No. 2 Huskers Head to Oklahoma on Saturday

This Week in Husker Volleyball

Nebraska (19-0, 10-0 Big 12)
at Oklahoma (8-11, 4-7 Big 12)
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 (subscription required)

Nebraska
at Colorado (10-9, 4-6)
Wednesday, Oct. 29 ? Boulder, Colo. ? 7:30 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 (subscription required)

Lincoln -- The second-ranked Nebraska volleyball team begins the homestretch of the season on Saturday night, traveling to Norman, Okla., to take on the Oklahoma Sooners. First serve at the McCasland Field House is set for 7 p.m., and the match can 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 and Lindsey Peterson calling all of the action. Video of Saturday’s match will also be available on HuskersNside, as nearly every regular-season match will be carried on the site during the 2008 season.

The Huskers (19-0, 10-0 Big 12) came off their bye with a solid performance against Texas A&M on Wednesday. Jordan Larson and Tara Mueller combined for 26 kills and hit a combined .444 in the sweep against the Aggies. Nebraska also recorded 11.5 blocks, as Amanda Gates totaled eight blocks, while Mueller established a career-high with five stuffs.

Saturday’s match against the Sooners also begins the second half of Big 12 action, as Nebraska will play six of its final 10 contests away from the NU Coliseum. NU begins the second half of conference action with back-to-back road matches at Oklahoma and Colorado before eventually finishing the schedule with three road matches in its final four contests.

Oklahoma (8-11, 4-7 Big 12) has been off since a four-set loss to Kansas last Saturday. The Sooners, have been tough at home, pushing nationally ranked Kansas State to five sets and taking a game off No. 3 Texas. Even in the loss to Kansas, Oklahoma out-hit and out-blocked the Jayhawks, but dropped its three sets by a combined seven points.

Quick Sets
?-Nebraska hit over .300 for the eighth time this season against Texas A&M on Wednesday.

?-Nebraska is averaging 3.23 blocks per set over the last five matches and now lead the Big 12 with 2.64 blocks per set.

?-Amanda Gates is averaging 1.67 kills and 1.67 blocks per set over the last five matches.

?-Both Tara Mueller (.478) and Jordan Larson (.407) hit for season bests on Wednesday vs. Texas A&M.

?-Wednesday’s sellout against Texas A&M was the 114th consecutive sellout at the NU Coliseum, making it the longest consecutive sellout streak in women’s college athletics.

Worth Noting
?-Nebraska is 80-4 (.952) on the road in Big 12 action over the nine seasons under Coach John Cook.

?-The Huskers lead the Big 12 in four of the nine team categories, including kills (14.48/set), assists (13.24/set), blocks (2.64/set) and opponent hitting percentage (.126).

?-The Huskers are 90-3 (.968) in Big 12 action dating back to the 2003 season.

?-The Huskers have won their last 22 matches against Oklahoma dating back to 1997, equaling the longest streak in school history against the Sooners. NU also won 22 matches against OU between 1980 and 1987. 

?-At 19-0 entering Saturday’s match at Oklahoma, the Huskers join Wichita State (20-0) and Penn State (20-0) as the nation’s only unbeaten teams.

?-The Huskers have swept 14 of their 19 opponents, including each of the last seven 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 wins over No. 1 Stanford and No. 4 Texas.

?-Kayla Banwarth has averaged 5.33 digs per set over NU’s last five matches. In that stretch, Nebraska has held its last four foes to a combined .093 team hitting percentage.

?-With a .402 hitting percentage, middle blocker Kori 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).

?-Following Wednesday’s win over Texas A&M, Nebraska has won 72 straight home matches at the NU Coliseum dating back to September of 2004 and has dropped only five sets in the last 45 home matches in the building dating back to 2005.

?-Nebraska has allowed more than 20 points only 13 times in 62 sets this season.

?-The senior class of Amanda Gates, Jordan Larson and Rachel Schwartz has helped the Huskers to a 115-5 (.958) record over the last four seasons. Of the 120 matches during their career, NU has been ranked first or second in the AVCA poll in 117 of those contests.

Scouting Oklahoma
Head Coach Santiago Restrepo (77-66 in five seasons at OU) has built the Sooners into one of the Big 12’s up-and-coming programs. OU burst on to the national scene in 2006, reaching the regional semifinals, and made a return trip to the NCAAs in 2007. This season, OU is 8-11 on the season and 4-7 in Big 12 action. OU tested itself outside Big 12 play, taking on Cal Poly, USC, San Diego and Wichita State in a challenging non-conference schedule.

