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SERVE IT UP
The Hawkeyes conclude their four-match home stint this weekend as they host Northwestern on Friday and Illinois on Saturday. Both matches are slated for a 7 p.m. (CT) first serve.
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.
HAWKEYE PROMOTIONS
Friday, Oct. 28 vs. Northwestern – 7 p.m.
— GOLDOUT MATCH – All fans are encouraged to wear gold
— Free GOLDOUT Shirts for the first 1,000 fans
— Elementary School Night – Free admission for all elementary school students
Saturday, Oct. 29 vs. Illinois – 7 p.m
— Junior Hawk Club Night – All Junior Hawk Club members receive FREE ice cream and hot dog
— Dollar Dog Night – Hot dogs are $1 all night
— Club Night – All local volleyball clubs are invited to Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
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.
HISTORICAL START
The Hawkeyes began the season 15-5 overall and 5-3 in conference action. It marked the team’s best start, both overall and in conference action, since 1988.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
- Northwestern is 8-14 overall and 1-9 against Big Ten opponents. They garnered their first victory in league play last Friday as they took a 3-1 decision from Purdue.
- As a team, Northwestern has held opponents to a .217 hitting percentage. They have a solid floor defense that has amassed 999 digs and 218 blocks.
- Junior Symone Abbott leads the Wildcats with 307 kills. She also leads the conference and nation with 11.66 attacks per set.
- The Hawkeyes hold a 28-40-1 all-time record against the Wildcats and are 1-0 against Northwestern this season after they collected a 3-0 sweep on Oct. 1.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS
- Illinois is 14-7 overall and 7-3 in league play after they split a pair of decisions last weekend with a 3-0 win over Indiana and a 3-2 loss against Purdue.
- The Illini have been a force in blocks this season. They lead the league and rank No. 26 in the nation with 222 total blocks. Additionally, the team ranks No. 2 in the conference and No. 11 nationally in blocks per set with 2.88.
- Ali Bastianelli leads both the league and the nation in blocks per set with 1.78. She also lands at No. 3 nationally and No. 1 in the Big Ten with 137 total blocks.
- Illinois leads the series with Iowa 55-13. The Hawkeyes last defeated the Illini (3-0) on Oct. 14, 2005.
OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER
The Iowa offense has been operating in beast-mode lately as evidenced by the match against No. 3 Minnesota, where five Hawkeyes reached double-digits in kills. Ashley Maraini (15), Meghan Buzzerio (11), Reghan Coyle (11), Lauren Brobst (12) and Jess Janota (18) all chipped in to give the Hawkeyes a .336 hitting percentage against the Golden Gophers, who held opponents to a .178 average prior to that match. This was the second time this season five Hawkeyes reached double-figures in kills.
COMPLETE OUTINGS
In addition to the offense, the defensive efforts have been stellar. The Hawkeyes racked up 116 digs and seven blocks against the third-ranked Golden Gophers and fourth-ranked Badgers last weekend. Junior libero Annika Olsen amassed 25 and 22 digs against Minnesota and Wisconsin, respectively.
AND THEN THERE WERE EIGHT
During set two against Minnesota, 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. Currently, the senior has 2,073 assists in her Hawkeye career.
DOUBLE DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE
Loxley Keala racked up 64 assists and 10 digs during her spectacular performance against No. 3 Minnesota last Friday to garner her third double-double in a row. The senior now has four double-doubles on the season: Ohio State (20 assists, 14 digs), at Maryland (37 assists, 18 digs) and at home against Maryland (32 assists, 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 12 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 Oct. 24. Currently, Nebraska ranks No. 1, followed by No. 3 Minnesota, No. 4 Wisconsin, No. 10 Penn State, No. 13 Michigan, No. 15 Michigan State, No. 19 Ohio State and No. 24 Illinois.
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 October 7 and topped that with a career-high eight at Maryland on October 14.
KEALA THE QUARTERBACK
- Senior setter Loxley Keala averages 11.32 assists per set — a mark that ranks second in the Big Ten and 13th nationally.
- Keala ranks fourth in the Big Ten Conference and 72nd in the nation in total assists (826).
OLSEN ON DEFENSE
- Olsen has reached double digits in digs in 18-of-22 matches this year. This includes a season-high 25 digs against No. 3 Minnesota and another 22 against No. 4 Wisconsin.
- Olsen has amassed 844 digs in 55 career matches as a Hawkeye.
COYLE MAKES AN IMPACT
- In 20 games this season, Coyle has already surpassed her kills total from last season. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native has registered 149 kills this season. Last season, she recorded 68 kills in 23 matches.
- Coyle’s .333 attack percentage ranks 20th in the Big Ten.
- Coyle was named to two all-tournament teams this season (Hawkeye Classic and Cyclone Invitational).
- Coyle has also been a force on the block. The sophomore has collected 55 blocks on the season and averages 0.75 blocks per set.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
The Hawkeyes are ranked fourth in the league in hitting percentage (.280) and team assists (947). They also land at No. 5 in assists per set (12.97), kills per set (13.7) and overall kills (1,001).
AROUND THE NATION
- Iowa’s .280 hitting percentage ranks 12th nationally.
- The Hawkeyes are also ranked 45th in assists per set (12.97) and 53th in kills per set (13.71).
NONCONFERENCE SUCCESS
The Hawkeyes finished non-conference play with a 10-2 overall record — the team’s best start to a season since 2006. Eight of Iowa’s 10 wins in nonconference action were three-set sweeps.
KLOSTERMANN SURPASSES 1,000
Alyssa Klostermann surpassed 1,000 career assists on Aug. 27 against DePaul. The senior’s 1,005 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 ninth 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. 3 Minnesota 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 17th nationally in overall attendance (19,604 over 11 matches).
ON DECK
Following a four-match home stretch, the Hawkeyes will hit the road to take on Rutgers on Nov. 4 and No. 10 Penn State on Nov. 5. Both matches will be streamed on BTN Plus.