Nov. 3, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format
HAWKEYES HOST OHIO STATE, PENN STATE
The Hawkeyes return home this weekend to host Ohio State Friday and top-ranked Penn State Saturday. Both contests will begin at 7 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
HAWKEYE PROMOTIONS
Iowa volleyball is asking fans to – Be Bold, Wear Gold – during Iowa’s match vs. Ohio State. The Hawkeyes are offering $2 admission for any fan wearing Gold Friday night. Saturday is Football Fan Appreciation night. Any fan that presents their ticket stub from the Iowa vs. Northwestern football game will gain free admission.
HAWKEYES ONLINE
Fans can follow Hawkeye volleyball on hawkeyesports.com, where play-by-play voice of the Hawkeyes Mike Haberle will call the action live from Carver-Hawkeye Arena. This weekend’s live video broadcast is provided by Hawkeye All-Access, a subscription service committed to providing quality coverage of Hawkeye athletic events.
OFFICIAL IOWA VOLLEYBALL BLOG – LIVE STATS
Live stats and live blogging will be available for all Big Ten matches in 2009. A member of the Iowa volleyball staff will offer scoring updates and interactive content from the Official Iowa Volleyball Blog. Visit the Iowa volleyball page at hawkeyesports.com for links to live audio, video, blogging and Gametracker.
HAWKEYES DIG DEFENSE
Iowa ranks atop the Big Ten averaging 15.48 digs per set. Senior libero Christina Meister ranks second in the Big Ten with 4.42 digs per set. Since 1990, only three Hawkeyes have averaged more than four digs per set through an entire season: Pam Kavadas, 5.22 (`04); Emily Hiza, 4.74 (`06) and 4.52 (`07); Janet Moylan, 4.63 (`90).
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“We need to improve in the most important aspect of volleyball – serve and pass. Accomplishing that will allow us to side out more efficiently. As always we are excited to play in Carver-Hawkeye Arena and look forward to an entertaining weekend of volleyball.”
Head Coach Sharon Dingman
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HUFFMAN REACHES CAREER MARK
Junior OH Aimee Huffman has amassed a career-high 214 kills in 2009. She added 15 kills last weekend to pass her previous season-high. Huffman recorded 213 kills in 2008 and collected 192 kills her freshman season (2007).
SCHIPPER CONTINUES HER CLIMB
On October 23rd, senior Megan Schipper was honored for becoming the 16th player in program history to record 1,000 career kills. The Aplington, IA, native passed the elusive number in Iowa’s 3-1 win at Wisconsin (9/23). The Hawkeye captain currently ranks 13th on Iowa’s all-time list with 1,099 career kills. She picked up her 200th kill of the 2009 season in Iowa’s 3-0 win over 18th-ranked Michigan State (10/11). Schipper has collected at least 300 kills in each of the previous two seasons, including 2007, when she led the Hawkeyes with 309 kills as a sophomore. She tallied a career-high 345 kills in 2008, the second-highest total on the team (Catherine Smale, 380). This season, Schipper leads Iowa with 3.12 kills per set.
KRIEGER KITTLE REACHES CENTURY MARK
Freshman Emma Krieger Kittle reached the 100-kill plateau Oct. 17 at Purdue. The freshman has totaled 134 kills this season and averages 2.08 kills per set in conference play, third best among Hawkeyes. Other current Hawkeyes to record at least 100 kills as freshmen include Megan Schipper (189, `06), Aimee Huffman (192, `07) and Megan Eskew (163, `07).
SCHIPPER AMONG ALL-TME LEADERS
Senior Megan Schipper is the 11th player in program history to amass 1,000 career kills and 200 career blocks. Iowa’s senior captain recorded block No. 200 in Iowa’s five-set loss to Michigan (10/9). She picked up her 1,000th career kill in Iowa’s 3-1 win at Wisconsin (9/23).
KRIEGER KITTLE VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
Competition can bring out the best in people, including freshman Emma Krieger Kittle. Iowa’s outside hitter picked up career highs in digs (3) and total blocks (3) vs. eighth-ranked Illinois (10/23). The Iowa City native recorded a career-high 12 kills vs. 11th-ranked Iowa State (9/11) and has collected 52 of her 134 kills in Iowa’s seven games vs. ranked opponents, averaging 2.0 kills per set.
