Huskers Head to Wisconsin for NCAA Regional

NCAA Madison Regional

Regional Semifinal #2: No. 18 Iowa State (19-13) vs. No. 6 California (24-7)

Friday, Dec. 7  ? UW Field House (Madison, Wis.) ? 5 p.m.

Regional Semifinal #2: No. 2 Nebraska (29-1) vs. No. 24 Michigan State (21-13)

Friday, Dec. 7 ? UW Field House (Madison, Wis.) ? 7 p.m. (or 30 minutes following first match)

Television:  None

Radio: Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and KHUS 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com

Live Stats: NCAASports.com

Regional Finals: Friday’s Winners
Saturday, Dec. 8 ? UW Field House (Madison, Wis.) ? 8 p.m.

Television:  ESPNU (DirecTV Ch. 609; DISH Network Ch. 148; Time Warner Cable Ch. 235)

Radio: Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and KHUS 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com

Live Stats: NCAASports.com

The Nebraska volleyball team heads north to continue its quest for its second straight national title, as the Huskers travel to Madison, Wis., for the NCAA Madison Regional this weekend. The Huskers will depart Lincoln on Wednesday  afternoon for the regional which begins Friday evening at the UW Field House.

No. 2 Nebraska (29-1) will take on No. 24 Michigan State (21-13) in the evening’s second semifinal, scheduled for 7 p.m. or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the first match between No. 18 Iowa State (19-13) and No. 6 California (24-7). The winners will face off in the regional title match Saturday night at 8 p.m. with a berth to the national semfinals in Sacramento on the line.  All-session tickets are on sale through the University of Wisconsin Ticket Office (800-GO BADGERS or uwbadgers.com) and are $12 for adults and $8 for students, youths and seniors.

Friday's match can be viewed on www.uwbadgers.com for free, while Saturday's televised match will not be carried over the Internet. All of Nebraska's postseason contests can be heard across Nebraska on the Husker Sports Network and for free on the Internet at Huskers.com.

The Huskers head to their 14th consecutive regional following impressive sweeps over South Dakota State and Wichita State last weekend. Nebraska used strong serving and blocking, averaging 3.50 service aces and 3.67 blocks per game in the two wins. NU reached double figures in aces in consecutive matches for only the second time in the last four seasons and has averaged 2.71 aces per game over the last seven matches.
The Huskers are 72-22 (.766) in 26 NCAA Tournament appearances and have won 13 of the last 14 NCAA Tournament matches dating back to 2005. NU is 28-12 all-time in NCAA regional play, reaching the national semifinals on 10 occasions, most recently in 2006.

Worth Noting
?-Nebraska is making its 26th NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007, a total which ties for third among all Division I programs. Only Penn State and Stanford have longer streaks, as those two schools have qualified for all 27 NCAA Championships. NU’s streak is easily the longest among Big 12 teams.

?-The Huskers’ streak of 14 straight NCAA Regionals is the longest active in the country, as only three programs (Nebraska, UCLA and Penn State) have advanced to an NCAA Regional in each of the past five seasons. NU is 26-12 all-time in NCAA regionals.

?-The Big 12 has turned in an impressive showing in the NCAA Tournament, going 8-3 in the first two rounds and placing three teams in the NCAA Regional for the second straight season. Big 12 teams went 5-1 in the first round with only Missouri’s five-game loss at No. 6 seed Washington. It marks the third time in the last five seasons (2003, 2006, 2007) and the fifth time in Big 12 history that three teams advanced to a regional.

?-The Big 12 had six teams in the 2007 NCAA Tournament field (Nebraska, Texas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Iowa State and Missouri), which equaled the most by any conference. The Big 12 was the only conference with two of the four regional No. 1 seeds (Nebraska and Texas).

?-This weekend’s trip to Madison marks the first regional that Nebraska has ever participated in without the host institution being present. It also marks only the fourth time since the NCAA pre-determined seeds in 2003 that the host did not advance to  a regional. Including 2007, hosts have reached a regional 75 percent of the time (15-of-20).

?-NU finished 16-0 at the NU Coliseum in 2007, which marked the 17th time - and fifth time in eight years - that NU has had a perfect home record.

?-NU will look to reach the 30-win plateau for the fourth straight year and the 19th time in school history on Friday against Michigan State. During the 11 years of Big 12 competition, the Huskers have reached 30 wins eight times, while the other 10 teams in the league have accomplished the feat once - Kansas State in 2003.

