No. 1 Huskers Take Road to Omaha for NCAA Sweet 16

NCAA Omaha Regional
Friday-Saturday, Dec. 9-10 ? Qwest Center Omaha (15,500) ? Omaha, Neb.

Regional Semi #1 No. 4 Florida (32-2) vs. No. 7 Louisville (31-2)
Friday, Dec. 9 ? Qwest Center ? 5 p.m.

Regional Semi #2 No. 1 Nebraska (30-1) vs. No. 14 UCLA (20-10)
Friday, Dec. 9 ? Qwest Center ? 7 p.m. (or 30 minutes after match #1)

Regional Final Friday’s Winners
Saturday, Dec. 10 ? Qwest Center ? 5 p.m. (ESPNU-Tape Delay)

Omaha Regional Information
Tickets: All-Session Tickets ($36 & $30); Single-match tickets ($18.50 and $15.50) go on sale Friday at 8 a.m. Tickets are available at the Qwest Center, TicketMaster outlets across the state & at 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
Live Internet Video: TBA
Television: Regional Final Shown on ESPNU (Ch. 609 on DirecTV; Not available on Time Warner Cable in  Lincoln) at Midnight (central)
Series Records: vs. UCLA (NU leads 6-4); vs. Florida (NU leads, 6-1) vs. Louisville (NU leads, 4-0)

No. 1 Huskers Take Road to Omaha for NCAA Sweet 16
The No. 1 ranked Nebraska volleyball team makes its shortest road trip of the season this weekend, as it makes the 60-mile drive (59.26 miles according to Mapquest) up I-80 to the Qwest Center Omaha for the NCAA Omaha Regional. One of the largest crowds in NCAA volleyball history is expected, as over 12,500 tickets have been sold for the four-team regional which also features No. 4 Florida, No. 7 Louisville and No. 14 UCLA.

The regional begins at 5 p.m. with a matchup between SEC champion Florida (32-2) and Big East regular-season co-champion Louisville (31-2). The second semifinal features the host Huskers (30-1) and UCLA (20-10) which will take place at 7 p.m. or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the first match. The final takes place Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m. and will be televised on a tape-delayed basis on ESPNU (Ch. 609 on DirecTV) at Midnight (CST). All of NU’s postseason contests will be carried on the Pinnacle Sports Network, 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.

All-session tickets for the regional are $36 (lower bowl) and $30 (upper bowl) 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.

Did You Know?
? Nebraska has already sold 12,500 tickets and will threaten the NCAA postseason record of 13,194 set at the 1998 NCAA title match.

? Nebraska has reached the 30-win plateau for the fifth time in six years and the 17th time in school history. Since the Big 12 started, NU has had seven 30-win seasons, the rest of the league has combined for one.

? Friday’s matchup between NU and UCLA features the teams ranked No. 1 (UCLA, 1,004) and No. 4 (963, NU) all-time in wins. They are two of only seven programs nationally to record 900 wins.

?-The four teams in the Omaha regional have combined for a 113-15 record, as its .883 winning percentage is the best of the four regionals taking place this weekend. Of the six teams with 30 or more wins, three are in Omaha this week.

Regional Record Pct.

Omaha 113-15 .883

College Station 108-18 .857

State College 105-20 .840

Palo Alto 101-22 .821

?-Nebraska will be making its 12th consecutive NCAA Sweet 16 appearance and 22nd in school history. NU is 24-12 all-time in NCAA regionals.

?-Volleyball fans in the state of Nebraska will be looking to set its second NCAA attendance mark in two weeks, as Nebraska-Kearney drew a Division II record 5,025 for their national championship match against Grand Valley (Mich.) State last Saturday.

?-According to research compiled by Rich Kern, Nebraska’s 17-1 record against NCAA qualifiers during the regular season is 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 third all-time among Division I programs in NCAA tournament wins (61) and winning percentage (.738).

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 (2.17/gm) and is second in the Big 12 and ninth nationally with a .405 hitting percentage, as she averages 2.67 kills per game. A three-time All-Big 12 pick, she has totaled 10 or more blocks nine times, including a school and Big 12 record-tying 16 blocks against Kansas on Oct. 8. Elmer holds NU’s single-season (223) and career (740) blocking records, breaking three-time All-American Amber Holmquist’s record in both categories (220, 728) during last weekend’s NCAA matches. Elmer has four double-doubles this season, including a 12-kill, 5-block effort against Sweet 16 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 1.50 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 .400 or better in three of NU’s last four matches. Stalls had her output against No. 11 Texas on Nov. 26, totaling a season-high 11 kills on .400 hitting. Stalls has averaged 1.60 blocks and 1.74 kills on .297 hitting over her last 13 matches. She had her 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.

