No. 1 Huskers Open Big 12 Slate with KU

After winning a pair of early-season tournaments, Nebraska turns its collective focus on the Big 12 with the start of league play this week. Nebraska will open conference play on Wednesday night, as the Huskers take on the Kansas Jayhawks. First serve is set for 7 p.m. from a sold-out Nebraska Coliseum, the 79th consecutive sellout in the historic building.

Wednesday’s match against the Jayhawks will be carried state-wide on the Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) and on Huskers.com. The match will also be televised to both a state-wide (NET, Ch. 12; NET-HD, Ch. 112) and a national audience (CSTV).

Match #8
No. 1 Nebraska (7-0, 0-0 Big 12)
vs. Kansas (7-2, 0-0)

Wednesday, Sept. 13 ? NU Coliseum ? 7 p.m.

Tickets:
Sold Out (79th consecutive sellout)

Radio:
Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha)

Live Stats/Audio: Huskers.com

Live Video Feed:
HuskersNside (free on Wednesday)

Television: Live on NET (Ch. 12) and NET-HD (112); Also shown live on College Sports Television (Ch. 610 on DirecTV; Ch. 152 on Dish Network and Ch. 305 on Time Warner Cable in Lincoln)

Match #9
No. 1 Nebraska 
at Oklahoma (8-2, 0-0)

Saturday, Sept. 16 ? Norman, Okla. ? 7 p.m.
Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha)
Live Stats/Audio: Huskers.com
Live Video Feed: HuskersNside
Television: None

The Huskers, ranked No. 1 nationally for the 58th time on Monday, have won their last six Big 12 openers, dating back to the 2000 season, and are 9-1 in Big 12 openers. NU received its toughest test to date on Sunday, topping Minnesota in four games. In that match, Sarah Pavan (23 kills and 11 digs) and Jordan Larson (17 kills and 11 digs) both posted double-doubles, while Tracy Stalls matched her career high with 17 kills.

With a 7-2 mark, Kansas will provide a solid test for the Big Red to open conference play. The Jayhawks, which reached the NCAA Tournament in 2005, knocked off No. 16 BYU last Thursday, only to drop a five-game match against Arkansas on Sunday. The Jayhawks are tied for third in the Big 12 in hitting percentage, and feature three players averaging nearly 3.50 kills per game, including junior Emily Brown, who averages a team-best 4.0 kills per game.

Did You Know?

• ?-Nebraska opened the season with six straight sweeps - the first time that has occured since 1976.
• ?-With Nebraska (1st) and Texas (5th) in the top five of Monday’s AVCA poll, it is the first time since Sept. 10, 1996 (and the fourth time since the league was formed) that two Big 12 teams were ranked in the top-five of the AVCA poll.
• ?-After seven matches last season, the Huskers were hitting .297. The 2006 squad is hitting .339 as a team.
• ?-The Huskers hit .350 or better in four straight matches before hitting .272 in last Saturday’s win over Cal Poly - the first time NU has hit .350 or better in four straight matches since the 2002 season.
• ?-Sarah Pavan is averaging 6.38 kills per game over the Huskers’ last four matches. Pavan was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Monday.

Worth Noting

• ?-The Huskers enter the week with 41 straight home wins, including their last 35 home matches at the NU Coliseum, dating back to the 2004 season.
• ?-Nebraska has four players leading the Big 12 in offensive categories: Tracy Stalls (hitting percentage), Sarah Pavan (kills per game and points per game), Rachel Holloway (assists per game) and Jordan Larson (service aces per game).
• ?-Over the last two-plus seasons, Nebraska is 29-3 (.906) against ranked opponents.
• ?-Nebraska has sold out its last 79 matches at the Nebraska Coliseum, dating back to the 2001 season.
• ?-With the No. 1 ranking in Monday’s AVCA poll, the Huskers have spent 58 weeks all-time at No. 1, the most weeks at No. 1 of any Division I program. UCLA is second with 51 weeks. In fact, NU has been ranked No. 1 in 18 of the last 19 polls dating back to the start of last season
• ?-The Huskers lead the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.339), kills (18.23) and assists (17.00), while ranking second in both blocks (3.30) and digs (16.50).
• ?-Rachel Holloway not only became the fifth freshman to start her collegiate debut at NU, but was the first Husker freshman to start at setter in a 5-1 offense in the NCAA era (1983-present). NU had two other freshmen split time in the 6-2 offense (Lindsay Wischmeier-1999; Dani Busboom-2003), but neither started their first match at NU.

