UNI, Minnesota Vie for NCAA Sweet 16

Saturday, December 2

Minneapolis, Minnesota

8 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

Minnesota

UNI, Minnesota Vie for NCAA Sweet 16

12/1/2017 10:57:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

UNI-vb-season-stats-2017

UNI Season Stats (PDF) | Updated Player Stats (PDF)

Saturday's Match
Sat., Dec. 2 -- Minneapolis, Minn. (Maturi Pavilion)
UNI vs. #7 Minnesota, 8 p.m.

TV - Big Ten Network
Radio - KXEL 1540-AM

• The University of Northern Iowa volleyball team (27-8 overall, 15-3 MVC) will take on No. 7 seed Minnesota (27-5 overall, 15-5 Big Ten) in the 2017 NCAA Tournament Saturday at 8 p.m. (CT) at the Maturi Pavilion in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

• The winner of the UNI-Minnesota match will advance to the NCAA Sweet 16.

• UNI and Minnesota have met twice previously in the NCAA Tournament. UNI scored a 3-2 win over Minnesota in the West Gym on Dec. 1, 2001. Minnesota posted a 3-1 home triumph over UNI in on Dec. 6, 2003.

• UNI has recorded victories over six teams that made the NCAA's 64-team field. The Panthers scored wins over Missouri, Austin Peay, Southern California, Nebraska, Iowa State and Louisville.

• UNI is making its 21st appearance and its fifth time as an at-large selection (2008, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017).

• UNI has posted 15 wins in the NCAA Tournament and has advanced to at least the second round 12 times.

• The Panthers have made three Sweet 16 appearances (1999, 2001, 2002).

RADIO COVERAGE
Live radio coverage of the UNI Panther volleyball team can be found on www.UNIPanthers.com and KXEL (1540-AM). All audio will be free of charge.
   Chris Kleinhans-Schulz is in his sixth season as the play-by-play voice of Panther volleyball. Chris Mahi will serve as the analyst for home matches.

Live Audio Coverage Schedule
Fri., vs. Louisville - KXEL 1540-AM
Sat., Minnesota - KXEL 1540-AM

BIG TEN NETWORK
UNI's NCAA Tournament match at Minnesota will be shown live on the Big Ten Network.

HEAD COACH BOBBI PETERSEN
Head coach Bobbi Petersen is in her 18th year as the Panthers head coach.
   Petersen has posted an impressive 461-140 record at the helm of UNI's program, with seven Missouri Valley Conference regular season titles, eight MVC tournament crowns and two NCAA Sweet 16 appearances to her credit. UNI has taken part in 13 NCAA Tournaments under Petersen's direction. She ranks No. 10 of active Division I coaches in winning percentage (.767).
   Petersen is one of four MVC coaches to have eclipsed the 400-win mark joining Linda Dollar (758 - Missouri State), Iradge Ahrabi-Fard (503 - UNI) and Melissa Stokes (490 - Missouri State) in that elite class.

UNI AGAINST THE FIELD
UNI's schedule was loaded with NCAA Tournament teams this season with the Panthers having faced nine teams in the field and having played 12 matches against those teams.
   UNI recorded victories over six teams that made the NCAA's 64-team field. The Panthers scored wins over Missouri, Austin Peay, Southern California, Nebraska, Iowa State and Louisville
   UNI also faced NCAA Tournament teams in Kentucky, Creighton and Missouri State (three times).

21ST TRIP TO THE NCAA TOURNEY
UNI is making its 21st appearance and its fifth time as an at-large selection (2008, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017) in the NCAA Tournament.
   UNI has posted 15 wins in the NCAA Tournament and has advanced to at least the second round 12 times.
   The Panthers have made three Sweet 16 appearances (1999, 2001, 2002).

BOBBI IN THE BIG DANCE
UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen has led the Panthers to 13 NCAA Tournament trips. UNI is 10-12 in NCAA tournament play under Petersen, including two trips to the Sweet 16 (2001, 2002).

