No. 2 Huskers Host Texas A&M Tonight

This Week in Husker Volleyball

Texas A&M (9-10, 4-5 Big 12)
at Nebraska (18-0, 9-0)
Wednesday, Oct. 22 ? NU Coliseum ? 7 p.m.

Radio: Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com
Live Stats: Huskers.com
TV: NET (Ch. 12 and Ch. 112); CBS College Sports (Ch. 613 on DirecTV; Ch. 152 on Dish Network)
Live Video: Huskers.com (free video)

Nebraska at Oklahoma (8-11, 4-7)
Saturday, Oct. 25 ? Norman, Okla. ? 7 p.m.

Radio: Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com
Live Stats: Huskers.com
TV: None
Live Video: HuskersNside

The second-ranked Nebraska volleyball team wraps up the first half of Big 12 action on Wednesday night, as it hosts the Texas A&M Aggies. First serve at a sold-out NU Coliseum is set for 7 p.m., and the match will be televised by NET (Ch. 12 and Ch. 112) and CBS College Sports with Larry Punteney and Kathi Weiskamp calling all of the action.

The NU-A&M match can also be heard across the state of Nebraska on the 25-station Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com, with John Baylor, Lindsey Peterson and Dani Busboom calling all of the action.

The Huskers (18-0, 9-0 Big 12) have been off since sweeping Baylor, 3-0, on Oct. 15. In that match, Nebraska held the Bears to .000 hitting, the Huskers’ best defensive effort in a Big 12 match since 2005. Kayla Banwarth keyed the defensive effort with a match-high 18 digs, while Amanda Gates and Sydney Anderson chipped in five blocks apiece. Jordan Larson totaled 16 kills on .355 hitting, seven digs and a pair of service aces.

Wednesday’s match will also feature the Power of Pink, as the Huskers will use the night to promote breast cancer awareness. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and volleyball programs around the country are participating in a variety of activities. Not only will the Huskers don pink warm-ups for the occasion, but fans can purchase replica tops at the Match Club Booth at the NU Coliseum.  Pink bracelets will be given away to fans, while the “K” cards will feature breast cancer awareness facts on the back. Even the Ace shirts given to the crowd will be pink on Wednesday night. The Husker volleyball coaches and staff will also be in pink on Wednesday night.

Texas A&M (9-10, 4-5 Big 12) comes to town looking to bounce back after a pair of losses last week. The Aggies are locked in a three-way tie for fifth place in the league race, trailing Baylor by one match. The Aggies lost to Baylor on Friday night despite 15 kills from Mary Batis and 14 from Sarah Ammerman. Both players are averaging more than 3.00 kills per set for the Aggies, which saw their three-match win streak snapped by third-ranked Texas last Wednesday.

Following Wednesday’s match, the Huskers will be on the road at Oklahoma (Oct. 25) and Colorado (Oct. 28) to close the month before hosting Iowa State on Nov. 1.

Worth Noting
?-Wednesday’s match will be the 114th consecutive sellout at the Nebraska Coliseum. It breaks the number of homecourt sellouts that the UConn women’s basketball team had during its sellout streak from 1999 to 2005. NU volleyball and UConn basketball are the only two women’s programs to ever have 100 or more consecutive sellouts.

?-Nebraska will be gunning for its 90th consecutive win inside the state on Wednesday. The Huskers have not lost in the state of Nebraska since September of 2004.

?-Kayla Banwarth has averaged 5.83 digs per set over NU’s last four matches. In that stretch, Nebraska has held its last four foes to a combined .090 team hitting percentage.

?-Middle blocker Kori Cooper is hitting .482 over the Huskers’ last six contests, raising her season hitting percentage to .422. Cooper is on pace to become only the fourth Husker player to hit .400 in a season, joining All-Americans Tracy Stalls (2006-07), Amber Holmquist (2000 and 2002) and Virginia Stahr (1988-89).