Scouting Kansas
The Jayhawks are off to a solid start, going 7-2 on the season entering Big 12 play. KU, which was picked seventh in the preseason coaches poll, opened the year with wins in seven of its first eight matches before dropping a five-game contest to Arkansas on Saturday. The non-conference slate was highlighted by a sweep of No. 16 BYU last Thursday, handing the Cougars their first loss in the process.

Head Coach Ray Bechard (145-110 in nine seasons) has led KU to three straight NCAA Tournaments - the first appearances in Jayhawk history.

The 2006 squad features four returning starters, including outside hitter Emily Brown, who leads KU and ranks among the Big 12 leaders with 4.00 kills per game, while also averaging 2.66 assists and 2.72 digs per game. The Jayhawks have a balanced offense with three players hovering around 3.50 kills per game. Senior Jana Correa averages 3.75 kills and 2.53 digs per game, while Indianola, Neb., native Savannah Noyes chips in 3.47 kills per game while hitting .362. Kansas is second to Nebraska in kills per game and ranks in the top three in the league in both hitting percentage and assists.

In addition to Noyes, KU also features two other players from Nebraska; outside hitter Megan Hill (Lincoln Southeast), who averages 2.19 kills per game, and middle blocker Paige Mazour (Franklin), who has seen limited duty this season.

Nebraska has dominated its series with Kansas. Husker historical records show NU with a 76-0 all-time advantage, while Kansas records show that NU leads the series 75-1-1, as two matches are in dispute - one on Oct. 17, 1975 and one on Nov. 15, 1977. An extensive search of the Lincoln Journal and Lincoln Star archives in 2003 turned up nothing that could solve the debate. Regardless of the discrepancy, the Huskers have defeated KU in three games 46 times. Kansas has only taken the Huskers to five games one time, on Nov. 23, 1990.

Last season, the Huskers won both matchups. In the first meeting, Melissa Elmer tied a Big 12 record with 16 blocks to lead NU to a four-game win. The rematch in Lincoln featured a strong performance from Sarah Pavan, who totaled 12 kills on .458 hitting and eight digs in a three-game sweep.

Husker Probable Starters
MB - #17 Amanda Gates: 6-2, So., Columbus, Neb. - Gates is in her first season as one of Nebraska’s starting middle blockers and averages 1.41 blocks and 1.12 kills per game. She is eighth in the Big 12 in blocks and has totaled at least three blocks four times, while splitting time with Kori Cooper. Gates had a career-high 10 blocks in NU’s opener against No. 20 San Diego on Aug. 29 and had her best offensive match of the season with a career-high six kills on .455 hitting against Long Beach State on Sept. 3. She appeared in nine matches as a true freshman in 2005, averaging 0.94 kills and 0.81 blocks per game. She was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection out of Columbus High School.

