Seventh-Ranked Huskers Travel to No. 24 Kansas

Match: #11: No. 7 Nebraska (9-1, 4-0 Big 12) at No. 24 Kansas (10-2, 1-2 Big 12)
Horejsi Family Center ? Wed., Sept. 29 ? 7 p.m.
Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) and Huskers.com
Television: None
Live Internet Video: Tonight's Match vs. Kansas will be shown on a delayed basis because of technical difficulties
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Series Record: Nebraska leads the all-time series 72-0, dating back to Oct. 17, 1975
Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 3-0 (30-22, 30-21, 30-21) in Lincoln on Nov. 19, 2003
Coach Cook vs. Kansas: 8-0

Seventh-Ranked Huskers Travel to No. 24 Kansas
Lincoln -- The Nebraska volleyball team concludes a difficult three-match stretch on Wednesday, Sept., 29, as the seventh-ranked Huskers travel to Lawrence, Kan., to take on the No. 24 Kansas Jayhawks. The Huskers (9-1, 4-0 Big 12) will be looking to extend their winning streak to seven matches after a sweep of No. 11 Texas A&M (30-20, 30-20, 30-27) on Saturday. Sarah Pavan had 23 kills and hit .500 against the Aggies en route to earning Big 12 Player-of-the-Week honors on Monday.

Kansas, whose No. 21 ranking last week was the highest in school history, will look to bounce back after getting swept by undefeated Texas (24-30, 20-30, 15-30) on Saturday. The home loss by Kansas was its first of the season after winning its first five matches at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center.

The matchup between the Huskers and Jayhawks (10-2, 1-2 Big 12) will be carried live on the Pinnacle Sports Network, including radio flagship B107.3 FM in Lincoln. Volleyball fans with high-speed internet access can watch live on HuskersNside.com, a subscription-based service of the NU Athletic Department. Every regular-season match - both home and away - will be video streamed live this season on the site.

The Huskers hope to extend several remarkable streaks against the Jayhawks, as Nebraska has won all 72 meetings in the all-time series that dates back nearly 30 years. The Huskers are also 23-0 in Lawrence and are looking for their eighth straight Big 12 win dating back to last season. Nebraska will also be looking for its fifth win in five tries against a ranked opponent this season. A win on Wednesday will give the Huskers a 49-3 record in September under Head Coach John Cook.

Following Wednesday’s match, the Huskers will be off until they take on Baylor on Wednesday, Oct. 6, to begin a three-game homestand. As of Monday, a limited number of general admission tickets for the Baylor match are available by calling 800-8-BIGRED or on the Internet at Huskers.com. Both of the other matches on the homestand, against Oklahoma on Saturday, Oct. 9, and against Creighton on Sunday, Oct. 10, in North Platte, have been sold out for over a month.

Storylines
? - Wednesday’s match features the two players who were chosen as the league’s preseason Freshman of the Year in Sarah Pavan and Kansas’ Emily Brown. Pavan leads the Huskers in kills (5.01 per game) while also ranking among team leaders in digs (1.76) and blocks (1.25), while Brown, a 6-foot-2 opposite hitter, averages 2.22 kills and 2.45 digs per game in helping the Jayhawks to their highest national ranking in school history this season.

? - Wednesday’s contest also highlights a pair of All-Big 12 middle blockers in Kansas’ Josi Lima and Nebraska’s Melissa Elmer. Lima tops Kansas in kills (3.78) and is second in both digs (2.20) and blocks (1.02). Elmer leads the Huskers in hitting (.340) and blocks (1.67) while ranking third kills (2.97) after matching her season high with 13 kills in Saturday’s win against No. 11 Texas A&M.

? - One of the overlooked reasons for the success of the Huskers this season has been the improved play of sophomore Dani Busboom, who is second in the Big 12 averaging 13.52 assists per game. Her current average is the highest by a Husker setter since three-time All-American Fiona Nepo averaged 13.79 as a senior in 1998, as only four setters in NU history have averaged more than 13 assists per game.

? - One Husker tradition that has continued in 2004 has been outstanding blocking, as the Huskers have out-blocked all 10 foes this season, and the last 16 dating back to last season. Melissa Elmer (1.76 b/g) and Tracy Stalls (1.67 b/g) and rank third and fourth, respectively, in the league in that category.

