Rachel Schwartz Season 2005
#5Honors & Awards
- 2007 First-Team Academic All-Big 12
- 2006 First-Team Academic All-Big 12
- Four-Time Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
2008: Outlook
One of four returning starters, senior Rachel Schwartz has been an integral part of the Huskers’ success on the defensive end of the court throughout her career • Former walk-on started as Nebraska’s libero for the majority of the 2007 season before moving to defensive specialist during the Huskers’ postseason run • Finished 11th in the Big 12 with a career-best 3.66 digs per set, including 17 matches with at least 10 digs, and helped NU lead the Big 12 in opponent hitting percentage (.153) • Is also one of the team’s best servers and has shown the knack for keying big runs, as her serve has kept teams off balance • Will battle sophomore Kayla Banwarth for the starting job at libero with the other player moving over to serve as NU’s defensive specialist.
“Rachel and Kayla are battling for the starting libero position, and both will have chances to make significant contributions because of our personnel,” Coach John Cook said. “Rachel showed that she can play at a high level at either libero or defensive specialist over the last two years. She has a great opportunity to make a major impact on the success of our team.”
2007: Junior
Schwartz started the majority of the year at libero before becoming the Huskers’ defensive and serving specialist during the postseason • Appeared in 27 matches, averaging 3.66 digs, 0.34 assists and 0.16 service aces per set • Finished 11th in the league in digs and reached double figures in digs 17 times, including a career-best 21 digs against Missouri on Oct. 31 • Played an instrumental role in helping Nebraska lead the Big 12 in opponent hitting percentage (.153) • Was NU’s defensive and serving specialist in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 2.13 digs and 0.25 aces per set • Collected nine digs and an ace against South Dakota State on Nov. 30 • Recorded 16 digs and a pair of service aces in a five-set win at No. 12 Kansas State on Nov. 3 • Established a career high with 21 digs in a five-set win over Missouri on Oct. 31 • Collected 15 digs in a sweep at No. 25 Oklahoma on Oct. 13 • Recorded seven digs and her first career kill in two sets at Kansas on Sept. 26 • Finished with 16 digs and an ace in a victory over Texas A&M on Sept. 22 • Totaled 10 digs and matched her career best with three service aces - her first three of the year - at Texas Tech on Sept. 15 • Matched her then-career best with 17 digs in a sweep of No. 17 Cal Poly on Sept. 3 • Recorded 14 digs and played a major role in limiting No. 3 Penn State to just .134 hitting in a 3-0 sweep on Sept. 2 • Totaled a then-career-high 17 digs against fifth-ranked UCLA in the championship match of the AVCA Showcase on Aug. 25.
2006: Sophomore
Schwartz saw extensive time as the Huskers’ defensive specialist, making 29 starts and appearing in all 34 matches • Averaged 2.41 digs, 0.23 aces and 0.30 assists per game, ranking third in aces and fourth in digs • Reached double figures in digs 15 times • Established career highs in digs seven times, including a personal-best 15 digs in a win at No. 9 Texas on Oct. 18 • Shined in NU’s national title victory over No. 2 Stanford on Dec. 16, matching her career high with three aces and adding six digs • Totaled 19 digs in the NCAA Gainesville Regional, including 10 against San Diego on Dec. 8 • Recorded 10 digs and a pair of service aces in a second-round sweep of Northern Iowa on Dec. 2 • Picked up 10 digs against No. 8 Texas on Nov. 25, as the Huskers held the Longhorns to .138 hitting • Totaled 11 digs and a service ace at Kansas on Nov. 22, as NU clinched the Big 12 title • Was second on the team with 13 digs in the win at Iowa State on Nov. 8 • Keyed NU’s sweep of Kansas State on Oct. 28 with 13 digs and also made major contributions at the service line, as she keyed an 8-0 run to erase a 17-13 deficit in game two • Tied her then-career high with 14 digs against Kansas State on Oct. 4 • Set career bests in both service aces (three) and digs (14) in NU’s win at Baylor on Sept. 30 • Established a then-career high with 14 digs in NU’s win at Creighton on Sept. 24 • Totaled 12 digs and a service ace in a sweep of Texas Tech on Sept. 23 • Had seven digs and sparked several decisive scoring runs at Oklahoma on Sept. 16 • Totaled 11 digs in the win over Minnesota on Sept. 10.
2005: Freshman
Schwartz walked on to the Husker program and was valuable as a serving and defensive specialist in helping NU to 33 wins and an NCAA finals appearance • Appeared in 30 matches, totaling five aces and 18 digs • Served four straight points in a decisive run against Florida on Dec. 10 in the NCAA Regional, turning a 23-21 lead into a six-point advantage • Earned her first collegiate start against No. 3 Stanford at the AVCA Showcase on Aug. 27, recording a dig in a three-game sweep • Had an ace and two digs at No. 5 Minnesota on Sept. 5 • Recorded a season-high two service aces, including one on match point, versus No. 4 Penn State on Sept. 11 • Totaled a dig and a service ace in a win at No. 23 Kansas State on Oct. 19 • Had a season-high four digs in NU’s NCAA opening-round win over Alabama A&M on Dec. 2.
High School
Schwartz was a three-year letterwinner for Coach Myron Oehlerking at Lincoln East High School • Finished her career as Lincoln East’s all-time leader in kills, digs and hitting percentage • Earned Prepvolleyball.com All-America honors as a senior • Was a first-team Super-State selection in 2004, leading the Spartans to a 29-10 record and the school’s first state tourney appearance since 1997 • Ranked among the state leaders in both digs (444) and kills (444), establishing school marks in both categories • Served as captain of the all-city volleyball team as a junior and senior, while garnering all-city accolades in each of her final three years • Played club volleyball for Coach Gwen Egbert and the Nebraska Juniors, helping the team to a third-place finish at the 2005 Junior Olympic Nationals • Earned All-America honors at the 2004 Junior Olympics, helping her squad to a runner-up finish • Was a four-year letterwinner in basketball, earning honorable-mention all-state accolades in her final three seasons • Helped Lincoln East to a Class A state basketball title in 2004 and a runner-up finish in 2003 • Carried a 3.30 GPA and was also involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Campus Life.