?-According to research by Rich Kern, Nebraska’s 15-1 record against the other NCAA Tournament qualifiers is the best of any team in the NCAA Tournament field. Nebraska’s 16 matches against NCAA Tournament teams trailed only Stanford, which played 17 contests against NCAA qualifiers during the regular season.

?-Seniors Sarah Pavan, Christina Houghtelling and Tracy Stalls became the second group of seniors to win four straight Big 12 titles, joining the 2002 senior class of Greichaly Cepero, Amber Holmquist, Laura Pilakowski and Lindsay Wischmeier.

?-Sarah Pavan and Tracy Stalls could finish their careers during one of the most successful eras in college volleyball history. They have been a part of a national championship team (2006), two national championship matches (2005-06) and four Big 12 titles (2004-06). Here is a look at the winningest classes in school history during the NCAA era. 

 ?-Nebraska has won 22 of its last 23 matches against ranked foes going back to the start of the 2006 season. The Huskers are 85-12 (.876) against ranked teams in eight seasons under John Cook.

?-Nebraska has held its last seven opponents to .086 hitting dating back to Nov. 11.

?-Christina Houghtelling is four kills shy of 1,000, while Sarah Pavan needs 26 kills to be the first Husker with 2,000 kills.

Scouting the Regional Field
Michigan State (21-13): The Spartans have reached a regional semifinal for the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2002 after knocking off No. 15 Dayton, 30-26, 30-16, 30-21 on Saturday. The Spartans finished fifth in the Big Ten Conference with  a 10-10 mark, highlighted by a win at then-No. 7 Wisconsin in November Head Coach Cathy George is 52-43 in three seasons at MSU, guiding the Spartans to consecutive NCAA appearances.  Senior outside hitter Ashley Schnatzle is Michigan State’s top player, having earned All-Big Ten honors in each of the last two years. Schnatzle averages a team-high 4.55 kills per game while also averaging 3.01 digs per game. Katie Johnson earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten laurels after averaging 4.51 kills per game.

Series History: Nebraska leads the all-time series, 7-0-2, including wins in the last five matches. Of the previous nine matches, two have taken place in the postseason, including a five-game Husker win in the 1995 NCAA semifinals in Amherst, Mass.

Other tidbits: Nebraska has won 15 straight matches against Big Ten teams dating back to the 1999 season, while NU Head Coach John Cook is 13-0 against teams from the Big Ten since taking over the Husker program in 2000. Senior Maggie Griffin began her college career at Michigan State in 2004 and was named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team.

California (24-7): The 10th-seeded Bears make their sixth consecutive and 11th overall NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. Cal advanced from first- and second-round action in Durham, N.C., defeating No. 22 Duke in four games (29-31, 30-28, 30-23, 30-17) on Saturday. Head coach Rich Feller (163-107 in nine year) has guided the Bears to their third regional appearance (2003-06-07). California is led by second-team All-American Angie Pressey, a senior outside hitter who was named to the All-Pac 10 team for the fourth time. Pressey, the daughter of former NBA great Paul Pressey, averages 4.08 kills and 2.72 digs per contest. Sophomore outside hitter Hana Cutura leads the Golden Bears with 4.12 kills per game to earn first-team Pac-10 honors, as four starters average 2.40 kills per game. Cal leads the Pac-10 in both service aces (1.74) and blocks (3.75), while Ellen Orchard recorded a Pac-10 best 1.61 blocks per game.

Series History: Nebraska leads the all-time series, 2-1, but the teams have not met since the 1983 season. This would be the first matchup between the two schools in the NCAA Tournament.

Other tidbits: NU head assistant coach Lee Maes served on the California staff from 1998 to 2004 before coming to Nebraska. Maes was part of the Cal staff that helped the Golden Bears to its first NCAA regional in 2003.

Iowa State (19-13): The Cyclones advance to their first NCAA regional in school history after sweeping seventh-seeded Wisconsin, 30-28, 30-25, 30-24 in Madison, Wis., on Saturday. The win was ISU’s highest-ever over a ranked opponent and marks their third straight victory over a top-25 team, including an upset of No. 16 San Diego in the first round of the tournament. Head Coach Christy Johnson (56-39) has taken the Cyclones to the NCAA Tournament in two of her first three seasons. ISU is led by senior middle blocker Erin Boeve, a three-time All-Big 12 selection, and freshman libero Ashley Mass, who was honored on the Big 12 All-Freshman team this year. Boeve leads the team with 3.55 kills per game and is second with 1.36 blocks per game, while middle blocker Jen Malcolm is Iowa State’s top blocker with 1.38 blocks per game.