CLOSING IN ON SOME TEAM SINGLE-SEASON RECORDS
UNI's 2017 season is going to be one for the record books as the Panthers are leaving their mark on this campaign.
   UNI has 2,435 digs in 2017 and needs only 27 digs to tie the single-season school record of 2,462 digs set in the 1987 season.
   UNI's average of 19.64 digs per set already ranks as the best season in school history. The previous best digs per set mark was 19.06 in 2007.
   The Panthers have taken 5,072 attack attempts in 2017 and need to register 59 more attacks to equal the previous record of 5,131 set in 2015.

Where UNI Ranks on Single-Season Charts
Attack Attempts - No. 1 (5,192)
Old School Record - 5,131 in 2015

Digs - No. 1 (2,501)
Old School Record - 2,462 in 1987

Assists - No. 3 (1,805)
School Record - 1,961 in 2002

Service Reception % - No. 5 (.960)
School Record - .971 in 2009

Kills - No. 3 (1,942)
School Record - 2,175 in 2002

Service Attempts - No. 6 (2,957)
School Record - 3,486 in 2006

Sets Played - T-No. 7 (127)
School Record - 138 in 1987

Matches Played - T-No. 7 (35)
School Record - 41 in 1983

AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
UNI is ranked No. 1 in the nation in kills per set (15.29).
   The Panthers rank No. 2 in the nation in digs per set (19.69), assists per set (14.21), team assists (1,805), team kills (1,942) and team attacks per set (40.88).
   The Panthers are ranked No. 3 in the nation in team digs (2,501) and total team attacks (5,192).

THREE MVC TEAMS IN RPI TOP 100
The Missouri Valley Conference is represented by three teams in the NCAA's RPI top 100 with Missouri State (No. 36), UNI (No. 42) and Illinois State (No. 88).
   UNI has seven top-100 RPI wins this season (No. 6 Nebraska, No. 11 USC, No. 13 Iowa State, No. 34 Missouri, No. 58 Austin Peay, No. 88 Illinois State - twice).

UNI AGAINST RPI TOP 25
UNI is one of 23 teams to have recorded at least three wins against the NCAA RPI top 25 teams.
   Among those 22 teams, only 11 have a winning record against the NCAA RPI top 25 - including UNI with a 3-2 mark.
   UNI's RPI top 25 wins have come against No. 6 Nebraska (3-1), No. 11 USC (3-1) and No. 15 Iowa State (3-2).

3 or More Wins vs NCAA RPI Top 25
1.   Penn State   9-1
2.   Florida   3-1
3.   Kentucky   4-3
4.   Texas   8-2
5.   Stanford   9-3
6.   Nebraska   9-3
7.   Minnesota   7-3
8.   Washington   9-5
9.   Utah   6-8
10. Creighton   3-4
11. USC   7-6
12. Baylor   4-3
13. Iowa State   3-5
17. UCLA   5-9
19. Kansas   4-5
22. Oregon   5-9
23. Michigan State   3-5
24. Colorado   4-8
25. Purdue   4-5
29. Michigan   3-7
31. Oregon State   3-10
38. Washington St.   3-12
42. UNI   3-2

UNI HAS FOUR WINS OVER RANKED FOES IN 2017
UNI is 4-2 against ranked foes in 2017 with wins over No. 10 Nebraska, No. 18 USC, No. 19 Iowa State and No. 19 Missouri.
   With its next win against a ranked opponent, it would equal the school record for victories over ranked teams in a single season.
   UNI defeated five ranked opponents in 2002 (No. 8 Pepperdine, No. 7 UCLA, No. 20 Minnesota, No. 3 Florida, No. 20 Missouri) and three ranked teams in 2003 (No. 11 Notre Dame, No. 23 Missouri State, No. 20 UC Santa Barbara).

