Huskers Head to Omaha for AVCA Showcase

AVCA Showcase InformationTickets:  All-Session Ticket prices are on sale through Ticketmaster outlets across the state, at Ticketmaster.com or at the Qwest Center Omaha box office.  Single-match tickets will go on sale Friday morning with prices at $18 (reserved) and $15 (General Admission)

Television: Nebraska's match on Friday will be carried state-wide on Nebraska Educational Television (Ch. 12) and on College Sports Television (Ch. 305 on Time Warner Cable; Ch. 610 on DirecTV; Ch. 152 on DISH Network). If Nebraska wins, Saturday's championship match will also be shown live on NET and CSTV

Radio:  Nebraska matches will be carried on selected Husker Sports Network stations, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and KHUS 93.3 FM in Omaha and on the Internet at Huskers.com

Live Stats: Huskers.com

Internet Video: CSTV.com (no live video will be on HuskersNside this weekend)

The top-ranked Nebraska volleyball team begins the 2007 season in a familiar place, as the Huskers head to Omaha for the AVCA Showcase. The two-day tournament takes place on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 24-25, at Qwest Center Omaha with national coverage both nights on College Sports Television (CSTV) and state-wide coverage on Nebraska Educational Television. Fans can also listen to both of Nebraska’s matches on the Husker Sports Network and on Huskers.com.

The Huskers will make the 56-mile commute from the Coliseum to the Qwest Center for one of the premier non-conference tournaments in the country. Nebraska will open against SEC power Tennessee in one semifinal, set for 8:30 p.m. on Friday.

Fifth-ranked UCLA will square off with No. 21 Utah in the evening’s first semifinal, slated for 6 p.m. Friday’s winners will meet Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. with the third-place matchup set for 6 p.m.

Nebraska is making its sixth Showcase appearance and looks to become the first program to win three titles in the event, which has been held annually since 1995. Nebraska is 4-0 in AVCA Showcase matches under John Cook, winning the event in both 2001 and 2005.

AVCA Showcase Quick Hits
?-Nebraska is a perfect 7-0 in Qwest Center Omaha since the building opened, including five wins over top-10 teams.

?-Nebraska’s 2005 AVCA Showcase title is the only time in the event’s history that the home team has won the event.

?-Friday’s season opener marks the return of outside hitter Christina Houghtelling, who was the 2005 AVCA Player of the Year. Houghtelling redshirted last season after shoulder surgery. She was the 2005 AVCA Showcase MVP.

Worth Noting
?-This weekend’s AVCA field will feature some of the nation’s top college performers, as seven AVCA All-Americans will be in action this weekend. The contingent is highlighted by Nebraska’s duo of AVCA National Players of the Year Christina Houghtelling (2005) and Sarah Pavan (2006) along with 2006 first-team All-Americans Jordan Larson (Nebraska) and Nellie Spicer (UCLA).

?-While hosting the AVCA Showcase is an honor for programs around the country, one area where it has not been a boon is the won-loss ledger. Since the AVCA Showcase began in 1995, host teams are a combined 9-15 (.375) with only one title - Nebraska in 2005. Host teams have been winless four times, most recently Florida in 2000. The Huskers are 3-3 in their three previous stints as AVCA host.

?-With such a challenging early-season field, the AVCA Showcase annually features teams that advance deep into the postseason. Of the 12 previous winners, 10 have advanced to the NCAA National Semifinals, including five of the past six seasons.

?-Over 10,000 all-session tickets have already been sold for this weekend’s AVCA Showcase, putting it well within reach of AVCA Showcase attendance records for single-match (10,576, NU vs. Stanford, 2005) and all-session (20,604, 2005). This weekend will make the seventh and eighth matches played at Qwest Center Omaha since the building opened, and every crowd has been in excess of 10,000.

?-Nebraska is 29-3 (.907) all-time in season openers, including a perfect 7-0 under John Cook. The last time the Huskers dropped a season opener came in the 1999 NACWAA Classic (now AVCA Showcase).

?-The Huskers have played their last 73 matches as the nation’s top-ranked team in the AVCA poll, dating back to the end of 2004 season. In that span, NU has a record of 67-4. In fact, Husker juniors Amanda Gates, Jordan Larson and Rachel Schwartz have been a part of the nation’s No. 1 team in every match during their collegiate careers.