One of the youngest teams in the league, the Sooners start a trio of freshmen and have just one senior on the 2008 roster. Sophomore Francie Ekwerekwu tops OU in both kills (2.72) and hitting percentage (.298), while freshman Caitlin Higgins and junior Bridget Laplante add 2.55 and 2.22 kills per set, respectively. Middle blocker Chrissy Disarro is among the Big 12 leaders at 1.23 blocks per set, while she also chips in 1.67 kills per set. Freshman Brianne Barker guides the OU offense, averaging 9.15 assists and 2.62 digs per set.

Series History: Nebraska leads the all-time series, 69-6, dating back to 1975. The Huskers are 24-1 all-time against the Sooners since the Big 12 was formed, and have won the last 22 matchups. John Cook is 17-0 against the Sooners in his coaching career.

Last Meeting: Outside hitters Tara Mueller and Jordan Larson combined for 27 kills, leading second-ranked Nebraska to a 3-0 victory on Oct. 8. Larson led Nebraska with 14 kills on .293 hitting and eight digs, while Mueller collected her third career double-double, totaling 13 kills on .312 hitting and 10 digs. Sydney Anderson dished out 38 assists and added eight digs and a pair of blocks.  Nebraska held Oklahoma to just .093 hitting and out-blocked the Sooners, 7-2. Amanda Gates paced the Huskers with four stuffs and chipped in five kills to help NU collect its 11th sweep of the year.

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 1.57 kills and a team-best 1.23 blocks per set, ranking second in the Big 12 in blocks. She has led NU in blocks 11 times, including an eight-block effort against Texas A&M on Oct. 22. 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 2.11 kills on .402 hitting and 0.90 blocks per set, ranking third in the Big 12 and eighth nationally in hitting percentage. Cooper 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 11.63 assists, 2.05 digs and 0.34 aces per set, pacing the league in assists and ranking fifth in aces. Anderson, who is seventh nationally in assists, has 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 4.34 digs and 0.74 assists per set, ranking third in the Big 12 in digs. She has reached double figures in digs 16 times in 18 matches and in 24 of her 27 career starts after totaling 14 digs, two aces and a kill against Texas A&M on Oct. 11.  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 0.89 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 1.89 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 3.84 kills, 2.98 digs and 0.37 service aces per game, ranking among the league leaders in kills (fifth), aces (second) and points (third). She has a team-high five double-doubles, including 19 digs and 11 kills at Iowa State on Sept. 27. Larson had 13 kills on a season-best .407 hitting in a sweep of Texas A&M on Oct. 22. She totaled 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 3.52 kills and 2.22 digs per set, ranking seventh in the league in kills per set. She has raised her numbers in recent matches, averaging 3.90 kills and 2.67 digs per set in NU’s last seven matches. Mueller comes off one of the best efforts of her career against Texas A&M on Oct. 22, drilling 13 kills and setting career bests in hitting percentage (.478) and blocks (five). She has been in double figures in kills 13 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 Power Past Aggies
Outside hitters Tara Mueller and Jordan Larson combined for 26 kills, leading second-ranked Nebraska to a 3-0 sweep (25-16, 25-18, 25-13) of Texas A&M Wednesday night at the NU Coliseum.

The Huskers (19-0, 10-0 Big 12) overcame a slow start and gained momentum throughout the match, out-hitting the Aggies, .319-.106, and enjoying an 11.5-3 advantage in blocks in posting their 90th consecutive win inside the state borders. Wednesday’s match was significant, as the Huskers donned pink warm-ups and encouraged fans to wear pink to recognize breast cancer awareness.

Mueller put together one of the best matches of her career, recording 13 kills on a career-best .478 hitting, while also adding a personal best five blocks, while Larson continued her stellar all-around play with 13 kills on a season-best .407 hitting,  two solo blocks and six digs. Sydney Anderson dished out 34 assists and added three blocks, as the Huskers hit over .300 for the eighth time this season. Amanda Gates led a strong defensive effort with eight blocks, her second-best total of the year.

Nov. 1 vs. Iowa State Time Change
The Nebraska-Iowa State volleyball match on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the NU Coliseum has been moved from 7 to 3 p.m. The volleyball match time was changed following the announcement that the Nebraska-Oklahoma football game on that date will begin at 7 p.m. and will be televised nationally by either ABC or ESPN.

Larson and Mueller Provide 1-2 Punch
Nebraska’s outside hitting duo of Jordan Larson and Tara Mueller has been one of the nation’s top outside hitting duos. The pair combines for 7.36 kills per set and Nebraska joins Penn State as the only two schools in this week’s AVCA Top 25 with two players averaging more than 3.50 kills per set.

Either Larson or Mueller has led the Huskers in kills in all 19 matches this season, as Larson has topped NU 11 times, while Mueller has enjoyed team-high honors in 10 contests. They have tied on two occasions, most recently against Texas A&M on Oct. 13.

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 115-5 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 19-0 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.