MB - #11 Tracy Stalls: 6-3, Jr., Denver, Colo. - The veteran among NU’s middle blockers, Stalls is one of three tri-captains this season. She has been dominant in the middle for NU, averaging 3.09 kills and 1.36 blocks per game. Stalls leads the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.500) and is 10th in blocks entering Big 12 play. Stalls, who ranked second nationally in hitting percentage in last week’s NCAA rankings, has hit .500 or better five times in seven matches. She has matched her career high in kills twice, including last Sunday’s match against Minnesota where she totaled 14 kills. Stalls also had 14 kills on .600 hitting against Long Beach State on Sept. 3. Last season, Stalls ranked third in the Big 12 with 1.59 blocks per game (14th nationally) while also chipping in 1.43 kills per game. She led NU in blocks nine times, including a career high with 12 blocks, including five solo stuffs, against Kansas State. 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, Jr., Kitchener, Ontario - A two-time first-team AVCA All-American, Pavan is on pace for one of the most distinguished careers in NU history. Pavan leads the Big 12 in both kills (5.55) and points per game (6.55), while ranking seventh in hitting percentage (.380). Pavan has been named MVP of both of NU’s tournaments and was chosen as the Big 12 Player of the Week on Monday, after averaging 6.70 points, 5.90 kills (.409 hitting percentage) and 2.30 digs in three matches. Pavan comes off of her first career double-double on Sunday against Minnesota, where she had 23 kills and 11 digs against the Gophers. She had one of the best matches of her career against Long Beach State on Sept. 9, totaling 24 kills on .400 hitting against the 49ers, including eight kills on eight swings in the opener. Pavan was the MVP of the Nebraska Invitational two weeks ago, hitting .457 and averaging 5.67 kills and 1.56 blocks per game. Pavan was the Big 12 Player of the Year in 2005, averaging 3.82 kills, 1.66 digs and 1.25 blocks per game, ranking among the league leaders in kills, blocks, points per game and service aces. She established her career high in kills as a freshman with 35 in the NCAA Regional against USC. She recorded a triple-double vs. Pepperdine in 2005 (11 kills, 11 blocks and 10 digs) becoming the first NU outside hitter to accomplish the feat since 1999. Pavan, who carries a 4.0 GPA in biochemistry, was a member of the Canadian National Team at age 16.

OH - #10 Jordan Larson: 6-2, So., Hooper, Neb. - Larson is a returning starter at outside hitter who was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year and AVCA Central Region Freshman of the Year in 2005. She averages 4.18 kills and 3.86 digs per game, ranking sixth in the Big 12 in kills and eighth in digs while leading the conference with 0.82 service aces per game. Larson, who has been selected to the all-tournament team in both of NU’s tournaments this season, has a team-high four double-doubles, most recently a 17-kill, 11-dig effort against Minnesota on Sunday. Against No. 20 Louisville, she set a career high with five aces while adding 14 kills on .440 hitting against the Cardinals. In the opener against No. 20 San Diego on Aug. 29, she posted a match-high 13 kills, four blocks and three service aces in a sweep of the Toreros. Last season, she averaged 2.82 kills, 2.79 digs and 0.38 service aces per game, topping all conference freshmen in kills, digs, hitting percentage and service aces. 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. Larson also spent two years on the U.S. Junior National Team.

DS - #5 Rachel Schwartz: 5-9, So., Lincoln, Neb. - Schwartz is a former walk-on who is used as a defensive specialist in the NU lineup and averages 1.45 digs per game. She tied or set career highs in digs three times this season, including 11 digs in Sunday’s win over Minnesota. Schwartz appeared in 30 matches as a freshman as NU’s defensive specialist, finishing with 18 digs and five aces. She was a first-team all-state selection at outside hitter at Lincoln East High School in 2004.

-or- OH - #7 Dani Mancuso: 6-2, Jr., Omaha, Neb. - Mancuso moved into the outside hitter position vacated after Christina Houghtelling’s season-ending injury. She averages 2.68 kills, 0.91 blocks and 0.73 digs per game, primarily playing the front row. Mancuso has reached double figures in kills twice, including 11 in a sweep of Saint Mary’s on Sept. 1. She finished with seven kills and added five blocks, one off her career high, in a win over No. 20 USD in the season opener. In 2005, Mancuso was NU’s backup at all three outside hitter spots, averaging 1.38 kills, 1.15 digs and 0.68 blocks per game. As a sophomore, she shared the outside hitter spot with Christina Houghtelling, averaging 2.77 kills and 0.29 service aces per game. Mancuso had a career-high 22 kills off the bench in a four-game victory at Kansas State in 2004.