?-NU is 38-3 (.927) against ranked opponents since the start of the 2004 season and 75-11 (.872) in eight seasons under John Cook.

?-With the No. 1 ranking in the 2007 CSTV/AVCA preseason poll, the Huskers have spent 72 weeks all-time at No. 1, the most of any Division I program. UCLA is second with 51 weeks. NU has been ranked No. 1 in 32 of the last 33 polls dating back to the start of 2005.

?-The Huskers enter the weekend needing one win to become the third Division I program to reach the 1,000 victory mark. The Huskers will look to join UCLA (1,037 wins) and Missouri State (1,003 wins) in that exclusive club. If Nebraska wins its opening match of the AVCA Showcase, it could set up the first meeting of 1,000-win teams, as UCLA plays Utah in the other semifinal.

Husker Probable Starters
MB - #11 Tracy Stalls: 6-4, Sr., Denver, Colo. - Two-year captain who earned second-team AVCA All-America honors in 2006. Stalls averaged 2.67 kills and 1.41 blocks per game in 2006, leading the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.400) and ranking 11th nationally. She totaled a career-high 17 kills in the 2006 NCAA semifinals against UCLA, one of 13 matches with at least 10 kills in 2007. Stalls spent part of the summer with the USA National Team, playing in the Pan America Cup and averaging 2.25 kills per game while hitting .615.

MB - #15 Kori Cooper: 6-2, So., Amarillo, Texas - Second-year starter who shares the position with junior Amanda Gates. Cooper was one of two freshmen starters in 2006, averaging 1.67 kills and 0.95 blocks per game in 30 matches. She finished fourth in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.344) - topping all conference newcomers in that category - and was second in hitting percentage in league matches (.354). Her best match as a freshmen came at NCAA qualifier Iowa State, where she totaled a career-high 12 kills on .429 hitting and added five blocks.

-OR - #17 Amanda Gates: 6-1, Jr., Columbus, Neb. - Gates has earned starting time in each of her first two seasons at Nebraska. She started 11 matches in 2006, averaging 1.27 kills and 1.18 blocks per game. Gates, who has a 4.00 GPA in communication studies, totaled a career-high 10 blocks in the 2006 opener against San Diego. She made a major contribution in the NCAA title match, coming off the bench for three key blocks to spark NU’s comeback from a 27-25 deficit in game three.

L - #5 Rachel Schwartz: 5-9, Jr., Lincoln, Neb. - Schwartz, who was NU’s defensive and serving specialist in 2006, won the starting libero job over freshman Kayla Banwarth in fall camp. Schwartz started 29 matches in 2006, averaging 2.41 digs, 0.23 aces and 0.30 assists per game. She finished fourth on the team in digs, totaling double figures in 15 matches despite playing only three rotations. Her career-best night came in a win at No. 9 Texas, where she had 15 digs in the five-set win.

OPP - #9 Sarah Pavan: 6-5, Sr., Kitchener, Ontario - Pavan is a three-time first-team AVCA All-American and reigning Honda-Broderick Cup winner. She was the AVCA player of the Year in 2006, leading the Big 12 in kills (5.10) and points per game (5.98), while hitting .313 on the season. She was also sixth in service aces (0.34/gm) and averaged 1.50 digs and 1.00 blocks per game. Pavan reached double figures in kills in 33 of 34 matches, including 10 matches with at least 20 kills. Pavan, who needs 269 kills to break Allison Weston’s school record of 1,778, is on pace to become just the fourth four-time, first-team All-American in NCAA volleyball history. She carries a 4.0 GPA in biochemistry and was recognized as the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American of the Year for all sports at the Division I level for the 2006-07 year. She declined an opportunity to play with the Canadian team this summer to take an upper-level chemistry class so she can graduate this season. She made her Canadian National Team debut at age 16.

OH - #10 Jordan Larson: 6-2, Jr., Hooper, Neb. - Larson is one of the country’s top all-around performers, earning first-team AVCA All-America honors in 2006. She averaged 4.13 kills and 3.50 digs per game last season and was the only player in the Big 12 to rank in the top 10 in both categories. Larson was among conference leaders in service aces (0.46, third), points per game (5.07, third), kills (fifth) and digs (10th). She was the Big 12’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year and totaled a team-high 22 double-doubles in 2006. Larson had 19 kills on .378 hitting and 15 digs in the win over No. 2 Stanford in the NCAA title match. She was also the Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA Gainesville Regional with 3.62 kills, 3.25 digs and 0.50 aces per game, highlighted by a career-high 21 kills and 17 digs in the regional final against No. 9 Minnesota.