Husker Probable Starters
L - #1 Amanda McCormick (5-8, So., Muncie, Ind.) - Sophomore co-captain returned as Nebraska’s starter at libero and leads the Big 12 with 4.82 digs per game. She has had at least 14 digs in each of Nebraska’s last seven matches, including a season-high 25 against No. 11 Texas A&M on Saturday. McCormick also paces the Big 12 in digs in league matches at 6.42 per game.

MB - #8 Melissa Elmer (6-2, Jr., Fort Wayne, Ind.) - Returning AVCA All-American who anchors the Huskers’ potent blocking corps and averages 2.97 kills and 1.76 blocks per game. She leads the Huskers in hitting and ranks third in the Big 12 in blocking. She matched a season-high with eight blocks, while hitting .412 with eight kills at Colorado before tying her season best with 13 kills in a sweep of Texas A&M on Saturday. Elmer matched a season high with 13 kills on .455 hitting against Missouri on Sept. 15. She earned All-Big 12 honors in 2003, leading NU with 1.59 blocks per game along with a .352 hitting percentage. Elmer, who was named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year by the league coaches, spent the spring working with the U.S. National Training Team. She joins Amanda McCormick as a co-captain for the 2004 season.

MB - #11 Tracy Stalls (6-3, Fr., Arvada, Colo.) - Stalls has started all 10 matches at middle blocker, and is fourth in the Big 12 with 1.67 blocks per game. She has had at least five blocks in eight of NU’s 10 matches, including a season-high eight against Notre Dame (Sept. 4) and Texas Tech (Sept. 18). She had eight kills in Saturday’s win over Texas A&M. Stalls served a two-year stint in the U.S. National Developmental program in Colorado Springs, Colo., after graduating from high school in 2002. She competed with the U.S. National Team in several competitions, including the 2003 Pan American Games and the 2004 Yeltsin Cup.

S - #18 Dani Busboom (5-11, So., Cortland, Neb.) - Busboom has performed well in handling NU’s shift back to a 5-1 offense, as she is second in the Big 12 with 13.52 assists per game. Busboom has had 50 or more assists three times, including a career-high 64 at Notre Dame on Sept. 4, the highest total by a Husker since the 2000 season. Busboom also averages 2.76 digs and 0.61 blocks per game. She guides an offense that is hitting .306 in league play and averaging a Big 12-best 16.58 per contest in the league. Against Missouri on Sept. 15, she posted her team-best fifth double-double of the year with 50 assists and 13 digs, while adding four kills in the win over Missouri. In 2003, she totaled 700 assists as a freshman, which is the second-best total by any Husker freshman.

OPP - #9 Sarah Pavan (6-5, Fr., Kitchener, Ontario) - The Big 12 Preseason co-Freshman of the Year, Pavan leads the Huskers in kills per game (5.03) and topped the Huskers nine times in 10 matches. She dominated in a sweep over No. 11 Texas A&M on Saturday, recording 23 kills on .500 hitting and adding four blocks and eight digs. Pavan is hitting .506 and averaging 5.9 kills per game in her last three matches, as she posted 16 kills on 23 swings at Colorado. She also made strides in blocking, averaging 1.92 blocks per game in league play, compared to 0.86 blocks in NU’s first six contests. At Texas Tech on Sept. 18, Pavan hit a season-best .550 (14 kills on 20 attacks) and added six blocks. She recorded her first career double-double with 24 kills and 15 digs against Florida A&M on Sept. 10. Considered by many to be the nation’s top freshman, Pavan has been a member of the Canadian National Team since July of 2003 - at age 16.

OH - #26 Jennifer Saleaumua (5-11, Jr., National City, Calif.) - Two-time All-Big 12 outside hitter who is second on the team in kills (3.15 per game) and digs (4.00), while hitting .273. She has three double-doubles (kills and digs) this year and had 18 kills - one off her career high - at Notre Dame on Sept. 4. Saleaumua hit .360 with 12 kills and eight digs in Wednesday’s win at No. 25 Colorado and had eight kills, 13 digs and six blocks at Texas Tech on Sept. 18. She is sixth in the Big 12 with 4.00 digs per game. Saleaumua led the Huskers in kills (3.27) and digs (3.90) per game in 2003, as her 441 digs were a school record, breaking the previous mark of 390 by Kate Crnich in 1996.

