Huskers Look for Third National Title in San Antonio

National Semi #1 No. 15 Tennessee (24-8) vs. No. 3 Washington (30-1)
Thursday, Dec. 15 ? Alamodome ? 6 p.m.

National Semi #2 No. 1 Nebraska (31-1) vs. Santa Clara (27-4)
Thursday, Dec. 15 ? Alamodome ? 8 p.m. (or 30 minutes after match #1)

National Final Thursday’s Winners
Saturday, Dec. 17 ? Alamodome ? 5 p.m. (ESPN2 Live)

NCAA Championship Information
Tickets: All-Session Tickets ($45); Available at Saloc.org and Ticketmaster.com
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
Television: Both national semifinals shown live on ESPNU (Ch. 609 on DirecTV; 148 on DISH Network) Not available on Time Warner Cable in Lincoln) NU's Thursday semifinal will be shown at 1 p.m. on Friday on ESPN2
Series Records: vs. Santa Clara (NU leads 5-0); vs. Washington (NU leads 1-0); vs. Tennessee (NU leads 4-0)

Huskers Look for Third National Title in San Antonio
The No. 1 ranked Nebraska volleyball team looks to conclude its season-long quest for a national title, as it heads to San Antonio, Texas, for the 2005 NCAA Championship. The Huskers (32-1) enter the national semifinals as the top overall seed and makes its ninth NCAA semifinal appearance and first since 2001. NU will take on Santa Clara (27-4) in the second national semifinal on Thursday, Dec. 15, at 8 p.m. or 30 minutes following the first semifinal. The first semifinal, which begins at 6 p.m., features No. 3 Washington against No. 15 Tennessee.

Both of Thursday’s semifinals will be shown live on on ESPNU (Ch. 609 on DirecTV; Ch. 148 on DISH Network), while NU’s match will be shown on Friday at 1 p.m. on ESPN2. For fans who can’t be in San Antonio in person or watch on ESPNU, Thursday’s match will also be carried across the state on the Pinnacle Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and KFAB 1110 AM in Omaha, and on the Internet at Huskers.com.

While the Huskers are making their first national semifinals appearance in five seasons, Nebraska is used to the big stage, as the Huskers have played in front of the four biggest crowds in college volleyball this season, including an NCAA record postseason crowd of 15,119 in a sweep of No. 4 Florida on Dec. 10 at Qwest Center Omaha.

While Nebraska has made eight previous national semifinals, Santa Clara is making its first NCAA semifinal appearance after dispatching No. 5 Arizona in Saturday’s regional final. The Broncos won the West Coast Conference regular season title with a 12-2 record.

Worth Noting
?-Nebraska looks to become the third team in NCAA history to lead the AVCA poll the entire season, as only UCLA (1992) and USC (2003) have accomplished the feat.

?-Nebraska makes its ninth NCAA national semifinal (1986, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2005). The Huskers are 4-4 in their previous eight national semifinals, including a 2-2 mark under John Cook.

Nebraska’s Record by Round
Round Record Pct.
Semifinals 4-4 .500
Finals 2-2 .500

?-Nebraska (eight times) and Washington (2004) are the only two programs which have appeared in the national semifinals.

?-With a win against Santa Clara, Nebraska can tie Florida and Ohio for the Division I lead in wins. Of NU’s 32 wins, 12 have been against ranked teams.

2005 Team Leaders in Wins

Round Wins
Ohio 33
Florida 33
Col. of Charleston 32
Louisville 32
Nebraska 32

?-Nebraska has out-hit all 33 opponents this season, as only one team, USC in the 2004 regional final, has out-hit NU over the last 65 matches dating back to the start of the 2004 season.

?-Nebraska has held 27 of its 33 opponents to under .200 hitting, including 11 opponents under .100 hitting.

?-Nebraska is 25-2 against ranked opponents over the last two seasons.

?-Fans in the state of Nebraska set NCAA postseason records for Division I (15,119 vs. Florida in the regional final) and in Division II (5,025 by Nebraska-Kearney against Grand Valley State in the national final on Dec. 3). While Nebraska ranked second nationally in attendance at 4,323 fans per home match, the average jumps to 5,969 if you include the four neutral site matches NU hosted in Omaha.

?-According to research compiled by Rich Kern, Nebraska’s 17-1 record against NCAA qualifiers during the regular season was the best of any school in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskers’ 18 matches against NCAA qualifiers was also the most of any school.