Series History: The Huskers have owned the all-time series with the Cyclones, winning all 72 matches dating back to 1975. The Huskers went 24 meetings between 1994 and 2006 without dropping a game to ISU, before the Cyclones took game two last season in Ames. The only time the teams have gone five games came in 1989.

Other tidbits: Iowa State coach Christy Johnson was a two-time All-American at Nebraska during her playing days and guided the Huskers to a 63-2 record her last two seasons, including the national title in 1995. Johnson was also on John Cook’s Wisconsin staff in 1997 and 1998, helping the Badgers to a regional finals appearance in 1998.

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. A first-team All-Big 12 selection, Stalls leads the Big 12 and ranks third nationally in hitting percentage (.471), averaging 2.83 kills and 1.13 blocks per game. Stalls has totaled at least 10 kills in each of the past five matches, including a team-high 11 kills on .562 hitting and six blocks against South Dakota State in the first round. She was the Big 12’s Offensive Player of the Week in each of the last two weeks of the regular season, hitting .724 and averaging 3.83 kills per game in sweeps over Baylor and Texas Tech. She tied an NCAA record with 13 kills on as amany swings in a sweep over Texas Tech on Nov. 24. Stalls has been in double figures in kills 11 times this year, including 11 kills on .846 hitting against No. 22 Oklahoma on Nov. 17 and a 15-kill, nine-block performance at No. 12 Kansas State on Nov. 3. She led the team in kills against No. 11 Hawaii with 13 kills on 23 swings and a pair of blocks on Oct. 21. Stalls enjoyed one of her best matches at Missouri on Oct. 17, totaling 15 kills on .737 hitting and six blocks. She was named to the Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament team, averaging 3.00 kills per game on .654 hitting. Stalls hit over .600 in both matches, including .692 (9-0-13) against New Mexico State. She had 16 kills on .640 hitting and four blocks in a win over No. 5 UCLA to earn a spot on the AVCA Showcase All-Tournament Team.  Stalls averaged 2.67 kills and 1.41 blocks per game in 2006, leading the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.400). 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 - Two-year starter who has enjoyed a breakout 2007 campaign. Cooper is ninth in the league in hitting percentage (.349), averaging 2.30 kills and 1.05 blocks per game. Cooper has been in double figures six times and had a career-high 14 kills on .385 hitting against Missouri on Oct. 31. She totaled 11 kills on .688 hitting and a season-high seven blocks against No. 17 Kansas State on Oct. 3. Her previous season high in kills came with 12 on .706 hitting and four blocks against Baylor on Sept. 29. Cooper had a team-high 11 kills and five blocks at Texas Tech on Sept. 15, and drilled nine kills on .692 hitting with three stuffs versus No. 7 Texas on Sept. 12. She totaled 10 kills on .350 hitting in a sweep of No. 3 Penn State and hit .625 on eight swings against No. 17 Cal Poly on Sept. 3. She sparked NU to a win over UCLA in the AVCA Showcase with 10 kills on .526 hitting and four blocks. Cooper was one of two freshmen starters in 2006, averaging 1.67 kills and 0.95 blocks per game in 30 matches. 
L - #2 Kayla Banwarth: 5-10, Fr., Dubuque, Iowa - Banwarth had been used as NU’s defensive specialist until moving into the starting lineup on Nov. 11. She has averaged 4.38 digs per game, while helping to limit Nebraska’s last six opponents to a combined .089 hitting percentage.  She totaled career highs in both digs (19) and assists (5) in her first start against Iowa State and has been in double digits in six of the last seven contests. She also had 14 digs against Baylor and South Dakota State. On the season, she is averaging 2.56 digs and 0.42 assists per game. She was a three-time all-state selection at Wahlert Catholic High School in Iowa and was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection last year.