OH - #3 Christina Houghtelling: 6-2, Sr., Cambridge, Neb. - Houghtelling returns to action this weekend after missing all of the 2006 season with shoulder surgery. She was the AVCA Player of the Year two years ago, averaging 3.69 kills, 2.49 digs and 1.03 blocks per game in helping the Huskers to 33 wins and an NCAA finals appearance. Houghtelling was among the Big 12 leaders in both kills (10th) and hitting percentage (.375, fifth) in 2005. She tied for the team-lead with six double-doubles, including a 19-kill, 20-dig performance against Kansas State. She shined in NU’s toughest contests, averaging 4.00 kills, 2.54 digs and 1.29 blocks per game in seven matches against top-10 teams in 2005. She also was a first-team Academic All-American who carries a 3.90 GPA entering her final college semester.

S - #12 Rachel Holloway: 5-10, So., Franklin, Tenn. - Holloway is one of five AVCA All-Americans in the Husker lineup and held her job despite a strong challenge from senior Maggie Griffin in fall camp. Holloway was a third-team All-American in 2006, piloting an offense that led the nation in assists (16.20/gm) and kills (17.40/gm) and ranked second in hitting percentage (.295). She was a third-team All-American, averaging 13.43 assists, 2.49 digs and 1.11 kills per game, finishing 11th nationally in assists. Holloway, who was only the second freshman in NCAA history to be a starting setter for a title team, totaled 13 double-doubles and totaled 50-or-more assists in 11 matches. She tallied a career-high 65 assists in the NCAA Regional title win over Minnesota.

Scouting The AVCA Field
Tennessee is a program that has made a name for itself on the national scene in recent years. The Lady Vols have reached the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons, culminating with the program’s first trip to the national semifinals in 2005. Head Coach Rob Patrick guided UT to a 19-12 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2006. The Lady Vols are making their first appearance in the AVCA Showcase, and UT was the first SEC team invited since Florida in 2003. 

The Volunteers bring back 12 letterwinners, but just three starters from a year ago and were tabbed to finish third in the SEC Eastern Division. Tennessee was not ranked, but received votes in the preseason CSTV/AVCA poll. UT is led by senior outside hitter Yuliya Stoyanova, who has earned AVCA honorable-mention All-America accolades in each of the past two seasons. A two-time All-SEC pick, Stoyanova was fifth in the league with 4.08 kills per game and also averaged 2.76 digs per game before suffering a season-ending knee injury late last season.

 One area where Tennessee will be strong is at middle blocker with the return of sophomore Leah Hinkey, who was named to the SEC All-Freshman team after producing 1.97 kills and 1.19 blocks per game a year ago. Junior Mindy Flynn also returns to the Lady Vols lineup after averaging 2.08 kills and 1.13 blocks per game from her right side position.

Series History: Nebraska leads the series, 4-0, but the teams have not met since a Husker sweep in 1997 at the NU Coliseum. That match has been the only meeting between the schools since 1988.

UCLA (33-4) returns to Omaha after reaching the NCAA semifinals last season. 2006 AVCA National Coach of the Year Andy Banachowski guided the Bruins to 33 wins - the most by a UCLA team since 1992 - and a second-place finish in the Pac-10 Conference. A two-time AVCA Coach of the Year, Banachowski is the only college women’s volleyball coach with more than 1,000 wins. This season, the Bruins were ranked fifth in the preseason CSTV/AVCA Coaches poll and were tabbed to finish third in the rugged Pacific-10, a league that placed three teams in the 2006 national semifinals. 

The Bruins, who are making their first AVCA Showcase appearance in eight years, are familiar to volleyball fans in Omaha, as UCLA has played postseason matches in the building in both 2005 and 2006.  Banachowski’s 2007 Bruins welcome back four starters, including multi-talented setter Nellie Spicer. The junior was a first-team AVCA All-American in 2006, averaging 13.66 assists per game to rank seventh nationally, while also chipping in 2.52 digs and 1.13 kills per game.