?-At 18-0 entering Wednesday’s match against Texas A&M, the Huskers join Wichita State (20-0) and Penn State (20-0) as the nation’s only unbeaten teams.

?-The Huskers have swept 13 of their 18 opponents, including each of the last six foes.

?-The Huskers are a perfect 5-0 against ranked opponents and are one of five teams in college volleyball with at least four wins versus ranked foes, joining Stanford, Penn State, Minnesota and California.

In addition, the Huskers are the only Big 12 team this year to win a road match against a ranked foe, collecting wins at then-No. 14 Cal Poly and then-No. 18 Kansas State.

?-The Huskers were ranked second in the NCAA’s RPI rankings released on Oct. 13. NU is 3-0 against top-20 teams in the RPI, including winsover No. 1 Stanford and No. 4 Texas.

 ?-The Huskers have won their last 50 Big 12 home contests dating back to the 2003 season and are 83-2 (.976) in conference home matches under John Cook.

?-The Huskers are 89-3 in Big 12 action dating back to the 2003 season.

?-Following Wednesday’s win over Baylor, Nebraska has won 71 straight home matches at the NU Coliseum dating back to September of 2004 and has dropped only five sets in the last 44 home matches in the building dating back to 2005.

?-Nebraska has allowed more than 20 points only 13 times in 59 sets this season.

?-The senior class of Amanda Gates, Jordan Larson and Rachel Schwartz has helped the Huskers to a 114-5 (.958) record over the last four seasons. Of the 119 matches during their career, NU has been ranked first or second in the AVCA poll in 117 of those contests.

?-Jordan Larson is only 11 kills away from passing Kathi Deboer (1984-87) for seventh place on Nebraska’s career kills list. Deboer, now Kathi Weiskamp, serves as NU’s color commentator for NET Television.

Scouting Texas A&M
Head Coach Laurie Corbelli (336-154 in 16 years at Texas A&M) brings the Aggies to town with a 9-10 record, including 4-5 Big 12 mark. Texas A&M was tested in its non-conference schedule, playing four matches against ranked teams. TAMU is one of only three teams in the Big 12 (joining Nebraska and Texas) with a win over a ranked foe, as the Aggies posted a 3-1 win over then- No. 16 BYU in September. Texas A&M relies on outside hitters Mary Batis (3.44 k/set) and Sarah Ammerman (3.12 k/set) for offensive firepower, as the pair accounts for nearly half of the Aggies’ total kills. Batis also leads Texas A&M with 2.79 digs per set.

Series History: Nebraska leads the series, 27-6 and has won the last 17 meetings, the longest winning streak in the series, dating back to the 1999 season. NU has won the last nine meetings all by sweeps and in 15-0 all-time in Lincoln.

Last Meeting: Jordan Larson had four of the Huskers’ season-high nine service aces, leading No. 2 Nebraska to a 30-26, 30-23, 30-22 sweep at Texas A&M in the teams’ last matchup. Larson matched her season best with four aces, while Sarah Pavan and Christina Houghtelling also added two aces to help NU tie its season high at the time. Pavan paced the Huskers with 20 kills on .350 hitting, 10 digs and a pair of blocks. Larson totaled 11 kills and a pair of stuffs, as Nebraska held the Aggies to .099 hitting and totaled 10.5 blocks. 