?-NU has now spent 55 weeks all-time at No. 1 in the AVCA poll, the most weeks at No. 1 of any Division I program. UCLA held the previous record with 51 weeks.

?-Nebraska is making its 24th NCAA tournament appearance, a total that ranks fourth among NCAA programs. NU ranks second all-time in winning percentage (.750), tied for second in NCAA wins (63) and third in national semifinal appearances (nine).

?-Nebraska has won its last 31 home matches, including all 16 in 2005.

?-Melissa Elmer is the first player in Big 12 history to record 200 or more blocks in consecutive seasons.

?-Nebraska has stepped up its production offensively and at the service line during the NCAA Tournament. NU is hitting .334 in its four postseason matches and has been above .300 in all four matches during the postseason.

Comparing Nebraska
Season Hitting Pct. SA/gm B/gm D/gm
Regular Season .322 1.23 4.12 15.00
Postseason .334 2.67 3.92 14.50

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 (2.18/gm) and is second in the Big 12 and ranks among the national leaders with a .387 hitting percentage, as she averages 2.64 kills per game. A three-time All-Big 12 pick, she has totaled 10 or more blocks 10 times, including a school and Big 12 record-tying 16 blocks against Kansas on Oct. 8 and 10 blocks against both Duke and Florida in the NCAA Tournament. Elmer holds NU’s single-season (238) and career (686) blocking records, breaking three-time All-American Amber Holmquist’s record in both categories (220, 728) during the NCAA Tournament. Elmer is averaging 2.45 blocks per game in NU’s four NCAA matches this season. She has four double-doubles (kills and blocks) this season, including a 12-kill, 11-block effort against Elite Eight qualifier Missouri on Nov. 13. 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 1.54 blocks per game, ranking fourth in the Big 12 and 20th nationally in blocks. She has been a more consistent offensive force in recent weeks, hitting .375 or better in four of NU’s last six matches. Stalls had her highest output against No. 11 Texas on Nov. 26, totaling a season-high 11 kills on .400 hitting. Stalls has had at least five blocks 11 times, including three matches of at least eight blocks. She enjoyed best blocking effort of the season against Kansas State on Nov. 19, recording a career-high 12 stuffs. 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.

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 Championships averaging 3.71 kills, 2.45 digs and 1.00 blocks per game, ranking among the Big 12 leaders in hitting percentage (.375, fourth) and kills (3.71, ninth). She has led Nebraska in kills 13 times and has hit over .400 in 18 of NU’s 32 matches, including nine of the last 12. Houghtelling has been dominant in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 4.17 kills on .512 hitting and 0.67 service aces per game. She was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Omaha Regional, including an 18-kill effort on .615 hitting in the regional title match. She 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. A first-team Academic All-American, Houghtelling has earned all-tournament honors three 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.

OPP - #9 Sarah Pavan: 6-5, So., Kitchener, Ontario - The reigning Big 12 Player of the Year, Pavan averages 3.78 kills, 1.65 digs, 1.25 blocks and 0.31 aces per game. A first-team All-American in 2004, she ranks among the league leaders in hitting percentage (.351, eighth), kills (seventh), blocks (seventh), aces (12th) and points per game (fifth, 4.76). A first-team Academic All-American, Pavan has led NU in kills 12 times, including a season-high 22 kills, six blocks and two aces against No. 12 Missouri on Nov. 13. She had 12 kills and hit .409 in Friday’s regional semifinal win against UCLA and had 13 kills and six blocks against No. 4 Florida in the regional final. 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 - #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 a two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, topping all league hitters in averaging 3.82 digs per game. Saleaumua also averages 2.29 kills on .296 hitting, her best percentage since 2002. 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. Saleaumua, who is ninth in school history in kills with 1,228, had a match-high 13 kills on .571 hitting and 12 digs in the regional semifinal against UCLA and 11 digs and six kills vs. No. 4 Florida. Saleaumua, who was selected to the Omaha Regional All-Tournament team, is hitting .415 in the NCAA Tournament and averaging 2.67 kills per game. She is only the second player to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career and holds the school record in digs with 1,552. She has six kills on .429 hitting, 10 digs and four blocks versus Duke on Dec. 3. 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. In all, she has six double-doubles this season and 40 in her career. Last summer, she trained with the USA Volleyball A-2 team.