S - #12 Rachel Holloway: 5-10, R-Fr., Franklin, Tenn. - Holloway is the first Husker freshman to start in a 5-1 system in the NCAA era (1983-present) after earning the starting nod over Maggie Griffin in fall camp. She enters Wednesday’s match averaging 14.24 assists, 2.81 digs and 1.19 kills per game, leading the Big 12 in assists and ranking third nationally in that category, She helped NU hit .339 as a team, a total that is fourth nationally. She has three double-doubles, including a 44-assist, 11-dig effort versus Cal Poly on Sept. 9. Holloway played one of her best matches of the year against Minnesota on Sept. 10, with a career-high 57 assists, eight digs and seven kills, while helping NU hit .337 against the Golden Gophers. Over the summer, Holloway captained the U.S. Youth National Team to a gold medal at the NORCECA Junior Championships in Mexico. Holloway, who graduated high school a year early, was the Gatorade High School player of the Year in Colorado in her final season at Smoky Hill High School.

L - #18 Dani Busboom: 5-11, Sr., Cortland, Neb. - Busboom makes the shift to libero after sharing time at setter in each of her first three years at Nebraska. She is third in the Big 12 with 5.09 digs per game and has totaled at least 14 digs in six of NU’s seven contests. Busboom averaged 5.20 digs and 0.60 services aces per game in the Ameritas Players Challenge, matching her career high with 20 digs against No. 25 Cal Poly on Sept. 9. Against No. 20 Louisville, Busboom had 14 digs and three aces while helping to hold Louisville to .044 hitting. Busboom enjoyed a strong debut at libero, totaling a match-high 20 digs against No. 20 San Diego on Aug. 29, while helping to hold the Toreros to .016 hitting. Last season, she averaged 6.45 assists and 1.82 digs in NU’s 6-2 offense, helping NU hit .322 as a team. She is seventh on NU’s career assists list with 2,837 and could become only the second player in school history on top-10 lists in both assists and digs. Busboom was selected as a tri-captain by her teammates and is one of seven Nebraska natives on the 2006 roster.

Last Time Out: No. 1 NU 3, Minnesota 1
Behind double-doubles from Sarah Pavan and Jordan Larson, No. 1 Nebraska survived Minnesota’s upset bid, posting a 28-30, 30-25, 20-22, 30-22 victory over the Golden Gophers to win the Ameritas Players Challenge on Sept. 10.

The Huskers (7-0) took their own tournament title for the second consecutive weekend, as Pavan totaled a match-high 23 kills on. 407 hitting and 11 digs for her first double-double of the year and seventh of her career. Pavan earned tournament MVP honors, as the 6-foot-5 right side hitter averaged 5.90 kills on .409 hitting, 2.30 digs and 0.70 blocks in three victories, including a pair of sweeps over ranked teams.

Larson joined Pavan on the all-tournament team after posting her fifth double-double of the year with 17 kills and 11 digs. Larson totaled 12 of her kills in the final two games, including five kills on nine swings in the finale. Rachel Holloway was the third Husker on the all-tournament team, as the setter totaled a career-best 57 assists, eight digs and seven kills. Holloway helped the Huskers hit .337 as a team, including .405 in game four.

Tracy Stalls was the third Husker to finish in double figures in kills, as the junior tied or set career highs in kills (14) and attempts (30) while leading NU with five blocks.

