Huskers Hit the Road for Wisconsin, MinnesotaHuskers Hit the Road for Wisconsin, Minnesota
Volleyball

Huskers Hit the Road for Wisconsin, Minnesota

No. 5 Nebraska at Wisconsin • Friday, Oct. 14 • UW Fieldhouse • 7 p.m.
Web Video: Student U via BTN.com (Live, subscription required)
TV: BTN (Tape Delay on Oct. 17 at 1 p.m.)
Radio:  Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and KTWI 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com
Live Stats: uwbadgers.com

No. 5 Nebraska at No. 14 Minnesota • Saturday, Oct. 15 • Williams Arena • 7 p.m. Web Video: BTN2Go
TV: BTN (Tape Delay on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m.)
Radio: Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and KTWI 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com
Live Stats:        gophersports.com

The No. 5 Nebraska volleyball team will hit the road this week for a pair of road matches at Wisconsin and No. 14 Minnesota.

The Huskers (13-1, 6-0) and Badgers (11-7, 3-3) will meet on Friday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. at the UW Field House.  The match will air via Student U on BTN.com with a subscription. It will also air via tape delay on BTN on Oct. 17 at 1 p.m. NU will face Minnesota (10-5, 3-3) on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. at Williams Arena. Nebraska's match with Minnesota will air via tape delay on BTN on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m.

Wisconsin and Nebraska have met 13 times, with NU holding a 11-1-1 record over the Badgers. The last time the two teams met was in the NCAA Championship match on Dec. 16, 2000, when Nebraska won 3-2 (15-9, 9-15, 7-15, 15-2, 15-9). John Cook will return to Wisconsin for the first time since leaving UW 13 years ago. Cook led Wisconsin as head coach from 1992-98, compiling a 161-73 record.

Minnesota and Nebraska have met 30 times, with the Huskers leading the all-time series 26-4. The last time the two teams met was on Aug. 29, 2009, with the Huskers winning 3-2 (25-20, 21-25, 25-19, 15-25, 15-8).

Fans can listen to all of the action with John Baylor and Lindsay Peterson on the 25-station Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha. Fans outside the state will also be able to catch the live audio feed for free on Huskers.com.

NU-Wisconsin All-Time Series

Sept. 30, 1977, T, 9-15, 15-8
Oct. 28, 1978, L, 12-15, 7-15
Oct. 13, 1979, W, 15-8, 15-5
Oct. 13, 1979, W, 15-10, 15-13
Oct. 4, 1980, W, 15-0, 15-10
Sept. 29, 1990, W, 15-5, 13-15, 15-4, 15-8
Aug. 31, 1991, W, 15-10, 12-15, 15-8, 15-11
Dec. 13, 1991, W, 15-9, 15-10, 15-10
Sept. 9, 1995, W, 15-8, 15-6, 15-8
Sept. 20, 1987 W, 15-10, 15-9, 15-12
Dec, 12, 1998, W, 12-15, 18-16, 9-15, 15-10, 15-10
Sept. 15, 1999, W, 15-5, 15-9, 18-16
Dec. 16, 2000, W, 15-9, 9-15, 7-15, 15-2, 15-9

NU-Minnesota All-Time Series

Oct. 18, 1975, W, 15-11, 16-14
Nov. 20, 1975, W, 15-4, 15-3
Oct. 9, 1976, W, 15-11, 15-5
Oct. 23, 1976, W, 15-7, 15-13
Nov. 18, 1976, W, 13-15, 15-7, 15-5
Nov. 20, 1976, W, 15-2, 15-6
Sept. 30, 1977, W, 15-12, 15-8
Oct. 15, 1977, W, 15-9, 15-13
Nov. 12, 1977, W, 15-11, 11-15, 18-16
Nov. 12, 1977, W, 15-10, 15-13
Nov. 18, 1977, W, 15-3, 7-15, 15-12
Sept. 15, 1978, L, 15-13, 1-15, 10-15
Sept. 30, 1978, L, 9-15, 11-15, 15-10, 15-8, 5-15
Sept. 29, 1979, W, 15-12, 16-18, 15-12, 15-11
Nov. 16, 1979, W, 15-2, 10-15, 15-11, 15-12
Sept. 26, 1980, W, 15-13, 10-15, 15-7
Sept. 27, 1980, L, 2-15, 9-15
Oct. 4, 1980, L, 8-15, 13-15
Nov. 20, 1980, W, 11-15, 15-4, 15-11, 15-3
Nov. 21, 1980, W, 15-6, 18-16, 15-13
Sept. 26, 1981, W, 8-15, 15-12, 15-6, 15-11
Oct. 31, 1981, W, 8-15, 15-6, 15-8, 15-5
Sept. 11, 1987, W, 15-7, 7-15, 15-11, 12-15, 15-9
Sept. 15, 1989, W, 15-9, 15-6, 8-15, 15-7
Dec. 8, 1989, W, 15-10, 11-15, 15-13, 15-12
Nov. 2, 1990, W, 15-2, 15-3, 15-8
Sept. 5, 2005, W, 30-27, 30-25, 26-30, 28-30, 15-12
Sept. 10, 2006, W, 28-30, 30-25, 30-22, 30-22
Dec. 9, 2006, W, 25-30, 22-30, 30-20, 30-25, 15-9
Aug. 29, 2009, W, 25-20, 21-25, 25-19, 15-25, 15-8

