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SERVE IT UP
The University of Iowa volleyball team continues Big Ten action this weekend, traveling to Maryland on Friday and No. 19 Ohio State on Saturday. First serve for both matches is set for 5 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. Friday’s match at Maryland will also air live on AM 800 KXIC.
- 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.
HISTORICAL START
The Hawkeyes improved to 14-4 on the season and 4-2 in conference action with wins over No. 17 Purdue, 3-2, and Indiana, 3-0 last weekend. Iowa’s 14-4 overall record marks the team’s best start to a season since 1988.
SCOUTING MARYLAND
- Maryland enters Friday’s contest with an 8-10 overall record and a 0-6 mark in Big Ten play.
- Senior middle blocker Ashlyn MacGregor currently ranks fourth in the nation with 1.59 blocks per set and is ninth nationally with 102 total blocks.
- Iowa leads the all-time series, 3-2.
- The Hawkeyes defeated the Terrapins in three sets on Sept. 28 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Junior Jess Janota paced the Iowa offense with 12 kills and a .429 attack percentage.
SCOUTING OHIO STATE
- The Buckeyes enter the weekend with a 12-6 overall record a 2-4 mark in conference action.
- Ohio State is ranked No. 19 in the latest AVCA Coach’s poll.
- The Buckeyes are ranked first in the conference and 10th nationally in assists per set (13.48).
- The Buckeyes lead the all-time series, 59-9. Iowa last defeated Ohio State, 3-1, on Oct. 26, 2008 in Columbus, Ohio.
BROBST APPROACHES CAREER MARK
Lauren Brobst is approaching the 1,000 career kills mark. The senior is 30 kills away from reaching the milestone. She currently ranks 18th on Iowa’s all-time list with 970 career kills. Jennifer Webb holds the all-time record for the Hawkeyes with 1,791 kills (1993-96).
4 STRAIGHT
The Hawkeyes are riding a four-match conference win streak. Iowa defeated Maryland, 3-0, in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sept. 28, before sweeping Northwestern on the road Oct. 1. The Hawkeyes continued the streak last weekend, upsetting No. 17 Purdue, 3-2, in Iowa City, Iowa, and sweeping Indiana on Oct. 8.
WITH A WIN…
A win over Maryland on Friday would mark the fifth straight Big Ten win for the Hawkeyes. Five straight wins would mark the longest conference winning streak for the program since winning eight straight in 1994.
UPSET ALERT
Iowa knocked off No. 17 Purdue in five sets Oct. 7 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes improved to 13-4 overall (3-2 B1G) with the victory, marking the team’s best start to a season since 1988. It also marked Iowa’s first win over a ranked opponent since Sept. 12, 2015 (No. 25 Texas A&M).
A BALANCED ATTACK
Five Hawkeyes reached double digits in kills in Iowa’s, 3-2, win over No. 17 Purdue on Oct. 7. Redshirt freshman Meghan Buzzerio led the charge with 13, while senior Ashley Mariani (12), sophomore Reghan Coyle (12), senior Lauren Brobst (11), and junior Jess Janota (10) also reached double digits. Senior setter Loxley Keala distributed the offense, dishing out a season-high 48 assists in the five-set contest.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Nine Big Ten teams appeared in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll, released Oct. 10. Wisconsin holds the top spot followed by No. 2 Nebraska, No. 3 Minnesota, No. 10 Penn State, No. 14 Michigan State, No. 18 Michigan, No. 19 Ohio State, No. 22 Purdue, and No. 24 Illinois.
ON THE BLOCK
- Junior Jess Janota and sophomore Reghan Coyle have been a force on the block for the Hawkeyes this season. The duo accounted for 11 of the team’s 16 total block assists against Michigan on Sept. 24.
- Coyle set a career-high with five blocks against the Wolverines.
- Janota registered a career-high seven blocks in Iowa’s upset win over Purdue on Oct. 7.
KEALA THE QUARTERBACK
- Senior setter Loxley Keala is averaging 11.31 assists per set — a mark that ranks second in the Big Ten and 11th nationally.
- Keala ranks fourth in the Big Ten Conference and 82nd in the nation in total assists (667).
OLSEN ON DEFENSE
- Junior libero Annika Olsen’s 3.93 digs per set average ranks fifth in the Big Ten.
- Olsen has reached double digits in digs in 15-of-18 matches this season, including a season-high 22 in Iowa’s win over Northern Illinois on Aug. 28.
- Olsen has amassed 778 digs in 51 career matches as a Hawkeye.
COYLE MAKES AN IMPACT
- In 18 games this season, Coyle has already surpassed her kills total from last season. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native has registered 121 kills this season after recording 68 in 23 matches last season.
- Coyle’s .340 attack percentage ranks 14th in the Big Ten.
- 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 417 blocks on the season and averages 0.80 blocks per set.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
- The Hawkeyes are ranked fourth in the Big Ten in assists per set (13.07) and hitting percentage (.286).
- The Hawkeyes are holding their opponents to an attack percentage of .162 — the fourth lowest in the Big Ten.
- Iowa’s 13.88 kills-per-set average ranks fifth in the conference.
AROUND THE NATION
- Iowa’s .286 hitting percentage ranks 12th nationally.
- The Hawkeyes are also ranked 34th in assists per set (13.07), 29th in opponent hitting percentage (.162), and 43rd in kills per set (13.88).
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’s 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
- The Hawkeyes downed Indiana in front of the ninth largest crowd (2,144) in program history on Oct. 8.
- 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 nine home matches this season, the Hawkeyes rank 16th nationally in average attendance (1,696).
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
Iowa returns home next weekend, hosting No. 3 Minnesota on Friday, Oct. 21 and No. 22 Wisconsin on Saturday, Oct. 22. Iowa’s contest against the Golden Gophers will air live on the Big Ten Network.
