Oct. 6, 2015
- Read the October issue of Hawk Talk Monthly
- Download your Hawk Talk Monthly iOS app
- Download your Hawk Talk Monthly android app
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone/iPad app
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye android app
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa volleyball team returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for a midweek matchup against No. 24 Michigan on Wednesday, Oct. 7. First serve is set for 7 p.m. (CT).
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LISTEN/FOLLOW ALONG
Live audio is available on Hawkeye All-Access at hawkeyesports.com. Second-year play-by-play announcer Tim Keating will call the action. Live stats are also available for each contest. Links can be found on the volleyball schedule page at hawkeyesports.com. WATCH
Wednesday’s contest will be streamed live online via BTN Plus. To see if your cable package gives you access to BTN Plus content, sign up for BTN Plus or learn more about it, visit btn2go.com.
WHITE OUT
Fans are encouraged to wear white to Wednesday’s match against Michigan. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive free white Iowa volleyball t-shirts.
FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES
For an inside look at the Iowa Volleyball program and access to exclusive coverage, “like” University of Iowa Volleyball on Facebook and follow @IowaVolleyball on Twitter and Instagram. Be sure to follow the team’s live Twitter feed, @IowaVB_Live, for more frequent in-match tweets, statistics and more.
NATIONAL CHATTER
Twelve of Iowa’s 2015 opponents appear in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Poll, released on Oct. 5. No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 Nebraska, No. 8 Hawaii, No. 9 Ohio State, No. 11 Minnesota, No. 12 UCLA, No. 13 Illinois, No. 16 Wisconsin, No. 19 Purdue, and No. 24 Michigan are ranked within the top 25, while Michigan State and Pacific are receiving votes.
ALL-TIME SERIES
• Michigan leads Iowa, 38-24, in the all-time series.
• The Hawkeyes last defeated the Wolverines in Iowa City on Nov. 13, 2010, in four sets (20-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-23). Michigan was ranked No. 16 nationally at the time.
• In 2014, the Hawkeyes fell to the Wolverines, 3-0, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
According to the NCAA, the Hawkeyes have the seventh-strongest strength of schedule in Division I Volleyball, which is the highest ranking among Big Ten opponents. Wisconsin (8th) and Northwestern (9) also made the top 10. Iowa currently owns a team RPI of 33.
ATTENDANCE RECORDS
Iowa has set two top 10 attendance marks this season. The Hawkeyes downed the Cyclones in front of the fifth largest crowd in program history (2,488) on Sept. 11, before hosting the nationally ranked Huskers on Sept. 23 in front of 2,447 fans — the sixth largest crowd in program history.
A POWERHOUSE CONFERENCE
Nine Big Ten teams are included in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll, released on Oct 5. No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 Nebraska, and No. 9 Ohio State appear in the top 10, while No. 11 Minnesota, No. 13 Illinois, No. 16 Wisconsin, No. 19 Purdue, and No. 24 Michigan also made the list. Michigan State (26) is receiving votes in the poll.
N THE BIG TEN – TEAM RANKINGS
• The Hawkeyes average 1.31 aces per set, the fourth-best average in the Big Ten.
• The Hawkeyes are sixth in the Big Ten in hitting percentage. In 17 matches this season, Iowa is hitting .257.
• Iowa ranks seventh in the conference in assists, averaging 13.02 assists per set this season.
IN THE BIG TEN – INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
• Junior Loxley Keala leads the conference in total assists (666).
• Sophomore Annika Olsen ranks second in the Big Ten in digs per set average (4.71) and total digs (278).
• Keala has the fifth-best assist per set average in the Big Ten. The junior owns an 11.29 average.
• Junior Lauren Brobst is sixth in the Big Ten in total kills (206). She also ranks eighth in the Big Ten with a 3.49 kills per set average.
• Senior Mikaela Gunderson is 10th in the conference in hitting percentage (.376).
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
• Junior Loxley Keala‘s 11.29 assists per set average ranks 21st nationally.
• Iowa’s .257 hitting percentage ranks 36th nationally.