Husker Probable Starters
MB - #17 Amanda Gates: 6-2, Sr., Columbus, Neb. - Gates is in her first year as a full-time starter for NU after being the Huskers’ top backup at both spots. She averages 1.60 kills and a team-best 1.16 blocks per set, ranking fifth in the Big 12 in blocks. She has led NU in blocks nine times, including six of the Huskers’ first nine Big 12 contests. She led NU with five blocks and added two aces, five kills and three digs against Baylor on Oct. 15. Gates had six kills on .462 hitting and a team-high five blocks at Missouri on Oct. 12. She had 11 kills on .571 hitting at Texas Tech on Oct. 1 and totaled a personal-best 11 kills at Iowa State on Sept. 27. It is the second time she has tied or bettered her career high this season, as Gates tied career highs in both blocks (10) and kills (eight) at Kansas State on Sept. 17. She also performed well against No. 4 USC on Aug. 31. with seven kills on .357 hitting and six blocks. Last year, she averaged 1.29 kills and 0.81 blocks per set over 16 matches. Gates appeared in 23 matches as a sophomore and had a career-high 10 blocks against San Diego in her first career start. Gates will also contend for academic honors, carrying a 3.96 GPA in communication studies.

MB - #15 Kori Cooper: 6-2, Jr., Amarillo, Texas - A preseason All-Big 12 selection, Cooper is averaging 2.15 kills on .422 hitting and 0.95 blocks per set, ranking third in hitting percentage and 10th in blocks. Cooper, who is 10th nationally in hitting percentage, has hit .500 or better six times in 2008, including a season-best .875 against New Mexico on Sept. 13. Cooper matched her season best with six blocks and added seven kills on .455 hitting against Creighton on Oct. 5. She had a season-best 12 kills on .524 hitting at Iowa State on Sept. 27, and totaled nine kills and a team-high five blocks versus Kansas on Sept. 24. Cooper dominated the inside at K-State on Sept. 17, pounding 11 kills without an error and five stuffs. She had her best weekend of the year, averaging 2.50 kills on .636 hitting and 1.50 blocks per set at the Players Challenge to earn all-tournament honors. Last year, Cooper averaged 2.31 kills and 1.01 blocks per set, ranking seventh in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.356). Her career high for kills is 14, set against Missouri in 2007. Cooper was one of NU’s starting middle blockers as a freshman, averaging 1.67 kills and 0.95 blocks per set in 30 contests. She also carries a 3.81 GPA in speech language pathology.

S - #1 Sydney Anderson: 6-0, So., Salt Lake City, Utah - Anderson is in her first season at NU after spending  2007 with the U.S. National Team in Colorado Springs. The Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year, Anderson averages 11.64 assists, 2.08 digs and 0.36 aces per set, ranking second in the Big 12 and eighth nationally in assists. She owns four double-doubles, most recently a 48-assist, 10-dig, five-block effort at Iowa State on Sept. 27. Anderson dished out a season-high 53 assists and added 10 digs while helping NU hit .319 in a win over No. 3 Texas on Sept. 20. At No. 18 Kansas State, she totaled 46 assists, 10 digs and three aces. Anderson has been selected to all three all-tournament teams this fall. Anderson collected her first double-double at No. 14 Cal Poly on Sept. 5. She was a member of the U.S. A-2 National Team at the USA Open in both 2007 and 2008. Anderson began her collegiate career at Utah, earning first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors in 2006. That year, she averaged 12.45 assists, 2.77 digs and 0.76 blocks per set en route to being named both the Mountain West Conference Setter and Freshman of the Year. Anderson totaled nine double-doubles on the year, including a 64-assist, 19-dig performance against Wyoming.

L - #2 Kayla Banwarth: 5-10, So., Dubuque, Iowa - Banwarth is in her first full season as NU’s libero, averaging 4.33 digs and 0.75 assists per set, ranking fourth in the Big 12 in digs. She has reached double figures in digs 15 times in 17 matches and in 23 of her 26 career starts following an 18-dig effort against Baylor on Oct. 15. She totaled a match-high 19 digs at Missouri on Oct. 12 and tied her season best with 20 digs at Creighton on Oct. 4. She has topped NU in digs 13 times. Banwarth earned a spot on the Runza/AVCA Showcase All-Tournament team after averaging 4.85 digs per set in wins over No. 2 Stanford and No. 4 USC, including a season-best 20 against the Women of Troy. Banwarth closed the 2007 season as Nebraska’s libero and averaged 2.75 digs, 0.45 assists and 0.17 service aces per set on the year. Banwarth totaled a career-high 21 digs versus Michigan State in the NCAA Regional semifinal. She was a three-time all-state selection at Wahlert Catholic High School in Iowa and was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection.

