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SERVE IT UP
The University of Iowa volleyball team concludes a four-match road stretch this week as they take on No. 1 Nebraska on Wednesday night, followed by a Saturday matchup at Purdue. The contest against the Cornhuskers is slated for 7 p.m. (CT), while the match at Purdue is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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.
BREAK THE RECORD
Help the Hawkeyes “Break the Record” for single match attendance on Nov. 19 against No. 1 Nebraska. Fans can also enter here for a chance to win one of two mopeds, with the winners announced during the matchup with the Cornhuskers.
SETTING RECORDS AND TAKING NAMES
After the Hawkeyes defeated Rutgers on Nov. 4 and dropped a decision to No. 11 Penn State the following day, Iowa holds an 18-8 overall record and an 8-6 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.
VOTING TIME
The Hawkeyes are receiving eight votes in the American Volleyball Coach’s Association (AVCA) poll after they split a pair of decisions last weekend against Rutgers (W, 3-0) and No. 11 Penn State (L, 3-0). 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 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 NEBRASKA
- Nebraska holds a 22-1 overall record with a 13-1 mark in league play to land at No. 1 in the AVCA poll. The Cornhuskers captured a pair of wins last week with a 3-2 victory over No. 11 Penn State in State College, Penn. on Friday and a sweep of Rutgers on Saturday in New Brunswick, N.J.
- Nebraska leads the league and lands at No. 3 in the nation in team hitting percentage with a .299 average. The squad also leads the league in assists per set (13.27), kills per set (14.33) and opponent hitting percentage (.145).
- Nebraska holds a 24-0 series lead over the Hawkeyes. The teams last squared off on Sept. 26, 2015 when the Cornhuskers won (3-0).
SCOUTING PURDUE
- The Boilermakers are 15-10 overall and hold a 5-9 mark in Big Ten action. Purdue split a pair of decisions last week as they topped Maryland (3-1) on Wednesday but fell (3-2) to No. 3 Wisconsin on Saturday.
- Purdue ranks third in the league in team assists (1,196), team digs (1,271) and team kills (1,277). They also land at No. 11 in the league and No. 59 in the nation in hitting percentage with a .245.
- Purdue is 52-22 all-time against Iowa. The Hawkeyes secured an upset victory (3-2) over the No. 17 Boilermakers on Oct. 7 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER
Five Hawkeyes reached double-digits in kills against No. 24 Illinois, a feat the squad has accomplished three times this season. 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 allowed opponents an average of a .175 hitting percentage this season. This was the second time in as many weeks that Iowa’s attack percentage more than doubled what the opponent allowed on average.
COMPLETE OUTINGS
In addition to the offense, the defensive efforts have been stellar. 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. Junior libero Annika Olsen amassed a season-high 25 against Minnesota.
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 2,242 career assists.
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 recently 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. 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. 10 Penn State, No. 15 Michigan State and No. 17 Michigan.
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 11.31 assists per set — a mark that ranks third in the Big Ten and 15th nationally.
- After she amassed 57 assists last weekend, Keala ranks third in the Big Ten Conference and 54th in the nation in total assists (995).
OLSEN ON DEFENSE
- Annika Olsen has reached double digits in digs in 22-of-26 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 912 digs in 59 career matches as a Hawkeye.
COYLE MAKES AN IMPACT
- After notching 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 26 contests this season, Coyle has more than doubled her kills total from last season. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native has registered 192 kills this season. Last season, she recorded 68 kills in 23 matches.
- Coyle’s .336 attack percentage ranks 14th in the Big Ten.
- Coyle has also been a force on the block. The sophomore has collected 65 blocks on the season and averages 0.74 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 (.273) and team assists (1,137). The squad also lands at No. 5 in team digs (1,172) and team kills (1,201).
AROUND THE NATION
- Iowa’s .273 hitting percentage ranks 16th nationally.
- The Hawkeyes are also ranked 49th in assists per set (12.92) and 60th in kills per set (13.65).
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
Following four matches on the road, the Hawkeyes return home to host Rutgers on Nov. 16 and No. 1 Nebraska on Nov. 19. The contest against Rutgers is scheduled for a 7 p.m. first serve, while the match against Nebraska will begin at 8 p.m. Help us “Break the Record” for Iowa’s single game attendance against Nebraska.