Nebraska Prepares for Grueling Six-Day Stretch

Lincoln -- The top-ranked Nebraska volleyball team begins a stretch that includes four matches in six days Tuesday when it plays host to in-state rival Creighton in a 7 p.m. match at the Nebraska Coliseum.

Also this week, the Huskers will face Iowa State Wednesday, Sept. 26, in a 7 p.m. match televised by NETV2. NU then travels to Waco, Texas, to face Baylor Sept. 29, at 7 p.m, and Manhattan, Kan., to take on Kansas State Monday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. in a rescheduled match.

NU owns a combined record of 73-0 against Creighton, Iowa State, and Baylor. The Huskers are 61-1 all-time against 22nd-ranked KSU, but two of the last four matches between the two squads have gone five games.

Nebraska enters the week riding the momentum of one of its best performances of the season, a dominant 3-0 win at Colorado Sept. 19. The Huskers stifled CU -- which was picked to finish third in the Big 12 coaches preseason poll -- at the net, out-blocking the Buffaloes, 21-4.5, while holding them to a meager .007 hitting percentage.

NU junior setter Greichaly Cepero and junior middle blocker Amber Holmquist both posted season-high numbers in blocks, with 10 and 12, respectively against the Buffaloes. Junior defensive specialist Lindsay Wischmeier tallied a season-high 13 digs to lead three others with double-figure dig totals -- Laura Pilakowski (12), Nancy Metcalf (12) and Anna Schrad (13).

The impressive defensive performance came as no surprise, as the Huskers have shown continuous improvement statistically on defense in recent weeks. Since falling, 3-1, at Long Beach State Sept. 1 in their first defeat since 1999, the Huskers have swept No. 13 UCSB, No. 20 Notre Dame, No. 15 Pepperdine, No. 7 UCLA and Colorado. The Huskers have limited their last five opponents to a .077 hitting percentage, while out-blocking them 4.63-1.67 per game and out-digging them 18.00-14.13 each game.

Offensively, five Huskers are averaging more than 2.38 kills per game. Metcalf has led the way with 4.42 kills per game, followed by Pilakowski (3.04 kpg), Holmquist (2.88 kpg), Schrad (2.46 kpg) and Kropp (2.38 kpg). Cepero is averaging 12.73 assists per game.

Big 12 Matches Rescheduled
The Nebraska volleyball teams two previously postponed Big 12 Conference matches have been rescheduled, Husker Coach John Cook announced Sept. 18.

NU will travel to No. 22 Kansas State Monday, Oct. 1, for a 7 p.m. match at Ahearn Field House, and the Huskers will play host to Texas Tech Sunday, Nov. 18, at 2 p.m. The Huskers were originally slated to play the Wildcats Sept. 12 in both schools league opener before facing the Red Raiders Sept. 15. However, the Big 12 postponed all athletic events for the week of Sept. 10 after the tragic national events Sept. 11.

More Nebraska volleyball schedule changes announced
Nebraska volleyball coach John Cook has announced two changes on the Husker schedule for the month of October. The first involves NUs Oct. 6 match against Oklahoma. In light of Fox Sports Nets decision to televise the Nebraska-Iowa State football game at 6 p.m., the NU-Oklahoma volleyball match will be played at 1 p.m. Tickets still remain for the Huskers contest with the Sooners, which will be played at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, and can be purchased by calling 1-800-8BIGRED. The Huskers, who play one match each year at the Devaney Center, broke the NCAA regular-season attendance record last year at the arena when 12,504 fans attended the Nov. 4 Colorado match.

The second schedule change involves the Huskers match at Texas A&M. The contest has been moved from Saturday, Oct. 13, to Sunday, Oct. 14 at 2 p.m. The match will be televised live by Fox Sports Net.

A Look at Creighton (4-6 Overall, 3-1 Missouri Valley)
Creighton is 4-6 in 2001 with wins over Texas-San Antonio, Wichita State, Indiana State and Illinois State. The Bluejays feature six players from Nebraska on their roster, including four from Omaha. Skutt Catholic graduate Melissa Walsh leads CU with 3.91 kills per game, and Omaha Burke graduate Erin Swanson ranks second on the team with 3.76 kills per game. Other Nebraska natives include Sarah Beulke (Skutt Catholic), Ashley Williams (Valley), Molly Moran (Omaha Benson) and Lisa Meekins (Superior).

• The Coach: Creighton is led by Howard Wallace, who is 55-65 in his fifth year at CU.
  
• The Series: Nebraska leads, 58-0.
  
• The Last Time: The Huskers defeated Creighton, 3-0, in Lincoln on Oct. 3. The Jays scored just six points in the match, as NU held them to a minus -.105 hitting percentage. Nebraska, on the other hand, recorded a .567 hitting percentage, its best mark in the last eight seasons.

