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VB Notebook: at Northwestern, No. 5 WisconsinVB Notebook: at Northwestern, No. 5 Wisconsin
Volleyball

VB Notebook: at Northwestern, No. 5 Wisconsin

OPPONENT Iowa (8-22, 0-18) vs. Northwestern (13-15, 7-11)
LOCATION Evanston, Ill. (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
DATE Friday, Nov. 24
FIRST SERVE 7 p.m. (CT) on B1G+

 

OPPONENT Iowa (8-20, 0-16) vs. No. 5 Wisconsin (24-3, 15-3)
LOCATION Madison, Wis. (UW Field House)
DATE Saturday, Nov. 25
FIRST SERVE 7 p.m. (CT) on B1G+

 

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The Hawkeyes hit the road to take on Northwestern inside Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois, on Friday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. (CT) and No. 5 Wisconsin inside UW Field House in Madison, Wisconsin, on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. (CT).

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 (105) 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 1,079 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 2,123 career assists behind Jitka Stehnova (2,159; 2002-03).
  • Ten Hawkeyes have tallied at least one ace, but seven are in double digits; Michelle Urquhart (39), Nataly Moravec (29), Caitlan Buettner (20), Anna Davis (13), Sydney Dennis (12), Kaia Mateo (12), and Rosa Vesty (10).
  • Seven athletes have registered triple-digit digs; Sydney Dennis (336), Caitlan Buettner (260), Michelle Urquhart (170), Bailey Ortega (170), Nataly Moravec (163), and Amanda Darling (129), and Kaia Mateo (104).
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SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN

  • Shane Davis enters his eighth season at the helm of the Wildcats.
  • Northwestern is 13-15 overall and 7-11 in conference.
  • This is the second meeting between the teams this season.
  • The first contest between the squads was on Nov. 12, with Northwestern winning 3-0, inside Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
  • The Wildcats lost AVCA Second Team All-American Temi Thomas-Ailara in the offseason. Thomas-Ailara is now at No. 5 Wisconsin.
  • Junior defensive specialist/libero Ellee Stinson is third in the conference in both total digs (461, 81st nationally) and digs per set (4.31, 81st nationally).

SCOUTING NO. 5 WISCONSIN

  • Kelly Sheffield enters his 10th season at the helm of the Badgers.
  • Wisconsin is 24-3 overall and 15-3 in conference play.
  • Wisconsin’s three loses come to then No. 2 Nebraska, 2-3, then No. 15 Penn State, 1-3, and then No. 16 Purdue, 2-3.
  • This is the first and only meeting between the teams this season.
  • Wisconsin is ranked first in the NCAA and Big Ten in blocks per set (3.01).
  • Wisconsin is ranked first in the Big Ten in two other catagories; digs per set (14.51, 146th nationally), and hitting percentage (.308, second nationally).
  • Carter Booth leads the conference in three categories; blocks per set (1.57, second nationally), hitting percentage (.445, third nationally), and total blocks (149, sixth nationally).
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2023 UPDATE

  • Iowa is 8-22 overall and  0-18 in Big Ten play, coming off a road/home split against Minnesota, 0-3, and Nebraska, 0-3. The Hawkeyes are 5-12 at home and 3-10 on the road.
  • Fifth year Caitlan Buettner ranks sixth in the Big Ten in total attacks (1,049) and 96th nationally.
  • Junior Michelle Urquhart currently ranks second in the conference in service aces (39) and ranks 121st across the country, as well as second in aces per set (.46) in the Big Ten and 31st in the NCAA.
  • Redshirt sophomore Sydney Dennis currently ranks 10th in the league in total digs (336) and ranks 258th nationally.
  • Iowa is second in the Big Ten in team attacks per set (34.99; 113th in NCAA), and is third in team digs (1,504; 179th 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.
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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. 5  Wisconsin, No. 13 Purdue and No. 14 Penn State.