Stellar Sophomores

Category  Pct.         Soph.      Team Total
Kills        47.1%     423         898
Assists    94.9%     779         821
Aces       50.0%     43           86
Digs        58.6%     532         908
Points     45.8%     526         1,147.5

No Place Like Home
Nebraska has enjoyed an overwhelming homecourt advantage across the state. The Huskers have won their last 90 matches inside the state’s borders dating back to 2004, including matches in Lincoln (76), Omaha (13) and North Platte (1).

With the Oct. 22 win over Texas A&M, the Huskers extended their home winning streak to 81 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.

NCAA Home Court Win Streaks
No.          Wins       Team      Dates of Streak

1.             87           Penn State             Nov. 25, 1995-Sept. 16, 2000

2.             81           Nebraska               Sept. 11, 2004-present

3.             74           Northern Iowa      Nov. 1, 1997-Sept. 18, 2004

4.             63           Nebraska               Sept. 29, 1999-Dec. 14, 2002

Air Jordan Climbs Husker Career Lists
Larson has continued to climb the Husker career charts this fall, jumping into the top 10 in kills and digs and solo blocks. Larson has moved from 14th to seventh, 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.  Larson has 11 solo blocks this season and now ranks eighth on that Husker chart as well. Larson and Greichaly Cepero are the only two non-middle blockers on the top-10 list.

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 now has 170 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 119 matches she played 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.

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 weekend leading the Big 12 in assists (11.63) and sixth in service aces (0.34)

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 seventh nationally in assists in this week’s rankings, has helped the Huskers rank sixth nationally in kills, ninth in assists and 14th 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.

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 .364 hitting percentage in 80 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 .402 in 2008 to rank third in the Big 12 and eighth nationally entering Saturday’s match at Oklahoma.

Prior to Wednesday’s match against Texas A&M, Cooper had been on a tear, hitting .482 in her previous seven matches She had 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.

Tara Time: Mueller Makes Strides
Outside hitter Tara Mueller has stepped into the shoes left by two-time All-American Christina Houghtelling.

After making just one start at outside hitter as a freshman, Mueller has become one of the Big 12’s top outside hitters this fall. She is seventh in the Big 12 with 3.52 kills per set, while also chipping in 2.22 sigs and 0.48 blocks per set.              

Mueller improved her numbers throughout the year, and is averaging 3.90 kills and 2.67 digs per set in seven matches this month. She collected her second double-double of the season against Oklahoma on Oct. 8 with 13 kills and 10 digs and put together the best match of her career against Texas A&M with 13 kills on .478 hitting, a career-high five blocks and seven digs on Oct. 22.

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 .366 at the halfway point of league play. She is second in Big 12 matches only in blocks and is now fourth in hitting percentage, raising her season total nearly 150 points in conference play.

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 eight blocks in NU’s sweep of Texas A&M on Oct. 22.

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.

Over the last five matches, Banwarth is averaging 5.60 digs and 0.80 assists per set. She has reached double figures in 24 of her 27 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 third in the Big 12 in digs with 4.34 digs per set and is bidding to be only the third Husker to ever average at least four digs per set. Banwarth’s defensive efforts have been instrumental, as Nebraska has limited 14 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 269-16 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 164-6 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.

Huskers Rank Second All-Time in Wins
The Nebraska volleyball team is one of only five programs to reach the 1,000-win plateau and rank second in NCAA history with 1,048 wins. the Huskers are one of just five NCAA programs to reach the 1,000-win plateau.

Crowd Pleasers
Nebraska has traditionally shown the ability to draw big crowds, and 2008 has been no different. Not only did the Huskers break the NCAA regular-season single-match record for attendance against LSU on Sept. 12, but they have been involved in four of the five largest crowds of 2008.

NU is second nationally in average attendance (5,162) and that total does not include the Runza/AVCA Showcase matches in Omaha. The LSU match marked the third time in the last two seasons that NU has broken the NCAA regular-season attendance record. In fact, the eight largest regular-season crowds in NCAA history have involved Nebraska.

Nebraska Coliseum: Sold Out for 2008
One school record has already been established this fall, as it took just 10 minutes to sell out the entire 2008 ticket allotment at the 4,030-seat NU Coliseum. It was the quickest that the single-match Coliseum allotment had ever sold out. In 2007, it took 45 minutes to sell out the entire allotment. The announcement guarantees that Nebraska’s NU Coliseum streak will continue this fall, hitting 118 matches in 2008.

The Huskers will carry a streak of 115 consecutive sellouts at the NU Coliseum into the Nov. 1 match with Iowa State. The Huskers are 108-6 at home during the sellout streak. A total of 476,798 fans have been to the Coliseum since the sellout streak began

Nebraska’s streak marks only the second time in NCAA history that a women’s sport has enjoyed a sellout streak of at least 100 matches. The only other one was UConn women’s basketball, which had a streak of 113 straight regular-season sellouts between 1999 and 2005.