Spicer keyed a balanced UCLA attack that featured five players averaging over two kills per game last fall. Outside hitters Kaitlin Sather (2.95 kills per game) and Ali Daley (2.92 kills per game and 2.29 digs per game) provide firepower, while senior Rachell Johnson (2.14 kills per game and 1.13 blocks per game) will look to fill some of the void left by first-team All-American Nana Meriwether. Along with 11 letterwinners, UCLA also welcomes a five-member recruiting class rated among the nation’s best.

Series History: Nebraska leads the series, 8-4, and has won the last two meetings - both at Qwest Center Omaha. Five of the 12 meetings between the two programs have been in the NCAAs.

One of the most consistent programs in the western part of the country has been the Utah Utes (28-4) under Beth Launiere. The Utes have made nine straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including seven appearances in the second round of the tournament.

Last season, Utah enjoyed its best season in program history, going 28-4 with a 25-match winning streak before falling to UCLA in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.  The Utes will make their first-ever appearance in the AVCA Showcase, becoming the first Mountain West Conference team since Colorado State in 2004 to be invited to the prestigious event. 

The Utes, who were picked 21st in the CSTV/AVCA preseason poll, welcome back four starters from a team that went a perfect 16-0 in regular-season Mountain West Conference action. Senior right side hitter Whitney Webb leads Utah after averaging 3.13 kills, 2.67 digs and 1.29 digs per game in 2006, while All-MWC selection Lori Baird chipped in 2.44 kills and 1.34 blocks from her middle blocker position. Utah, which led the nation in team blocking last season, suffered a major setback with the loss of senior middle blocker Emillie Toone to a knee injury in the offseason. An honorable-mention All-American pick, Toone finished second nationally with 1.93 blocks per game for the Utes in 2006.

Series History: Nebraska leads the series, 2-0-1, but has not played the Utes since a four-game win in the second round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament. That was Utah’s first-ever appearance in the NCAAs. The two teams have not met in the regular season since 1986.

Red/White Scrimmage Recap
Nebraska’s Red/White scrimmage lived up to its billing, and then some as an overflow crowd of 4,073 were treated to nearly two hours of exciting volleyball.  The Red squad, consisting of many of Nebraska’s starters, prevailed with a 29-31, 30-23, 30-25 victory.

While the Red squad featured four returning All-Americans, including the return to action of 2005 AVCA National Player of the Year Christina Houghtelling, the White squad was up the challenge behind the performances of U.S. Olympian Nancy Metcalf and Dani Busboom, the Huskers starting libero from last season’s title team who had spent the spring training with the USA Volleyball program.

Houghtelling, in her first match at the Coliseum since December of 2005, nearly totaled a double-double with a team-high 16 digs and nine kills. The senior, who missed last season following shoulder surgery did not commit an attack error through on her first 16 swings of the match and hit .250 on 28 swings. 

Fellow All-American Jordan Larson led the Reds with a double-double, totaling 13 digs and match-high 11 kills against a stout White defense, while freshman Lindsey Licht and sophomore Kori Cooper totaled eight and seven kills, respectively.

The Reds, even without reigning AVCA National Player of the Year Sarah Pavan, held the White squad to just .159 hitting on the night and enjoyed a 10-6 edge in blocks.

While fans were treated to some outstanding performances from former greats like Metcalf (11 kills and 10 digs) and Busboom (25 digs), they also saw the Huskers’ talented freshmen class in their debuts. Middle blocker Brooke Delano totaled nine kills, while Tara Mueller finished with eight kills and six digs for the White squad. For the Reds, Kayla Banwarth finished with 12 digs in her Husker debut.

The highlight of the night came following the scrimmage, as the Husker players received their national championship rings and 2006 seniors Dani Busboom and Dani Mancuso unveiled the national championship banner for the first time. The crowd of 4,073 shattered the previous Red/White scrimmage record of 3,356 set in 2006.

Nebraska Looks to Join Elite Club
This fall, the Huskers will look to join an elite list, as only five programs have repeated as national champions. The most recent was USC, which took home back-to-back titles in both 2002 and 2003.

Huskers Take Poll Position Again
The NU volleyball team finds itself in a familiar position, as the Huskers were selected as the nation’s top-ranked team in the CSTV/AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll released on Aug. 14. The Huskers, who finished 33-1 en route to the school’s third NCAA title in 2006, return five AVCA All-Americans among their nine returning letterwinners, highlighted by AVCA National Players of the Year Sarah Pavan and Christina Houghtelling. The Huskers received 53 of the 60 possible first-place votes for a total of 1,491 points, with second-ranked Stanford receiving the other seven first-place votes and totaling 1,350 points.