Noting the Ameritas Players Challenge

• ?-Nebraska improved to 3-0 against ranked teams this season with victories over No. 20 Louisville and No. 25 Cal Poly.
• ?-The Huskers held No. 20 Louisville to 13 points in two games, the Cardinals lowest total in the rally scoring era.
• ?-Nebraska hit .398 against Louisville, the fourth straight match that the Huskers hit above .350.
• ?-Nebraska swept both Louisville and Cal Poly and totaled six straight sweeps to open the season for the first time since 1976 and for just the secnod time in school history.
• ?-Three Huskers were selected to the Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament Team: Sarah Pavan (MVP), Jordan Larson and Rachel Holloway.
• ?-Nebraska improved to 11-0 against Big Ten teams since John Cook took over the NU program in 2000. In all, the Huskers have won their last 13 matches against Big Ten teams.

Pavan Passes 1,000-Kill Plateau

Junior All-American Sarah Pavan reached a milestone in Nebraska’s sweep of Louisville, becoming only the 18th Husker to reach 1,000 career kills. Pavan reached the mark midway through the second game, as her 13th kill of the night gave NU a 24-21 lead.

"You think of all the great players that have come through this program and all the players that have reached this milestone in their career, and it’s an unbelievable feeling just to be included in that. It’s a huge honor to be mentioned with the likes of Nancy Metcalf and Allison Weston."
-- Sarah Pavan after reaching 1,000 career kills

A two-time AVCA All-American, Pavan entered the season needing 76 kills to reach 1,000 and accomplished the feat faster than any other Husker in school history. Pavan, who has averaged 4.29 kills per game during her Husker career, needed 236 games to reach 1,000 kills, a pace that was two games quicker than Nancy Metcalf (Meendering) when she reached the mark in 1999.

Pavan is quickly climbing NU’s all-time kills list and enters Wednesday’s match with Kansas with 1,046 kills. She is 14 kills away from passing both Megan Korver (1,051) and Cathy Noth (1,059) for 15th place on NU’s all-time list.

Pavan is enjoying her finest season at Nebraska in 2006, leading the Big 12 in kills per game and points per game while ranking seventh in hitting percentage.

No Stopping Stalls
No Husker has gotten off to a more impressive start than junior middle blocker Tracy Stalls. The Denver, Colo., native has enjoyed the best offensive stretch of her career, averaging 3.09 kills per game while hitting .500. Stalls not only leads the Big 12, but ranks second nationally in hitting entering the weekend.

Stalls, who missed part of last season after knee surgery, has totaled at least eight kills in six of seven matches, including a career-high 14 kills on two occasions. She totaled 14 kills and led NU with five blocks in a win over Minnesota on Sept. 10.

She matched her career high with 14 kills in a sweep over Long Beach State on Sept. 3, hitting .600 in the process. Last season, Stalls reached double figures in kills only once.

NCAA Hitting Percentage Leaders (Sept. 6)
No. Player Hitting Pct.
1 Anna Cmaylo, Santa Clara .625
2 Tracy Stalls, Nebraska .607
3 Faye Barhorst, Dayton .563
4 Kelsey Bowers, Florida .545

Busboom Makes the Change
After not playing with a libero during the 2005 season, Nebraska can still claim a returning starter at the position, as Dani Busboom has made the shift from setter to libero. The senior shared setting duties last year in NU’s 6-2 offense and was a three-year performer at setter, guiding NU to a 63-4 mark the last two seasons.

Busboom, who has averaged over two digs per game from her setter spot during her career, has adapted quickly, ranking third in the Big 12 with 5.09 digs per game. The only two players she trails (Missouri’s Tatum Ailes and KSU Angie Lastra) were the Big 12 Liberos of the Year in 2004 and 2005, respectively.

Busboom has reached double figures in digs in six of seven matches, including 20 in sweeps of No. 20 San Diego on Aug. 29 and of No. 25 Cal Poly on Sept. 10. The only match she didn’t reach double figures was against a Middle Tennessee team that hit -.088 against NU.

Busboom, who ranks seventh on NU’s all-time assist chart with 2,849 assists, could finish her career as one of only two players ranked in the top 10 in both assists and digs. She has 813 digs in her career and is only 132 digs away from cracking the top 10 in that category.

