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SERVE IT UP
Following a four-match road stint, the University of Iowa volleyball team is slated to return home for a pair of matches this week as it faces Rutgers on Wednesday and No. 1 Nebraska on Saturday. The contest against the Scarlet Knights is set for 7 p.m. (CT), while the match against the Cornhuskers is scheduled for an 8 p.m. first serve.
BREAK THE RECORD
Be part of history as the Hawkeyes strive to #BreakTheRecord for single-match attendance (currently set at 3,102) during their contest against Nebraska on Saturday. Fans are encouraged to arrive early and be loud as Iowa takes on the Cornhuskers in an 8 p.m. matchup.
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.
YOU GET A MOPED! YOU GET A MOPED!
The Hawkeyes will have their final moped giveaway of the season on Saturday during their match against No. 1 Nebraska. Register online or on the floor level of Carver-Hawkeye Arena during either match this week.
SETTING RECORDS AND TAKING NAMES
After two tough decisions to No. 1 Nebraska and Purdue last week, Iowa holds an 18-10 overall record and an 8-8 mark in Big Ten play. 18 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 eight league wins is the most for the program since 2000 when Iowa went 11-9 in league play.
COYLE IN BEAST MODE
After dominating performances against Northwestern on Oct. 28 (14 kills) and No. 24 Illinois on Oct. 29 (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 4-25 overall and 0-16 in league action after they dropped a pair of decisions against Ohio State (3-0) and Maryland (3-0) last Friday and Sunday, respectively.
- The Scarlet Knights rank 71st in the nation in blocks per set (2.36) and 122nd in total blocks (224).
- Mikaela Matthews lands at No. 10 in the league and is 86th in the nation in blocks per set with 1.16.
- Iowa holds a 4-0 mark with Rutgers. The teams last squared off on Nov. 4 when the Hawkeyes swept the Scarlet Knights in New Brunswick, N.J.
SCOUTING NEBRASKA
- Nebraska is 24-1 overall and 15-1 in the Big Ten after they secured 3-0 wins over both Iowa and Indiana last Wednesday and Saturday, respectively. The Cornhuskers are ranked No. 1 in the nation.
- Nebraska leads the league in kills per set (14.35), hitting percentage (.300), and opponent hitting percentage (.141). They also rank second, third and fourth in the nation in these categories, respectively.
- Kelly Hunter lands at No. 4 in the league and 19 in the nation in assists per set (11.16). Amber Rolfzen is fifth in the league and 26th in the country with 1.39 blocks per set.
- The Cornhuskers lead the all-time series 25-0. Nebraska and Iowa last faced each other on Nov. 9 as the Cornhuskers clinched a 3-0 victory in Lincoln, Neb.
AND THEN THERE WERE EIGHT
During set two against Minnesota on Oct. 21, 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 ranks No. 7 all-time in the Hawkeye record books with 2,312 career assists.
A DEFENSIVE STANCE
After the Hawkeyes racked up 68 digs and nine blocks against Rutgers and No. 11 Penn State, the squad has 1,172 digs and 156 blocks on the season.
DOUBLE DOUBLES
Senior Loxley Keala and redshirt freshman Meghan Buzzerio have combined for six double-doubles this season. Keala 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 then added one against No. 24 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. The Souix City, Iowa, native has 13 double-digit kill matches this season.
BUZZ-ZINGA!
- Redshirt freshman Meghan Buzzerio led the team with 10 kills at No. 1 Nebraska and racked up another 11 kills at Purdue.
- The sophomore has 12 double-digit kill matches this season.
- She currently ranks No. 3 on the team with 226 kills 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. 13 Michigan State, No. 15 Penn State, No. 18 Michigan and No. 24 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 11.21 assists per set — a mark that ranks third in the Big Ten and 18th nationally.
- After she amassed 70 assists last weekend, Keala ranks third in the Big Ten Conference and 57th in the nation in total assists (1,065).
CAN YOU DIG IT?
- Annika Olsen has reached double digits in digs in 24-of-28 matches this year. This includes a season-high 25 digs against No. 3 Minnesota (Oct. 21) and another 22 against No. 4 Wisconsin (Oct. 22).
- Olsen recently had a four-match streak of 20 or more digs.
- Olsen has amassed 943 digs in 61 career matches as a Hawkeye.
COYLE MAKES AN IMPACT
- After a career-high 14 kills against Northwestern on Oct. 28, Reghan 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 28 contests this season, Coyle has more than doubled her kills total from last season. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native has registered 209 kills this season. Last season, she recorded 68 kills in 23 matches.
- Coyle has also been a force on the block. The sophomore has collected 68 blocks on the season and averages 0.72 blocks per set.
- Coyle became the first Hawkeye since 2012 to earn Big Ten Player of the Week honors for performances against Northwestern and No. 24 Illinois.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
The Hawkeyes are ranked fourth in the league in hitting percentage (.264), team assists (1,216) and team kills (1,284). The squad also lands at No. 6 in assists per set (12.80) and digs per set (13.23).
AROUND THE NATION
- Iowa’s .264 hitting percentage ranks 26th nationally.
- The Hawkeyes are also ranked 61st in assists per set (12.80) and 76th in kills per set (13.52).
KLOSTERMANN SURPASSES 1,000
Alyssa Klostermann surpassed 1,000 career assists on Aug. 27 against DePaul. The senior’s 1,006 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 conclude the regular season with a road match at No. 3 Wisconsin on Nov. 23 and a Senior Day match at home against No. 13 Michigan State on Nov. 26. Both matches are slated for 7 p.m. (CT) and will be live streamed on BTN Plus.