Sept. 21, 2011
- Iowa Volleyball Promotional Events
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone app!
- Iowa and the Big Ten Network
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
FIRST SERVE
The University of Iowa volleyball team returns home this weekend to open conference play against No. 24 Ohio State and No. 5 Penn State. The Hawkeyes host Ohio State Friday at 7 p.m. and Penn State Saturday at 7 p.m. Both matches are played on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Admission is $3 for adults, and free for UI students with a valid ID and children 18 and younger.
PARKING UPDATE
Due to a public dedication of the newly renovated Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Lot 46 (West of CHA) will not be available for volleyball parking until 5:30 p.m.
-
Friday – Blocking Hunger Night
- Canned good drive
- Free admission if you bring 3 canned goods
- Free Hawkeye watches to the first 200 fans
- Free Iowa Football t-shirts to the first 1,000 UI students
-
Saturday – Helmet Safety Awareness Night and Football Fan Appreciation Night
- University of Iowa student-athletes will sign autographs on the all-sports posters from 6:15-7 on the concourse to raise awareness of helmet safety.
- Free admission when fans present their Louisiana-Monroe ticket stub
DINGMAN’S HAWK CHALK TALK
Volleyball season ticket holders are invited to join head coach Sharon Dingman prior to Friday’s match in the Feller Club Room for Hawk Chalk Talk. The Iowa Memorial Union will provide light refreshments at the event while Coach Dingman provides preferential insight regarding the weekend’s upcoming competition. The Feller Club Room will be open to season ticket holders from 6-7 p.m. Coach Dingman will address the fans at 6:15. Season ticket holder must preset their season ticket stub to enter.
LISTEN/WATCH – HAWKEYE ALL-ACCESS
Fans can follow Hawkeye volleyball at hawkeyesports.com, where play-by-play voice of the Hawkeyes Ian Martin will call this weekend’s action live from Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Hawkeye All-Access, a subscription service committed to providing quality coverage of Hawkeye athletic events, will provide an audio stream for Friday’s contest and an audio/video stream for Saturday’s match.
OHIO STATE VIDEO STREAM
Friday’s match vs. Ohio State will be streamed live on hawkeyesports.com via the BTN Digital Network. Hawkeye All-Access subscribers can watch live video streams of UI events on the BTN Digital Network at no extra charge. Dan Wallace will call the play-by-play, while Adam Hairston provides color commentary.
OFFICIAL IOWA VOLLEYBALL BLOG – LIVE STATS
Live stats and live blogging will be available for every match at the Iowa Invitational. A member of the Iowa volleyball staff will offer scoring updates and interactive content from the Official Iowa Volleyball Blog. Former Hawkeye Katie Kennedy and manager Melissa Brockway return in 2011 to host the live blog. Fans can also follow the action with live stats. Visit the Iowa volleyball page at hawkeyesports.com for links to live stats, blogging and Gametracker.
OHIO STATE (Sept. 23)
Head Coach: Geoff Carlston (4th season, 71-45) 2011 Record/Conference: 10-3, 0-0 Top Performers: Mari Hole, Jr., OH, team-high 4.39 kills per set; Sara Mignin, Sr., L, leads the Big Ten with 5.17 digs per set. Series Record/Last Meeting: OSU leads, 9-51/2011, OSU 3-1
PENN STATE (Sept. 24)
Head Coach: Russ Rose (33rd season, 1,033-164) 2011 Record/Conference: 7-3, 0-0 Top Performers: Micha Hancock, Fr., S, leads Big Ten with 0.81 services aces per set; Katie Slay, So., MH, leads Big Ten with a .428 hitting percentage. Series Record/Last Meeting: PSU leads 41-0/2011, PSU 3-1
SPECIAL GUEST COACH
Dr. Ernie Found will be Iowa’s special guest coach for Saturday’s Penn State contest. Dr. Found, a sports specialty consultant in orthopedics for sports medicine service, will be on the Iowa sidelines to help promote “helmet awareness” for bicycle, moped and motorcycle operators and riders.
YEAGER DIGS THE D
Sophomore Bethany Yeager ranks second in the Big Ten with 222 total digs. Her 4.44 average leads the Hawkeyes and ranks No. 7 in the conference. Yeager picked up 4.36 digs per set last season, the fourth highest total in the Big Ten. Yeager picked up 30 digs in Iowa’s 3-1 win over Arizona State, marking the fourth time in her career she has reached 30 digs in a single match.