HOOK NAMED SETTER OF YEAR
UNI senior Heather Hook was named the Missouri Valley Conference's Setter of the Year.
   Hook ranks No. 3 in the nation in total assists (1,489) and she is tops in the MVC in assists per set (11.72). Hook is one of six UNI Panthers all-time to have eclipsed the 4,000-assist mark in her career. This season, Hook has 10 50-plus assist matches including a career-high 64 assists in a 3-2 win over No. 19 Missouri on Aug. 26.
   Hook earned first-team All-MVC honors in 2017 after securing second team All-MVC status in 2016.

UNI WITH FOUR FIRST-TEAM ALL-MVC SELECTIONS
UNI's four first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference selections include senior setter Heather Hook (Grundy Center, Iowa), sophomore outside hitter Karlie Taylor (Eddyville, Iowa), junior middle hitter Piper Thomas (Jesup, Iowa) and junior outside hitter Bri Weber (Dike, Iowa).
   It marks the first time since 2011 that UNI has had four members of the All-MVC First Team.
   UNI hasproduced 52 first-team All-MVC choices under the direction of 18th-year head coach Bobbi Petersen.

SEEHASE NAMED TO MVC ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Freshman Jaydlin Seehase earned a spot on the 2017 MVC All-Freshman Team.
   Seehase has played in all 127 sets this season as a true freshman. Seehase posted nine double-figure kill totals, including a season-high 12 kills against Valparaiso (Oct. 21) and vs. No. 19 Missouri (Aug. 26).
   Seehase has tallied 260 kills (2.05 kills/set) this season.

HOOK, THOMAS NAMED TO MVC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE TEAM
UNI senior Heather Hook and junior Piper Thomas have been honored as honorable mention members of the 2017 Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball Scholar-Athlete Team.

Heather Hook, UNI, Sr., S, 3.33, Finance/Economics/Real Estate
Ranks third in the nation in total assists (1,489) ... leads the MVC in assists/set (11.72) ... became the sixth UNI setter to reach 4,000 career assists ... only the 23rd MVC player to surpass 4,000 assists ... set a career-high with 64 assists in a five-set win over No. 19 Missouri ... has tallied 10 50-plus assist matches in 2017 ... set a career-high with eight kills in a five-set win over Valparaiso ... set a career-high with 23 assists in a five-set match vs. Illinois State ... has registered 11 double-doubles this season.

Piper Thomas, UNI, Jr., MH, 3.47, Movement & Exercise Science
Ranks first on the team in kills (513), blocks (118) and hitting percentage (.366) ... top hitter in MVC matches only (.403) ... ranks second in the league in MVC matches only in kills/set (4.28) ... has posted six 20-plus kill matches this season, including a career-high 28 kills (.596) and tied a career-high with 10 blocks in a four-set match at Illinois State in the MVC Tournament ... she has posted 20 kills in four-set matches on three occasions (20 vs. No. 18 USC; 20 vs. Missouri State; 28 at Illinois State) ... three-time MVC Player of the Week honoree in 2017.

YET ANOTHER 20-WIN SEASON
UNI has recorded the program's 35th 20-win season. UNI has won 20 or more matches in 19 of the last 20 seasons.
   It is the 16th 20-win season for Panther head coach Bobbi Petersen.

STREAKS OF NOTE
The Panthers have guaranteed the program will have a .500 or better record for the 37th consecutive season.
   UNI, Hawaii, Nebraska, Stanford, Penn State and UCLA lead the nation with 37 consecutive non-losing seasons in NCAA Division I volleyball.
   UNI has also posted 33 straight NCAA Division I winning seasons – the sixth-longest active streak in the nation behind Hawaii (37), Nebraska (37), Penn State (37), Stanford (37) and UCLA (35).

TOP HITTER IN THE VALLEY
Junior Piper Thomas leads the Missouri Valley Conference in hitting percentage (.362).
   She also topped the league in hitting percentage (.403) in MVC matches only.

HOOK HEADS THE LIST
Senior setter Heather Hook leads the MVC in assists/set by a wide margin - 0.59 assists/set.
   Hook has an even wider lead when considering only Missouri Valley Conference matches - 0.85 assists/set.
   Hook is averaging 11.72 assists/set (12.26 in MVC play), while Illinois State's Stef Jankiewicz ranks second in the league at 11.13 assists/set (11.41 in MVC play).

