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SERVE IT UP
The University of Iowa volleyball team opens Big Ten play this weekend, traveling to No. 20 Michigan State and No. 22 Michigan. The Hawkeyes head to East Lansing, Michigan, to take on the Spartans on Friday, before facing the Wolverines in Ann Arbor on Saturday.
IOWA ON BTN
Iowa’s matchup against Michigan State will air live on the Big Ten Network. First serve is set for 6:30 p.m. (CT). Mike Wolf and Kim Kuzma will call the action.
LISTEN/FOLLOW ALONG
- Friday and Saturday’s contests will air live on AM 800 KXIC. Third-year play-by-play announcer Tim Keating will have the call.
- Live audio is also available for both matches on Hawkeye All-Access at hawkeyesports.com.
- Live stats are available for each contest on the volleyball schedule page on 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.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
- Michigan State enters Friday’s contest with an 11-1 record and a six-game winning streak.
- The Spartans won three of their four non-conference tournaments this season.
- Michigan State moved up two spots to No. 20 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) national poll this week (Sept. 19).
- The Spartans lead the Big Ten and rank fourth nationally in service aces per set (2.18). Michigan State has seven service aces or more in eight of 12 matches this season.
- MSU leads the all-time series, 46-24. The Spartans won both meetings against the Hawkeyes last season with a 3-0 (22-25, 18-25, 19-25) victory in Iowa City on Oct. 10, and a 3-0 (13-25, 19-25, 16-25) in East Lansing on Nov. 28.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
- Michigan enters the weekend with an 11-1 overall record.
- The Wolverines moved up one spot to No. 22 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) national poll (Sept. 19).
- Eight of Michigan’s 11 victories have been sweeps.
- The Wolverine offense currently owns a .301 attack percentage through 12 matches this season. Their mark ranks second in the Big Ten Conference.
- Michigan owns a 29-24 advantage in the all-time series. The Wolverines defeated the Hawkeyes, 3-2, in Iowa City last season (25-23, 25-13, 26-28, 21-25, 13-15).
HISTORICAL START
The Hawkeyes finished non-conference play with a 10-2 overall record — the team’s best start to a season since 2006. Eight of Iowa’s 10 wins have been three-set sweeps. The Hawkeyes have swept each of their last four opponents and dropped just eight of their 38 sets played this season.
3-FOR-4
Iowa won three of its four non-conference tournaments this season. The Hawkeyes started the year winning the NIU Invitational with wins over Loyola (Chicago), DePaul, and NIU from Aug. 27-28. One week later, the Hawkeyes defeated Western Illinois, Arizona State, and Oakland to claim the Hawkeye Classic Title. Last weekend, Iowa downed Lamar and South Dakota in straight sets to win the Iowa Invitational.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Nine Big Ten teams appeared in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll, released Sept. 19. Defending National Champion Nebraska holds the top spot followed No. 2 Minnesota, No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 10 Purdue, No. 17 Ohio State, No. 18 Penn State, No. 20 Michigan State, and No. 22 Michigan. Illinois is receiving votes in the poll.
ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS
- The Hawkeyes finished the non-conference season with 10 all-tournament selections, including three tournament MVP honors.
- Senior Lauren Brobst was named the NIU Invitational’s most valuable player, and redshirt freshman Meghan Buzzerio and junior Annika Olsen were both named to the all-tournament team.
- Brobst earned her second MVP honor in as many weeks at the Hawkeye Classic.
- Junior Jess Janota and sophomore Reghan Coyle were named to both the Hawkeye Classic and Cyclone Invitational all-tournament teams.
- Senior Setter Loxley Keala was named the Iowa Invitational MVP last weekend, and Buzzerio earned her second all-tournament honor of the season.
BROBST ON THE OUTSIDE
- Senior outside hitter Lauren Brobst has hit .300 or better in 10-of-12 matches this season, including a season-best .565 against DePaul on Aug. 27.
- Brobst ranks ninth in the Big Ten and 75th in the nation with a .365 attack percentage.
- Her kills-per-set average of 3.58 ranks 10th in the conference.
COYLE MAKES AN IMPACT
- Sophomore Reghan Coyle ranks fifth in the conference with a .388 hitting percentage.
- Coyle’s hitting percentage (.388) ranks 47th nationally.
- In 12 games this season, Coyle has already surpassed her kills total from last season. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native has registered 79 kills this season after recording 68 in 23 matches last season.
- Coyle has been named to two all-tournament teams this season (Hawkeye Classic and Cyclone Invitational).
