. Duke is 1-3 all-time against NU, but has not played the Huskers since the 1996 season.

Last Match: No. 11 Texas 3, No. 1 NU 2
Melissa Elmer etched her name into the Husker and Big 12 record books, but it was not enough, as No. 11 Texas spoiled No. 1 Nebraska’s quest for a perfect regular season with a 22-30, 28-30, 30-27, 30-27, 15-12 victory on Nov. 26.

Elmer totaled six blocks, matching the career total of former Husker All-American Amber Holmquist, who had 728 during her career between 1999 and 2002.

Elmer also recorded 11 kills and was also one of five Huskers to finish with at least 10 kills, as Sarah Pavan and Christina Houghtelling totaled 15 and 14, respectively. Tracy Stalls had a season-best 11 kills on .400 hitting, while Jennifer Saleaumua finished with 10 kills and a team-high 18 digs.

The Huskers fell to 28-1 overall and 19-1 in the Big 12. The Texas win snapped NU’s 43-match Big 12 winning streak and was just the second Big 12 loss in six years for NU Head Coach John Cook.

Brandy Magee had a match-high 23 kills on .378 hitting, as Texas clinched second place in the Big 12 and snapped a 12-match losing streak to Nebraska dating back to 1999.

Huskers in the Big 12
Nebraska’s Big 12 title this season continues one of the most successful runs in NCAA history. The Huskers have won eight Big 12 titles in the last decade and 27 Big Eight/Big 12 crowns in 30 years of competition. Over the last decade, Nebraska is 187-13 in Big 12 matches, including 116-4 under Head Coach John Cook.

For the second straight year, the Big 12 placed seven teams in the NCAA Tournament, the most of any league.

2005 NCAA Tournament Teams
No. Conference NCAA Teams
1. Big 12       7
2. Pac-10      6
-   Big 10       6
    SEC         6

Husker NCAA History
Nebraska will make its 24th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament this weekend. The Huskers are 59-21 in its previous 23 appearances, including a 45-5 home mark (39-3 at the NU Coliseum). NU has won its last 17 first-round matches and is 18-1 all-time in the opening round. The Huskers will be looking to make their 12th straight regional and have reached the NCAA semifinals eight times, most recently in 2001.

2005 Season Review...CliffsNotes Version
Nebraska has enjoyed one of its best seasons in school history, taking a 28-1 record into Friday’s NCAA Tournament opener. In honor of CliffNotes (which were founded in Lincoln in 1958), here is a short summery of this season. In 2005, the Huskers...

? Earned the No. 1 ranking in the preseason poll for only the second time in school history (also 2001) and have stayed No. 1 through all 14 polls during the season.

? Snapped No. 4 Hawai’is 59-match regular-season winning streak with a 3-0 victory on Aug. 26.

? Swept No. 3 Stanford on Aug. 27, as NU posted its first-ever win over a defending national champ.

? 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 10 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.

? Became the final undefeated team still playing in Division I following Washington’s loss to UCLA on Nov. 13.

? Completed the home schedule with a perfect 14-0 record.

? Won 17 of 18 matches against NCAA qualifiers, including six wins against the other seeded teams in the tournament.

Huskers Reap Big 12 Honors
Nebraska’s Big 12 title also brought home a plethora of awards for the Huskers in 2005, as NU took home four of the six major conference awards.

Sophomore right-side hitter Sarah Pavan was tabbed as the Big 12 Player of the Year, as she ranked among the league’s top-10 in kills, hitting percentage blocks and points per game. It marked the 18th time (among 16 seasons) that a Husker was chosen as the league’s top player, but first since Greichaly Cepero, Amber Holmquist and Laura Pilakowski shared the honor in 2002.

Outside hitter Jennifer Saleaumua was tabbed as the league’s top defensive player for the second straight season. She leads all Big 12 outside hitters with 3.87 digs and is one of only two players in school history to record both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs.

Outside hitter Jordan Larson was chosen as the Big 12’s top freshman, as she topped all conference freshmen in kills, digs, hitting percentage and aces. Larson had five double-doubles during the regular season, including four against top-10 teams.

Nebraska placed three members on the first-team, including Pavan, middle blocker Melissa Elmer and outside hitter Christina Houghtelling. Elmer leads the country in blocking and is second in the league in hitting percentage, while Houghtelling ranks among the league leaders in both kills and hitting percentage.

Head Coach John Cook earned Big 12 Coach-of-the-Year honors for the second time (also in 2001) after guiding the Huskers to a 19-1 league mark and the school’s fifth Big 12 title in the last six seasons.