Huskers in the Polls
The Nebraska program is a fixture in the CBS College Sports/AVCA Coaches poll. The Huskers are ranked second in this week’s poll and have been ranked in all 376 polls since its inception in 1982. Nebraska is one of only two schools to hold that distinction, joining Stanford.

In addition, the Huskers have been ranked in the top 10 for 343 weeks, which trails only Stanford’s 347 weeks in the top 10. Nebraska has been ranked in the top 10 for the last 73 polls, dating back to the start of the 2004 season.

The Huskers head all programs at the top of the all-time polls, spending 81 weeks all-time at No. 1, including an incredible 26-poll stretch over the 2006 and 2007 seasons. The 81 weeks at No. 1 is 30 more than runner-up UCLA in that category.  NU has spent 62 weeks at No. 1 since the start of the 2000 season. That total is more than any other program has spent in the top spot since the AVCA Poll began in 1982.

Huskers Tabbed for Second in Big 12 Poll
The NU volleyball program found itself in a position it has not been for 12 years ? the runner-up choice of the Big 12 coaches in the league’s preseason poll.

The Huskers, who have won the last four Big 12 titles and 10 of 12 since the league’s inception in 1996, had been the league’s choice in each of the last 11 polls.

Individually, Jordan Larson and Kori Cooper were selected to the preseason All-Big 12 team, with Larson sharing league preseason player-of-the-year honors with Texas’ Juliann Faucette. Kori Cooper received preseason all-conference recognition for the first time after averaging 2.31 kills and 1.01 blocks per set in 2007. Sydney Anderson rounded out NU’s preseason honors, as she was tabbed the league’s preseason newcomer of the year.

Huskers on Television
The Huskers will receive plenty of television exposure during the 2008 season, as 15 regular-season matches have been selected for television broadcast. NU has enjoyed the bright lights of TV, going 37-2 in televised matches since the start of the 2006 season.

Nebraska: All-America U   
NU continued its string of All-America success in 2007 with a school-record five Huskers earning AVCA All-America accolades. Rachel Holloway, Christina Houghtelling, Jordan Larson, Sarah Pavan and Tracy Stalls were all selected, increasing Nebraska’s NCAA-leading totals to 29 players and 62 certificates, respectively. Nebraska has had at least one All-American every season since 1983, a total of 26 straight seasons, including 27 in Cook’s eight seasons.

Huskers Relish Role as Underdogs
Nebraska’s two wins at the Runza/AVCA Showcase in August marked a first in the John Cook era. The Huskers had defeated only one higher ranked foe in Cook’s eight season at Nebraska and none since 2000. At the Runza/AVCA Showcase, the Huskers accomplished the feat twice, sweeping No. 2 Stanford before downing No. 4 USC two days later. Nebraska is now 3-3 against higher ranked foes under Cook.

Thater Honored with Retired Jersey
Former Husker great Stephanie Thater became the most recent NU player to have her jersey retired, receiving the honor at the Red/White Scrimmage on Aug. 23.  Thater was the sixth Husker to be recognized on the Huskers’ Wall of Honor since the wall was initially unveiled in 2003.

A three-time All-American, Thater led her team to the NCAA National Semifinals as a sophomore and compiled an 81-14 record during her three years as a starter. She was a two-time Big Eight Player of the Year and was also selected to the Nebraska Volleyball 25th anniversary team in 1999.

Gates Named to Good Works Team
Amanda Gates was honored Tuesday, as she was selected as one of 12 student-athletes chosen for the 2008 Fall Chick-fil-A Community of Champions.  Gates, a senior from Columbus, Neb., was selected for the team based on her combination of academic success, community service and leadership/sportsmanship.

A senior captain, Gates is enjoying her best season as a Husker, averaging 1.57 kills and 1.23 blocks per set to rank second in the Big 12 in blocks. She is a communications studies major with a 3.96 GPA and is a candidate for Academic All-America honors.

Gates has been a member of the Student-Athlete Committee (SAAC) for the past four years and is currently the secretary for the organization. She has been involved in numerous community outreach efforts, including serving as a volunteer speaker for “School is Cool” week and speaking to elementary schools.

Pavan Repeats Top Academic Honor
Former Husker Sarah Pavan earned one of the most prestigious honors in college athletes on Aug. 12, as she was selected as the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American of the Year. A three-time first-team Academic All-American, Pavan became the first-ever student-athlete to repeat as Academic All-American of the Year since the awards’ inception in 1988. She was a four-time first-team All-American and the 2006-07 Honda-Broderick Award winner. 

Pavan was one of three Husker seniors in 2007 to be named a first-team Academic All-American, joining Christina Houghtelling and Tracy Stalls.