Nebraska Begins NCAA Title Quest Against Iona

Match: #29:
NCAA First and Second Rounds
NCAA First and Second Rounds ? Fri.-Sat., Dec. 3-4 ? NU Coliseum (4,030)

Tournament Schedule
Friday, Dec. 3 5 p.m. Wichita State (24-5) vs. Nevada (21-9)
Friday, Dec. 3 7 p.m.* Nebraska (27-1) vs. Iona (19-15)
Saturday, Dec. 4 7 p.m. Friday’s Winners
*- 7 p.m. or 30 minutes following the conclusion of Wichita State vs. Nevada

Rankings: Nebraska is ranked No. 1 in this week’s USA Today/CSTV Poll, while Nevada received votes in the final regular season poll
Tickets: Sold out (NU vs. Iona will be the 55th consecutive sellout at the NU Coliseum)
NU Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) and Huskers.com
Television: Nebraska Edcuational Television (Nebraska matches only)
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Live Internet Video: Free on Huskers.com
Web Audio: Huskers.com
Nebraska vs.: Iona (Never Faced) ? Nevada (Never Faced) ? Wichita State (NU leads 9-0)
Last Meeting vs: Wichita State (NU won 15-11, 15-4, 15-1 on Sept. 1, 1987)

Nebraska Begins NCAA Title Quest Against Iona
Top-ranked Nebraska begins its postseason run this weekend, as the Huskers will host the NCAA first and second rounds at the Nebraska Coliseum this Friday and Saturday, Dec. 3-4. The Huskers (27-1) earned the top seed in the 64-team tournament and will be joined in Lincoln by Iona, Nevada and Wichita State with the winner punching a ticket to Louisville for a berth in the NCAA Regional next week.

The tournament begins Friday evening, as Missouri Valley Conference champion Wichita State takes on Western Athletic Conference runner-up Nevada at 5 p.m. Nebraska, which won the Big 12 with a 20-0 mark, will host Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Champion Iona College (19-15) in the evening’s second match, which is slated to begin at 7 p.m. The NU/Iona match will carried live on selected Pinnacle Sports Network affiliates, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln, while both matches will have live stats on Huskers.com. The winners of Friday’s matches will square off Saturday evening at 7 p.m. The NU Coliseum is sold out for this weekend.

Storylines
?- Nebraska has hosted an NCAA first or second round match a total of 19 previous times, most recently in 2002 when NU took on Tennessee-Martin in the first round and Arizona State in round two. NU has hosted at least NCAA Tournament match (either opening rounds or regionals) for 21 straight years, including 2004.

?- Nebraska has now qualified for 23 straight NCAA Tournaments, a total that is tied for fifth in NCAA history. Of this weekend’s field, only Nevada has appeared in an NCAA Tournament match, as the Wolfpack is winless in three previous matches (most recently in 2002). Wichita State and Iona make their NCAA debuts on Friday.

?- NU was 16-1 in 17 matches against NCAA Tournament qualifiers, including two wins each over sixth-seeded Texas and No. 16 seed Missouri.

?- NU enters the NCAA Tournament with a 12-0 record against ranked teams, as more than 40 percent of the Husker wins were against ranked foes.

? - Nebraska leads the nation in defense, holding opponents to .098 hitting, and blocking, averaging a national-high 4.05 blocks per game. In 2004, NU has held six opponents below .000 hitting, including Iowa State, which was held to -.089 hitting on Oct. 30.

? - Nebraska has had six different players lead the team in kills this season (Sarah Pavan, Christina Houghtelling, Melissa Elmer, Jennifer Saleaumua, Tracy Stalls and Dani Mancuso).

?- Sarah Pavan has six 20-kill efforts this season, which is the most since Nancy Metcalf had 10 in 1999. In fact, Pavan’s total tops the entire team total of 20-kill efforts during the 2003 (three), 2002 (none) and 2001 (four) seasons and is one away from tying the 2000 national title team, which had seven (five by Laura Pilakowski and two by Amber Holmquist) enroute to a 34-0 record.

?- Jennifer Saleaumua is in third place on NU’s career digs list with 1,081 entering Friday’s match with Iona. The junior outside hitter is five digs away from tying Angie Oxley (1,086, 1997-2000) for second on NU’s career list and 30 away from Lindsay Wischmeier’s school record of 1,111 (1999-2002).

?- Nebraska has made great improvement at the service line as the year has progressed. The Huskers were ranked at the bottom of the Big 12 the first month of the season, but have climbed to fourth overall (1.62 SA/gm) and second in league matches only (1.63 SA/gm)

Month Service Aces/Gm
Sept. 1.31
Oct. 1.52
Nov. 2.20

Husker Probable Starters
L - #1 Amanda McCormick (5-8, So., Muncie, Ind.) - Co-captain who is in her second year as a starter at libero and is second in the Big 12 with 4.51 digs per game. She has reached double figures in her last 17 matches and 26 times in 28 matches this season. With 415 digs, she is only the second Husker to reach 400 digs in a season, joining Jennifer Saleaumua, who had 441 digs in 2003. McCormick has had 20-or-more digs three times, including a season-high 25 against Texas A&M on Sept. 25, a total that tied Mandy Monson for the second-most digs by a Husker in a three-game match. McCormick averaged a league-high 4.55 digs/gm in conference matches and is looking to become the first Husker to ever lead the Big 12 in digs, as she trails Kansas’ Jill Dorsey by 0.02 digs per game.