OH - #10 Jordan Larson: 6-2, Fr., Hooper, Neb. - The Big 12 and Central Region Freshman of the Year, Larson earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors in 2005. She topped all Big 12 rookies in kills (2.91), hitting percentage (.289), digs (2.78) and service aces (0.38). Larson has five double-doubles, including three against top-10 teams, and had 12 kills and 14 digs against Kansas State on Nov. 19. Larson nearly posted a double-double against No. 14 UCLA with 11 digs and nine kills on .438 hitting and added a match-high 15 digs in the regional final. She has led NU in kills eight times, including a 14-kill effort on .420 hitting against No. 18 Texas on Oct. 15. 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 6.51 assists and 1.81 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 2,805 following a 16-assist, five dig effort against Florida. She had a season-high three aces against UCLA in the regional semifinal, as NU hit .349 against the Bruins. Busboom 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. - Maggie Griffin is in her first season at Nebraska after transferring from Michigan State. She splits time with Dani Busboom in running NU’s 6-2 offense, averaging a team-high 7.48 assists and 1.65 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 nearly recorded her fifth double-double of the season against No. 4 Florida with 26 assists and nine digs. Griffin also had 23 assists and two aces against Duke on Dec. 3. Griffin has posted two double-doubles against Sweet 16 participant 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.

Last Match: No. 1 NU 3, No. 4 Florida 0
Christina Houghtelling pounded a match-high 18 kills on .615 hitting, the sixth-best postseason total in school history, as No. 1 Nebraska advanced to the program’s ninth NCAA National Semifinal with a 3-0 sweep (30-26, 30-24, 30-16) of No. 4 ranked Florida in front of an NCAA-record crowd of 15,119 Saturday night at the Qwest Center Omaha.

Houghtelling was named the Omaha Region Most Outstanding Player. Teammates Sarah Pavan, who had 13 kills and six blocks against the Gators, and Jennifer Saleaumua were also named to the all-region team.

The Huskers punched their ticket to Thursday’s semifinal in San Antonio by hitting .300 as a team, the first opponent to hit better than .300 against the Gators this season. While the offense clicked, the Husker defense held Florida to a season-low .084 hitting percentage. The Huskers have won all 12 games in the 2005 NCAA Tournament and improved to a perfect 4-0 at the Qwest Center this season, with each victory coming via a sweep over a ranked opponent, including three wins over top-five foes.

The Husker Nation came out in full force, topping Friday night’s attendance record as Saturday’s attendance was the first postseason volleyball match in NCAA history to have more than 15,000 fans in attendance. The 29,608 all-session attendance was also an NCAA record.

Regional Semi: No. 1 NU 3, No. 14 UCLA 0
Behind a double-double from All-American Jennifer Saleaumua, Nebraska advanced to the regional final with a 30-28, 30-24, 30-16 sweep of No. 14 UCLA in front of an NCAA postseason record crowd of 14,489 at the Qwest Center Omaha on Friday. Saleaumua led a potent Husker attack, totaling a match-high 13 kills on .571 hitting. The senior All-American also led NU with 12 digs, as she totaled her 40th career double-double. All-American Sarah Pavan also reached double figures in kills, as she finished with 12 kills on .409 hitting, as the Huskers hit .349 in the match, including .464 in the finale. NU out-dug the Bruins, 40-30 and enjoyed a 10-6 blocking advantage at the net, as middle blockers Melissa Elmer and Tracy Stalls tied for match-high honors with five blocks.

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 and nearly got two teams into the national semifinals, as Missouri advanced to the Elite Eight.

2005 NCAA Tournament Teams
No. Conference NCAAs Elite Eight Final 4
1. Big 12 7 2 1
2. Pac-10 6 2 1
Big 10 6 1 0
SEC 6 2 1

2005 Season Review...CliffsNotes Version
Nebraska has enjoyed one of its best seasons in school history, taking a 32-1 record into this week’s NCAA Semifinals. In honor of CliffNotes (which were founded in Lincoln in 1958), here is a short summary 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 15 polls during the season.

? Recorded a school five wins over top-five teams, topping the mark of four wins over top-five teams in both 1995 and 2000 and is 12-1 against ranked teams.

? Snapped No. 4 Hawaii’s 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.

? Won at 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.

? Completed the home schedule with a perfect 16-0 record, the 15th time - and first since 2001 - that Nebraska went undefeated at home.

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

? Won 30 matches for the fifth time in six years and the 17th time in school history.

? Set NCAA postseason single-match (15,119 against Florida) and all-session (29,608) records at the Omaha Regional, where NU swept No. 14 UCLA and No. 4 Florida.

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, and 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 3.82 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 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.