Getting to Know the Badgers

Location: Madison, Wis.
Enrollment: 42,099
Nickname: Badgers
Colors: Cardinal and White
Head Coach: Pete Waite (Ball State, '81)
Record at School: 272-115 (12 years)
Overall Record: 538-217 (33 years)
Asst. Coaches: Colleen Bayer, Brian Heffernan
2010 Record: 16-15
2010 Big Ten Record: 5-15 (10th)
2010 Postseason: DNQ
2010 Final Ranking: NR
Letterwinners R/L: 10/7
Starters R/L: 5/1+1
Series Record: Nebraska leads, 11-1-1
Last Meeting: NU won, 3-2 (12/16/00)
Last NU Win: 12/16/00
Last NU Loss: 10/28/78
Longest NU Winning Streak:11
Current NU Winning Streak:11
Two sets: 3-1-1
Three sets: 4-0
Four sets: 2-0
Five sets: 2-0

Getting to Know the Gophers

Location: Minneapolis, Minn.
Enrollment: 51,721
Nickname: Golden Gophers
Colors: Maroon and Gold
Interim Head Coach: Laura Bush (Illinois, '90)
Record at School: First Year
Overall Record: 100-164 (9 years)
Asst. Coaches: Alfee Raft, Chris Tamas
2010 Record: 16-9
2010 Big Ten Record: 14-6
2010 Postseason: NCAA Regional Semifinalist
2010 Final Ranking: 10th
Letterwinners R/L: 10/2
Starters R/L: 6/1+1
Series Record: Nebraska leads, 26-4
Last Meeting: NU won, 3-2 (8/29/09)
Last NU Win: 8/29/09
Last NU Loss: 10/4/80
Longest NU Winning Streak: 12
Current NU Winning Streak: 12
Two sets: 8-2
Three sets: 6-1
Four sets: 8-0
Five sets: 4-1

Scouting the Wisconsin Badgers

  • The Badgers are 11-7 on the year, heading into a weekend where they face the Huskers on Friday, Oct. 14, and Iowa on Saturday, Oct. 15.
  • Wisconsin went 1-1 last weekend in matches at Michigan State and Michigan. The Badgers lost 3-1 at Michigan State, but won 3-1 at Michigan.
  • UW's 34-point third set against Michigan State set a new school record for the highest number of points scored under 25-point scoring.
  • In the match against the Spartans, freshman outside hitter Courtney Thomas set a new career high in kills (16) and digs (15) and had 26 assists to become the fourth Badger player in program history to record a triple-double. She was the second player to get a triple-double this season, as senior setter Janelle Gabrielsen recorded one at Duke on Aug. 27.
  • The Badgers beat No. 18 Michigan 3-1 on Oct. 8, marking their second upset over a ranked team in six days. Michigan was the highest ranked opponent that a Wisconsin team has defeated since the Badgers defeated then-No. 13 Michigan two seasons ago.
  • Against the Michigan State, three different players scored 10 or more kills for the Badgers, led by freshman outside hitter Ellen Chapman with 12. Sophomore middle blocker Dominique Thompson tied her career-high with 11 kills, while freshman outside hitter Crystal Graff finished with 10. Thompson also led all players with her .412 hitting percentage.
  • Graff leads Wisconsin with 142 kills on the season, with Alexis Mitchell notching 135 kills and a .370 hitting percentage.
  • Defensively, sophomore libero Annemarie Hickey has 305 digs for UW, averaging 4.84 per set.
  • At the net, the Badgers have three players averaging more than one block per set, including senior middle blocker Elle Ohlander (1.14), Mitchell (1.05) and junior middle blocker Kristy Bourquin (1.10).
  • Wisconsin ranks ninth in the Big Ten in hitting percentage (.242), sixth in assists (12.86), fifth in blocks (2.57), second in digs (15.70), fourth in opponent hitting percentage (.157), sixth in kills (13.90) and eighth in service aces (1.19).
  • The Badgers are 35th nationally in assists per set (12.86), 28th in blocks per set (2.57), 47th in hitting percentage (.242) and 30th in kills per set (13.90).
  • Head coach Pete Waite is in his 12th season at the helm of the Badgers. He is the winningest coach in Wisconsin volleyball history, with nine 20-plus win seasons. He is the only Badger volleyball coach to win 100 Big Ten Conference matches.