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 is on pace to become just the fourth player in NCAA history to be a four-time first-team All-American.  Pavan was selected as the Big 12’s Player of the Year on Nov. 26 and averages 4.88 kills, 1.91 digs and 0.52 service aces per game, ranking first in the Big 12 in kills and points per game (5.81), second in aces per game and eighth in hitting percentage (.353).  Pavan totaled a match-high 15 kills on .481 hitting and eight blocks against Wichita State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. A four-year All-Big 12 selection, Pavan has six double-doubles, including 20 kills and 10 digs at Texas A&M on Nov. 14. She turned in one of best performances of the year in the regular-season finale on Nov. 27, drilling 18 kills on 25 swings and adding five aces in a sweep of Texas Tech. She was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 5, averaging 5.30 kills on .363 hitting, 2.40 digs and 5.95 points per game in a pair of wins. Pavan had 31 kills - the most by a Husker since 2004 - and 10 digs in NU’s comeback at K-State on Nov. 3. She totaled a match-high 22 kills and 14 digs against Missouri on Oct. 31. She totaled a match-high 16 kills on .351 hitting and two blocks against No. 25 Oklahoma on Oct. 13.  Pavan led NU to a sweep of No. 7 Texas on Sept. 12, delivering a team-high 17 kills on .520 hitting. Pavan was selected as the MVP of both the AVCA Showcase and the Holiday Inn Downtown Classic. She was the AVCA National Player of the Week on Aug. 27, totaling 39 kills on .385 hitting in a pair of wins. Pavan tallied a match-high 25 kills, 12 digs and three blocks in a win over No. 5 UCLA on Aug. 25.  She was the AVCA National Player of the Year in 2006, leading the Big 12 in kills (5.10) and points per game (5.98). She also 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. Pavan declined an opportunity to play with the Canadian team this summer to take an upper-level chemistry class so she can graduate in May.

OH - #10 Jordan Larson: 6-2, Jr., Hooper, Neb. - Larson  is a two-time All-Big 12 selection and a returning first-team AVCA All-American. She averages 3.44 kills, 3.24 digs and 0.53 service aces per game, ranking first in the league in aces and ninth in points per game (4.42). Larson, who has 10 double-doubles this year, totaled five aces in each of NU’s postseason matches and had eight kills on 12 swings and four blocks in the Huskers’ NCAA opener. Larson led NU at Baylor with 12 kills and added nine digs, four blocks and a pair of aces. She had one of her best matches of the year against Colorado on Nov. 7 with 17 kills and 17 digs while hitting .414. Larson went over the 1,000-kill plateau for her career against Missouri with a season-high 17 kills and 16 digs on Oct. 31. She was named the Big 12’s Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 22, after leading NU with 18 digs against Missouri on Oct. 17 and 15 digs versus No. 11 Hawaii on Oct. 21.  She earned all-tourney honors at the AVCA Showcase and the Holiday Inn Downtown Classic. Larson recorded 16 kills and 14 digs against No. 11 Duke on Sept. 7. Larson had 11 kills, 15 digs and a season-high five blocks against No. 5 UCLA on Aug. 25. Last year, she averaged 4.13 kills and 3.50 digs per game and was the only player in the Big 12 to rank in the top 10 in both categories. 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.