The Set-up on Holloway
Rachel Holloway made Husker history in the season opener against San Diego on Aug. 29, becoming the first NU freshman in the NCAA era (1983-present) to start a match under the 5-1 system.

The Franklin, Tenn., native has been impressive during her first season, averaging 14.24 assists per game to lead the Big 12 and rank third nationally.

After a debut that saw NU hit just .191 in a sweep of San Diego, Holloway helped the Huskers hit .356 over their next six matches including a stretch of four straight contests where they hit .350 or better - the first time that has happened for the Huskers since 2002.

Holloway has been named to the all-tournament team in both of Nebraska’s early season tournaments and has three double-doubles. Against Minnesota on Sept. 10, Holloway totaled career highs in assists (57), kills (seven) and blocks (two). Against Saint Mary’s on Sept. 1, Holloway guided the Huskers to a .487 hitting percentage - the highest single-match performance since the 2002 season.

Holloway, who also averages 2.81 digs and 1.19 kills per game, spent part of the summer leading the U.S. Junior National Team to a gold medal at the NORCECA Junior Championships.

Larson’s All-Around Game Shines
One of the reasons for Nebraska’s success is the improved all-around play of sophomore Jordan Larson. The Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2005, Larson has gotten off to an All-American caliber start this season. She ranks in the top-10 in the Big 12 in kills (4.18, sixth), services aces (0.83, first) and digs (3.86, eighth) per game, making significant improvements in nearly every category compared to 2005.

The Hooper, Neb., native leads NU with four double-doubles and has reached double figures in kills in six of NU’s first seven matches. She had a season-high 17 kills in Sunday’s win over Minnesota.

Comparing Larson - 2005 & 2006
Year K/Gm Hitting Pct. D/Gm A/Gm
2005 2.82 .277 2.79 0.38
2006 4.18 .315 3.86 0.83

Filling the Qwest
Volleyball fans from around the state will have their first opportunity to see the new Qwest Center Omaha addition, as Nebraska and Creighton will play a match there on Sunday, Sept. 24.

Tickets are going briskly for that match as nearly 8,600 tickets have been sold for the match entering Tuesday, a total that would rank among the largest crowds in college volleyball this season.

Tickets can be purchased at the Qwest Center Omaha, at Ticketmaster locations around the state and at ticketmaster.com. Prices for te matchup between the state’s two Division I programs range from $8-$16.

Husker Block is Best in the Land
Nebraska volleyball has been traditionally known for its blocking attack and the 2006 squad will look to enhance NU’s blocking reputation. NU, which has led the nation in blocks in five of the last six seasons, is among the national blocking leaders with 3.30 per game.

Last season, Nebraska averaged a national-best 4.12 blocks per game, topping the 4.00 blocks per game mark for the sixth time in school history (also 1986, 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2004) and fourth time under Head Coach John Cook.

How I spent my Summer Vacation
Several Husker players and head assistant coach Lee Maes were busy during the summer helping out the USA Volleyball Program;

? Maes coached the A2 Red team to a gold medal at the USA Volleyball Girls’ High Performance Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

? Tracy Stalls and Maggie Griffin trained with the USA National Program in Colorado Springs during July.

? Rachel Holloway captained the U.S. Junior National Team to a gold medal at the NORCECA Junior Championships in Monterrey, Mexico, in early August.

Volleyball Tickets Sold Out for 2006 Season
For Husker volleyball, one record setting streak is guaranteed to continue this fall, as the Nebraska Ticket Office announced on Aug. 16 that the entire regular-season home schedule is officially sold out.

Single-match tickets went on sale on Aug. 3, with fans camped out overnight waiting for tickets. In fact, 11 of the first 17 matches sold out within three hours of the ticket windows opening, and the final tickets were sold prior to the Huskers’ annual Red/White Match.

The sellout streak began in the 2001 season and will reach 89 at the end of the regular season.

