Oct. 28, 2015
- Read the November 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 hosts a pair of Big Ten contests in Carver-Hawkeye Arena this weekend. The Hawkeyes face Maryland on Friday, Oct. 30, before hosting Rutgers on Saturday, Oct. 31.
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WATCH
Friday’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. Saturday’s match will be available for live streaming on Hawkeye All-Access at hawkeyesports.com.
LISTEN/FOLLOW ALONG
Both contests will air live on KXIC Radio. Live audio is also available on Hawkeye All-Access at hawkeyesports.com. Second-year play-by-play announcer Tim Keating will call the action. Live stats are available for each contest. Links can be found on the volleyball schedule page at hawkeyesports.com.
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.
SCHEDULE UPDATE
Saturday’s match against Rutgers has been moved to 7:30 p.m. (CT). The start time was pushed back due to Iowa football’s 2:30 p.m. kickoff against Maryland.
PROMOTIONS
Friday, Oct. 30 vs. Maryland:
? Pink Match — all fans are encouraged to wear pink
? Camper Reunion Night
Saturday, Oct. 31 vs. Rutgers:
? FREE admission for all fans
? Costume night
? High School Night
? Junior Hawk Club Night
PARKING
Parking will be available in Lot 33, Lot 46/47, and Lot 75 on Friday (vs. Maryland at 7 p.m.), and Lot 46/47 and Lot 75 Saturday (vs. Rutgers at 7:30 p.m.). Heavy traffic around Kinnick Stadium and Carver-Hawkeye Arena is expected on Saturday. Hawkins Drive directly east of the stadium will be closed for an hour following the end of the football game.
ALUMNI DAY
The University of Iowa volleyball team will host its annual Alumni Day on Saturday, Nov. 21, when the Hawkeyes host Northwestern at 7 p.m. (CT).
Former players who RSVP by Thursday, Nov. 12, will receive free admission to the match as well as a link to tickets for the Iowa football game against Purdue on Nov. 21 (Kickoff TBA). To receive more information and RSVP, contact Bre Payton at breann-payton@iowavolleyball.com.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
According to the NCAA, the Hawkeyes have the third-strongest strength of schedule in Division I Volleyball — the highest ranking among Big Ten opponents. Northwestern (4th), Ohio State (9th), Wisconsin (11th), Illinois (12th), and Nebraska (13th) also made the top 15.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Eleven of Iowa’s 2015 opponents appear in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Poll, released on Oct. 26. No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 Minnesota, No. 6 Hawaii, No. 8 UCLA, No. 9 Nebraska, No. 11 Ohio State, T-No. 12 Wisconsin, No. 17 Purdue, No. 21 Illinois, and No. 25 Michigan are ranked within the top 25, while Michigan State (53) is receiving votes.
ALL-TIME SERIES – MARYLAND
? Iowa leads Maryland, 2-0, in the all-time series.
? The Hawkeyes defeated the Terps twice last season. Iowa won in straight sets (25-21, 25-17, 25-20) in College Park, Maryland, on Oct. 31, before defeating the Terps in five sets (25-18, 18-25, 15-25, 25-15, 17-15) in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Nov. 26.
ALL-TIME SERIES – RUTGERS
? The Hawkeyes hold a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series.
? Iowa defeated the Scarlet Knights, 3-1 (25-15, 25-18, 25-27, 25-16), in Piscataway, New Jersey, on Nov. 1, 2014.
? The Hawkeyes won the first ever meeting between the two schools on Sept. 13, 1997 at the Iowa State Invitational. Iowa won in straight sets (15-13, 15-7, 15-8).
A POWERHOUSE CONFERENCE
Nine Big Ten teams are included in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll, released on Oct 26. No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 Minnesota, and No. 9 Nebraska appear in the to 10, while No. 11 Ohio State, T-No. 12 Wisconsin, No. 17 Purdue, No. 21 Illinois, and No. 25 Michigan also made the list. Michigan State (53) is receiving votes in the poll.
IN THE BIG TEN – TEAM RANKINGS
? Iowa has registered 95 aces on the season, the third highest total in the Big Ten.
? The Hawkeyes rank fourth in the Big Ten with a 1.19 aces per set average.
? Iowa ranks fourth in the Big Ten conference in team assists with 1,011.
? The Hawkeyes have tallied 1,060 kills this season, the fifth most in the Big Ten.
IN THE BIG TEN – INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
? Junior Loxley Keala leads the conference in total assists (880).
? Sophomore Annika Olsen leads the Big Ten in total digs (381) and ranks second in digs per set average (4.76).
? Keala has the fifth-best assist per set average in the Big Ten (11.00).
? Senior Mikaela Gunderson owns a .332 hitting percentage this season — the ninth best average in the Big Ten.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
? Junior Loxley Keala’s 11.00 assists per set average ranks 33rd nationally.
? Keala is ranked 45th nationally in total assists (880).
? Sophomore Annika Olsen ranks 54th in digs per set average (4.76).
QUICK HITTERS
? For the first time since Sept. 19, the Hawkeyes will host opponents that are not ranked or receiving votes in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Poll.
? Senior Mikaela Gunderson has already surpassed her 2014 kills total. Through 23 matches, Gunderson has 169 kills (2014: 110).
? Gunderson tallied a team-leading 11 kills against No. 9 Minnesota on Oct. 24 — seven of her 11 kills came in the third set.
? Freshman Reagan Davey notched her second career double-double against No. 9 Minnesota on Oct. 24. The Ocala, Florida, native recorded 11 kills and 10 digs in the contest. Davey’s first career double-double came against No. 24 Michigan on Oct. 7 (21 kills, 12 digs in five sets).
FRESHMEN MAKE AN IMPACT
? Freshman Molly Kelly is currently ranked third among league freshmen in service aces per set average (0.27). Kelly has 21 service aces this season. She has registered three aces in a single match three times this season (Pacific, NIU, Wisconsin).
? Freshman Reagan Davey is fourth among conference freshmen in kills per set average (2.44).
? Davey (2.08) and freshman Libby Koukol (2.02) are ranked ninth and 11th, respectively, among Big Ten freshmen 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 its 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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes travel to Bloomington, Indiana, to take on the Hoosiers on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
