Oct. 26, 2011
- 2011 Media Guide
- 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 travels to University Park, Pa., to face No. 8 Penn State on Friday at 6 p.m. (CT) inside Rec Hall. The Hawkeyes then travel to Columbus, Ohio, to face No. 23 Ohio State on Sunday at 12 p.m. (CT) inside St. John Arena.
LIVE AUDIO – HAWKEYE ALL-ACCESS
Both the Penn State and Ohio State matches will be streamed live via Hawkeye All-Access, a subscription service committed to providing quality coverage of Hawkeye athletic events. Ian Martin, the voice of Iowa volleyball, will have the call live from both locations.
LIVE AUDIO – AM-800 KXIC
Sunday’s match vs. Ohio State will air locally on AM-800 KXIC. The voice of Iowa volleyball, Ian Martin, will have the call live from St. John Arena beginning at 11:45 a.m. (CT).
BTN.com VIDEO STREAM
Friday’s contest at Penn 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.
HAWKEYE SERVICE CENTER
Live stats and live blogging are available this weekend at the Hawkeye Service Center at hawkeyesports.com. The Hawkeye Service Center is a one-stop webpage that features live stats, Gametracker, and inside information and interactive content via the Official Iowa Volleyball Blog. Former Hawkeye Katie Kennedy and manager Melissa Brockway are the official hosts of the 2011 blog.
No. 8 Penn State (Oct. 28)
Head Coach: Russ Rose (33rd season, 1,041-166)
2011 Record/Conference: 15-5, 8-2 (3rd place)
Top Performers: Micha Hancock, Fr., S, leads the Big Ten with 60 service aces and ranks eighth in assists per set (9.73); Katie Slay, So., MH, leads the Big Ten with 1.42 blocks per set and ranks No. 2 in hitting percentage (.397).
Series Record/Last Meeting: PSU leads 42-0/2011, PSU 3-0
Streak: Penn State, 42
Iowa’s last meeting at Penn State: 2010, PSU 3-0
OHIO STATE (Oct. 30)
Head Coach: Geoff Carlston (4th season, 76-50)
2011 Record/Conference: 15-8, 5-5 (tied for 5th)
Top Performers: Mari Hole, Jr., OH, ranks fifth in the conference with 4.71 points per set; Sara Mignin, Sr., L, ranks fourth in the Big Ten averaging 4.57 digs per set.
Series Record/Last Meeting: OSU leads 52-9/2011, OSU 3-0
Streak: Ohio State, 6
Iowa’s last win: 3-1, Oct. 26, 2008 (Columbus)
BETTER WITH AGE
Sophomore Chante’ Thompson has increased her kill total in each of Iowa’s last four games. Thompson came off the bench to slam three kills vs. Minnesota (10/14). She was inserted into the starting lineup against Wisconsin (10/16) and recorded four kills, before recording five and six kills, respectively, in starts vs. Nebraska (10/19) and Northwestern (10/22). The six kills vs. Northwestern matched a career-high in conference competition.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Through 23 matches, the Hawkeyes’ freshmen and sophomores have combined for 63-percent of Iowa’s starters. Sophomores Bethany Yeager and Nikki Dailey have started every match this season. Chante’ Thompson (6), Rachael Bedell (5) and Grace Burns have also cracked the starting seven. Iowa’s freshmen starters include Alex Lovell (18), Emily Yanny (12), Erin Leppek (9) and Kari Mueller (5).
HAWKEYE IRONWOMEN
Three Hawkeyes have started all 23 of Iowa’s matches. They include Megan Eskew, Bethany Yeager and Nikki Dailey. Eskew and Yeager started all 29 matches last season, extending their streak of consecutive starts to 52. Yeager has not missed a start in her collegiate career.
AMONG THE BIG TEN’S BEST
Sophomores Nikki Dailey and Bethany Yeager are among the Big Ten leaders in three categories. Dailey ranks ninth in assists per set (9.29) and sixth in service aces per set (0.31), while Yeager ranks sixth in digs per set (4.33).
BIG HITTERS ON DECK
The Hawkeyes face two more ranked opponents this weekend. Penn State enters Friday’s match ranked No. 8 by the AVCA, and Ohio State enters Sunday’s contest ranked No. 23. The Hawkeyes have defeated at least one top-25 team in each of Sharon Dingman’s three seasons. Iowa’s top-25 victories since 2008 include: vs. No. 18 Wisconsin (3-0, 2008); vs. No. 18 Michigan State (3-0, 2009); vs. No. 16 Michigan (3-1, 2010). The Hawkeyes are 0-7 vs. ranked opponents this year (No. 19 Iowa State, No. 24 Ohio State, No. 5 Penn State, No. 17 Michigan, No. 11 Purdue, No. 14 Minnesota, No. 4 Nebraska).
I LOVELL THIS PLACE
Freshman Alex Lovell has made a home in Iowa City and on top of Iowa’s box scores. Lovell leads the Hawkeyes with 205 kills, averaging a team-high 2.70 per set. Her 19 kills vs. Ohio State (9/23) were the most by a Hawkeye freshman vs. a Big Ten opponent since Catherine Smale totaled 21 kills vs. Michigan State in 2005. Lovell has recorded double-digit kills in eight matches, the second highest total on the team (Eskew, 9).
YEAGER DIGS THE D
Sophomore Bethany Yeager’s 359 total digs are the third highest total in the conference. Her 4.33 average leads the Hawkeyes and ranks No. 6 in the Big Ten. Yeager picked up 4.36 digs per set last season, the fourth highest total in the Big Ten.
LEADING THE DAILEY-DOUBLE
Sophomore Nikki Dailey recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 25 assists and 11 digs against Northwestern (10/22). She now has two more double-doubles than senior Megan Eskew. Eskew’s double-doubles come in the form of kills-digs, while Dailey uses the assist-dig combination to accomplish the feat. 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. Dailey had a career-high 60 assists in the same match. Mallory Husz (1), Alex Lovell (2) and Tiffany Nilges (3) have also recorded double-doubles this season.
FIVE ALIVE
Iowa improved to 3-1 in five set matches following a 3-2 over Indiana Oct. 7. All four five-set matches have been at home. They include wins over Central Michigan (8/26), Oakland (9/10) and Indiana (10/7), and a loss vs. Saint Louis (8/27).
TEAM CAPTAINS
Seniors Megan Eskew and Mallory Husz have been voted team captains for the 2011 season. Husz leads the Hawkeyes in total blocks (65) and Eskew ranks second in both kills (197) and digs (249).
BIG TEN GOES BIG IN AVCA POLL
The Big Ten has seven teams in the Oct. 17 AVCA top 25 poll, more than any other conference. Nebraska’s 3-1 win over Illinois supplanted the Illini as the nation’s top ranked team. Illinois fell to No. 3, Penn State checked in a No. 8, while Purdue (11), Minnesota (15), Michigan (22) and Ohio State (23) round out the top 25.
ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS
Seven Hawkeyes earned all-tournament honors following Iowa’s four preseason tournaments. They 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).
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.
SCHEDULE CHANGE
Iowa’s Nov. 22 match versus Nebraska in Iowa City will begin at 6 p.m. on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The contest was originally scheduled for 7 p.m.