No. 1 Huskers Travel to Texas A&M

Match: #24: NU (23-0, 14-0) at Texas A&M (11-11, 4-9 Big 12)
Wedneaday, Nov. 9 ? 6:30 p.m. ? G. Rollie White Coliseum
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, 22-6, and has won the last 12 meetings
Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 30-24, 30-21, 30-19 on Sept. 21 in Lincoln

Match: #25: NU vs. No. 12 Missouri (18-3, 12-3 Big 12)
Sunday, Nov. 13 ? 5 p.m. ? NU Coliseum (sold out)
Television: Live on Nebraska Educational Television (Ch. 12) and NET-HD (Ch. 112); Tape-Delayed on College Sports Television (Ch. 610 on DirecTV, Ch. 152 on Dish Network and Ch. 305 in Lincoln with first airing Monday at 9 p.m. central)
Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha)
Live Stats/Audio: Huskers.com
Live Internet Video: HuskersNside (subscription required)
All-Time Series: Nebraska leads, 60-3-1 and has won the last four meetings
Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 3-1 (30-26,22-30,30-23,30-27 in Columbia on Oct. 5)

Did You Know?
? NU is spending its 51st week at No. 1 this week, tying UCLA for most weeks in first place of the AVCA Poll.
? With 1,144 kills Jennifer Saleaumua is 14 kills away from 10th place on NU’s all-time kills list.
? Tracy Stalls has led NU in blocks in each of the last four matches, averaging 2.00 blocks per game.
? Former Husker volleyball great Janet (Kruse) Sellon is one of the four distinguished graduates selected for Masters Week on the UNL campus. The annual event that connects students with successful Nebraska graduates. Kruse was a three-time All-American and two-time Academic All-American at NU.
? Sarah Pavan had two of her seven career 20-kill performances against Texas A&M, both coming in 2004.

No. 1 Huskers Travel to Texas A&M
Nebraska hits the road for one of the most difficult trips of the season, as the Huskers travel to Texas A&M. First serve from G. Rollie White Coliseum is set for 6:30 p.m. and the match will be carried on selected Pinnacle Sports Network stations, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln, and the Internet at Huskers.com. HuskersNside subscribers can also watch Wednesday’s match live, as nearly every regular-season match will be available on the site.

Wednesday’s trip to College Station marks the third time that a Husker team has taken an undefeated record to take on the Aggies. In 1998, the Aggies handed Nebraska its only regular-season loss in a five-game setback. In 2000, Nebraska dropped the first game, but stormed back for a four-game win over the Aggies. Nebraska, which has held its last nine opponents to under .150 hitting, is allowing opponents to a Big 12-best .117 hitting

Texas A&M (11-11, 4-9) has won its last two Big 12 matches, coinciding with the return of middle blocker Kendra Felder from injury. The Aggies, who have had a week to prepare for the Huskers, also feature one of the most explosive attackers in the Big 12 in outside hitter Laura Jones, who ranks first nationally with 5.89 kills per game.

Worth Noting
? Christina Houghtelling is hitting .383 over NU’s last nine matches, averaging 3.50 kills, 2.46 digs and 1.25 blocks per game.
? One of the major areas of improvement in recent weeks has been Nebraska’s improved serving. After averaging 1.13 aces through the first 19 matches, the Huskers have averaged 1.77 aces per game over the last four contests.
? Nebraska has won its last 50 matches against the four Big 12 schools from Texas (Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech) dating back to 1999.
? Nebraska has hit .350 or better in 11 matches, including four matches above .400.
? Nebraska is 56-1 in Big 12 road matches under Head Coach John Cook with the only loss coming at Kansas State in 2003.
? Nebraska has won its last 25 road matches dating back to November of 2003. In fact, NU has won 29 of its last 30 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 37 matches in Big 12 play, dating back to Nov. 19, 2003.
? Nebraska has won its last 47 regular-season matches dating back to Sept. 11, 2004.

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 was chosen as the mid-season National Player of the Year by ESPN.com, and ranks in the top-five in both blocks and hitting percentage. She leads the nation with 2.31 blocks per game, including 10 or more blocks six times, and tops the Big 12 with a .426 hitting percentage (fourth nationally), as she averages 2.81 kills per game. She also leads the Big 12 in both categories (2.16 blocks and .436 hitting) in conference matches. With 687 blocks, she ranks second all-time at NU in total blocks (687), trailing only Amber Holmquist’s school mark of 728 (1999-02). Elmer nearly recorded her third double-double of the year at Kansas State on Oct. 19 with nine kills and 10 blocks. 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 of the(Sports Imports Classic and InfoUSA/Arby’s Players Challenge.

