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SERVE IT UP
The University of Iowa volleyball team continues Big Ten action this week. The Hawkeyes host Maryland in their Big Ten home opener Wednesday, Sept. 28, before traveling to Northwestern on Saturday, Oct. 1. Both matches are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. (CT).
WATCH/LISTEN/FOLLOW ALONG
- Both matches will be streamed live on 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 against Northwestern will air live on AM 800 KXIC.
- Live audio is also available for both matches on Hawkeye All-Access at hawkeyesports.com.
- Live stats for each contest can be found 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.
PROMOTIONS
Wednesday is student night. The first 250 University of Iowa students in attendance will have access to a free taco bar. Students can also enter to win gift cards to select downtown businesses.
SCOUTING MARYLAND
- Maryland enters Wednesday’s contest with an 8-6 overall record and an 0-2 mark in conference action.
- Five of Maryland’s losses have come to ranked opponents, including No. 4 Kansas, No. 5 Washington, No. 21 USC, No. 2 Minnesota, and No. 3 Wisconsin.
- Senior middle blocker Ashlyn MacGregor ranks second in the nation with 1.83 blocks per set and is third nationally with 88 total blocks. MacGregor also leads the team with a .314 hitting percentage.
- Sophomore libero Kelsey Wicinski leads the team and the Big Ten with 4.90 digs per set.
- The all-time series between the Terrapins and Hawkeyes is tied, 2-2.
- Last season, Maryland defeated the Hawkeyes twice in four sets.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
- Northwestern enters the week with a 7-7 overall record and an 0-2 mark in league play.
- The Wildcats lost at Indiana, 3-1, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, before dropping a three-set match to No. 18 Penn State in Evanston, Illinois. Northwestern travels to Ohio State on Wednesday, Sept. 28, before returning to Evanston to host the Hawkeyes.
- Junior outside hitter Symone Abbott leads the conference in kills per set (4.21), points (242), total attacks (567), and total kills (219).
- Northwestern holds a 42-27-1 advantage in the all-time series.
- Last season, the Wildcats defeated the Hawkeyes twice. Northwestern won, 3-1, in Evanston, Illinois, before sweeping the Hawkeyes, 3-0, in Iowa City, Iowa.
ON THE BLOCK
Junior Jess Janota and sophomore Reghan Coyle both set career highS in blocks against Michigan on Sept. 24. The duo accounted for 11 of the team’s 16 block assists. Janota tied her career high with six blocks, while Coyle registered a career-high five.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Nine Big Ten teams appeared in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll, released Sept. 26. Defending National Champion Nebraska holds the top spot followed by No. 2 Minnesota, No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 14 Purdue, No. 16 Penn State, No. 18 Michigan State, No. 19 Ohio State, No. 22 Michigan, and No. 24 Illinois.
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 this season have been three-set sweeps.
BROBST ON THE OUTSIDE
- Senior outside hitter Lauren Brobst has hit .300 or better in 11-of-14 matches this season, including a season-best .565 against DePaul on Aug. 27.
- Brobst ranks eighth in the Big Ten and 74th in the nation with a .358 attack percentage.
- Her kills-per-set average of 3.48 ranks 10th in the conference.
KEALA THE QUARTERBACK
- Senior setter Loxley Keala is averaging 11.452 assists per set — a mark that ranks third in the Big Ten and 12th nationally.
- Keala ranks fourth in the Big Ten Conference and 83rd in the nation in total assists (514).
- The Kaneohe, Hawaii, native tied a season-high 47 assists against Michigan on Sept. 24.
- Keala helped the Hawkeyes to a perfect 2-0 record at the Iowa Invitational (Sept. 16-17) to earn tournament MVP honors.
OLSEN ON DEFENSE
- Junior libero Annika Olsen’s 4.36 digs per set average ranks third in the Big Ten.
- Olsen has reached double digits in digs in 12-of-14 matches this season, including a season-high 22 in Iowa’s win over Northern Illinois on Aug. 28.
- The Johns Creek, Georgia, native has registered at least 13 digs in each of the last six contests.
- Olsen has amassed 742 digs in 47 career matches as a Hawkeye.
COYLE MAKES AN IMPACT
- In 14 games this season, Coyle has already surpassed her kills total from last season. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native has registered 90 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).
AROUND THE LEAGUE
- The Hawkeyes are ranked fourth in the Big Ten in assists per set (13.20) and fifth in kills per set (14.04).
- Iowa’s .281 hitting percentage this season is the seventh-highest hitting percentage in the Big Ten.
AROUND THE NATION
- Iowa’s .281 hitting percentage ranks 19th nationally.
- The Hawkeyes are also ranked 23rd in assists per set (13.20) and 27th in kills per set (14.04).
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.
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.
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 next weekend, hosting Purdue (Oct. 7) and Indiana (Oct. 8).