OPP - #4 Lindsey Licht: 6-5, So., Aurora, Colo. - Licht is in her first year as a full-time starter, averaging 2.44 kills and 0.92 blocks per set this season. She has hit .450 or better five times, including a season-high .667 with nine kills on 12 swings at Texas Tech on Oct. 1. Licht turned in a strong effort against Colorado on Oct. 4, finishing with 11 kills on .533 hitting. She established personal bests in kills (17) and attempts (30), hitting .500 against No. 3 Texas on Sept. 20. Licht put together a solid match at No. 18 Kansas State with 12 digs, seven blocks and six kills. She tied her then-career high with 10 kills and added four blocks against LSU on Sept. 12.  She had 10 kills on .450 hitting against No. 2 Stanford and had a career-high eight blocks against No. 4 USC. As a freshman, Licht appeared in 13 matches, averaging 0.59 kills per set in 25 contests. Licht was a two-time Mizuno/Volleyball Magazine All-American and was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection.

-or- - DS - #5 Rachel Schwartz: 5-9, Sr., Lincoln, Neb. - Schwartz is one of NU’s primary defensive players, averaging 1.93 digs and 0.15 service aces per set. She totaled nine digs in a sweep of Baylor on Oct. 15, and nine digs in a win at Iowa State on Sept. 27. Her best performance of the year came at Kansas State on Sept. 17, when she had a season-high 17 digs while handling nearly all of the Huskers’ passing duties. In 2007, Schwartz ranked 11th in the Big 12 in digs, averaging a career-high 3.66 digs and 0.16 service aces per set. She totaled double figures in digs in 17 matches, including a career-best 21 digs against  MU.

OH - #10  Jordan Larson: 6-2, Sr., Hooper, Neb. - A two-time All-American, Larson is one of the nation’s best outside hitters. The preseason Big 12 co-Player of the Year, Larson averages 3.81 kills, 3.03 digs and 0.37 service aces per game, ranking among the league leaders in kills (fifth), aces (fourth) and points (fourth). She has a team-high five double-doubles, including 19 digs and 11 kills at Iowa State on Sept. 27. Larson had 16 kills on .355 hitting and seven digs in a sweep of Baylor on Oct. 15. Larson totaled a team-high 17 kills on .355 hitting in NU’s sweep of Colorado on Oct. 4, and nearly recorded a double-double with a season-best 19 digs and nine kills at Creighton on Oct. 5. She was named AVCA National Player of the Week on Sept. 22, as she averaged 5.00 kills on .319 hitting, 2.62 digs and 0.50 blocks per set in wins over Texas and K-State. Larson had a match-high 19 kills and 10 digs in the win over the Longhorns on Sept. 20. Larson carried the Huskers to a win at K-State, matching her career best with 21 kills on .372 hitting and adding 10 digs. She was named to the all-tournament teams in each of NU’s first three events and was chosen as MVP of the Players Challenge after averaging 3.83 kills, 0.60 aces and 0.67 blocks per set. She had 11 kills and 11 digs in a win at No. 14 Cal Poly on Sept. 5, and earned AVCA Showcase All-Tournament honors after totaling 27 kills, six service aces and 19 digs in wins over No. 2 Stanford and No. 4 USC. Larson was a third-team AVCA All-American in 2007 after averaging 3.45 kills, 3.18 digs, 0.51 aces and 0.63 blocks per set. The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, Larson averaged 4.13 kills and 3.50 digs per set as a sophomore and was the only player in the Big 12 to rank in the top 10 in kills and digs.

