Huskers in the Olympics

Four former Nebraska volleyball players are competing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

Jordan Larson returns to the Olympics for the second time with the U.S. Women's Volleyball National Team, having played on the silver-medal team in 2012. Kayla Banwarth and Kelsey Robinson will compete at the Olympics for the first time with Team USA, giving the Huskers more representation on the roster than any other school.

Larson, a native of Hooper, Neb., was a three-time AVCA All-American for the Huskers from 2006 to 2008, leading NU to the 2006 national title and two other national semifinals appearances (2005 and 2008). Robinson earned first-team All-America honors in her one season at Nebraska in 2013. Banwarth, the Huskers' libero from 2007-2010, is the all-time digs leader at Nebraska (1,706) and helped the Huskers reach the national semifinals in 2008.

In beach volleyball, former Honda-Broderick Cup winner Sarah Pavan qualified with partner Heather Bansley to represent Canada at the Olympics. Pavan is NU's all-time kills leader (2,008) and led the Huskers to the national title as a junior in 2006. She is one of only five players in NCAA history to be a four-time first-team All-American and won the Honda-Broderick Cup in 2007. Pavan represented Canada on the court from 2010 to 2013 but transitioned to a beach volleyball career in 2013. Pavan and Bansley are ranked 16th in the world in the FIVB rankings. 

Huskers.com will provide updates below as the Olympics progress.

Kayla Banwarth, Jordan Larson, Kelsey Robinson, USA (Volleyball)
Date	Opponent	Time (CT)	TV	Stream
Aug. 6	Puerto Rico	3:05 p.m.	NBC	Watch
RECAP: The world’s top-ranked U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team opened its 2016 Olympic Games with a 25-17, 25-22, 25-17 victory over NORCECA rival Puerto Rico on Saturday evening at Maracanazinho Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Jordan Larson had 11 points with eight kills and three blocks, while libero Kayla Banwarth had 12 excellent receptions on 22 attempts with three digs. Kelsey Robinson played in two of three sets and had one dig.
Aug. 8	Netherlands	1 p.m.	NBC	Watch
RECAP: The U.S. absorbed all it could take from Netherlands on the second day of Olympic Games competition, but found a way to rally for an 18-25, 25-18, 21-25, 25-20, 15-8 victory on Monday. Jordan Larson, Kayla Banwarth and Kelsey Robinson played big roles down the stretch in the fifth set. Larson finished with 12 kills, two aces, a block and a team-high six digs. Banwarth had 13 excellent receptions and five digs, while Robinson had five excellent receptions on eight errorless chances.
Aug. 10	Serbia	1 p.m.	NBC	Watch
In a battle of the two remaining undefeated teams in Olympic Games Pool B, the top-ranked U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team defeated No. 6 Serbia 25-17, 21-25, 25-18, 25-19 as the American middles dominated on Wednesday at Maracanazinho Arena in Rio de Janeiro. With the victory, Team USA became the first team to earn a ticket to the knockout quarterfinal round set for Aug. 16. Jordan Larson had 11 points (nine kills, one block, one ace) while Kayla Banwarth had nine digs and seven excellent receptions, and Kelsey Robinson had four excellent receptions.
Aug. 12	Italy	1 p.m.	NBC	Watch
The U.S. defeated Italy, 3-1 (25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20, to move to 4-0 in pool play. Banwarth had 10 digs and Larson had five kills, one block and one ace. Robinson eight kills and one block in her biggest offensive outing of the Olympics. The Americans, the only undefeated team left in the pool, finish the preliminary round against China on Sunday.
Aug. 14	China	3:05 p.m.	NBC	Watch
RECAP: The U.S. Women's National Team finished pool play with a perfect 5-0 record after a 3-1 (22-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-19) win over China on Sunday. Jordan Larson had 18 points (15 kills, two aces, one block) and 14 digs to lead the U.S. Kelsey Robinson added 11 kills, and Kayla Banwarth had nine digs. Team USA will face Japan, the fourth-place team in Pool A, in the quarterfinals on Tuesday at a time to be announced. The Americans, who are in search of their first Olympic Games gold medal in women’s volleyball, finished pool play with a 5-0 record for the second consecutive Olympic Games. The U.S. has finished with the silver in each of the past two Olympics Games.
Aug. 16	Quarterfinals - Japan	Noon	NBC	Watch
Aug. 18	Semifinals	11 a.m./8:15 p.m.	NBC/NBCSN	Watch
Aug. 20	Bronze	11 a.m.	MSNBC	Watch
Aug. 20	Gold	8:15 p.m.	NBC	Watch

 

Sarah Pavan, Canada (Beach Volleyball)
Date	Opponent	Time (CT)	TV	Stream
Aug. 7	Netherlands	1:30 p.m.	MSNBC	Watch
RECAP: Sarah Pavan and partner Heather Bansley won their first Olympic match, 21-15, 21-17 over Netherlands' Jantine van der Vlist and Sophie van Gestel.
Aug. 9	Switzerland	10 p.m.		Watch
RECAP: Pavan and Bansley swept their second Olympics match, 21-18, 21-18, over Switzerland's Joana Heidrich and Nadine Zumkehr. They are now nearly guaranteed a spot in the elimination stage, as they are atop Group E with four points.
Aug. 11	Germany	8 p.m.		Watch
RECAP: Pavan and Bansley defeated Germans Britta Buthe and Karla Borger in straight sets (21-19, 21-15) to finish the preliminary round atop Pool E. They'll play fellow Canadian pair Jamie Broder and Kristina Valjas in the Round of 16 on Saturday.
Aug. 13	Round of 16 - Canada	10 a.m. (CT)		Watch
RECAP: Sarah Pavan and Heather Bansley swept fellow Canadian pair Jamie Broder and Kristina Valjas in the round of 16. Pavan and Bansley took both sets easily, 21-16 and 21-11. They will face Germany on Sunday at 2 p.m. (CT) in the quarterfinals.
Aug. 14	Quarterfinals - Germany	2 p.m.	NBCSN	Watch
RECAP: Former Nebraska volleyball standout Sarah Pavan finished fifth in beach volleyball for Canada with partner Heather Bansley at the Olympics on Sunday at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Pavan and Bansley were beaten in the quarterfinals by Germany's Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst, 14-21, 14-21. Pavan and Bansley had been unbeaten in four matches entering Sunday's quarterfinal and had not lost a set. Finishing fifth in the competition with a 4-1 record, Pavan and Bansley became just the second Canadian women's team to advance to the Olympic quarterfinals and first since 2004.