HAWKEYES GO DOWN SWINGING
It didn’t end with a `W’ but the Hawkeyes continued their streak-breaking habits at Penn State (Oct. 2). Trailing the nation’s top-ranked team 2-0, Iowa battled to a 26-24 win in set three, ending the Nittany Lions’ streak of 141-straight regular season set victories.
HIT IT AND WIN IT
The Hawkeyes are 11-0 when attacking at a higher percentage than their opponent this season. Conversely, Iowa’s opponent has hit a higher percentage in each of the Hawkeyes’ 13 losses.
AMONG THE NATION’S BEST
Four Big Ten squads are ranked in the top 15 of the latest coaches poll, while the same four teams are ranked in the top 10 of the latest NCAA RPI report, leading all conferences. Penn State returns as the conference champion, winner of the last two NCAA Championships and ranked atop the 2009 AVCA Coaches Poll. Other Big Ten schools ranked in the top 25 include Illinois (5), Minnesota (12) and Michigan (15).
OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes are led by second-year head coach Geoff Carlston and OH Katie Dull. The junior ranks fourth in the conference in kills, averaging 3.91 per set, and recorded a match-high 16 kills in Ohio State’s 3-0 win over Iowa Oct. 3. Iowa has not defeated Ohio State in Iowa City since topping the Buckeyes in five sets in 1987.
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Senior Megan Schipper leads Iowa with 240 kills this season. |
PENN STATE
The Nittany Lions enter the weekend as the nation’s top ranked team and winners of the last two NCAA Championships. Led by 31st-year head coach Russ Rose, Penn State has won the Big Ten Title a total of 12 times, including the last six, since joining the league in 1991. Senior Megan Hodge leads the Big Ten with 4.80 kills per set and was recently honored as the Big Ten Player of the Week after averaging 5.8 kills per set against Ohio State and seventh-ranked Minnesota last week. Iowa has never defeated Penn State in 38 meetings.
IOWA IN THE ATTENDANCE GAME
Iowa ranks 32nd in national attendance, averaging 1,224 fans per game. Iowa opened the season (Sept. 11) vs. Iowa State in front of 2,111 fans, the second-largest crowd in program history (2,191 vs. Wisconsin, 10/13/07).
HAWKEYE CAPTAINS
Senior outside hitter Megan Schipper and junior setter Mara Hilgenberg are Iowa’s team captains for the 2009 season. Schipper leads the Hawkeyes in kills (240) and service aces (25) and ranks second in digs (254). Hilgenberg leads the Hawkeyes with 806 assists and is a third generation Hawkeye captain. Her great-uncle Wally and her uncle Jim were football team captains in 1963 and 1977, respectively.
SECOND GENERATION
Mara Hilgenberg’s father Jay and Emma Krieger Kittle’s father Bruce played football together at Iowa from 1977-1980. Jay was a four-time letterwinner and went on to win Super Bowl XX with the 1985 Chicago Bears. Bruce used a redshirt in 1980 and came back as a team captain for Hayden Fry’s 1981 Big Ten Championship team.
IOWA ON THE BTN
The 2009 Hawkeyes will make two appearances on the Big Ten Network this season. Iowa opened the Big Ten season on the Big Ten Network with a 3-1 win at Wisconsin, Sept. 23. The rematch between the Hawkeyes and Badgers, Wednesday, Nov. 11, will be broadcast live from Carver-Hawkeye Arena at 7 p.m.
FOLLOW THE TEAM WITH IOWA’S VOLLEYBLOG
Iowa volleyball fans will be able to follow along with senior Megan Schipper, junior Aimee Huffman, sophomore Mallory Husz and freshman Emma Krieger Kittle as they blog about the season. All four student-athletes will discuss things like upcoming matches, road trips and what it’s like being a student-athlete at the University of Iowa. Visit the volleyball home page to check out Iowa’s own VOLLEYBLOG.