KEALA THE QUARTERBACK
- Senior setter Loxley Keala is averaging 11.53 assists per set — a mark that ranks third in the Big Ten and 11th nationally.
- Keala ranks fourth in the Big Ten Conference and 85th in the nation in total assists (438).
- The Kaneohe, Hawaii, native posted a season-high 47 assists in Iowa’s 3-0 win over Arizona State on Sept. 2.
- Keala helped the Hawkeyes to a perfect 2-0 record at the Iowa Invitational (Sept. 16-17) to earn tournament MVP honors.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
- Iowa ranks third in the conference in hitting percentage (.299) and digs per set (14.63).
- The Hawkeyes are ranked fourth in assists per set (13.42) and fifth in kills per set (14.32).
- Iowa has held its opponents to a .140 attack percentage — the fourth best in the Big Ten.
AROUND THE NATION
- Iowa’s .299 hitting percentage is the eighth-highest mark in the nation.
- The Hawkeyes are holding their opponents to a .140 attack percentage — the 15th -lowest mark in the NCAA.
- Iowa ranks 15th nationally with a 13.42 assists per set average.
- The Hawkeyes rank 18th nationally with a 14.32 kills per set average.
REUTER SERVES THE ACE
Kasey Reuter served up a 9-0 run in the second set against Montana on Sept. 10. The redshirt sophomore served four aces to aid the rally and help the Hawkeyes to a 3-0 sweep over the Grizzlies.
A TOTAL TEAM EFFORT
All 16 Hawkeyes saw game action against Montana on Sept. 10. Iowa spread out 39 kills to 10 different attackers. Redshirt sophomore Kasey Reuter led the team with nine, while junior Jess Janota added six and redshirt sophomore Taylin Alm and freshman Cali Hoye registered five kills apiece. Senior setter Loxley Keala dished out 28 assists in the contest.
KLOSTERMANN SURPASSES 1,000
Alyssa Klostermann surpassed 1,000 career assists on Aug. 27 against DePaul. The senior’s 1,001 career assists ranks 11th on Iowa’s all-time list. Janet Moylan (1987-90) holds the school record with 5,471 career assists.
TRUE MENTAL TOUGHNESS
The Hawkeyes have been focused on one mantra since the beginning of the season: True Mental Toughness. Bond Shymansky’s squad defines true mental toughness as having a great attitude, treating others really, really well, being unconditionally grateful regardless of your circumstances, and giving your very, very best.
THE PREMIER CONFERENCE
The Big Ten Conference has had an NCAA Champion in eight of the last 12 years. Nine teams — Michigan State, Ohio State, Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan and Purdue — appeared in the 2015 NCAA Tournament with Nebraska winning their fourth national title. The title marked the third straight for the Big Ten Conference.
EUROPEAN TOUR
From May 24-June 6 the Hawkeyes traveled to four different countries as part of the program’s first European Tour. With stops in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and Ireland, the Hawkeyes squared off with professional and junior national teams to improve their game and bond as a unit.
NEW FACES
- The 2016 roster features five newcomers, including two with collegiate experience.
- Redshirt sophomore Kasey Reuter (OH) transferred from Missouri and joined the Hawkeyes last spring. The Sioux City, Iowa, native appeared in 31 matches with 12 starts as an outside hitter for the Tigers in 2014 before redshirting in 2015.
- Redshirt freshman Meghan Buzzerio (OH/RS) transferred from Arizona to join the Hawkeyes this fall. The Chino Hills, California, native went to Arizona ranked 96th nationally on PrepVolleyball.com’s Senior Aces list.
- The Hawkeyes also welcome three incoming freshman including defensive specialists Alexa Ito and Emily Bushman and outside hitter Cali Hoye.
ATTENDANCE RECORDS/SEASON TICKET SALES
- Iowa set two top-10 attendance marks in 2015. 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.
- Iowa has sold more tickets in 2016 than it has in each of its previous seasons dating back to 2010.
- In six home matches this season, the Hawkeyes rank 17th nationally in average attendance (1,676).
IOWA ON BTN
The Hawkeyes compete live on the Big Ten Network (BTN) or BTN Plus 20 times this season. Iowa’s matches at Michigan State on Sept. 23 and verses Minnesota on Oct. 21 will be televised live on BTN. Seventeen 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 at visit btn2go.com.
ON DECK
The Hawkeyes return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Wednesday, Sept. 28, hosting Maryland at 7 p.m. (CT).
