Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2016-17 | Hawk Talk Monthly — November | Iowa vs. Rutgers, Penn State Notes
SERVE IT UP
Following a four-match home stint, the Hawkeyes will hit the road for four matches. The squad travels to Rutgers on Friday for a 6 p.m. (CT) matchup and faces No. 11 Penn State on Saturday in a 3 p.m. tilt.
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.
SETTING RECORDS AND TAKING NAMES
Wins over Northwestern and Illinois gave the Hawkeyes a 17-7 overall record and a 7-5 Big Ten mark on the season. 17 wins is the most for the program since 1994 when Iowa concluded the season with a 24-9 overall record and a 14-6 league mark. The seven league wins is the most for the program since 2000 when Iowa went 11-9 in league play.
VOTING TIME
The Hawkeyes are receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coach’s Association (AVCA) poll after wins over Northwestern and No. 24 Illinois last weekend. Iowa has been ranked just once in school history: Sept. 5, 1995 the Hawkeyes landed at No. 24 in the rankings after a 3-0 start to the season.
COYLE IN BEAST MODE
After dominating performances on both Friday night (14 kills) and Saturday night (18 kills), sophomore Reghan Coyle was named Big Ten Player of the Week; she is the first Hawkeye to earn this honor since 2012.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
- Rutgers is 4-21 overall and 0-12 in Big Ten action. The Scarlet Knights last fell to No. 3 Minnesota (3-0) and No. 4 Wisconsin (3-0) on Oct. 28 and Oct. 29, respectively.
- Rutgers ranks seventh in the Big Ten and 56th in the nation with 2.43 blocks per set. Overall, the Scarlet Knights land at No. 100 nationally in total blocks with 201.5.
- Mikaela Matthews is 71st nationally and eighth in the league with 1.20 blocks per set. In addition, Matthews is 15th in the conference and No. 124 in the nation with a .329 attacking percentage.
- Rutgers and Iowa have only faced each other three times in program history. The Hawkeyes have secured wins each time; the last win was a 3-0 sweep on Oct. 31, 2015.
SCOUTING PENN STATE
- Penn State is 17-6 overall with a 9-3 record in Big Ten play. Last weekend, the Nittany Lions dropped a pair of decisions to No. 4 Wisconsin (3-1) and No. 3 Minnesota (3-0).
- The Nittany Lions are currently No. 11 in the AVCA poll. They have been ranked as high as No. 9 this season.
- Penn State currently leads the Big Ten and ranks third in the nation with a .304 attacking percentage.
- Haleigh Washington leads the league and lands at No. 3 in the nation with a .446 hitting percentage, while Simone Lee is first in the conference and 29th nationally in kills per set with 4.28.
- Iowa is 0-50 against Penn State all-time.
OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER
For the third time this season, five Hawkeyes reached double-digits in kills. Ashley Mariani (13), Meghan Buzzerio (11), Lauren Brobst (10), Reghan Coyle (18) and Jess Janota (17) contributed to give Iowa a .314 attacking percentage against an Illinois team that has allowed opponents an average of a .175 hitting percentage this season. This is the second time in as many weeks that Iowa’s attack percentage has more than doubled what the opponent allows on average.
COMPLETE OUTINGS
In addition to the offense, the defensive efforts have been stellar. The Hawkeyes racked up 116 digs and seven blocks against the third-ranked Golden Gophers and fourth-ranked Badgers last weekend. Junior libero Annika Olsen amassed 25 and 22 digs against Minnesota and Wisconsin, respectively.
AND THEN THERE WERE EIGHT
During set two against Minnesota, Loxley Keala collected the 2,000th assist of her career. She is one of only eight Hawkeyes in program history to have amassed 2,000 or more assists. Keala tied her career-high with 64 assists that night, but topped that with a new personal-best 65 assists against No. 24 Illinois on Oct. 28. The senior has moved up to No. 7 all-time in the Hawkeye record books with 2,185 career assists.
DOUBLE DOUBLES
Senior Loxley Keala and redshirt freshman Meghan Buzzerio have combined for six double-doubles this season. Keala has achieved this feat against Maryland at home (32 assists, 10 digs), Maryland on the road (37 assists, 18 digs), Ohio State on the road (20 assists, 14 digs) and Minnesota at home (64 assists, 10 digs). Buzzerio had a double-double against Western Illinois (10 kills, 11 digs) and recently added one against Illinois with 11 kills and 10 digs.
CLUB 1,000
Lauren Brobst, who leads the team in kills for the third season in a row, garnered her 1,000th kill against No. 4 Wisconsin on Oct. 22. With 12 kills against No. 3 Minnesota and 10 against No. 4 Wisconsin, the Souix City, Iowa, native now has 13 double-digit kill matches this season.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Nine Big Ten teams appeared in the season’s first AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll, released prior to the season on Aug. 10. Currently, Nebraska lands at No. 1, followed by No. 2 Minnesota, No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 11 Penn State, No. 16 Michigan State, No. 17 Michigan and No. 22 Ohio State.
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 seven blocks in Iowa’s upset win over Purdue on Oct. 7 and topped that with a career-high eight at Maryland on Oct. 14.
KEALA THE QUARTERBACK
- Senior setter Loxley Keala averages 11.44 assists per set — a mark that ranks third in the Big Ten and 10th nationally.
- After a monster weekend where she amassed 112 assists, Keala ranks second in the Big Ten Conference and jumped up to 45th in the nation in total assists (938).
OLSEN ON DEFENSE
- Annika Olsen has reached double digits in digs in 20-of-24 matches this year. This includes a season-high 25 digs against No. 3 Minnesota and another 22 against No. 4 Wisconsin.
- Olsen is currently on a four-match streak of 20 or more digs.
- Olsen has amassed 887 digs in 57 career matches as a Hawkeye.
COYLE MAKES AN IMPACT
- After notching a career-high 14 kills against Northwestern on Oct. 28, Coyle amassed a new personal-best the next night as she went off for 18 kills against No. 24 Illinois. These kills helped the Hawkeyes defeat Illinois for the first time since 2005.
- In 22 contests this season, Coyle has already surpassed her kills total from last season. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native has registered 181 kills this season. Last season, she recorded 68 kills in 23 matches.
- Coyle’s .350 attack percentage ranks 11th in the Big Ten.
- Coyle has also been a force on the block. The sophomore has collected 73 blocks on the season and averages 0.54 blocks per set.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
The Hawkeyes are ranked fourth in the league in hitting percentage (.280), team assists (1,070) and team kills (1,130). They also land at No. 5 in assists per set (13.05) and team digs (1,104).
AROUND THE NATION
- Iowa’s .280 hitting percentage ranks 11th nationally.
- The Hawkeyes are also ranked 42nd in assists per set (13.05) and 54th in kills per set (13.78).
KLOSTERMANN SURPASSES 1,000
Alyssa Klostermann surpassed 1,000 career assists on Aug. 27 against DePaul. The senior’s 1,005 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 freshmen, 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 10th largest crowd (2,144) in program history on Oct. 8.
- After setting two top 10 attendance marks in 2015, the Hawkeyes have had one top 10 crowd during the 2016 season. Iowa went five sets with No. 4 Wisconsin in front of 2,327 fans, the eighth-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.
- The Hawkeyes rank 13th nationally in overall attendance (23,041 over 13 matches).
ON DECK
The Hawkeyes will take the court again on Nov. 9 as they travel to Lincoln, Neb. to take on the Cornhuskers in a 7 p.m. (CT) midweek matchup. The squad will then visit Purdue for a rematch on Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. Both contests will be on BTN Plus.