OH - #3 Christina Houghtelling (6-2, So., Cambridge, Neb.) - Sophomore who moved from middle blocker to outside hitter in 2004 and has started all four of NU’s Big 12 contests. Houghtelling turned in a solid performance against Texas A&M on Saturday with eight kills, a career-high 12 digs and a pair of service aces. She has had 10-or-more kills three times, including an 11-kill effort at Texas Tech on Sept. 18. Houghtelling had one of her best performances of the year against Missouri on Sept. 15, matching her then-career high with 10 kills and hitting .346. She also had 10 kills and nine digs in a win over Notre Dame (9/4). She missed most of 2003 with a knee injury, but had eight-or-more kills four times, including nine against No. 10 Georgia Tech.

-or- #7 Dani Mancuso (6-2 So., Omaha, Neb.) - Mancuso has started four matches at outside hitter and is averaging 2.61 kills per game. She came off the bench for three kills and a block in game three at No. 25 Colorado on Wednesday. Mancuso tied a career-high with 16 kills and added 11 digs for her first career double-double vs. Florida A&M on Sept. 10. Mancuso played the best match of her career at Notre Dame on Sept. 4, with 11 kills, three blocks and two aces in the final two-plus games vs. the Fighting Irish. She started NU’s final 10 contests in 2003, averaging 2.01 kills and 1.72 digs per game.

Scouting Kansas
The No. 24 Jayhawks are in the midst of one of the most successful seasons in school history. Kansas comes into Wednesday’s match with a 10-2 record, but are 1-2 in the Big 12 with loss to No. 11 Texas A&M and to undefeated Texas. Saturday’s loss to Texas helped drop Kansas from 21st - the highest ranking in school history - to 24th in Monday’s poll.

Head Coach Ray Bechard (114-83 in seven seasons at Kansas) guided the Jayhawks to 22 wins and the school’s first NCAA appearance in 2003. KU reeled off nine straight wins to open the season, including an upset of then-No. 25 Wisconsin.

The Jayhawks feature two of the top middle blockers in the conference in senior Ashley Michaels and junior Josi Lima. Michaels leads the Big 12 with 1.85 blocks per game and averages 2.92 kills per game. Lima, a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2003, leads KU with 3.78 kills per game, a total ranked ninth in the league. She is also sixth in the Big 12 with a team-high 18 service aces.

Nebraska-Kansas Series
There is no question that Nebraska has dominated its series with Kansas, but as for the series record, it depends who you ask. Nebraska records show the Huskers with a 72-0 all-time advantage, while Kansas records show that NU leads the series 71-1-1, as two matches are in dispute - one on Oct. 17, 1975 and one on Nov. 15, 1977. An extensive search of the Lincoln Journal and Lincoln Star archives in 2003 turned up nothing that could solve the debate. However, the search did reveal five matches in the AIAW national tournament Dec. 11-12 that were not previously listed in the Nebraska archives, and the Huskers’ 1975 record should be adjusted to 35-12. Regardless of the discrepancy, the Huskers have defeated KU in three games 44 times. Kansas has only taken the Huskers to five games one time, on Nov. 23, 1990.

Last Meeting: Nebraska 3, Kansas 0
Jennifer Saleaumua produced her team-leading 16th double-double of the season to lead No. 10 Nebraska to a 30-22, 30-21, 30-21 win over Kansas Nov. 19, 2003, at the NU Coliseum. Saleaumua pounded a match-high 16 kills on a .375 hitting percentage to go along with 12 digs.

Nebraska hit .364 overall, as Anna Schrad and Kelsey Fautsch each tallied 10 kills and hit .350 and .438, respectively. Middle blocker Melissa Elmer totaled nine kills and hit .538. Dani Mancuso led NU with five service aces, which tied for the highest total by a Husker in 2003, as Nebraska recorded 10 aces overall.

Lindsey Morris and Josi Lima each posted 10 kills for Kansas.