MB - #8 Melissa Elmer (6-2, Jr., Fort Wayne, Ind.) - Two-time first-team All-Big 12 middle blocker who averages 2.88 kills and a nation-best 1.93 blocks per game. She tops NU in hitting percentage (.352), an average that ranks fifth in the Big 12, and is hitting .402 with 3.38 kills/gm over NU’s last five matches. Elmer has three matches of at least 10 blocks this season, including a 12-block, 18-kill effort on .485 hitting at Oklahoma on Nov. 20. With 448 career block assists, she is one block assist away from matching Virginia Stahr (449, 1986-89) for fifth on NU’s career chart. Elmer earned All-Big 12 honors in 2003, leading NU with 1.59 blocks per game along with a .352 hitting percentage. A team co-captain this season, Elmer spent the spring working with the U.S. National Training Team.

MB - #11 Tracy Stalls (6-3, Fr., Arvada, Colo.) - Stalls has started 26 matches at middle blocker and is third in the Big 12 (and 14th nationally) with 1.61 blocks per game. She leads all Big 12 freshmen in blocks and is second in hitting percentage (.321, eighth in the Big 12) and has five double-digit kill efforts this season. She has had at least five blocks in 18 matches, including a season-high nine against No. 9 Colorado State on Nov. 7 and Kansas on Nov. 12. Stalls notched her first career double-double at Baylor on Oct. 23 with 10 kills and 10 digs. She hit a career-best .824, including a career-high 14 kills against Iowa St. on Oct. 16. The effort tied for fourth on NU’s all-time list and the highest percentage in the Big 12 in 2004. Stalls served a two-year stint in the U.S. National Developmental Program competing with the U.S. National Team in several tourneys, including the 2003 Pan American Games and the 2004 Yeltsin Cup.

S - #18 Dani Busboom (5-11, So., Cortland, Neb.) - Busboom is second in the Big 12 (22nd nationally) with 13.16 assists while averaging 2.58 digs and 0.58 blocks per game. She leads the team with 13 double-doubles (assists-digs), including a 35-assist, 14-dig perfomance in a sweep of No. 11 Texas on Nov. 24. Her 14 digs were a season-high, topping the 13 she had against MU on Sept. 15. Her 66 assists at KSU on Oct. 13 tied for 17th on NU’s all-time single-match list (seventh in four-game matches) and is one of eight 50-assist matches this season. She guides an offense that is ranked in the top-20 nationally in hitting percentage (.282) and third in kills per game (17.09) - totals that both rank in the top-20 nationally. She totaled 700 assists in 2003, which is the second most by any Husker freshman, while splitting time with Michelle Lynch in the 6-2 offense.

OPP - #9 Sarah Pavan (rhymes with Have-in): 6-5, Fr., Kitchener, Ontario - The Big 12 Freshman of the Year and a first-team All-Big 12 selection, Pavan is fourth in the Big 12 with a team-best 4.50 kills per game. She also ranks 10th in the league in blocks per game (1.22) and seventh in hitting percentage (.326). She has led NU in kills 18 times, including six 20-kill efforts - as she has been in double figures 24 times in 28 matches. Pavan was named the Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week after averaging 7.00 points, 5.83 kills, 1.83 blocks and 1.17 digs per game while hitting .455 in wins over No. 11 Texas and No. 18 Texas A&M. She had 20 kills on .529 hitting against Texas A&M, while recording 15 kills and a career-high nine blocks against Texas. She held Big 12 Player of the Year Mira Topic to a season-low six kills on -.081 hitting. She also had 23 kills on .356 hitting in a win at No. 16 Kansas State on Oct. 13 and a season-high 24 kills vs. Florida A&M and Baylor. Pavan recorded her first double-double vs. FAMU when she set highs in kills (24) and digs (15). 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 (Sal-ee-ah-MOO-uh); 5-11, Jr., National City, Calif. - Three-time All-Big 12 outside hitter who is second on the team in digs (3.76) and kills (3.07) per game. She is also second on the team with eight double-doubles, giving her 31 in her career. The Big 12 co-Defensive Player of the Year, she ranks third on NU’s all-time digs list (1,081) and recently became the first Husker to reach 1,000 digs before her senior year. Saleaumua earned Big 12 Player-of-the-Week honors on Oct. 25, highlighted by a 19-kill performance at No. 10 Texas, when she hit .450 and added 11 digs. She had 15 kills on .444 hitting and 14 digs against Kansas State on Nov. 6 and had nine kills, 12 digs and matched her career best with seven blocks vs. Kansas on Nov. 12. She led the Huskers in kills (3.27) and digs (3.90) per game in 2003. Her 441 digs were a school record, breaking the previous mark of 390 by Kate Crnich in 1996.