WHO DO YOU STOP?
UNI's offense features three of the top-10 kill leaders in the Missouri Valley Conference.
   Junior Piper Thomas ranks No. 3 in the league in kills per set (4.04). Sophomore Karlie Taylor ranks No. 5 in the MVC in kills per set (3.87). Junior Bri Weber ranks No. 8 in the conference in kills per set (3.23).
   The trio also ranks in the top-10 in points per set. Thomas is No. 4 (4.67), Taylor is No. 5 (4.30) and Bri Weber is No. 6 (3.70) in points per set.

PIPER, KARLIE TAKE SPOTS ON
SINGLE-SEASON TOP-10 KILLS LIST
Junior Piper Thomas has posted 513 kills this season to rank as the fifth-best single-season total in program history.
   Sophomore Karlie Taylor has joined the list at No. 9 with 492 kills in 2017.

UNI's Single-Season Kills Chart
1.   Molly O'Brien (2002)       595
2.   Kate Galer (1996)       535
3.   Bobbi Becker (1989)       534
4.   Kim Kester (2002)       521
5.   Piper Thomas (2017)       513
6.   Kerri Eich (1997)       501
7.   Denise Cuttell (1990)       497
8.   Maryellen McCann (1987)   494
9.   Karlie Taylor (2017)       492
10.   Kim Kester (2001)       479

THOMAS JOINS SINGLE-SEASON POINTS SCORED CHART
Junior Piper Thomas has scored 593 points this season to rank as the eighth-best single-season total in UNI program history.

UNI's Single-Season Points Scored Chart
1.   Molly O'Brien (2002)       702.0
2.   Bobbi Becker (1989)       635.5
3.   Kim Kester (2002)       613.0
4.   Denise Cuttell (1990)       612.5
5.   Kate Galer (1996)       599.0
   Molly O'Brien (2003)       599.0
7.   Molly O'Brien (2001)       594.0
8.   Piper Thomas (2017)       593.0
9.   Maryellen McCann (1987)   584.0
10.   Laura Rowen (2006)       572.5

THOMAS ADDS HER NAME TO
SINGLE-SEASON BLOCKS LIST
Junior Piper Thomas has registered
28 solo blocks in 2017 to tie for the eighth-best single-season in Panther history.

UNI's Single-Season Blocks Chart
1.   Michelle Schaab (1983)   48
2.   Carrie Shurr (1993)       36
3.   Kari Warren (1986)       35
4.   Tricia Mills (1993)       30
   Tina Parkin (1995)       30
   Jane Witt (1983)       30
7.   Lisa Meeker (1986)       29
8.   Carrie Shurr (1994)       28
   Piper Thomas (2017)       28
10.   Jill Sprague (1988)       27
   Denise Cuttell (1987)       27
   Maryellen McCann (1986)   27

TOP SOPHOMORE MARK FOR KILLS
Karlie Taylor holds the UNI record for kills by a sophomore with 492. She surpassed the mark set by Rachel Tink of 457 set in 2003.
   Taylor has already eclipsed the UNI sophomore record for attacks with 1,320. Bri Weber held the previous best for a UNI sophomore with 1,063 in 2016.

KARLIE, BRI MOVING UP
SINGLE-SEASON ATTACK CHART
Karlie Taylor and Bri Weber are moving up on the UNI single-season attacks chart.
   Taylor has 1,320 attacks, which ranks No. 1 on UNI's single-season list.
   Weber has totaled 1,311 attacks, which puts her at No. 2 on the chart.

UNI's Single-Season Attack Attempts Chart
1.    Karlie Taylor (2017)       1,320
2.   Bri Weber (2017)       1,311
3.   Bri Weber (2015)       1,303
4.   Laura Rowen (2006)       1,274
5.   Molly O'Brien (2002)       1,233
6.   Kerri Eich (1997)       1,224
7.   Kate Galer (1996)       1,201
8.    Kim Kester (2002)       1,199
9.   Bobbi Becker (1989)       1,195
10.   Amie Held (2016)       1,165

HOOK RANKS NO. 5 ON UNI'S
SINGLE-SEASON ASSIST LIST
UNI senior setter Heather Hook ranks No. 4 on the Panther single-season assist chart. She has posted 1,489 assists this season.
   Last year, Hook tallied 1,341 assists.