A Look at Iowa State (3-4 Overall, 0-2 Big 12)
Iowa State is 3-4 with Big 12 Conference losses to Kansas and Texas. The Cyclones are led by Mandi Harms, who averages 3.36 kills per game, and Brittany Dalager, who adds 3.32 kills per game. Norfolk, Neb., native Dana Koziol ranks third on the team with six service aces and averages 1.60 digs per game. Koziol is the sister of former Nebraska player Denise Koziol, who lettered in 1997 and 1998 for the Huskers.

• The Coach: ISU Coach Linda Crum owns an 8-55 mark in her third year with the Cyclones.
• The Series: Nebraska leads, 4-0.
• The Last Time: Nebraska swept Iowa State Nov. 15 in Lincoln, as Greichaly Cepero, Amber Holmquist and Laura Pilakowski combined for 30 kills and a .440 hitting percentage. Cepero posted her ninth double-double of the season with 31 assists and 10 kills.

Dominant Defense
Nebraska has shown noticeable improvement statistically in every defensive category since its Sept. 1 upset loss to then-No. 8 Long Beach State. Against Long Beach State and in the two matches prior to the loss, the Huskers allowed a .211 opponent attack percentage while posting just 2.82 blocks per game and 14.73 digs per game. Since the loss, Nebraska has held its opponents to a .077 hitting percentage, while out-blocking opponents 4.63-1.67 per game and and out-digging them 18.00-14.13 each game. The Huskers serving has also improved. NU combined to commit 42 service errors in its first three matches (Pacific, Hawaii, Long Beach State), but the Huskers have erred 35 times in their last five matches (UC Santa Barbara, Pepperdine, Notre Dame, UCLA, Colorado).

Sure Shot
Through the Huskers first eight matches, Amber Holmquist has been their most effective attacker. The junior middle blocker has 75 kills in 120 swings. She has hit for a .364 percentage or better in every match, including three performances of .600 or better. The Houston, Texas, native has hit .600, .529, a season-best .647 and .455 in her last four matches.

Holmquist leads the Huskers and the Big 12 Conference with a .492 hitting percentage in 2001. She finished the 2000 season ranked fourth nationally with a .406 hitting percentage. Holmquist hit .500 or better in 14 matches last season, and she swung at a .600 or higher clip six times.

Home Sweet Home
The Huskers have won 33 consecutive matches at home, and 32 consecutive matches at the NU Coliseum (NU defeated Colorado, 3-0, last season at the Bob Devaney Sports Center). Nebraskas last loss in Lincoln was a five-game defeat to Kansas State Sept. 22, 1999.

The Huskers have gone undefeated at home 11 times in program history and have been perfect at home five times in the past seven years.

Super Setter
After a slow start to the 2001 season, Greichaly Cepero used the Sept. 19 Colorado match to showcase the all-around game she used to earn AVCA Player-of-the-Year honors in 2000. She posted her second double-double of the season with 32 assists and a season-high 10 blocks, while adding seven digs and five kills on a .357 hitting percentage. For the season, Cepero is averaging 12.73 assists per game, 1.72 digs per game, 1.77 blocks per game and 1.15 kills per game on a .281 hitting percentage. Five Huskers are hitting .281 or better under Cepero, who has led NU to a .300 team hitting percentage this season.

Cepero virtually redefined the setter position as a sophomore last year and had one of the most successful seasons by a setter in school history, guiding the Huskers to a No. 1 ranking, a 34-0 record and a .312 hitting percentage (second in the nation) in her first season at the position.

A unique setter because of her blocking ability, Cepero was the only setter in the country to rank among the nations top 20 in blocking (18th, 1.48 per game). Cepero led Nebraska in solo blocks with 28 and was responsible for 34 percent of the Huskers total blocks (161 of 477.5). For the season, the Dorado, Puerto Rico, native, averaged 11.90 assists, 2.14 digs, 1.48 blocks and 1.83 kills per game. In conference matches, Cepero tallied 1.68 blocks per game and 2.03 kills per game.

Cepero capped her incredible 2000 season with countless awards. She was named the Honda Award winner for volleyball, the AVCA Player of the Year, a first-team AVCA All-American, the Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year, the Big 12 Player of the Year, the NCAA Tournament Central Regional MVP, a Second-Team Academic All-District VII selection and a First-Team Academic All-Big 12 selection.

Cepero became the seventh NU setter to earn All-America honors and the first to be named player of the year. Husker setters have combined to win 13 All-America awards.

Top Dog
The Huskers were voted No. 1 in the AVCA/USA Today Coaches Top 25 poll released Sept. 24. The vote extended the Huskers streak of consecutive weeks ranked No. 1 to 17. NU is one of just three teams to be ranked in the AVCA poll for all 239 weeks, 211 of which have been in the top 10.