Texas A&M Recap
Sarah Pavan’s 23 kills led seventh-ranked Nebraska to its sixth consecutive win, as the Huskers downed No. 12 Texas A&M, 30-20, 30-20, 30-27 in front of a sellout crowd of 4,135 at the NU Coliseum and a national television audience.

The 6-foot-5 freshman from Kitchener, Ontario, hit .500 on 40 swings and added eight digs, as she was one kill off her career high of 24 against Florida A&M on Sept. 10.

The Huskers (10-1, 4-0 Big 12) had a balanced attack in posting their 10th straight win over the Aggies, as five players had at least eight kills. All-American Melissa Elmer tied a season-high with 13 kills and added five blocks, while Christina Houghtelling and Tracy Stalls chipped in seven kills apiece.

Jennifer Saleaumua had seven kills and 17 digs, while libero Amanda McCormick had 25 digs ? three shy of a 21-year-old record in a three-game match ? as the Huskers totaled 72 digs and held Texas A&M (6-4, 2-2 Big 12) to a season-low .103 hitting.

The Huskers shut down Texas A&M All-American Melissa Munsch, who had just four kills on 24 swings against a Husker defense that has held five of its last six opponents to under .125 hitting. The Aggies, who ranked third nationally in blocking, had just one block in the first two games and were out-blocked, 6-5, by the Huskers.

NU-TAMU Quick Sets
? - The win over the No. 11 Aggies was the highest ranked opponent that Nebraska defeated since a win over No. 11 Arizona on Sept. 7, 2002.

? - Nebraska has won its last 10 matches against Texas A&M, equaling the longest winning streak in the all-time series. NU also won 10 matches in a stretch from 1982 to 1996.

? - Sarah Pavan’s 23 kills are the most by a Husker in a three-game match since Nancy Metcalf (Meendering) had 23 vs. Texas on Nov. 27, 1999.

? - Amanda McCormick’s 25 digs were the most by a Husker in a three-game match since Mandy Monson had 25 against Colorado on Nov. 25, 1998. The total matches the second-highest total in a three-game match, trailing only Annie Adamczak’s school record of 28 against Montana on Sept. 14, 1985. McCormick has had 10 or more digs in NU’s last seven matches.

? - Jennifer Saleaumua and Christina Houghtelling both added double-digit dig totals with 17 and 12, respectively. NU’s 72 digs was Nebraska’s highest three-game total since recording 77 against Colorado on Nov. 4, 2000.

? - Nebraska’s six blocks were a season low and the lowest since recording five blocks in a win over Northern Iowa on Nov. 2, 2003.

Pavan Earns Big 12 Weekly Honor
Sarah Pavan was chosen as the Big 12 Volleyball Player of the Week (Sept. 20-26). The 6-foot-5 outside hitter from Kitchener, Ontario, led the seventh-ranked Huskers to sweeps over No. 25 Colorado and No. 11 Texas A&M last week. In the two matches, she totaled 44.5 points, recorded 39 kills (6.50/game), 10 blocks (1.69/game) and 12 digs (2.00/game), while hitting .492. Pavan totaled 16 kills on .478 hitting and added six blocks in Wednesday’s win at Colorado before recording 23 kills on .500 hitting against the 11th-ranked Aggies on Saturday. She had at least eight kills in three games, including 10 in Saturday’s second game against the Aggies.

Huskers Have Foes Seeing Red
One of the reasons for Nebraska’s continued success is its play on the defensive side of the court. The Huskers are holding opponents to a league-low .102 hitting percentage and have allowed only one opponent ? Notre Dame, which hit .277 on Sept. 4 ? to hit above .200.

Over the last six matches, the Huskers have been even tougher, holding three opponents to negative hitting totals, as opponents have combined to hit just .051 in that stretch. Three weeks ago at the First National Bank/Arby’s Classic, NU held Ball State (-.018) and Maryland (-.016) to negative numbers - marking the first time since November of 2002 that the Huskers held consecutive foes to below .000 hitting. Against Texas Tech on Sept. 18, the Red Raiders hit -.032, the lowest by a Nebraska opponent since Iowa State hit -.051 on Nov. 14, 2002.