OH - #3 Christina Houghtelling: 6-2, Sr., Cambridge, Neb. - Houghtelling is a former AVCA National Player of the Year and two-time All-Big 12 selection. She enters the NCAA Regional averaging 3.18 kills, 4.02 digs and .31 service aces per game. The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, she leads all conference hitters in digs per game and is seventh in the Big 12 in that category. Houghtelling is tied for the team lead with 10 double-doubles, most recently collecting 10 kills and 10 digs against Texas Tech on Nov. 24, but saw limited time in NU’s two NCAA matches. She totaled 11 kills and a match-high 16 digs against No. 22 Oklahoma on Nov. 17. Houghtelling collected a career-high 26 digs, four blocks and seven kills in NU’s win at No. 12 Kansas State on Nov. 3. She also had 14 kills and a match-high 19 digs at No. 25 Oklahoma on Oct. 13. She totaled a season-best 19 kills on .410 hitting and 11 digs in a sweep at Colorado on Oct. 6. Houghtelling was the MVP of the Ameritas Players Challenge, hitting .535 and averaging 4.17 kills, 3.00 digs and 0.67 blocks per game. She recorded a 15 kills on .519 hitting and nine digs in the sweep of New Mexico State.  She topped NU in digs in both matches at the AVCA Showcase en route to Big 12 Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors, highlighted by 23 digs against No. 5 UCLA on Aug. 25. She was the 2005 AVCA Player of the Year, 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. 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. - A two-time All-Big 12 setter, Holloway guides one of the most prolific offensive attacks in college volleyball, as NU ranks first nationally in assists and kills per game while hitting .331 on the year. The All-American is ninth nationally in assists per game (13.66) and also averages 2.28 digs and 0.98 kills per game. Nebraska has hit .300 or better 24 times in 30 matches, including .400 or better on five occasions. Holloway enjoyed one of her best matches of the year at Iowa State on Nov. 11, dishing out 39 assists and matching her season best with seven kills on nine swings. She turned in an exceptional effort at No. 12 Kansas State on Nov. 3, totaling a career-high 72 assists, six blocks and 13 digs for her fourth double-double of the year. Holloway totaled 55 assists - the most in a three-game match by a Husker since 1998 - in guiding NU to a .458 hitting percentage at Missouri on Oct. 17. She totaled 39 assists, three aces and six digs against Baylor on Sept. 29, as Nebraska hit .500 as a team. She played one of the best matches of her career vs. No. 7 Texas on Sept. 11, dishing out 39 assists, as NU hit .400 as a team while adding six kills and six digs.  Holloway was a third-team AVCA All-American in 2006, averaging 13.43 assists, 2.49 digs and 1.11 kills per game, becoming only the second freshman in NCAA history to be a starting setter for a title team.

NCAA Tournament Recaps
First Round: Nebraska def. South Dakota State
Tracy Stalls totaled 11 kills and six blocks, while Jordan Larson added eight kills on .667 hitting and five service aces to help No. 2 Nebraska to a 3-0 sweep of South Dakota State on Nov. 30.  Nebraska hit at least .367 in every game, while South Dakota State hit negative in each of the three games. The Huskers also recorded 12 blocks, while the Jackrabbits were unable to record a single stuff.

On the match, NU hit .378, while SDSU committed 24 errors and recorded just 19 kills en route to a season-low -.052 attack percentage.
Stalls and Sarah Pavan paced the potent Nebraska offense with 11 and 10 kills, respectively, while Larson added eight kills on 12 swings without an error. Larson also added a season-high five aces, as six different Huskers contributed for a season-high 10 aces. Larson also totaled seven digs and became the third Husker to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career.

Second Round: Nebraska def. Wichita State
Sarah Pavan totaled a match-high 15 kills, while Jordan Larson totaled five of NU’s season-high 11 aces in propelling the Huskers to a 3-0 sweep of Wichita State on Saturday. 

 Pavan, one of four seniors playing their final match at the NU Coliseum, finished with 15 kills on .481 hitting to lead three Huskers with double figures in kills. Larson added 11 kills, nine digs and five aces, while Tracy Stalls pounded 10 kills and had four blocks, as the seniors wrapped up their 72nd consecutive home win. Nebraska also received a big contribution from freshman Tara Mueller, who pounded out nine kills on a .316 hitting.

Larson’s five aces led the Husker serving barrage, as Nebraska reached double figures in aces for the second straight match. The Huskers had an edge in nearly every statistical category, out-hitting the Shockers .325-to-.122, totaling 52 kills to WSU’s 35. Defensively, the Huskers recorded 10 blocks to Wichita State’s three, while Nebraska out-dug the Shockers 54-45.

Husker Watch Lists
 ?-Senior Sarah Pavan is 26 kills away from becoming just the fourth player in the Big 12 era (1996-present) to reach 2,000 career kills. With 1,976 kills, Pavan is fourth on the Big 12’s all-time kills chart.  

 ?-Christina Houghtelling will look to become the second Husker to reach 1,000 career kills this season. The senior outside hitter is four kills shy from becoming the 20th Husker to reach that plateau. The last time NU had two players reach the 1,000-kill mark in the same year was two years ago with Melissa Elmer and Jennifer Saleaumua. 

 ?-Tracy Stalls is steadily climbing NU’s career blocks list. She has recorded 569 blocks and moved past Virginia Stahr for fifth place on NU’s career list at Baylor on Nov. 21. 

 ?-Both Sarah Pavan and Jordan Larson are climbing NU’s career list for aces. With 10 aces in two NCAA Tournament matches, Larson has 145 aces, four shy of former U.S. National Team setter Lori Endicott for third place on NU’s all-time list. Pavan is close behind at 143.