OH - #7 Dani Mancuso (Man-CUE-so): 6-2, So., Omaha, Neb. - Mancuso splits time at outside hitter, ranking third on the team with 2.92 kills per game while adding 2.29 digs and a 0.31 aces per game. Mancuso shined in NU’s win at No. 16 Kansas State on Oct. 13 with a career-high 22 kills on .559 hitting. She made her first Big 12 start of the year on Oct. 27 versus Colorado, delivering a match-high 18 kills and seven digs while hitting .424. She also had her first career double-double vs. Florida A&M on Sept. 10 with 16 kills and 11 digs. Mancuso nearly recorded her second double-double of the year at Oklahoma with 11 kills, nine digs and five blocks. As a freshman, she started NU’s final 10 contests in 2003, averaging 2.01 kills and 1.72 digs per game in that stretch.

-or- #3 Christina Houghtelling (HOTEL-ing): 6-2, So., Cambridge, Neb. - Sophomore who moved from middle blocker to outside hitter in 2004 and has made 20 starts, averaging 2.80 kills, 2.17 digs and 0.33 service aces per game. She has 11 matches with at least 10 kills, including a career-best 17 kills against No. 25 Missouri on Nov. 17. Her .739 percentage on 23 attempts against MU was the highest ever by a Husker with at least 15 kills. She played one of her best all-around matches vs. Texas on Nov. 24 with 10 kills on .333 hitting, a career-best four aces, seven digs and three blocks. Houghtelling, who missed part of 2004 with a knee injury provided a spark off the bench against No. 9 Colorado State on Nov. 7 with 11 kills on .391 hitting. Houghtelling had her first career double-double against Baylor on Oct. 6 with 12 kills and a career-best 13 digs.

Scouting Iona
Iona makes its NCAA Tournament debut on Friday, as they take on No. 1 Nebraska in the opening round. Under first-year coach Kris Zeiter, the Gaels are 19-15 overall and compiled an 8-1 record in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Iona, which closed the year with 11 wins in its final 13 matches, earned the league’s automatic berth after sweeping Rider and Fairfield.

The Gaels are led MAAC Player of the Year Miki Hogg, as the 6-foot-2 middle blocker averages a team-best 3.62 kills per game on .324 hitting along with 1.35 blocks per game. Senior Emily Mansur earned conference setter of the year honors after averaging 11.16 assists, 2.61 digs and 1.03 kills per game.

Scouting Nevada
Coach Devin Scruggs leads Nevada into the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in school history, as the Huskers venture to Lincoln to take on Wichita State in the opening round. The Wolfpack finished second in Western Athletic Conference Western Division to undefeated and No. 2 ranked Hawaii. Three of Nevada’s nine losses have come vs. the Rainbow Wahine, including a four-game loss in the WAC Tournament title game on Nov. 21. Nevada is led by junior middle blocker Salaia Salave`a, a two-time All-WAC selection after averaging 4.93 kills and 1.42 blocks per game. Setter Tristin Adams (12.41 assists/gm) and Karly Sipherd (2.10 kills/gm and 2.37 digs/gm) were both second-team All-WAC honorees.

Scouting Wichita State
The Shockers make the trip north, earning their first-ever NCAA Tournament bid after beating Southwest Missouri State in the finals of the Missouri Valley title game Saturday evening. The Shockers, who are 24-5 on the year, won the MVC regular-season crown with a 17-1 mark. Under the guidance of coach Chris Lamb, who is in his fifth season at Wichita State, the Shockers posted their second straight 20-win season while three of their five losses have been to nationally ranked squads.

The Shockers are led by Sara Younes, a 5-foot-9 right side hitter who was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year in 2004. She paces WSU in kills (2.94) and service aces (0.72) per game, as her aces lead the MVC and rank among the national leaders in that category. WSU also features the MVC libero of the year in Karen Augspurger, who averages 4.97 digs per game.  Wichita State is winless in nine matches against NU all time, although the teams have not met since 1987.

Texas A&M Recap
Sarah Pavan had a match-high 20 kills on .529 hitting, as No. 2 Nebraska closed out Big 12 play with a 30-23, 30-22, 30-28 win over No. 18 Texas A&M Saturday evening at G. Rollie White Coliseum.

Pavan, who had 23 kills in the first meeting in September, was nearly unstoppable, needing just 34 swings to record her sixth 20-kill match of the season, as the Huskers (27-1, 20-0 Big 12) completed their 15th perfect conference season and became the first Big 12 team to win in College Station this year.

Pavan had seven kills in game two and added nine kills on 12 swings in the finale, as Nebraska rallied to complete its 11th straight win over the Aggies (18-8, 14-6 Big 12), dating back to the 1999 season.

The Huskers, who improved to 12-0 against ranked foes, hit .331 as a team and were sharp at the service line with eight aces, including a season high four by Melissa Elmer, who also had nine kills and four blocks. NU out-blocked the Aggies, 10-1, as Tracy Stalls finished with a match-high five blocks.