UNI's Single-Season Assist Chart
1.   Jill Arganbright (2002)   1,689
2.   Jill Arganbright (2003)   1,613
3.   Kristin Belzung (2006)       1,514
4.   Heather Hook (2015)       1,489
5.   Erin Hirsch (2004)       1,472
6.   Kristin Belzung (2007)       1,440
7.   Molly Turk (2012)       1,439
8.   Jill Arganbright (2001)   1,415
9.   Heather Hook (2016)       1,366
10.   Jill Arganbright (2000)   1,347

SORGE RANKS 7TH ON
SINGLE-SEASON DIGS LIST
UNI junior libero setter Kendyl Sorge ranks No. 7 on the Panthers's single-season digs chart with 588 digs entering the NCAA Tournament.
   Sorge posted 621 digs last year, which ranks No. 6 on the UNI list.

UNI's Single-Season Digs Chart
1.   Ellie Blankenship (2009)   698
2.   Ellie Blankenship (2008)   676
3.   Ellie Blankenship (2010)   658
4.   Candice Burke (2012)       625
5.   Ellie Blankenship (2007)   624
6.   Kendyl Sorge (2016)       621
7.   Kendyl Sorge (2017)       599
8.   Candice Burke (2011)       585
9.   Amie Held (2015)       577
10.   Amie Held (2014)       524

WEBER, HEDGES SERVE IT UP
Bri Weber and Taylor Hedges have each joined the UNI single-season top-10 list for service attempts.
   Weber has 589 serves this season, while Hedges has 582 serves.

UNI's Single-Season Service Attempts Chart
1.   Patricia Dietz (2006)       628
2.   Stephanie May (2006)       617
3.   Jessi Worrell (2003)       594
4.   Bri Weber (2017)       589
5.   Stephanie May (2005)       588
6.   Kristin Belzung (2006)       582
   Taylor Hedges (2017)       582
8.   Brittany Bakker (2006)       580
9.   Kristin Belzung (2007)       564
10.   Jill Arganbright (2002)   552

WEBER FINDS A SPOT IN UNI'S DOUBLE-GRAND CLUB
Junior Bri Weber became the 11th UNI Panther to post a pair of 1,000 career totals (digs, kills or assists).
   Weber is one of eight Panthers to post 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in their careers.
   Weber has totaled 1,350 digs and 1,149 kills.

UNI's 1,000/1,000 Club
Jill Arganbright   1,025 digs/6,064 assists
Alexandra Auker   1,303 digs/1,360 kills
Bobbi Becker   1,457 digs/1,611 kills
Mary Bernhardt   1,202 digs/3,977 assists
Amy Braun   1,672 digs/1,202 kills
Kate Galer   1,368 digs/1,720 kills
Kim Kester   1,013 digs/1,439 kills
Kim McCaffrey   1,015 digs/1,272 kills
Bre Payton   1,222 digs/4,752 assists
Laura Rowen   1,145 digs/1,386 kills
Bri Weber   1,350 digs/1,149 kills

SORGE MOVES TO NO. 4, WEBER TO NO. 9 ON UNI'S TOP-10 ALL-TIME DIGS LIST
Junior libero Kendyl Sorge has moved into the No. 4 slot on UNI's all-time digs list with 1,705 digs. Sorge ranks No. 27 on the NCAA's active career digs list.
   Junior Bri Weber has 1,350 career digs to rank No. 9 on UNI's all-time digs list.