NU Picked to Repeat as Big 12 Champs
Nebraska is the preseason favorite to win the Big 12 title for the 10th consecutive season in a vote of the league head coaches, the conference office announced on Aug. 3. The Huskers received eight of the 11 possible first-place votes and 98 points overall, while coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.

In 2005, NU finished the season as the national runner-up to Washington, tallying a 33-2 overall record and 19-1 conference mark. The Huskers also claimed their eighth Big 12 crown (1996, 1998-02, 2004-05). Coach John Cook earned AVCA Division I National Coach-of-the-Year honors for the second time in his career, in addition to being named Big 12 Coach of the Year (2001, 2005). Nebraska also returns reigning conference player of the year Sarah Pavan.

Texas was second behind NU with 93 points, including three first-place votes. The Longhorns were followed by Missouri, Kansas State and Texas A&M filling the top five spots. Colorado was sixth with Kansas, Iowa State, Baylor, Oklahoma and Texas Tech rounding out the poll.

Pavan headlines the individual honors as the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year for the second straight season. Last year, the junior from Kitchener, Ontario, averaged 3.82 kills, 1.24 blocks, 1.66 digs and 0.31 aces in 35 matches. Pavan tallied four double-doubles and a triple-double of 11 kills, 11 blocks and 10 digs against Pepperdine.

Pavan was one of two Huskers chosen for the preseason All-Big 12 team, as she was joined by sophomore outside hitter Jordan Larson, who averaged 2.82 kills and 2.79 digs per game in 2005, earning Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors.

Houghtelling to Miss 2006 Season
Nebraska Head Coach John Cook announced on Aug. 8 that AVCA National Player of the Year Christina Houghtelling will miss all of the 2006 season following shoulder surgery.

Houghtelling, a first-team All-American in 2005, underwent surgery on her right shoulder on July 13, and underwent arthroscopic surgery on her right knee later that month. Last season, Houghtelling averaged 3.69 kills, 2.49 digs and 1.03 blocks per game, ranking among the Big 12 leaders in kills (10th) and hitting percentage (.375, fifth).

According to Head Coach John Cook, having the surgery at this time allows Houghtelling, who has not redshirted, to be completely healthy for the 2007 season and to enhance her chances at success following her Husker career.

"She developed a shoulder problem in the spring, and we felt it was best to repair it now so that she can come back completely healthy for her senior year," Cook said. "She is a big-time athlete and has the opportunity to continue in this sport following her collegiate career, whether it is with Team USA or professionally. We wanted to give her every opportunity to be successful following her career, and we made the decision that she had surgery."

Recruiting Class Ranked Among Nation’s Best
Nebraska’s incoming volleyball class received honors from two national publications, as both Volleyball Magazine and PrepVolleyball.com rated the Huskers’ recruiting class as one of the 10 best classes in the country. The class of Brooke Bartek and Kori Cooper was ranked 10th nationally by both publications

Bartek was one of the nation’s top high school players at Lincoln Northeast High School and rated the No. 13 player nationally by PrepVolleyball.com and a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 Recruit. A four-year starter, Bartek was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Nebraska in 2005 and finished her career with 337 blocks and 1,190 kills at Lincoln Northeast.

Cooper was one of the nation’s top seniors despite missing nearly all of her senior year with a knee injury. She was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 pick and was rated the No. 12 player in the country by PrepVolleyball.com. As a junior, she co-captained the U.S. Youth National Team to a fourth-place finish at the 2005 Under-18 World Championships in 2005 in Macau, China. A two-time all-state performer at Amarillo High School, Cooper totaled 439 kills, 103 block assists and 55 block solos during her junior campaign in 2004.

Huskers Honored by AVCA
The University of Nebraska volleyball team was honored earlier this month for its achievements in the classroom, receiving the Game Plan/AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2005-06 season.

