Notes: No. 25 USC, No. 23 UCLA

THIS WEEK
Iowa returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the first time since 2021 to host No. 25 USC and No. 23 UCLA on Friday and Sunday. The Hawkeyes welcome the Trojans on Friday evening at 6:00 p.m. (CT) for the Military Appreciation Match. Iowa battles UCLA Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. in a Pink Out match. Fans with a ticket to the Iowa-Penn State football game have free admission to both matches.

PARKING & TICKETS
Lots 46, 65 and 75N will be open around Carver-Hawkeye Arena for free fan parking. Lot 40 is open for ADA parking. Due to Iowa's game against Penn State on Saturday, the remaining lots will be reserved/closed for football parking. A parking map is viewable here.

Fans with a ticket to the Iowa-Penn State football game will be admitted entrance to both volleyball matches for free. Fans with a football ticket can also order their tickets to the volleyball matches in advance via this link.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG

• Both matches will be streamed on B1G+.
• All of Iowa's matches are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network (YouTube) with John Evans on the call.
• Live stats for each contest can be found on the volleyball schedule page at hawkeyesports.com.
• Updates and recaps can be found on Iowa Volleyball's social media platforms and the News section on hawkeyesports.com.

SCOUTING NO. 25 USC

• The Trojans enter the week 11-5 on the season and 2-4 in conference play. USC swept No. 13 Creighton at home for its only ranked win of the season. 
• This is the second year of competition for USC in the Big Ten. The Trojans finished last season 13-7 in conference and earned a spot in the NCAA tournament. USC lost in the second round to No. 13 Texas. 
• Reese Messer has dished out 596 assists for USC, which ranks her fifth in the Big Ten. The freshman was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Sept. 22 after a standout weekend against LSU and Cal.
• London Wijay and Abigail Mullen lead the offensive production for the Trojans with 167 kills each. Mullen is also tied for second in the Big Ten with 29 service aces this season. 
• Leah Ford holds down the net recording 54 blocks, averaging 1.23 blocks per set. 
• As a team, USC has committed the most service errors in the league (194), but ranks second in serve receive at 95.3%.
• Brad Keller is in his sixth season at the helm of the Trojans program, recording an 96-62 record while in LA. 

SCOUTING NO. 23 UCLA

• The Bruins are 10-6 on the season and 4-2 in conference with ranked wins at No. 14 Minnesota and No. 15 Penn State and a home win against No. 22 USC. 
• UCLA completed its first season in the Big Ten 8-12 and finished 12th. 
• The Hawkeyes and Bruins have met three times prior to the 2025 season. UCLA is 3-0 all-time against Iowa with wins in 2000, 2015 and 2024.
• Cheridyn Leverette leads the Bruin offense with 220 kills, ranking her seventh in the Big Ten. 
• At the net, Marianna Singletary is a presence leading the Bruins with 78 blocks. She is tied for third with four other Big Ten players in blocks.
• Lola Schumacher holds down the defense for UCLA with 218 digs, putting her fourth in the Big Ten.
• This season four players have received Big Ten weekly honors: Lola Schumacher (Defensive, Sept. 29), Eliana Urzua (Freshman, Sept. 29), Marianna Singletary (Defensive, Oct. 13) and Kate Duffey (Setter, Oct. 13). 
• Head coach Alfee Reft enters his third season with the Bruins with a 42-33 overall record at UCLA. 

RETURN TO CARVER
Iowa will host two matches at Carver-Hawkeye Arena this weekend. This marks the first time the Hawkeyes have played at Carver since the 2021 fall season, when Iowa hosted Michigan and Michigan State. The arena was built in 1983 and housed the Hawkeye volleyball program until the spring of 2021, when Iowa moved full-time to Xtream Arena.

HAWKEYE MILESTONE WATCH

• Claire Ammeraal: 10 assists from 1,000 as a Hawkeye; 33 assists from 3,000 in her career.
• Allison Berent: 8 digs from career 100.
• Jaimie Marquardt: 25 digs from career 200.
• Milana Moisio: 45 digs from career 500.
• Aleksandra Stojanovic: 10 kills from career 100.
• Hannah Whittingstall: 8 blocks from 200 at Iowa; 39 kills from career 400.

DEFENSIVE PROWESS
Libero Milana Moisio has been the captain of the Iowa defense this season. The senior from Waukegan, Illinois, leads the Big Ten with 245 digs. She set a new career high with 26 digs against Michigan last weekend. She has tallied double-digit digs in 14 matches this season. At the net, junior Hannah Whittingstall leads Iowa with 78 blocks. The San Antonio, Texas, native  is currently tied for third in the league in blocks. Sophomore Jaimie Marquardt has been a steady presence in the back row for the Hawkeyes, recording 93 digs so far this season. 

OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER
Iowa's offensive production is distributed across the front row with four Hawkeyes recording more than 100 kills. Graduate Chard’e Vanzandt is Iowa’s top option, terminating 184 kills while averaging 2.88 kills per set. She recently recorded her 1,000th career kill against Maryland. Freshman Carmel Vares has become explosive at the pin for the Hawkeyes with 171 kills and 2.63 kills per set. She set a career high with 24 kills against Michigan. In the middle, junior Hannah Whittingstall has 111 kills while hitting at a .324 clip. Senior setter Claire Ammeraal remains impactful when in the front, putting away 103 kills. Redshirt freshman Hallie Steponaitis has become another option for Ammeraal, earning two starts. She currently has 68 kills and averages 2.19 kills per set. Sophomore Aleksandra Stojanovic leads the team in hitting percentage, swinging at a .422 clip with 90 kills through 18 matches.

UP NEXT
Iowa's homestand continues next weekend with Michigan State and Rutgers coming to Xtream Arena. The Hawkeyes play Michigan State on Friday night at 6:00 p.m. and the Scarlet Knights on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. The match against Rutgers will be televised on Big Ten Network.