Oct. 13, 2014
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- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 2014 Media Guide
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
Iowa vs Illinois/Northwestern Notes 
COMPETITION SUMMARY
The University of Iowa volleyball program plays live on the Big Ten Network for the first time on Wednesday at 8 p.m. (CT). The Hawkeyes take on No. 15 Illinois. The team’s home stand continues with a 7 p.m. match against Northwestern on Saturday. Saturday is Attacking Breast Cancer Night and Girl Scout Night in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
COVERAGE RUNDOWN
Wednesday’s 8 p.m., match will be televised live on the Big Ten Network with Lisa Byington (play-by-play) and Michelle McMahon (color) on the call. Links to live audio with Tim Keating and Gametracker (livestats) are available for each competition on Hawkeye All Access at hawkeyesports.com. Fans can watch Saturday’s match live online through Hawkeye All Access.
PROMOTIONS
The first 200 fans to arrive for Iowa’s Wednesday match against Illinois will receive a complementary rally towel. Saturday’s match against Northwestern is Attacking Breast Cancer Night and all fans are encouraged to wear pink. The first 200 fans will receive a free pink Iowa volleyball pennant. It is also Girl Scout Night. Doors open an hour before each match and a team autograph session will take place at the completion of all home matches.
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LINK UP WITH THE HAWKEYES
For an inside look at the Iowa Volleyball program and to access exclusive coverage, “like” University of Iowa Volleyball on Facebook and follow @IowaVolleyball on Twitter. Follow the team’s live Twitter feed, @IowaVB_Live, for more frequent in-match tweets, play-by-play, statistics and more.
ALL-TIME
? Illinois leads Iowa, 53-13, in the all-time series.
? Iowa last defeated Illinois on Oct. 14, 2005, in Champaign, Illinois. The Hawkeyes swept the Fighting Illini (30-27, 30-26, 35-33).
? The Hawkeyes’ last win over Illinois at home in Carver-Hawkeye Arena occurred on Oct. 11, 2002. Iowa won in four sets (30-25, 24-30, 30-22, 30-27).
? Northwestern leads Iowa, 39-26-1, all-time.
? The Hawkeyes last defeated Northwestern on Oct. 23, 2009, in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa swept the Wildcats (25-23, 27-25, 25-21).
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
After spending the first month of the season on the road, the UI volleyball team has enjoyed a pair of top 20 crowds at home in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The fourth-largest crowd in program history (2,631) attended the home opener against Nebraska on Sept. 27, and the 13th-largest crowd (1,723) attended the Hawkeyes’ match against Penn State on Oct. 11.
The Hawkeyes also welcomed a crowd of 1,203 to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for their match against Ohio State on Oct. 10, raising their average fan draw to 1,852. In 2013, UI volleyball averaged 1,265 fans at home during the Big Ten season.
RISING STAR
Despite facing four top Big Ten opponents, sophomore Lauren Brobst has had an impressive October. The Sioux City, Iowa, native leads the team with 43 kills (3.58 per set) and a .327 attack percentage this month. She has led the team in kills five-straight matches: vs. Nebraska (9), vs. Ohio State (6), vs. Penn State (9), at Michigan (15) and at Michigan State (13). Her 15 kills against the Wolverines marked a new season-high.
SWITCHING IT UP
After running a 6-2 offense, the Hawkeye volleyball team transitioned into a 5-1 offensive system against Ohio State and Penn State. Freshman setter Kaylee Smith earned the first starts of her Iowa volleyball career, dishing out 26 assists against the Buckeyes and 17 against the Nittany Lions.
Smith continued in the starting role at Michigan and Michigan State, but sophomore setter Alyssa Klostermann saw time in the 5-1 system at Michigan State for the first time this season. Klostermann dished out nine assists in two sets played, while Smith contributed 16.
B1G STATISTICAL SUMMARY
? Senior Alessandra Dietz ranks sixth in the Big Ten in service aces per set (0.31) and 12th in hitting percentage (.325).
? Sophomore Alyssa Klostermann is 11th in service aces per set (0.29) and 14th in assists per set (6.13).
? Senior Alex Lovell is 14th in the conference in kills per set (3.13) and 15th in points per set (3.51).
? Freshman Michelle Fugarino ranks eighth overall and second among freshmen in the conference in digs per set (3.93)
B1G = BIG DEAL
Seven Big Ten institutions appear in the most recent release (Oct. 13) of the AVCA Division I Coaches Poll, including No. 5 Wisconsin, No. 7 Penn State, No. 13 Nebraska, No. 14 Purdue, No. 15 Illinois, No. 22 Ohio State and No. 23 Minnesota. Two teams — Northwestern (58) and Michigan (5) — are receiving votes.
Five of Iowa’s losses in conference play have been to a team in this week’s poll. The Hawkeyes fell to Nebraska twice, and Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan once.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Senior Alessandra Dietz ranks second all-time with a .263 career attack percentage and 17th with 235 career blocks. Fellow senior Alex Lovell is 10th all-time at Iowa with 1,262 career kills.
APPROACHING A MILESTONE
First-year head coach Bond Shymansky owns a career record of 298-118 (.716) and is just two wins from logging his 300th career victory. This is his 13th season as a head coach. He spent the past five seasons (2009-13) at the helm of the Marquette volleyball program and seven seasons before that leading Georgia Tech (2002-09).
ON DECK
Iowa continues Big Ten play on the road with matches at Wisconsin on Wednesday, Oct. 22, and at Minnesota on Saturday, Oct. 25. Both competitions begin at 7 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed live online through BTN Plus available at btn2go.com.
SEASON TICKETS
Iowa volleyball tickets are on sale now through the UI Athletics Ticket Office. Courtside seats are $60 per seat ($48 for faculty and staff) and general admission tickets are $30 each ($24 for faculty and staff). Fans that purchase general admission seats can choose to the same reserved seats at each match for the same price. Youth can attend matches for free.
Season ticket packages include a t-shirt and access to Chalk Talks with the Iowa coaching staff in the Hadley Club Room 30 minutes before every home match on the first floor of Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets can be purchased online at hawkeyesports.com, by phone at 1-800-IA-HAWKS or in person at the UI Athletics Ticket Office in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Single match tickets are also available for $5.
A NEW ERA
Bond Shymansky was named the ninth head coach of the Iowa volleyball program on Jan. 31, 2014. The UI alum and Iowa City, Iowa, native owns a career record of 292-110 (.726) amidst his 13th season.
Shymansky came to Iowa following five seasons (2009-13) at the helm of the Marquette volleyball program, where he guided the Golden Eagles to their first NCAA berth, NCAA victory, and first Big East regular season title. Marquette also won a Big East Tournament Championship, and made three-straight postseason appearances (2011-13).
Shymansky added associate head coach Michaela Franklin and assistant coach Jackie Simpson on Feb. 25, 2014 and completed his staff with the addition of director of operations Danielle Carlson.
#GREATTODAY
The Hawkeye volleyball program has been focused on one moniker since the arrival of head coach Bond Shymansky and his staff. Whether student-athletes are on the court, training in the weight room or learning in the classroom, the Hawkeyes want to be #GreatToday. A major shift in a program can be challenging, but striving for greatness in each area with exceptional effort has been helpful for the group.
