Hawk Talk Monthly — October | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2019-20 | Match Notes (PDF)
THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa volleyball travels to Columbus, Ohio, for a midweek match up against Ohio State at 7 p.m. (CT). The match will air live on the Big Ten Network as part of the Wednesday Night Block Party on BTN. The Hawkeyes return to Iowa City on Sunday to host Indiana at 3 p.m. in another match that will air on the Big Ten Network.
HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
- Live stats for each contest are linked on the team’s schedule page or on hawkeyesports.com/vblive.
- A live stream of this weekend’s matches are available on BTN+ or FloVolleyball (subscriptions required).
- Live audio of this Sunday’s match is available on Hawkeye All-Access ($) with John Evans on the call.
PROMOTIONS
- Sunday is Sundaes on Sunday. Fans can purchase a Carver Cone for $1.
- Following the conclusion of the match, the Hawkeyes will sign autographs for fans on the court.
HANSEN HAS CAREER DAY AGAINST MSU
- Freshman Kyndra Hansen recorded career-highs in five categories against Michigan State on Oct. 13.
- Hansen’s career day against the Spartans included a career-high 13 kills on 41 attempts, three blocks, one service ace, and four digs.
- Hansen’s 13 kills marks the first time she has reached double-digit kills in her career.
- The White Bear Lake, Minn., native’s four total blocks give her nine during conference play, which ranks third on the Hawkeyes.
RIENTS MAKES SPLASH IN FIRST CAREER START
- Freshman Blythe Rients made her first career start and fourth appearance overall against Michigan State on Oct. 13.
- The Eagan, Minn., native amassed a career-high 11 kills, hitting .280. Rients bested her previous best by nine kills.
- Rients also proved to be a force at the net, tallying a career-high and team-high four blocks.
ORR MILESTONE WATCH
- Junior Brie Orr is currently seventh in program history with 3,104 career assists.
- Orr is 50 assists away from passing Barb Zvonek (1995-98) for sixth on Iowa’s all-time assists leaderboard and 57 away from surpassing Nikki Daily’s (2010-13) 3,161 career assists.
- Orr leads the Big Ten with 661 assists in 2019 and is eighth with 10.17 assists per set.
- Orr’s 1,242 assists in 2018 are the second most in program history since the 25-point scoring format was implemented in 2008.
- Orr has played in every match of her career, averaging 10.31 assists per set.
INTERIM NO MORE
- Vicki Brown was named Iowa’s permanent head coach on Sept. 26, removing the interim tag she has had since May 20.
- Brown agreed to a five-year contract to remain in Iowa City through the 2024 season.
- Brown joined Iowa’s staff as associate head coach in 2017, taking charge of Iowa’s defensive and recruiting efforts.
- Brown helped Iowa bring in the nation’s 24th-ranked recruiting class for the 2019 season.
- Brown is the youngest coach in the Big Ten at 33 years old.
- The Toledo, Ohio, native graduated from Illinois in 2008 with a degree in communications.
B1G OPENER
- Iowa defeated Northwestern, 3-1, on Sept. 27 for its third-straight Big Ten opening victory. Iowa defeated Rutgers in 2017 and Michigan State in 2018.
- The Hawkeyes are now 16-27-2 all-time in Big Ten openers.
- Head coach Vicki Brown is the second coach in program history to win her first Big Ten opener, joining Sharon Dingman in 2008.
NEW LIBERO, NO PROBLEM
- Halle Johnston took over as Iowa’s libero entering her junior season.
- Johnston continues the trend of effective Iowa liberos with 4.56 digs/set to currently rank third in the Big Ten.
- Johnston is tied for second in the conference with 246 total digs.
- Johnston can become the third straight Iowa libero to lead the conference in total digs and digs per set (Olsen, 2017; Kelly, 2018).
- The Lakeville, Minn., native set a career-high 30 digs against Wyoming on Sept. 13. It is Iowa’s first 30+ dig performance since Nov. 23, 2018.