MB - #11 Tracy Stalls: 6-3, So., Arvada, Colo. - Stalls has played in 16 matches, averaging 1.64 blocks and 1.33 kills per game. She would rank third in the Big 12 in blocking, but is two games shy of the league minimum. Stalls has been playing her best volleyball in recent weeks, averaging 1.60 kills on .333 hitting and 2.00 blocks per game over NU’s last five matches. Stalls had a season-high nine kills on.500 hitting at Iowa State on Nov. 5. She matched her career high with nine blocks at Texas Tech on Oct. 29, one of three straight matches with at least seven blocks. Stalls, who is fourth in blocks in conference play, also had eight kills and eight blocks at Oklahoma on Sept. 28. She had seven blocks against No. 20 Texas A&M on Sept. 21 and five stuffs against fourth-ranked Penn State on Sept. 11. 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 2004 AVCA National Freshman of the Year and first-team All-American, Pavan is averaging 3.75 kills, 1.69 digs, 1.31 blocks and 0.31 service aces per game, ranking among the league leaders in kills (seventh), blocks (eighth), aces (14th) and points per game (4.75, fifth). Over NU’s last eight matches, Pavan is hitting .419 and averaging 4.08 kills per game. She matched her career high with four aces against Oklahoma on Nov. 2, and had 14 kills and two aces at Iowa State on Nov. 5. In NU’s sweep of Kansas on Oct. 26, Pavan had 12 kills on .458 hitting, hitting above .450 for the seventh time in 2005. She was dominant at Kansas State on Oct. 19 with 18 kills, six blocks and six digs. 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. 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. - Houghtelling has emerged as an All-American candidate in 2005, ranking among the Big 12 leaders in kills (3.56, 11th), hitting percentage (.350, eighth) and blocks (1.04, 15th). She has reached double figures in kills 17 times, including a 13-kill effort on .419 hitting vs. Oklahoma on Nov. 2, and has hit over .400 in nine matches this season. Houghtelling had 14 kills on .462 hitting at No. 23 Kansas State on Oct. 19. 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. 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 fourth in the Big 12 with 3.87 digs per game and has recorded double figures in digs 17 times, including a career-high 27 at Minnesota on Sept. 5 and 22 at No. 23 Kansas State on Oct. 19. Saleaumua’s 22 digs against KSU equaled the highest dig total in a three-game match in the Big 12 in 2005. She is averaging 2.20 kills on .347 hitting, 4.27 digs and 1.13 blocks over her last five matches. At Texas Tech on Oct. 29, Saleaumua had seven kills, six blocks and a match-high nine digs. 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 in the sweep of No. 4 Hawaii on Aug. 26. Saleaumua already holds NU’s record in digs (1,422) and has 36 career double-doubles. The Big 12 co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, she was in the USA Volleyball Program last summer.

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 3.17 kills on .308 hitting and 2.84 digs per game, topping all Big 12 rookies in kills, digs 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.

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 1.92 digs per game, helping the Huskers rank fourth nationally in team hitting and seventh in assists. Busboom became the eighth Husker to reach 2,500 career assists against Kansas on Oct. 26. She had 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 7.51 assists and 1.60 digs per game. Griffin, who has helped NU rank fourth nationally in hitting, had 36 assists, three service aces and six digs in a win at No. 5 Minnesota on Sept. 5. Griffin has two double-doubles, setting season bests in assists (37) and digs (15) in a victory at No. 7 Missouri on Oct. 5. 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 Texas A&M
The Aggies look the pull the upset against No. 1 Nebraska as they look to improve their case for a 13th straight NCAA appearances under Laurie Corbelli. Texas A&M is 11-11 overall with seven of the losses coming to ranked teams.

Texas A&M features one of the country’s premier hitters in senior Laura Jones, who leads the nation with 5.89 kills per game and also averages better than three digs per game. A second-team All-American in 2004 who already holds A&M’s career record for kills, Jones totaled a match-high 15 kills in the first meeting with the Huskers. Libero Holly Clay anchors the Texas A&M defense, as she is second in the Big 12 with 4.17 digs per game.

Nebraska leads the all-time series against the Aggies, 22-6, and has won the last 12 meetings dating back to 1999. The Aggies have enjoyed as much success against the Huskers as any team in the league, winning twice in five-game matches since the conference’s inception in 1996 ? once in 1998 and once in 1999. NU’s current 12-game win streak over A&M is NU’s longest in the series history.

Last Time Out: NU 3, Iowa State 0
Sophomores Sarah Pavan and Tracy Stalls combined for 23 kills, as No. 1 Nebraska remained undefeated with a 30-24, 30-23, 30-13 victory over Iowa State Saturday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum.

The duo combined to hit .436 on 39 swings, as Pavan totaled a match-high 14 kills and Stalls set a season-best with nine kills on .500 hitting. Stalls also led NU with four blocks, while Pavan had two of the Huskers’ seven aces.

The Huskers’ seven aces were the second-highest total of the season, as NU combined for six aces in the final two games. Nebraska finished the match hitting .365, including .400 in the finale, in posting its 68th win in as many matches all-time against ISU.

Stalls, who led NU in blocks in each of the last four matches, topped her previous season high of eight kills, set at Oklahoma in late September.

Christina Houghtelling joined Pavan in double figures with kills 10 kills on .471 hitting, while Jennifer Saleaumua added eight kills, two aces and a match-high 11 digs. Setters Dani Busboom and Maggie Griffin had 23 assists each, as NU hit .340 or better in all three games.