Under John Cook, the Huskers have held 12 opponents to a negative hitting percentage. The following is a list of NU opponents held below .000 hitting since 2000.

Husker Block is Best in the Land
After a one-year hiatus where the Huskers were sixth nationally in blocking, the 2004 Huskers are back on top of the NCAA rankings in blocking. Nebraska led the nation in blocking in the latest NCAA ranking (3.74 blocks per game as of Sept. 19) and comes into Wednesday’s match at Kansas averaging 3.73 blocks per game. The Huskers have out-blocked their last 16 opponents dating back to last season, including two matches against Notre Dame, which led the nation in blocking during the 2003 season.

Saleaumua Shows All-Around Excellence
One of the strengths of Nebraska’s attack is the all-around game of outside hitter Jennifer Saleaumua. The Husker coaching staff believes the 5-11 junior from National City, Calif., is one of the best outside hitters in the nation because she does so many things well.

She ranks second on the squad in both digs (4.00 per game) and kills (3.15) while hitting .273, as her numbers are strikingly similar to last season, when she earned first-team All-Big 12 honors. She ranks sixth in the Big 12 in digs after her 17-dig effort on Saturday against Texas A&M. Saleaumua starred in Nebraska’s win at Colorado on Wednesday, delivering 12 kills on .360 hitting while adding eight digs in the sweep of the Buffaloes. Against Missouri on Sept. 15, she sparked the Husker win with a match-high 13 kills, eight digs and two blocks while hitting .423. On Saturday at Texas Tech, she continued to show her all-around fine play with eight kills, 13 digs and a season-high six blocks. She enjoyed one of her finest performances in NU’s comeback against Notre Dame on Sept. 4, recording 18 kills on 36 attacks while leading NU with 16 digs in the five-game win.

In 2004, she has already recorded three double-doubles in kills and digs, upping her career total to 27, including a team-high 17 in 2003. A two-time All-Big 12 honoree, Saleaumua has the potential to be Nebraska’s first four-time all-conference honoree at outside hitter.

Elmer Climbs Block by Block
All-American Melissa Elmer has been a force for the Husker program over the last two-plus seasons and is beginning to climb Nebraska’s career list. The middle blocker from Fort Wayne, Ind., ranks 10th all-time with 345 block assists, moving past Carla Baker (338, 1986-89) for 10th place on NU’s all-time list.

The Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, Elmer ranked sixth nationally in blocks last season (1.59), and is averging 1.76 blocks per game to rank 17th nationally in the latest NCAA rankings. Elmer, who tied a season high with 13 kills on .360 hitting against Texas Tech, averages 2.97 kills per game and leads the Husker starters in hitting percentage (.340).

She totaled double figures in kills five times this fall, highlighted by a .562 performance on 11 kills against Notre Dame. She matched a season high with eight blocks while adding eight kills in Wednesday’s win at Colorado.

In her career, she is averaging 2.73 kills and 1.49 blocks per game, while her .359 career hitting percentage would rank among the top performers in NU history.

Busboom Guides Husker Attack
With the switch back to the 5-1 offense this season, Dani Busboom has taken full advantage of her expanded role at the center of Nebraska’s attack.

Busboom is second in the Big 12, averaging 13.52 assists per game. She has had a trio of 50-assist contests in 2004, including a career-high 64 assists in a win at No. 25 Notre Dame on Sept. 4. If she continues her current assist average, it would be the highest by a Husker setter since 1998 when Fiona Nepo averaged 13.79 assists per game. Busboom, who ranked 13th nationally in last week’s NCAA stats, is the only setter in the league to have 50 assists in a three-game match this season and has done it twice (vs. Western Michigan, 9/4; vs. Missouri, 9/15).

Busboom, who was an outside hitter in high school until her senior season, has a team-high five double-doubles this season, including a 50-assist, 13-dig performance against Missouri on Sept. 15.

Fabulous Freshmen
Nebraska’s top-ranked recruiting class has provided immediate dividends for the Huskers in 2004, as Sarah Pavan and Tracy Stalls have more than lived up to the lofty expectations.