It marks the third straight season - and fourth time in school history - that Nebraska has opened the season ranked No. 1. Nebraska, whose 72 weeks ranked No. 1 are the most of any program, have been the nation’s top-ranked club in 32 of the last 33 polls dating back to the start of the 2005 season.

Nebraska and No. 1 Rankings 
 Nebraska has now spent 72 weeks all-time at No. 1 in the AVCA poll, the most weeks at No. 1 of any Division I program. In all, 53 of the 72 weeks at No. 1 have come under Coach John Cook. Nebraska is one of two teams to be ranked in the AVCA Coaches poll for all 352 weeks of its existence. The Huskers have been ranked in the top 10 for 318 weeks, which trails only Stanford’s 322 weeks in the top 10. Dating back to the end of the 2004 season, Nebraska has played its last 73 matches as the nation’s No. 1 team, going an impressive 69-4 in that stretch.

Two AVCA Players of the Year in the Same Lineup...Never Happened Before 2007
With Sarah Pavan winning the AVCA National Player-of-the-Year Award in 2006, Nebraska has now had four AVCA National Players of the Year, including three this decade. With the return of 2005 AVCA National Player of the Year Christina Houghtelling to the lineup this year, the Huskers will become the first team in NCAA volleyball history to field two former AVCA National Players of the Year on the court at one time.

Pavan and Houghtelling look to become only the fifth player in college volleyball history to win the AVCA honor more than once, joining Logan Tom (Stanford, 2001-02); Misty May (Long Beach State, 1997-98); Tara Cross (Long Beach State, 1988-89) and Teee Williams (Hawaii, 1987-89).

The Streak is 58 in the State
While Omaha has been a second home to the Husker volleyball program, this weekend’s AVCA Showcase is considered neutral-site matches in the eyes of the NCAA. While this means NU’s 54-match home winning streak is not on the line until next Friday’s home opener against Creighton, another impressive streak will be tested this week.

The Huskers have won their last 58 matches in the state of Nebraska dating back to September of 2004. The streak includes the 54 home matches, two matches against Creighton (one in North Platte and one when NU was the visting team at the Qwest Center) and both of NCAA Final Four matches from last season.

Huskers Continue Big 12 Dominance 
Nebraska’s Big 12 title in 2006 continues one of the most successful runs in NCAA history. The Huskers have won nine Big 12 titles in the last 11 years and 28 Big Eight/Big 12 crowns in 31 years. Over the last decade, Nebraska is 206-14 in Big 12 matches, including 135-5 under Head Coach John Cook.

Nebraska: All-American U 
Nebraska continued its string of All-America success in 2006 with four Huskers earning AVCA All-America accolades.  Rachel Holloway, Jordan Larson, Sarah Pavan and Tracy Stalls were all selected, increasing Nebraska’s NCAA-leading totals to 29 players and 57 certificates, respectively. Nebraska has had at least one All-American every season since 1983, a total of 25 straight seasons, including 22 in Cook’s seven seasons.

Cook’s Winning Ways 
Nebraska Coach John Cook has been amazingly successful during his first seven seasons at the helm, posting a 200-14 record (.940 winning percentage). All 14 losses have come against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including the eventual NCAA champion in 2001 (Stanford), 2002 (USC) and 2005 (Washington).

A two-time AVCA National Coach of the Year, Cook has enjoyed greater success in the Big 12, going 135-5 in conference play in his seven years at Nebraska. The Huskers have won six Big 12 titles over the last seven seasons (2000-02, 2004-06) and have dropped just 49 of the 463 conference games they have played over the past six years, good for an .894 winning percentage.

Nebraska Coliseum: Sold Out for 2007
Coming off a national title, it was no coincidence that interst in Nebraska volleyball is at an all-time high. When single-match tickets at the NU Coliseum went on sale on Aug. 1, they were scooped up in 45 minutes, insuring that Nebraska’s NCAA record streak of Coliseum sellouts would reach triple figures by the end of the year. Fans began camping out in front of the ticket office 16 hours before tickets went on sale. Prior to this season, the quickest NU had ever sold out its Coliseum matches was nine days.