UNI's All-Time Digs Chart
1.   Ellie Blankenship (2007-2010)   2,656
2.   Amie Held (2013-2016)   2,002
3.   Candice Burke (2008-2012)   1,737
4.   Kendyl Sorge (2015-pres.)   1,709
5.   Amy Braun (2009-2012)   1,672
6.   Stephanie May (2003-2006)   1,570
7.   Bobbi Becker (1986-1989)   1,457
8.   Kate Galer (1993-1996)   1,368
9.   Bri Weber (2015-pres.)   1,350
10.   Alexandra Auker (1997-2000)   1,303
11.   Bre Payton (2007-2011)   1,222
12.   Mary Bernhardt (1984-1987)   1,202
13.   Miranda Weber (1999-2002)   1,148
14.   Laura Rowen (2004-2007)   1,145
15.   Jill Arganbright (2000-2003)   1,025

HOOK CLIMBS ASSIST LADDER
UNI senior setter Heather Hook ranks No. 5 on the school's all-time assist chart.
   Hook is the sixth UNI Panther to accumulate at least 4,000 assists in her career. Hook has posted 4,247 career assists.
   Hook ranks No. 16 on the NCAA's active career leaders in assists and No. 8 on the NCAA list for assists per set (11.05).

UNI's All-Time Assist Chart
1.   Jill Arganbright (2000-2003)   6,064
2.   Shannon Perry (1996-1999)   4,881
3.   Bre Payton (2008-2011)   4,752
4.   Kara Galer (1992-1995)   4,265
5.   Heather Hook (2014-pres.)   4,247
6.   Kristin Belzung (2003-2007)   4,256
7.   Mary Bernhardt (1984-1987)   3,977
8.   Bobbie Kreple (1987-1990)   2,780
9.   Kinsey Caldwell (2013-2014)   2,549
10.   Katie Crowley (1988-1991)   1,895

THOMAS JOINS UNI'S TOP-10 SOLO BLOCKS LIST
Junior middle hitter Piper Thomas has joined the top-10 list of solo blockers in UNI volleyball history.
   Thomas ranks No. 6 on UNI's solo block list with 72 career solos.

UNI's All-Time Solo Blocks Chart
1.   Denis Cuttell (1987-1990)   90
2.   Holly VanHofwegen (1996-1999)   86
3.   Kari Warren (1983-1986)   83
4.   Lisa Meeker (1986-1986)   74
5.   Carrie Shurr (1991-1994)   73
6.   Piper Thomas (2015-pres.)   72
7.   Jill Sprague (1985-1988)   71
   Danielle Brazda (2003-2007)   71
9.   Tricia Mills (1990-1993)   65
10.   Krista DeGeest (2008-2012)   64

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TALK
Karlie Taylor leads the Panthers in double-doubles this season with 25.
   Bri Weber ranks second on the team in double-doubles with 15, while Heather Hook has posted 11 double-doubles this year.
   Weber has recorded 49 career double-doubles. Hook has tallied 35 career double doubles.

Career Double-Doubles
Bri Weber - 49
Heather Hook - 35
Karlie Taylor - 25
Piper Thomas - 2

PANTHERS NEARLY AUTOMATIC WHEN UP 2-0
UNI jumped out to a 2-0 lead vs. Louisville on Dec. 1 and finished off the advantage with a 3-0 sweep.
   UNI improved to 687-9 all-time when winning the first two sets of a match.

EARLY ADVANTAGE
UNI has won the opening set in 28 of its 35 matches this season. The Panthers are 26-2 when winning the first set.

4,000 CAREER ASSISTS FOR HOOK
UNI senior setter Heather Hook became only the sixth UNI Panther to reach 4,000 career assists.
   Hook also became the 23rd MVC player with 4,000 or more assists.
   Hook ranks No. 3 in the nation in total assists (1,489) this season.
   Hook has tallied 4,247 career assists and is one of 22 active NCAA Division I players with 4,000 or more assists.

1,000 CAREER KILLS FOR PIPER
UNI junior middle hitter Piper Thomas became the 27th Panther to surpass 1,000 career kills.
   Thomas has tallied 1,096 career kills. She leads in the Panthers in kills (513) and hitting percentage (.366).