BLOCK… HUSZ
Senior Mallory Husz averages a team-high 1.26 blocks per set, the eighth highest total in the Big Ten. Husz matched her career best with 11 total blocks in Iowa’s 3-1 win over Southern Miss. The 11 stuffs are the highest single match total in the conference. Husz totaled 16 blocks, including eight in the title match against St. John’s, at the Columbia Invitational. She added 23 total kills in the four-match tournament to earn MVP honors.
ESKEW SEEING DOUBLE
Senior Megan Eskew has recorded a team-leading six double-doubles this year, all of the kill-dig variety. Eskew’s most impressive effort came in Iowa’s five-set win over Oakland when she recorded a career high 19 kills and a career best 18 digs. She has reached double digit kill totals nine times this season, more than any other Hawkeye.
HIGHEST HONORABLE MENTION
For the second straight year, Iowa’s recruiting class earned Highest Honorable Mention honors from PrepVolleyball.com. The honor is bestowed to those schools that just missed being ranked inside the top 30. Iowa’s seven-person recruiting class includes one sophomore and six freshmen.
BLACK & GOLD REPRESENTING THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE
Sophomores Rachael Bedell and Bethany Yeager each earned the opportunity to compete for USA Volleyball during the 2011 summer. Bedell helped lead the Women’s Junior A2-Europe Program to a gold medal at the European Global Challenge July 14-22. Yeager helped Team USA grab bronze in the International Junior Division of the USA High Performance Championships in Tucson, Ariz., July 26-29.
NILGES IS FEELING ALL RIGHT
Senior Tiffany Nilges has started the last seven matches as Iowa’s right side hitter, all Hawkeye victories. During that stretch, Nilges has averaged 2.83 kills per set, 1.92 digs per set, and averaged career highs in kills (16 vs. Oakland), hitting percentage (.800 vs. Chicago State), and service aces (2 vs. St. John’s).
THE CHANTE’ SHOW
Sophomore Chante’ Thompson made her first two career starts in Iowa’s wins over Binghamton and St. John’s. Thompson recorded six kills vs. Binghamton in her first career start and a career-high 10 kills against St. John’s. She also came off the bench to serve a career high two service aces in Iowa’s 3-1 win over Columbia. Thompson totaled 22 kills and nine blocks to earn all-tournament honors at the Columbia Invitational.
HAWKEYE IRONWOMEN
Three Hawkeyes have started all 13 of Iowa’s matches. They include Megan Eskew, Bethany Yeager and Nikki Dailey. Eskew and Yeager started all 29 matches last season, extending the streak of consecutive starts to 42. Yeager has not missed a start in her collegiate career. Dailey has been Iowa’s starting setter in every match. She ranks eighth in the conference with 10.0 assists per set.
ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS
Seven Hawkeyes earned all-tournament honors following Iowa’s four preseason tournaments. The include Bethany Yeager (Hawkeye Challenge, Iowa State Challenge, Iowa Invitational); Nikki Dailey (Hawkeye Challenge, Iowa Invitational); Alex Lovell (Iowa Invitational, Columbia Invitational); Megan Eskew (Iowa State Invitational); Mallory Husz (MVP Columbia Invitational); Tiffany Nilges (MVP Iowa Invitational); Chante’ Thompson (Columbia Invitational).
TEAM CAPTAINS
Seniors Megan Eskew and Mallory Husz have been voted team captains for the 2011 season. In 2010, Husz led Iowa in kills per set (2.37) and ranked second in total blocks (93), while Eskew led the Hawkeyes in total attacks (800) and was one of three Hawkeyes to start every set. Eskew was also a captain in 2010. Both Hawkeyes have started every match this season.
BIG TEN GOES BIG IN AVCA POLL
The Big Ten is represented by seven teams in the Sept. 19 AVCA top 25 poll. Illinois (3), Penn State (5) Minnesota (No. 9) and Nebraska (No. 10) represent the conference in the top 10. Purdue (13), Michigan (18) and Ohio State (24) round out the top 25.
SEASON TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets remain on sale through the UI Ticket Office. Season tickets are two-for-$20 and include a complementary Hawkeye t-shirt. Contact the UI Ticket Office at 1-800-IA-HAWKS or visit hawkeyesports.com to place your season ticket order.