OH - #19 Tara Mueller: 6-0, So., Scottsdale, Ariz. - Mueller is in her first year starting at outside hitter and averages 3.47 kills and 2.22 digs per set, ranking eighth in the league in kills per set. She has raised her numbers in recent matches, averaging 4.17 kills and 3.08 digs per set in NU’s last four matches. Mueller comes off an 11-dig, eight-kill effort against Baylor on Oct. 15. She has been in double figures in kills 12 times, including a career-best 16 kills and 10 digs at Iowa State on Sept. 27.  Mueller had her third double-double of the year against Oklahoma on Oct. 8 with 13 kills and 10 digs. Against No. 3 Texas on Sept. 20, she recorded her first career double-double with 14 kills and a career-high 11 digs. Mueller was selected to the Cal Poly all-tournament team after averaging 3.67 kills, 1.67 digs and 0.78 blocks per set. Mueller opened the year with a then-career-best 15 kills in a sweep of No. 2 Stanford on Aug. 29.  Mueller averaged 1.27 kills on .211 hitting, 0.95 digs and 0.36 blocks per set in 13 matches in 2007. A Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection, Mueller was the 2005 Gatorade Player of the Year in Arizona and started for the U.S. Junior National Team in 2007.

Last Time Out: Huskers Cage Bears, 3-0
Jordan Larson totaled a match-high 16 kills, while the Nebraska volleyball team put together its best defensive effort of the season in a 25-14, 25-11, 25-20 victory over Baylor.

The Huskers held Baylor to a season-low .000 hitting on 105 swings, marking the lowest hitting percentage against the Huskers in their last 58 Big 12 matches dating back to 2005. It also was the first time the Bears, who entered the match ranked third in the Big 12 in hitting percentage, were held to under .100 hitting.

Larson led the charge with 16 kills on .355 hitting and seven digs, while Kori Cooper and Tara Mueller added eight kills apiece. Cooper hit over .500 for the sixth time this year, finishing with a .538 percentage on 13 swings, while Sydney Anderson dished out 38 assists and added four kills and tied Amanda Gates for team-high honors with five blocks.

Nebraska not only out-blocked a Bears squad that led the conference in blocking 11-5, but also out-dug BU, 55-40 and allowed just one service ace to the league’s top serving squad. Kayla Banwarth keyed the NU effort with a match-high 18 digs, while Mueller and Rachel Schwartz chipped in 11 and nine digs, respectively.

Larson and Mueller Provide 1-2 Punch
Nebraska’s outside hitting duo of Jordan Larson and Tara Mueller have been one of the Big 12’s top outside hitter combinations. The pair combines for 7.28 kills per set, and Nebraska is one of only two schools in the Big 12 with two players among the Big 12 leaders in kills per set (KSU’s Rita Liliom and Natalya Korobkova).

Either Larson or Mueller have led the Huskers in kills in all 18 matches this season, as Larson has topped NU 10 times, while Mueller has enjoyed team-high honors in nine contests.

A Husker First
Nebraska’s senior class of Amanda Gates, Jordan Larson and Rachel Schwartz accomplished a first for the Husker program in 2008. They became the first Husker senior class in program history to go an entire career without losing a regular-season non-conference match.

?-NU went 34-0 in non-conference matches over the last four years. The Huskers won 16 matches against ranked teams, including eight matches against top-five teams.

?-Nebraska’s seniors are a combined 114-5 over the last four years, posting three 30-win seasons and helping the Huskers to a national title in 2006 and a runner-up finish in 2005.

Sophomores Step Up in 2008
After replacing four All-Americans, Nebraska needed its sophomore class to step to the forefront this fall. Nebraska lost over 60 percent of its kills and total points from 2007.

To replace those losses, the Huskers have relied on a quartet of sophomore starters - setter Sydney Anderson, libero Kayla Banwarth, right side hitter Linsdey Licht and outside hitter Tara Mueller - and all four have helped the Huskers to a 18-0 record.

