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SERVE IT UP
The University of Iowa volleyball team returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena this weekend. The Hawkeyes host Purdue on Friday, before welcoming Indiana on Saturday. First serve for both contests is set for 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.
- Live audio is 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
- Friday is Camper Reunion Night. All University of Iowa volleyball campers will receive free admission.
- Saturday is a “whiteout” match. All fans are encouraged to wear white, and the first 1,000 fans will receive a free whiteout t-shirt. Saturday is also Girl Scout Night. Girl Scouts will receive free admission and be recognized during the match.
HISTORICAL START
The Hawkeyes improved to 12-4 on the season and 2-2 in conference action with back-to-back sweeps of Maryland and Northwestern last week. Iowa’s 12-4 overall record marks the team’s best start to a season since 1994.
SCOUTING PURDUE
- Purdue enters Friday’s contest with an 11-4 overall record and a 1-3 mark in Big Ten play.
- The Boilermakers are ranked No. 17 in the latest AVCA Division I Coaches Poll (Oct. 3).
- Outside hitters Danielle Cuttino and Azariah Stahl pace the Purdue offense with 3.93 and 3.19 kills, respectively.
- The Boilermakers wrapped up a seven-match homestand last weekend. Purdue fell to No. 3 Wisconsin in five sets on Friday and No. 2 Minnesota in three sets on Saturday.
- Purdue leads the all-time series, 51-21.
- The Boilermakers have won eight of the last 10 meetings, including a five-set win on Nov. 7, 2015 in West Lafayette, Indiana.
- The Hawkeyes downed 12th-ranked Purdue, 3-2, in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Nov. 7, 2014.
SCOUTING INDIANA
- Indiana enters the weekend with a 12-5 overall record and a 1-3 mark in Big Ten action.
- The Hoosiers are fifth in the Big Ten with a .285 hitting percentage. That mark ranks 15th nationally.
- Indiana ranks first in the Big Ten in total aces with 111, and second in aces per set at 1.88. Senior Taylor Lebo leads the Hoosiers with 23 aces this season.
- The Hoosiers lead the all-time series, 39-31. Iowa has won the last four meetings, including a three-set sweep in Bloomington, Indiana, last season.
OFFENSIVE SUCCESS
Iowa hit a season-high .413 with 49 kills against Northwestern on Oct. 1. Three Hawkeyes — senior Lauren Brobst (14), redshirt freshman Meghan Buzzerio (11), and senior Ashley Mariani (10) — each reached double digits in kills. Senior setter Loxley Keala directed the Iowa offense, dishing out 45 assists over three sets.
BACK-TO-BACK
The Hawkeyes head into the weekend with a two-match winning streak after defeating Maryland and Northwestern in straight sets last week. Iowa looks to win three straight Big Ten matches for the first time since 2014 when it won four straight (Maryland, Rutgers, Indiana, No. 12 Purdue).
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Nine Big Ten teams appeared in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll, released Oct. 3. Minnesota holds the top spot followed by No. 2 Wisconsin, No. 3 Nebraska, No. 14 Ohio State, No. 15 Penn State, No. 17 Purdue, No. 21 Michigan State, No. 23 Michigan, and No. 24 Illinois.
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.
- Coyle has registered three or more blocks in each of the last four contests, including five against Michigan and Northwestern.
KEALA THE QUARTERBACK
- Senior setter Loxley Keala is averaging 11.59 assists per set — a mark that ranks second in the Big Ten and ninth nationally.
- Keala ranks fourth in the Big Ten Conference and 84th in the nation in total assists (591).
BROBST ON THE OUTSIDE
- Senior outside hitter Lauren Brobst has hit .300 or better in 12-of-16 matches this season, including a season-best .565 against DePaul on Aug. 27.
- Brobst ranks 12th in the Big Ten with a .344 attack percentage.
- Her kills-per-set average of 3.43 ranks 10th in the conference.
OLSEN ON DEFENSE
- Junior libero Annika Olsen’s 4.24 digs per set average ranks third in the Big Ten.
- Olsen has reached double digits in digs in 14-of-16 matches this season, including a season-high 22 in Iowa’s win over Northern Illinois on Aug. 28.
- Olsen has amassed 762 digs in 49 career matches as a Hawkeye.
COYLE MAKES AN IMPACT
- In 16 games this season, Coyle has already surpassed her kills total from last season. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native has registered 102 kills this season after recording 68 in 23 matches last season.
- Coyle was named to two all-tournament teams this season (Hawkeye Classic and Cyclone Invitational).
- Coyle has also been a force on the block. The sophomore has collected 41 blocks on the season and averages 0.80 blocks per set.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
- The Hawkeyes are ranked third in the Big Ten in assists per set (13.27) and fourth in hitting percentage (.288).
- The Hawkeyes are holding their opponents to an attack percentage of .157 — the fourth lowest in the Big Ten.
AROUND THE NATION
- Iowa’s .288 hitting percentage ranks 13th nationally.
- The Hawkeyes are also ranked 19th in assists per set (13.27), 26th in opponent hitting percentage (.157), and 29th in kills per set (14.10).
NONCONFERENCE SUCCESS
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 in nonconference action were three-set sweeps.
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.
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.
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 head east next weekend, traveling to Maryland on Oct. 14 and Ohio State on Oct. 15.