Shes Baaaack ...
One of the most dynamic attackers in school history, senior Nancy Metcalf (formerly Meendering) missed the 2000 national title run but has made an impressive return to the court this season. Metcalf has been the Huskers go-to player offensively, averaging 4.42 kills per game on a .337 hitting percentage. Metcalf, a two-time AVCA All-American, has also been a clutch performer defensively, averaging a team-best 3.38 digs per game, including a career-best 23 at then-No. 12 Pacific, Aug. 25.

Metcalfs performances have not gone unnoticed. She earned State Farm/NACWAA MVP honors after averaging 4.71 kills per game, a .377 hitting percentage, and 4.00 digs per game against then-No. 5 Hawaii and Pacific.

Metcalf was also named the Big 12 Conferences first 2001 volleyball player of the week Sept. 3 on the strength of her performances at the Sept. 1-2 Long Beach State Tournament. Metcalf led NU with a match-high 25 kills on a .477 hitting percentage in a 3-1 loss to No. 3 Long Beach State Sept. 1. The Hull, Iowa, native also posted the team-high in kills with 12 on a .375 percentage in the sweep over No. 13 UC Santa Barbara Sept. 2.

Metcalf already owns five school records, including single-season kills per game with 5.09 in 1999. The 1999 Big 12 Player of the Year, Metcalf redshirted in 2000 after training with the U.S. National Team during the offseason.

The Big 12s Best
Nebraska is looking to capture its fifth Big 12 Conference title in six seasons in 2001. The Huskers have won four Big 12 championships and 23 Big 12/Big Eight conference titles in the past 25 years. Nebraska owns an all-time record of 376-32-1 (.919) against Big 12 schools, and NU is 91-9 against Big 12 schools since the leagues inception in 1996. The Huskers have lost just once at the NU Coliseum in Big 12 history, a 1999 five-game defeat to Kansas State.

Top of the List
In the Big 12 Conference statistics released Monday, Sept. 24, Nebraska led the league in hitting percentage (.300) and blocks per game (3.87). NU players led both of the categories individually as well. Junior middle blocker Amber Holmquist ranks first in the conference with a .492 hitting percentage, and senior middle blocker Jenny Kropp leads the league with 1.77 blocks per game.

Holmquist ranks second in blocks per game (1.62), and Nancy Metcalf is fourth in kills per game (4.42) and ninth in digs per game (3.38).

Last Time Out
Junior outside hitter Laura Pilakowski produced her third double-double of the season to lead the top-ranked Nebraska volleyball team to a 30-27, 30-16, 30-23, victory over Colorado Sept. 19 at the Coors Event Center. Pilakowski posted a match-high 12 kills on a .458 hitting percentage while notching 12 digs in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams.

The Huskers (7-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big 12), playing in their first match since sweeping UCLA Sept. 9, stifled the CU attackers with one of their most dominant defensive performances of the season. NU totaled a season-high 21 blocks to Colorados 4.5 and the Huskers held the Buffaloes (4-3, 0-1) to a .007 hitting percentage, the lowest mark by an NU opponent this season. Junior setter Griechaly Cepero posted a season-high 10 blocks, and Amber Holmquist also recorded season-high block numbers with 12. Junior defensive specialist Lindsay Wischmeier came up with a season-high 13 digs.

Nebraska built a 22-21 lead in the game one, benefiting from five kills by Pilakowski. The Huskers then went on a 5-1 run on the strength of two kills from Metcalf before Kim Taskey halted the run with a kill. Colorado pulled within one after a kill by Monique Gerlach and two from Elizabeth Gower. Holmquist pounded her first kill of the game to bring the Huskers to game point, and Nebraska wrapped up the 30-27 first-game victory with a solo block of Gerlach by Pilakowski.

The Huskers dominated the second game, claiming a 30-16 win. NU out-blocked the Buffaloes 6.5-1.0 while holding them to a minus - .149 hitting percentage. Nebraska carried its momentum into the third game. With the score tied at 7-7, the Huskers reeled off seven straight points with Anna Schrad behind the service line. The Huskers lead was never less than six in the 30-23 third-game win. Pilakowski sealed the match with her 12th kill of the night.

Nebraskas Amber Holmquist Named AVCA National Player of the Week
Dallas -- After earning Big 12 Conference Player of the Week honors, Nebraska middle blocker Amber Holmquist was selected by the American Volleyball Coaches Association as the AVCA Division I National Volleyball Player of the Week Monday, Sept. 10, for her impressive performances in the Sept. 7-9 US Bank/Arbys Classic.

Holmquist is the first Husker to be selected by the AVCA as its national player of the week since three-time AVCA All-American Lisa Reitsma won the award Nov. 13, 1995.