Prior to this season, the group combined for 11 starts at Nebraska in 2007 - including 10 starts at libero by Banwarth and Mueller. The group has combined for nearly half of Nebraska’s total of kills and aces, as well as most of the Huskers’ assists and digs.

No Place Like Home
Nebraska has enjoyed an overwhelming homecourt advantage across the state. The Huskers have won their last 89 matches inside the state’s borders dating back to 2004, including matches in Lincoln (75), Omaha (13) and North Platte (1).

With the Oct. 15 win over Baylor, the Huskers extended their home winning streak to 80 matches - the second-longest streak in NCAA history. It is the longest home win streak since Penn State won 87 consecutive home matches between 1995 and 2000.

NU is the only program to have a pair of home win streaks of at least 60 matches, as Nebraska won 63 consecutive home matches between 1999 and 2002.

Larson is New Queen of Aces
Jordan Larson took sole possession of one of the oldest marks in the NU record book on Sept. 27, overtaking Val Novak’s school mark for career aces. Larson totaled 169 career aces, surpassing Novak’s total of 161 set between 1987 and 1990.

The record for Larson is impressive considering that she has had only 27 of the 118 matches she appeared in go longer than three sets.

Since Mary Buysse’s career ended in 1984, four players have held the school record for aces at one time or another. Novak held the mark for 18 years, and it may take a long time for someone to eclipse Larson, especially since several scoring changes have occurred since the start of the decade.

Air Jordan Climbs Husker Career Lists
Larson has continued to climb the Husker career charts this fall, jumping into the top 10 in both kills and digs. Larson has moved from 14th to eighth on NU’s kills list and from eighth to third on NU’s career digs chart. She trails a pair of former teammates on the school’s career dig list.

1,000-1,000 Club
Outside hitter Jordan Larson is part of another exclusive club in Husker volleyball, as she is one of only three players in school history with more than 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. Larson joined All-American Jennifer Saleaumua and Eileen Shannon on the prestigious list in 2007, becoming the first Husker to reach the 1,000-1,000 plateau prior to her senior campaign.

Larson Doubles Up
Jordan Larson’s double-double against Iowa State on Sept. 27 marked her 43rd career double-double. The only Husker to post more double-doubles in the Big 12 era (1996-present) is Nancy Metcalf, who had 44 double-doubles during her illustrious career. Larson has five double-doubles this season, including four in Big 12 matches.

Anderson Sets Her Sights on Big 12
Sydney Anderson has made an immediate impact in her first season as a Husker. The Salt Lake City, Utah, native enters the week ranking second in the Big 12 in assists (11.64), while ranking fifth in service aces (0.36).

Anderson is bidding to become the first Husker to ever lead the Big 12 in assists, and has lived up to the billing as the league’s top newcomer. Anderson, who is eighth nationally in assists in this week’s rankings, has helped the Huskers rank sixth nationally in kills, 10th in assists and 15th in hitting percentage despite losing three of its top four hitters from 2007.

She has been tabbed for all-tournament teams in all three of Nebraska’s tournaments and is second to Jordan Larson with four double-doubles, including three against ranked teams. Anderson dished out a season-best 53 assists in NU’s win over No. 3 Texas on Sept. 17, helping the Huskers hit .319 as a team. On Sept. 27 at Iowa State, Anderson picked up her fourth double-double of the year, dishing out 48 assists and adding 10 digs along with a team-high five blocks. Anderson dished out 38 assists and added five blocks and four kills in a sweep of Baylor on Oct. 15.

Cooper Cleans Up in the Middle
Junior middle blocker Kori Cooper has been one of the Huskers’ most efficient hitters during her time at Nebraska. She has a career .369 hitting percentage in 79 matches and has ranked among the Big 12 hitting leaders in all three years. She has 28 career matches where she has hit .400 or better (with a minimum of 10 swings) and is hitting a personal-best .422 in 2008 to rank second in the Big 12 and 10th nationally entering Wednesday’s match against Texas A&M.