Pavan leads the Huskers in kills (5.03), a total that is second in the Big 12, and is third on the team in blocks (1.24). The 6-foot-5 opposite hitter has topped the Huskers in kills nine times, most recently against No. 11 Texas A&M when she drilled 23 kills on .500 hitting. Pavan hit a season-high .550 (14-3-20) at Texas Tech on Sept. 18 while adding six blocks. Her 24 kills against Florida A&M on Sept. 10 were the third-most by a Husker in the rally scoring era and the most since 2004 U.S. Olympian Nancy Metcalf had 25 against Florida in the 2001 NCAA Regional Final.

Over the last 21 years, only one freshman - Eileen Shannon in 1989 - has led the Huskers in kills, as she holds freshman marks in both kills (479) and kills per game (4.24), totals that Pavan is on pace to obliterate this fall.

Stalls has been equally impressive in showing the all-around abilities that made her one of the nation’s top recruits. The 6-foot-3 middle hitter is fourth in the Big 12 and in blocking, averaging 1.67 blocks per game to rank eighth in last week’s NCAA rankings. She also leads NU in service aces (eight) and is third in assists (0.48 per game). Stalls has had nine or more kills three times, including a career-high 10 kills on .643 hitting at Western Michigan on Sept. 4. She also has at least five blocks eight times, including eight at Texas Tech (9/18) and seven at No. 25 Colorado on Wednesday. Her eight blocks against the Red Raiders matched her season high set against Notre Dame on Sept. 4.

The third member of the Husker freshman class, middle blocker Meghan Smith, is a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 recruit and provides depth at middle blocker behind Elmer and Stalls and has appeared in three matches.

Husker Youth Movement: Part 2
After a year where the Huskers played as many as five freshmen at the same time, Nebraska has seemingly gotten more youthful in 2004. All eight of the players who have started matches this year are underclassmen (two juniors, four sophomores and two freshmen). Ally Rebholz is the only senior on the 2004 roster, while only four of the 13 players are upperclassmen.

Rank and File
With the No. 7 ranking in this week’s poll, Nebraska is one of two teams to be ranked in the USA Today/CSTV Coaches poll for all 307 weeks of its existence. The Huskers have been ranked in the top 10 for 273 of the 307 weeks, which ranks second behind Stanford’s 288. NU has spent 38 weeks in the top spot, and its most recent No. 1 ranking was Sept. 24, 2001.

Big 12 Well Represented in Weekly Poll
The Big 12’s early season success is evident in looking at the USA Today/CSTV Coaches poll released Monday afternoon. In addition to Nebraska, which is ranked seventh this week, five other conference teams are in the national rankings for the second straight week, including Texas A&M (14), Kansas State (15), Texas (18), Kansas (24) and Colorado (25). The six Big 12 teams match the Pacific-10, which also has six teams in this week’s poll. The two leagues comprise nearly half of this week’s top-25.

Cook’s Winning Ways
Nebraska Coach John Cook has been amazingly successful during his five seasons at the helm of the Husker program, posting a 133-10 record (.930 winning percentage). All nine losses prior to this season have come against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including the eventual NCAA champion in both 2001 (Stanford) and 2002 (USC). In the Big 12, Cook has enjoyed even greater success, going 81-3 in his four-plus seasons. Nebraska swept through the Big 12 in 2000, 2001 and 2002 before seeing its 77-match Big 12 winning streak (dating back to 1999) end in a loss to Kansas State on Oct. 11, 2003.

Cook was the AVCA Coach of the Year in 2000 after leading Nebraska to a 34-0 season and a national title. He was also named the 2001 Big 12 Coach of the Year.

Sellout Streak Extends to 46
Nebraska will carry a streak of 46 consecutive sellouts at the NU Coliseum into next Wednesday’s match against Baylor. The streak began with a 10-match stretch to close the 2001 season and extended through the 2002 and 2003 campaigns. The last non-sellout came on Sept. 25, 2001, against Creighton. Nebraska ranked third nationally in total attendance, averaging 4,239 fans per match. In 2004, every reserve seat is sold out for the season while limited general admission seating is available for selected matches by calling 800-8 BIG RED.