HIT IT!
- Iowa is in the top half of the Big Ten in hitting percentage.
- The Hawkeyes rank sixth in the Big Ten with a .250 team attack percentage (872-315-2226).
BOYER LEADING FRESHMEN PLAYING TIME
- Freshman Joslyn Boyer is leading Iowa freshmen in playing time this season.
- Boyer, a Downers Grove, Ill. native, has played in 54 sets this season with 71 digs.
- Boyer added a career-high eight digs against Lipscomb on Sept. 20.
HAWKEYES SWEEP NO. 22 WASHINGTON STATE
- Iowa defeated No. 22 Washington State on Aug. 31 for the team’s first win over a ranked opponent this season and second win overall.
- The victory was Iowa’s first win over a ranked opponent on the road since Oct. 12, 2012, when Iowa downed the Boilermakers in West Lafayette.
- Iowa held the edge in kills (46-28), blocks (6-5), assists (37-26), and digs (49-43).
- Senior Meghan Buzzerio and junior Griere Hughes led Iowa with 12 kills each.
- Junior Brie Orr added a match-high 32 assists.
- Junior Halle Johnston tallied 21 digs.
WE’RE THE CAPTAINS NOW
Heading into the 2019 season, Iowa has three team captains: seniors Emily Bushman and Meghan Buzzerio, and junior Brie Orr.
24TH-RANKED RECRUITING CLASS
- The Hawkeyes’ 2019 recruiting class was ranked 24th in the nation by FloVolleyball last spring.
- Iowa is bringing in eight new faces, including Joslyn Boyer, Emma Lowes, Kyndra Hansen, Blythe Rients, Emma Grunkemeyer, Grace Tubbs, Edina Schmidt, and Jaedynn Evans.
- Of Iowa’s eight newcomers, two are from Iowa (Evans, Tubbs), while Hansen and Rients are from Minnesota, Boyer is from Illinois, Grunkemeyer is from Nebraska, Lowes is from Texas, and Schmidt is from Germany.
FACING THE BEST
- Iowa faces seven teams currently ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Week seven poll – Nebraska (5), Wisconsin (6), Minnesota (7), Penn State (8), Washington (10), Illinois (17), and Purdue (20).
- In each of the last three years, the Big Ten has been represented by two teams in the NCAA Final Four.
- 14 of Iowa’s 31 matches are against ranked teams, 12 against teams inside the Big Ten.
- Seven of Iowa’s final 10 matches this season are against teams ranked inside the top-25.
HOW’S THE WEATHER UP THERE?
- With the addition of eight freshman, the Hawkeyes got taller in the offseason.
- Of Iowa’s eight newcomers, four are 6-2 or taller, including Grace Tubbs (6-4), Emma Grunkemeyer (6-3), Blythe Rients (6-2), and Kyndra Hansen (6-2).
THE PREMIER CONFERENCE
- The Big Ten Conference has had an NCAA champion in nine of the last 15 years.
- Seven teams – Penn State, Michigan, Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Purdue – appeared in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
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.
SCOUTING OHIO STATE
- Ohio State is 9-9 overall and 2-4 in conference play.
- The Buckeyes fell to No. 8 Penn State in three sets on Oct. 12.
- Kylie Murr leads the Big Ten with 317 digs and 5.20 digs per set.
- Iowa trails the all-time series, 12-60.
- Iowa has won last two matchups in 2017 and 2018.
- Ohio State is coached by Geoff Carlston, who is in his 12th season.
SCOUTING INDIANA
- Indiana is 12-7 overall and 1-5 in the Big Ten.
- The Hoosiers are victims of two straight losses to No. 20 Purdue and No. 17 Illinois.
- Indiana plays at Maryland in a midweek matchup before traveling to Iowa City on Oct. 20.
- Indiana is coached by Steve Aird, who is in his second season.
- Indiana leads the all-time series, 39-34.