The Huskers will carry a streak of 90 consecutive sellouts at the NU Coliseum heading into the Aug. 31 home opener aganist Creighton.  The streak began with a 10-game stretch to close the 2001 campaign, and has carried over through the last five seasons. The last non-sellout came on Sept. 25, 2001, against Creighton.

Success in the Classroom
Nebraska continued to excel in the classroom in 2006, as Sarah Pavan was named the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year, not only in volleyball, but in all sports in the University division. She became the second Husker student-athlete to ever receive this distinction and the first since former Husker Rob Zatechka in 1994.

The Huskers have had 29 academic All-Americans in volleyball, including at least one in 19 of the past 23 seasons. In July, Nebraska was also awarded the AVCA GamePlan Academic Team award for the 12th time, the most of any Division I program.

Pavan may meet her toughest test to repeat as Academic All-American of the Year from her own team NU’s projected starting lineup for Friday’s 2007 season opener includes three senior All-Americans with GPAs of 3.90 or better in Sarah Pavan (4.00 in biochemistry), Tracy Stalls (3.946 in an individualized program of studies) and Christina Houghtelling (3.90 in elementary education).

Husker Recruiting Class Among Nations’ Best
Nebraska’s incoming class of freshmen is very well thought of around the country, as the class was ranked fifth nationally by both Volleyball Magazine and Prepvolleyball.com.

The group includes four Volleyball Magazine selections in Kayla Banwarth, Brooke Delano, Lindsey Licht, Tara Mueller along with walk-on Jordan Willberger. Licht enrolled in January and went through spring drills with the team. All of the freshmen except Wilberger, who is redshirting this season, could see time this weekend at the AVCA Showcase.

Huskers Tabbed by Big 12 Coaches
Defending national champion Nebraska has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the Big 12 volleyball title for the 11th consecutive season in a vote of the league’s head coaches

The Huskers received 10 of the possible 11 first-place votes while tallying 100 points overall.  Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.  Last season, NU earned its third NCAA title after going 33-1 overall and 19-1 against the league for its third straight Big 12 crown and ninth title in 11 years of Big 12 action.

Right-side hitter Sarah Pavan, the 2006 AVCA Player of the Year, headlines a deep and talented Husker roster.  Four additional All-Americans will also be featured among the returning starters -- setter Rachel Holloway, outside hitters Christina Houghtelling and Jordan Larson and middle blocker Tracy Stalls.    In addition to those five All-Americans, the Huskers also feature three other players with starting experience from a year ago, including middle blockers Kori Cooper and Amanda Gates and defensive specialist Rachel Schwartz, who will move to libero this fall.

Texas was second behind NU with 91 points, including one first-place vote.  The Longhorns were followed by Missouri, Texas A&M and Colorado filling the top five spots.  Iowa State was sixth with Kansas State, Baylor, Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Tech rounding out the poll. 

Nebraska also paced the conference with a Big 12 record five preseason All-Big 12 selections, including Holloway, Houghtelling, Larson, Pavan and Stalls.

Husker Volleyball and Team USA
 Members of the Nebraska volleyball program had a busy summer representing USA Volleyball in competitions all over the world. 

 ?-Senior middle blocker Tracy Stalls returned to the U.S. National team for the first time since 2004 and helped Team USA to a fourth-place finish at the Pan American Cup in Colima, Mexico. Stalls started the first three matches before suffering a slight knee injury that knocked her out of competition. In her three matches, she averaged 2.25 kills per game on .615 hitting, highlighted by 13 kills on 18 swings against Argentina and eight kills on 10 swings in a five-game match over the Dominican Republic.

 ?-Freshman outside hitter Tara Mueller started for the U.S. Junior National Team in July at the Under-20 World Championships in Thailand, helping Team USA to a fourth-place finish. Mueller started all seven matches at libero, ranked third among all tournament players in digs with 36 and eighth in serve reception percentage. 

 ?-Assistant Coach Lee Maes served as the Head Coach of the USA Junior National A2 Team, leading them to a perfect 5-0 record and a gold medal at the 2007 European Global Challenge in Pula, Croatia.

Next Week
The Huskers continue through their challenging non-conference schedule, taking on Creighton, No. 3 Penn State and No. 14 Cal Poly at the Holiday Inn Downtown Classic.  Nebraska’s match against Penn State on Sunday, Sept. 2, will take place at the Qwest Center in Omaha with a first serve time of 3 p.m. Tickets are available for that match through Ticketmaster.com or at Ticketmaster locations around the state.