Husker Dig in Defensively
One significant improvement for Nebraska has been on the defensive end. The Huskers, who were second in the league with 16.59 digs per game, have upped that total to a league-high 18.21 digs per game. Although it is just a third into the season, Nebraska is on pace to shatter the school mark of 17.27 digs per game set in 1993 and rank among the top-five totals in Big 12 history. Individually, both Amanda McCormick (4.82 digs per game) and Jennifer Saleaumua (4.00) are both above the current school record of 3.90 digs per game set by Saleaumua last season. Saleaumua, who needs only 125 more digs to become the seventh Husker to record 1,000 digs, could threaten Lindsay Wischmeier’s career mark fo 1,111 digs this fall.

McCormick, Elmer Named 2004 Captains
NU Coach John Cook announced Aug. 24 that Melissa Elmer and Amanda McCormick were named captains for the 2004 season.

The preseason Big 12 Player of the Year, Elmer is a two-year starter at middle blocker and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2003. She led the Big 12 with 1.59 blocks per game while ranking among the conference leaders with a .352 hitting percentage. The 6-foot-2 junior from Fort Wayne, Ind., was third in school history with 169 blocks, including a career-high 15 in a win over Kansas, last season.

McCormick served as the Huskers’ libero in 2003, appearing in 22 matches. The sophomore from Muncie, Ind., set a school freshman record with 3.72 digs per game, including a career-high 31 against Missouri in 2003.

All-America U
Melissa Elmer continued Nebraska's remarkable streak of AVCA All-Americans by earning second-team accolades in 2003. With Elmer’s selection, Nebraska has had at least one All-American every season since 1983, a total of 21 straight seasons, including 11 in Coach John Cook's four seasons at Nebraska. A total of 23 players have combined to earn 46 AVCA All-America certificates. Nebraska leads the nation in both categories.

Red, White and Blue
Nebraska continued its Olympic tradition in 2004 with Nancy (Meendering) Metcalf's selection to the U.S. Olympic team. A three-time All-American at Nebraska, Metcalf became the third Husker to make an Olympic team, joining Lori Endicott, who competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, and Allison Weston, who was the captain of the U.S. Team in the 2000 Olympics. Metcalf played in all six matches in Athens, as Team USA reached the quarterfinals before losing to Brazil. Of Team USA’s four losses, three came in five sets, while also sweeping three-time gold medalist Cuba in the preliminary round.

Husker Red, White and Blue: Part 2
Junior middle blocker Melisa Elmer spent part off the off-season training with the U.S. National Training Team, which was coached by NU Coach John Cook. The team won the USA Volleyball Adult Open Championships, going a perfect 4-0 and sweeping three of its four opponents en route to the title.

Success in the Classroom
Nebraska continued its successful legacy in the classroom in 2003, as Anna Schrad garnered second-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. Overall, NU has produced an NCAA-leading 17 academic All-Americans, who have earned a nation-best 26 academic All-America certificates. NU has had at least one CoSIDA Academic All-American in 17 of the last 20 seasons.

Kruse Has Jersey Retired
One of the highlights of the Red/White Scrimmage on Aug. 28, was the retiring of Janet Kruse’s jersey during the evening’s festivities. Kruse became the fifth Husker volleyball player to earn the program's highest honor, as her No. 17 jersey was retired. One of the most decorated student-athletes to ever play in the Husker program, the Fort Calhoun, Neb., native was the Huskers' first three-time All-American, earning first-team honors in 1989 and 1990 and second-team accolades in 1991.

A two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year, Kruse was also an NCAA Top Eight Award winner and NCAA Woman of the Year Finalist. She joined Allison Weston, Lori Endicott, Cathy Noth and Karen Dahlgren in the NU Coliseum display.

Husker Volleyball on Television
Nebraska Athletic Department announced that a total of 10 Husker volleyball matches will be televised this season. The 2004 broadcast schedule began on Sept. 15, with the Huskers’ match against Missouri and will continue with. eight other games will be carried live on NETV, highlighted by tilts against Texas A&M (Sept. 25), Colorado (Oct. 27), Kansas State (Nov. 6), Kansas (Nov. 12) and Texas (Nov. 24). In addition, five matches will be carried nationally by College Sports Television, highlighted by the Nov. 7 match against Colorado State, which will be shown live as part of the AVCA Sunday Night Spikes Package.