The award, initiated by the AVCA in the 1992-93 academic year, recognizes college and high school teams that displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale during the previous school year. Nebraska finished the year with a 3.48 team GPA for the 2005-06 academic year, including an impressive 3.74 GPA during the spring semester.

Nebraska was one of 54 Division I programs honored nationally and one of only three Big 12 teams honored during the year, joining Kansas and Kansas State. The Huskers, who finished 33-2 and were national runner-up in 2005, were also the only Division I program in the country to reach the national semifinals and be recognized for high achievement in the classroom.

It is the 11th time that Nebraska has received the AVCA Team Academic Award ? the most of any Division I program nationally.

Omaha Hosts 2006 NCAA Championships
For college volleyball teams around the country, Omaha is the destination, as the University of Nebraska and Qwest Center Omaha play host to the 2006 NCAA Championship this December.

The NCAA semifinals take place on Thursday, Dec. 14, with the national championship match taking place on Saturday, Dec. 16. Husker fans have come out in full force, selling out the arena in just four hours the day tickets went on sale in January.

The Qwest Center hosted an NCAA Regional for the first time in 2005 to record-setting numbers. The two-day event drew an NCAA postseason record of 29,608 fans, including a near sellout of 15,119 for the regional final. The two crowds were the largest of the 2005 season and easily topped the previous NCAA postseason marks for single match (13,194) and all-session (23,978) both set by the University of Wisconsin in 1998.

Husker Television Schedule Annonced
The Nebraska Athletic Department announced that a total of seven Husker volleyball matches will be televised during the 2006 season.

The broadcast schedule, which includes six matches shown state-wide on Nebraska Educational Television, also features an appearance on FSN as part of the Big 12’s television package. The six matches on NET will also be shown in high-definition, and carried nationally on College Sports Television.

The first broadcast of the season took place on Sunday, Sept. 10, when the Huskers hosted Minnesota as part of the Ameritas Players Challenge. Other matches carried live on NET and NET-HD include conference matches with Kansas (Sept. 13), Texas Tech (Sept. 23), Kansas State (Oct. 4), Oklahoma (Nov. 4) and Texas (Nov. 25).

In addition, Nebraska’s match with Missouri on Oct 25 will be carried on FSN ? the only Big 12 volleyball match as part of the conference’s television package this season.

Husker Volleyball Television Show
With a new season underway, the Husker volleyball show has a new air time for this fall.

The show will be shown state-wide on Nebraska Educational Television (NET-2, Ch. 17 in Lincoln) every Monday at 9 p.m., beginning on Sept. 11. The show can also be seen on My TV (formerly UPN Nebraska) on Ch. 110 on Monday’s at 10 p.m. and in North Platte on KNOP/KIIT on Saturday’s at Noon. Other stations are expected to join the television network and information will be posted on Huskers.com, as soon as they become available.

Join host Diane Mendenhall and Coach John Cook, as they look back on last week’s matches, along with special features and player profiles throughout the year during this half hour show devoted to Husker volleyball.

Noting the 2006 Volleyball Schedule
? Seventeen of Nebraska’s matches will be against teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2005, including NCAA Regional qualifiers Louisville and Missouri.

? Seven of Nebraska’s 2006 opponents were ranked in the final 2005 AVCA Coaches poll (Missouri, Louisville, Texas, Purdue, Minnesota, San Diego, Kansas State) while Long Beach State also received multiple votes in the final poll.

? Nebraska’s 17 home matches are the most by a Husker team since 1999 and equals the Huskers’ most home matches since the Big 12 started in 1996.

? The 2006 schedule features a pair of first-time opponents in St. Mary’s and Middle Tennessee, while the Huskers and Cal Poly have only squared off one other time - a Cal Poly victory in 1984.

Up Next: NU Travels to Oklahoma
The Huskers hit the road for the first time this year on Saturday, as they travel to Oklahoma. First serve is set for 7 p.m. and the match will be carried on B107.3 FM and on Huskers.com.