VB Notebook: at Michigan, Michigan St.

VB Notebook: at Michigan, Michigan St.

OPPONENT Iowa (8-16, 0-12) vs. Michigan (4-17, 2-10)
LOCATION Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
DATE Friday, Nov. 3
FIRST SERVE 5:30 p.m. (CT) on B1G+

 

OPPONENT Iowa (8-16, 0-12) vs. Michigan St. (14-9, 6-6)
LOCATION East Lansing, Mich. (Breslin Center)
DATE Saturday, Nov. 4
FIRST SERVE 6 p.m. (CT) on B1G+

 

 

The Hawkeyes head north for a two-game road slate against Michigan on Friday, Nov. 3 at 5:30 p.m. (CT) inside Cliff Keen Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan, followed by Michigan State on Saturday, Nov. 4, at 6 p.m. (CT) inside the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan. Both matches will be live streamed on B1G+ (subscription required).

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG

  • Live stats for each contest can be found on the volleyball schedule page at hawkeyesports.com.
  • Both matches  will be live streamed on B1G+ (subscription required).
  • Both matches will be available on the Hawkeye Radio Network (YouTube) with John Evans on the call.

HAWKEYE FAST FACTS

  • Two athletes have played in every set (87) so far this season; Delaney McSweeney and Bailey Ortega.
  • Fifth-year transfer Caitlan Buettner reached the 1,000-kill milestone on October 14th against Michigan State. She currently has 1,039 career kills.
  • Senior setter Bailey Ortega reached the 2,000-assist milestone on October 20th at Penn State. Ortega currently ranks 10th on Iowa’s all-time assists list with 2,062 career assists behind Jitka Stehnova (2,159; 2002-03).
  • Ten Hawkeyes have tallied at least one ace, but six are in double digits; Michelle Urquhart (39), Nataly Moravec (25), Caitlan Buettner (18), Anna Davis (13), Sydney Dennis (12), and Kaia Mateo (10).
  • Five athletes have registered triple-digit digs; Sydney Dennis (336), Caitlan Buettner (218), Michelle Urquhart (170), Bailey Ortega (147), and Nataly Moravec (128).

 

SCOUTING MICHIGAN

  • Erin Virtue is in her first season at the helm of the program after five seasons as the recruiting and offensive coordinator.
  • This is the first and only match between Michigan and Iowa this season.
  • Michigan is 4-17 overall, and 2-10 in conference. Their conference wins came from Northwestern, 3-1, and Ohio State, 3-1.
  • The Wolverines are ranked second in the Big Ten in aces per set (1.74, 64th nationally), third in the conference in team attacks per set (34.12, 170th nationally), and fourth in the league in team service aces (132, 147th nationally).

SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE

  • Leah Johnson is in her second season at the helm of the Spartans.
  • Michigan State is 14-9 overall and 6-6 in conference.
  • Iowa and Michigan State have played once this season, at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa on Saturday, October 14th. The Spartans took the match, 3-1 (23-25, 25-13, 30-28, and 25-23).
  • Saturday’s match in East Lansing will be the second and final time the teams meet this season.
  • Michigan State is third in the conference in three categories; team assists (1,003, 134th nationally), team digs (1,170, 200th nationally), and team kills (1,098, 133rd nationally).

 

2023 UPDATE

  • Iowa is 8-16 overall and  0-12 in Big Ten play, coming off back-to-back home matchups against Rutgers, 2-3, and Maryland, 0-3. The Hawkeyes are 5-9 at home and 3-7 on the road.
  • Fifth year Caitlan Buettner ranks fourth in the Big Ten in total attacks (904) and 47th nationally.
  • Junior Michelle Urquhart currently ranks second in the conference in service aces (39) and ranks 38th across the country, as well as second in aces per set (.46) in the Big Ten and 35th in the NCAA.
  • Redshirt sophomore Sydney Dennis currently ranks fifth in the league in total digs (336) and ranks 121st nationally.
  • Iowa leads the Big Ten in three categories: digs per set (14.76; 118th in NCAA), team attacks per set (35.25; 94th in NCAA), and team digs (1,284; 129th in NCAA).
  • The Hawkeyes’ roster includes student-athletes from Colorado (2), Connecticut, Illinois (2), Iowa (6), Nebraska, New York, Texas (2), Virginia, Wisconsin, and New Zealand.
  • The 2023 squad highlights five seniors, three juniors, four sophomores, and six freshmen. Nine student-athletes are new to Iowa this season, including three transfers.

 

 

HAWKEYE TRANSFERS

  • Caitlan Buettner comes to Iowa from Texas State. The 6-2 outside hitter is a fifth year from El Paso, Texas.
  • Maddy Hanson came to the Hawkeyes from Denver. The sophomore middle hitter stands at 6-1 and is originally from San Antonio, Texas.
  • Nataly Moravec joins the squad from Brigham Young. Moravec stands at 6-2 as a sophomore outside hitter. Moravec calls Weston, Connecticut, home.

BEST CONFERENCE IN THE NATION

  • Six Big Ten teams finished the season ranked in the final top 20 AVCA Coaches Poll — No. 5 Wisconsin, No. 8 Ohio State, No. 9 Nebraska, No. 10 Minnesota, No. 11 Penn State, and No. 20 Purdue.
  • The Big Ten Conference has crowned an NCAA Champion in 10 of the last 17 years and at least one Big Ten team has advanced to the Final Four in seven of the last eight seasons.
  • Four teams are currently ranked within the top 25 — No. 1 Nebraska, No. 2  Wisconsin, No. 16 Penn State, and No. 19 Purdue.

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes return home to Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa, to take on Illinois on Friday, November 10 at 6 p.m. (CT) followed by Northwestern on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. (CT). Full schedule details are available on hawkeyesports.com.