The Huskers most effective attacker this season, Holmquist totaled 32 kills on 44 swings with hitting percentages of .600, .529 and .647 as NU defeated three ranked teams -- No. 15 Pepperdine, No. 20 Notre Dame and No. 7 UCLA. Holmquist, who averaged 3.56 kills per game and 1.44 blocks per game in the tournament, produced her best match of the season Sunday to lead the Huskers to a sweep of the Bruins in the championship match of the US Bank/Arbys Classic at the NU Coliseum. The second-team AVCA All-American posted a team-best and a season-high 13 kills on 17 swings for a .647 hitting percentage, and she also recorded a season-high seven blocks in NUs sweep of the Bruins. Holmquist earned tournament MVP honors for her efforts

Full House
Nebraska ranks second nationally in the latest NCAA volleyball attendance rankings. The Huskers are averaging 4,146 fans per contest through their first three home matches. Hawaii is first with 6,580 fans per match. Penn State, Long Beach State and Wisconsin round out the top five.

Texas is the only other school ranking in the top 10. The Longhorns are eighth with 1,760 fans per match.

Nebraska finished second nationally in attendance last season, drawing a school-record 80,252 fans in 19 matches for an average of 4,224 per contest. The Husker faithful broke the NCAA regular-season attendance record, as 12,504 fans cheered Nebraska to a 3-0 win over Colorado Nov. 4 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

All-America U
Nebraska is the only team in Division I with four All-Americans in its starting lineup. Junior setter Greichaly Cepero and junior outside hitter Laura Pilakowski earned first-team All-America honors in 2000, while junior middle blocker Amber Holmquist was recognized on the second team. Joining the three 2000 All-Americans is Nancy Metcalf, a first-team All-America selection in 1998 and 1999. Metcalf, the 1999 Big 12 Player of the Year, redshirted 2000 after training with the U.S. National Team during the offseason.

The Nebraska volleyball program has now earned 38 AVCA All-America certificates, the second-highest total of any Division I institution. A total of 21 Huskers have earned All-America status, ranking Nebraska second all-time in total All-America athletes.

Nebraska Coach John Cook
John Cook (202-74) enters his second season as the Nebraska head coach after guiding the Huskers to one of the most successful seasons in NCAA history in 2000. Cook, who was named the AVCA Coach of the Year, guided the Huskers to a 34-0 record as they became just the second team in NCAA history to cap an undefeated season with a national title.

Nebraska was ranked No. 1 in the AVCA/USA Today Top 25 poll for a record 14 straight weeks and broke single-season school records for wins and winning percentage. Sophomore setter Greichaly Cepero earned AVCA National Player-of-the-Year honors. Three Huskers won AVCA All-America certificates, and five Nebraska players were named to the All-Big 12 teams. Laura Pilakowski earned Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, and a conference-best seven Huskers earned Academic All-Big 12 recognition.

Cook took over the Nebraska head coaching job after serving as associate head coach during the 1999 season. Before returning to Nebraska in 1999, he led Wisconsin to six straight postseason appearances in seven seasons as the Badgers head coach.

Cooks accomplishments at Wisconsin earned him praise as one of the games top young coaches. He built the Badger program into a top-10 program during his seven-year career in Madison, which included back-to-back trips to the NCAA regional finals in 1997 and 1998.

Cook, 44, is 202-74 all-time and compiled a 162-73 record at the helm of the Badgers, including an 89-51 Big Ten record. He was named the Big Ten Co-Coach and AVCA District 2 Coach of the Year in 1997 after leading the Badgers to a share of the Big Ten title with a 19-1 mark and school-record 30-3 overall record.

Cook coached four All-Americans, nine AVCA All-District award winners, 11 All-Big Ten honorees and two Big Ten freshmen of the year at UW. He also coached 21 academic All-Big Ten selections during his seven seasons.

A graduate of the University of San Diego, Cook earned his bachelors degree in history in 1979. He completed his masters degree in teaching and coaching effectiveness from San Diego State in 1991.
Cook and his wife Wendy, a former two-time All-America setter at San Diego State, are the parents of two children, Lauren, 10, and Taylor, 7.

Pilakowski Power
Junior outside hitter Laura Pilakowski broke the all-time, all-sport female record with 702 vertical jump points and also set an NU volleyball record with a 28-inch vertical jump during preseason performance testing Aug. 10.

Pilakowskis school-record 702 vertical jump points total was 104 points higher than any other Husker. The Columbus, Neb., native also led the team in the 40-yard dash (5.40 seconds), 40-yard dash points (557), the pro agility run (4.56 seconds), pro-agility run points (474) and the vertical jump (28 inches). Senior All-American Nancy Metcalf posted team-best marks for the 10-yard dash (1.79 seconds) and 10-yard dash points (484). Overall, the Huskers improved their performance index scores by an average of 80 points, and they improved their team vertical jump average by over an inch.