• The Hawkeyes rank 38th nationally in assists per set average (13.02).
• Keala is ranked 40th nationally in total assists (666).
FRESHMEN MAKE AN IMPACT
• Freshman Molly Kelly is currently ranked fourth among league freshman in service aces per set average (0.26). Kelly has 15 service aces this season.
• Freshman Reagan Davey is fifth among conference freshman in kills per set average (2.25).
• Freshmen Libby Koukol (2.04) and Davey (1.85) are ranked sixth and 10th, respectively, among Big Ten freshman in digs per set average.
8 STRAIGHT
The Hawkeyes won eight straight matches from Sept. 6-19 — the longest streak for the program since 2006. Iowa defeated American, 3-1, at the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic on Sept. 6. The following weekend (Sept. 11-12), the Hawkeyes went 3-0 at the Comfort Suites Challenge with wins over Milwaukee (3-0), Iowa State (3-1), and No. 25 Texas A&M (3-1). Iowa continued it streak on Sept. 18-19, sweeping the Holiday Inn Hawkeye Challenge tournament field with wins over Gardner-Webb (3-0), Coastal Carolina (3-0, 3-0) and Drake (3-0).
B1G SETTER OF THE WEEK
University of Iowa junior Loxley Keala was named Big Ten Conference Setter of the Week for her performance at the Comfort Suites Challenge on Sept. 11-12. It is the first conference honor of Keala’s career. The Kaneohe, Hawaii, native is the first Hawkeye to earn a Big Ten weekly award since Bethany Yeager was named defensive player of the week on Sept. 2, 2013. Keala is the first Hawkeye in program history to win a weekly setter award.
Keala posted 40-plus assists in all three matches that weekend, including a career-high 57 against No. 25 Texas A&M. She led the offense to back-to-back matches with a .300 or better attack percentage, including a season-high .379 against Iowa State and .303 versus Texas A&M. Keala tallied 154 assists and averaged 14 assists per set on the weekend.
HAWKEYES DOWN CYCLONES IN HISTORIC FASHION
In front of the fifth largest crowd in program history (2,488), the University of Iowa volleyball team trumped the Cyclones, 3-1, for the first time since Sept. 13, 1997. The Hawkeyes used a .379 attack percentage and a season-high 66 kills to defeat Iowa State in four sets. Sophomore Jess Janota paced the Hawkeye offense with a career-high 20 kills, while freshman Libby Koukol led the team with a career-high 18 digs.
DOWN GOES NO. 25
Iowa’s 3-1 victory over No. 25 Texas A&M on Sept. 12 marked the first ranked win for the Hawkeyes since defeating No. 12 Purdue, 3-1, on Nov. 8, 2014. Junior Loxley Keala led the Hawkeye offense with a career-high 57 assists, while junior Lauren Brobst paced the team in kills (17). Freshman Reagan Davey and senior Mikaela Gunderson each contributed four blocks.
BIG TEN NETWORK COVERAGE
The University of Iowa volleyball team competes live on the Big Ten Network (BTN) or BTN Plus 16 times this season. The Hawkeyes’ match against Wisconsin on Oct. 23 in Iowa City will be televised live on BTN. First serve is set for 7 p.m. (CT).
Fifteen Iowa matches will be shown via live stream online through BTN Plus. To see if your cable package gives you access to BTN Plus content, sign up for BTN Plus or learn more about it, visit btn2go.com.
ON THE RADIO
Eleven of Iowa’s 20 Big Ten Conference matches will air live on KXIC Radio this season. The first broadcast of the season is on Oct. 10 when the Hawkeyes host Michigan State at 7 p.m. (CT). Second-year play-by-play announcer Tim Keating will call the action. Audio for all of Iowa’s home and away matches is available online as part of the premium content package on Hawkeye All-Access at hawkeyesports.com.
ON DECK
The Hawkeyes return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday, Oct. 10, when they host Michigan State at 7 p.m. (CT). Fans that present a ticket from the Iowa football game against Illinois will receive free admission.