Cooper has been at her best recently, hitting .482 over the Huskers’ last seven matches, including five kills on just seven swings against Oklahoma on Oct. 8, and eight kills on .538 hitting against Baylor on Oct. 15. Cooper drilled a season-best 12 kills on .524 hitting against Iowa State on Sept. 27. She put together one of the best matches of her career against No. 18 Kansas State on Sept. 17, when she totaled 11 kills and five blocks. Cooper is also putting together her best defensive season, averaging 0.95 blocks per set to rank 10th in the Big 12. She tied her season best with six blocks at Creighton on Oct. 4.

Tara Time: Mueller Makes Strides
Outside hitter Tara Mueller has stepped into the shoes left by two-time All-American Christina Houghtelling. Mueller, who made just two starts as a true freshman, has been steady offensively for NU, ranking seventh in the Big 12 with 3.47 kills per set. Mueller improved her numbers throughout the year, and is averaging 3.83 kills and 2.72 digs per set in six matches this month.

She has reached double figures in 10 of her last 12 appearances, including a career-high 16 kills at Iowa State on Sept. 27, and 15 kills against Creighton on Oct. 4. Mueller also has a trio of double-doubles to her credit, including a 14-kill, 11-dig effort in the win over No. 3 Texas on Sept. 20, and a 13-kill, 10-dig effort against Oklahoma on Oct. 8.

Gates Gains During Big 12 Action
One of the most overlooked aspects of the Huskers’ Big 12 success has been the play of senior Amanda Gates. The Columbus, Neb., native is averaging nearly two kills per set and hitting .356 through the first nine league matches, over .140 points higher than her non-conference total. She is fifth in the Big 12 in hitting percentage in league play and third in blocks.

Gates has recorded back-to-back double figure kill totals at Iowa State and Texas Tech, setting a personal best with 11 against the Cyclones on Sept. 27. She had tied career highs with eight kills and 10 blocks at K-State on Sept. 17. She led NU with five blocks and chipped in five kills and matched her personal best with a pair of service aces against Baylor on Oct. 15.

KGB Spies on Opposing Hitters
For Kayla Grace Banwarth, shutting down the opposition has been her speciality. Since moving into the starting lineup at libero at the end of last season, the sophomore has been a force in the Husker lineup.

She has reached double figures in 23 of her 26 career starts, including 21 digs in last year’s NCAA Regional against No. 24 Michigan State and a season-high 20 digs in a win over both No. 4 USC (Aug. 31) and at Creighton (Oct. 5).

Banwarth is fourth in the Big 12 in digs with 4.33 digs per set and is bidding to be only the third Husker to average at least four digs per set. Banwarth’s defensive efforts have been instrumental, as Nebraska has limited 13 of its 18 opponents to under .150 hitting and has allowed only one team to hit .200 this season.

Larson Captures AVCA National Honor
Jordan Larson received a national honor on Sept. 23, as she was selected as the Sports Imports/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division I National Player of the Week. She earned the accolade after lifting NU to wins over No. 18 Kansas State and No. 3 Texas. Larson averaged 5.0 kills, 2.62 digs and 5.44 points per set, collecting a pair of double-doubles in the process. At No. 18 Kansas State, Larson matched a career high with 21 kills, while also getting 10 digs, two blocks and an ace. She followed that up with her 41st career double-double, recording a match-high 19 kills and 11 digs in the win over the Longhorns.

The honor marked the 10th time a Husker volleyball player has been chosen for the AVCA’s weekly national honor, while Larson becomes the seventh different Husker to receive the accolade.

Nation’s Best Since 2000
John Cook has been amazingly successful during his Husker tenure, posting a 268-16 record (.944 winning pct.) to lead all programs this decade. All 16 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 163-6 in conference matches over the past nine seasons. NU has won seven Big 12 titles in that stretch, including each of the past four years.