Scouting the Minnesota Gophers

  • The Gophers are 10-5 on the year, heading into a weekend where they face Iowa on Friday, Oct. 14, and the Huskers on Saturday, Oct. 15.
  • Minnesota enters the weekend after going 2-0 last weekend in matches at Michigan and Michigan State. The Gophers won 3-2 in Ann Arbor and swept the Spartans in East Lansing.
  • The Gophers were down two sets to zero against Michigan, but came back to win 3-2 over the Wolverines. The win marked the first time since 2005 the Golden Gophers defeated Michigan on its home court.
  • Minnesota had three players with double-digit kills against the Wolverines in sophomore outside hitter Ashley Wittman (20), junior outside hitter Katherine Harms (19) and sophomore middle blocker Tori Dixon (17). Junior setter Mia Tabberson had 56 assists, while senior libero Jessica Granquist had a match-high 22 digs.
  • Against Michigan State, Minnesota had 15 kills from both Wittman and Harms, while Dixon had 12 kills and a hitting percentage of .417 (12-2-24). Tabberson had 41 assists and 11 digs, while Granquist had 18 digs.
  • Whittman leads Minnesota on the season with 282 kills, averaging 4.70 kills per set.
  • Defensively, Granquist has a total of 290 digs, with an average of 4.83 digs per set.
  • In the Big Ten standings, Minnesota ranks sixth in hitting percentage (.253), second in assists (13.50), ninth in blocks (2.10), sixth in digs (14.93), 12th in opponent hitting percentage (.213), fourth in kills (14.23) and 12th in service aces (0.87).
  • Minnesota is 17th nationally in kills per set (14.23), eighth in assists (13.50) and 33rd in hitting percentage (.253).
  • Laura Bush has taken over in 2011 as the interim head coach for Minnesota until Hugh McCutcheon joins the Gophers. Bush has nine years of head coaching experience at Auburn (2002-07) and Marquette (1999-2001). McCutcheon will join the Gopher volleyball team as a full-time head coach after the 2012 Olympic Games.

Scouting the Huskers

  • Nebraska is 13-1 in 2011 and enters Friday night's match ranked No. 5 in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll.
  • The Huskers are 12-0 this season when holding opponents below .200 hitting. Nebraska is 1-1 when opposing teams hit above .200.
  • Nebraska has totaled double-digit blocks in eight matches this season, including a season-high 16.5 blocks against New Mexico State.
  • The Huskers tallied a season-low six errors against Albany on Sept. 3. The last time NU had six errors or less in a match was against Sacred Heart on Dec. 2, 2010.
  • As of Oct. 8, Nebraska ranks second in the Big Ten in hitting percentage at .274. The Huskers are eighth in assists (12.52), fourth in blocks (2.63), ninth in digs (14.00), second in opponent hitting percentage (.130), eighth in kills (13.44) and 11th in service aces (0.87).
  • As of Oct. 8, Hayley Thramer is second in the Big Ten in blocks (1.36), while Brooke Delano ranks ninth in hitting percentage (.353). Lauren Cook is sixth in assists (11.00), Gina Mancuso is 10th in points (4.03) and ninth in kills (3.54) and Lara Dykstra is 10th in digs (3.65).
  • Gina Mancuso has 191 kills so far in 2011, averaging 3.54 per set.
  • Mancuso was named the Co-Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday, Sept. 26, after her stellar weekend against Penn State and Ohio State.
  • Lara Dykstra has 197 digs so far in her freshman campaign, averaging 3.65 per set.
  • Lauren Cook has totaled 594 assists in 2011, averaging 11.00 per set. Her efforts have led NU to a .274 hitting percentage on the season.
  • Two Huskers average more than a block a set, including Broekhuis (1.06) and Thramer (1.36).
  • Three Huskers have combined for 11 double-doubles in 2011, with Mancuso tallying seven, Broekhuis tabbing three and Werth notching one of her own.

Gina Mancuso  |  2011 (7)  |  NU Career (7), All (7)

Opponent (Date)                       K          A          D                      B

New Mexico State (Aug. 26)       16         0          14         2

Creighton (Sept. 8)                    12         0          10         1

Saint Mary's (Sept. 9)                15         1          11         3

Iowa State (Sept. 17)                 14         0          11         1

Penn State (Sept. 21)                22         0          10         2

Michigan State (Sept. 30)           12         1          10         3

Purdue (Oct. 7)              16         0          19         0

Hannah Werth |  2011 (1)  |  NU Career (23), All (23)

Opponent (Date)                       K          A          D          B

Colorado State (Sept. 2)            12         0          15         1

Morgan Broekhuis |  2011 (3)  |  NU Career (3), All (3)

Opponent (Date)           K          A          D          B

Iowa State (Sept. 17)     11         2          10         4

Penn State (Sept. 21)    12         4          11         4
Purdue (Oct. 7)              13         2          10         2

Tough Tests

With the match against No. 14 Minnesota on Saturday, Nebraska will be taking on its seventh top-25 team this season.