OPP - #9 Sarah Pavan: 6-5, So., Kitchener, Ontario - The reigning Big 12 Player of the Year, Pavan averages 3.76 kills, 1.67 digs, 1.25 blocks and 0.33 aces per game. A first-team All-American in 2004, she ranks among the league leaders in hitting percentage (.352, eighth), kills (eighth), blocks (ninth), aces (11th) and points per game (4.75, fifth). 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 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 Regional averaging 3.66 kills, 2.49 digs and 1.00 blocks per game, ranking among the Big 12 leaders in hitting percentage (.368, fifth) and kills (3.66, 10th). She has led Nebraska in kills 12 times and has hit over .400 in 17 of NU’s 31 matches, including eight of the last 10. 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 and had 14 kills on .591 hitting against Colorado on Nov. 26. A first-team Academic All-American, 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 a two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, topping all league hitters in averaging 3.87 digs per game. Saleaumua also averages 2.23 kills on .286 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. She is ninth in school history in kills (1,209), passing former All-American Laura Pilakowski on Nov. 26. Saleaumua 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. She holds NU’s record in digs (1,529) and has 39 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 (2.96), hitting percentage (.292), digs (2.68) and service aces (0.39). 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. 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 6.58 assists and 1.84 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 2,773 following a 20-assist, nine-dig effort against Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. 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. - 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 7.43 assists and 1.62 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 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.

Scouting the Omaha Regional
UCLA (20-10): Under long-time coach Andy Banachowski (1,004-265 in 39 seasons), the Bruins have won nine of their last 11 contests after going 11-8 during the first part of the season. The Bruins, who lost the regional final at Washington last season, have reloaded behind a youthful lineup that has featured as many as four freshman on the court. Freshman Kaitlin Sather leads UCLA with 3.82 kills per game, while freshman Nellie Spicer earned first-team All-Pac 10 honors after averaging 12.65 assists and 2.78 digs per game. The Bruins also feature junior middle blocker Nana Meriwether, who also earned first-team All-Pac 10 honors with 3.08 kills and 1.77 blocks per game. Nebraska is 6-4 all-time against UCLA, but the Bruins snapped a four-match losing streak to NU with a 3-1 victory in the 2003 Lincoln Regional.

Florida (32-2): Head Coach Mary Wise (491-265 in 15 seasons) leads the Gators to its 14th NCAA regional in the last 15 seasons. The Gators are 32-2 on the season and won the SEC regular-season and postseason titles. Florida enters the regional on an 11-match win streak after a five-game loss at Tennessee on Oct. 30. UF’s only other loss came against Notre Dame in September. The Gators, who played for a national title in 2003, are led by SEC Player of the Year Jane Collymore, who averaged 4.58 kills and 2.90 digs per game. She was one of three Gators named first-team All-SEC, joining setter Angie McGinnis (13.54 digs, 2.41 digs and 1.20 kills per game) and middle blocker Kisya Killingsworth (3.46 kills and 1.32 blocks per game.) Nebraska has won six of the seven previous matches, but the teams have only squared off one other time in the NCAA Tournament, an epic five-game win in Lincoln during the 2001 season.

Louisville (31-2): The Cardinals advanced to their fourth NCAA Sweet 16 in school history with wins over Western Kentucky (3-1) and Maryland. Under Coach Leonid Yelin (256-66 record in 9 years), the Cardinals tied Notre Dame for the Big East regular-season title before dropping the title match in five games. The Cardinals, who lost to NU in the Sweet 16 in Louisville in 2004, are led by Big East Player of the Year Lena Ustymenko, who averages 5.31 kills, 2.73 digs and 0.56 aces per game. She is joined by middle blocker Jennifer Hoffman, who averages 2.81 kills and 1.64 blocks per game in the Cardinals’ 6-2 offense. Outside hitter Ana Yartseva (2.36 kills per game) and middle blocker Rui Liu (1.54 kills and 1.15 blocks per game). Nebraska has won all four meetings in the series, including last season’s sweep in the NCAA Tournament. NU eliminated the ?Cards in two of their three previous Sweet 16 appearances.

Last Match: No. 1 NU 3, Duke 0
Behind a match-high 10 blocks from All-American Melissa Elmer, top-ranked Nebraska rolled into the Sweet 16 for the 12th straight year with a 30-19, 30-19, 30-20 victory over Duke on Saturday.

Elmer’s 10 stuffs helped the Huskers hold Duke to a season-low .043 hitting, as Nebraska improved to 30-1 on the season. The 30 wins marks the 17th time the program has reached the 30-win plateau and the fifth in six years under Head Coach John Cook. The win snapped Duke’s nine-match winning streak and closed out the Blue Devils’ season at 24-8 mark.

While Elmer paced NU’s sterling defensive effort against the Blue Devils, junior Christina Houghtelling and sophomore Sarah Pavan both totaled a match-high 12 kills to lead the Husker offense. Pavan also had six blocks and two of NU’s service aces, while freshman Jordan Larson has nine kills, four blocks and a pair of aces in the win.

1st Round: No. 1 NU 3, Alabama A&M 0
Behind a school postseason record 14 service aces, No. 1 Nebraska opened the NCAA Tournament with a 30-15, 30-7, 30-15 victory over Alabama A&M on Dec. 2.

Christina Houghtelling, Sarah Pavan and Jordan Larson had three aces apiece, as NU’s 14 aces broke the school’s postseason record of 13 set in a four-game match against Pittsburgh in 1986. Houghtelling led a balanced offensive attack with a match-high 11 kills on .556 hitting, as Nebraska hit .405 in the sweep.

All-Americans Sarah Pavan and Jennifer Saleaumua had eight and seven kills, respectively, while All-American Melissa Elmer had six kills and two blocks. A total 12 players saw action for Nebraska, as the Huskers held Alabama A&M to -.072 hitting, the second-lowest hitting percentage by a Husker opponent this season.