The Huskers hold a 5-1 record against top-25 teams, losing to then-No. 15 Colorado State on Sept. 2 in five sets in Fort Collins, Colo., but notching a 3-2 victory over then-No. 5 Penn State on Sept. 21, a 3-1 victory over then-No. 24 Ohio State on Sept. 24, a sweep over then-No. 11 Michigan on Oct. 1 and a 3-1 win over No. 11 Purdue on Oct. 7.

Cook Reaches 500

With the Huskers' win over Albany on Sept. 3, Head Coach John Cook tallied his 500th win as a head coach. This weekend's match with Wisconsin marks the return for Cook to Madison as he was the Badgers head coach from 1992-98.

Few Unbeaten

Illinois and Nebraska share first place in the Big Ten standings through two weeks of conference play, with both teams checking in at 6-0.

No Place Like Nebraska

Nebraska celebrated a streak of 150 consecutive sellouts at the NU Coliseum on Sept. 8. It is the longest continuing sellout streak across all NCAA women's athletics. The Huskers averaged 4,632 fans per home contest last season. As of Oct. 10, Nebraska ranks second nationally in current home win streaks with 30.

Small Membership

Lara Dykstra became just the seventh true freshman to start a season opener during Head Coach John Cook's era at Nebraska. Sophomore Morgan Broekhuis was the last Husker to do so in 2010.

Dykstra Digging

Through the first 14 matches of her collegiate career, freshman Lara Dykstra has totaled 197 digs and has averaged 3.65 digs per set. Her 28 digs against New Mexico State ranked ninth in Nebraska volleyball single-match performances and were the highest total by a Husker since 2009.

Thramer Makes Impact

Sophomore Hayley Thramer made her first career start at New Mexico on Aug. 27. She tabbed eight blocks against New Mexico State and three against New Mexico. She notched another eight blocks against Penn State on Sept. 21. She currently ranks second in the Big Ten in blocks, averaging 1.36 per set.

Volleyball Blackshirts

Nebraska kept Albany at a .038 hitting percentage for the match. The Huskers held Creighton to a .053 hitting percentage on Sept. 8,Weber State to a .071 hitting percentage on Sept. 10 and Iowa State to a .087 hitting percentage on Sept. 17. NU held Indiana to a .022 hitting percentage on Oct. 8.

Holding Their Own

As of Sept. 25, the Huskers rank 23rd nationally in blocks per set with 2.63. NU is 11th in hitting percentage at .274 and is sixth in match win-loss percentage.

Broekhuis Breakout

Morgan Broekhuis recorded the first double-double of her career against Iowa State on Sept. 17, with 11 kills and 10 digs. She notched another double-double against Penn State with 12 kills and 11 digs and again against Purdue with 13 kills and 10 digs. Her 22 kills at Michigan State on Sept. 30 marked a career high for Broekhuis. She has 172 kills for the Huskers in 2011.

Mancuso Paving Her Way

Gina Mancuso has notched seven double-doubles so far in 2011, most recently against Purdue on Oct. 7. She tallied 16 kills and 19 digs to lead NU against the Boilermakers. Mancuso leads all Nebraska hitters with 191 kills in 2011 and was named the Co-Big Ten Player of the Week on Sept. 26.

Map to Success

Nebraska has eight players on its 2011 roster who were Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selections, representing the top 50 players in that year's recruiting class. Five of the Huskers' last seven recruiting classes have ranked in the top five nationally, including the 2009 class that was ranked second by Prepvolleyball.com.

Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 Members

Year       Players

2008       Allison McNeal

2009       Gina Mancuso, Hannah Werth, Hayley Thramer, Lauren Cook

2010       Morgan Broekhuis

2011       Lara Dykstra, Taylor Simpson

The Home for All-Americans

Nebraska continued its string of All-America success in 2010, as Brooke Delano, Lindsey Licht and Hannah Werth were named AVCA All-Americans. The trio upped Nebraska's NCAA-leading totals to 34 players and 70 certificates. Nebraska has had at least one All-American every season since 1983, a total of 29 straight seasons, including 35 All-America awards in Cook's 11 years at Nebraska.

AVCA All-America Certificates

No.        School     Awards

1.          Nebraska 70

2.          Stanford    65

3.          Penn State             51

4.          Hawaii     50

5.          UCLA      41

Pre-Season All-Conference Picks

The Huskers were picked to finish in a tie for second in the Big Ten preseason coaches' poll. The Huskers also had three players picked to the preseason All-Big Ten list. Unanimous selection senior Brooke Delano was joined by juniors Lauren Cook and Hannah Werth.