UNI is Going to Kansas City for UMKC Tourney

Full Release (PDF)

This Week's Action

Fri., Sept. 8 -- UMKC Tournament (Kansas City, Mo.)
UNI vs. Rutgers, 10:30 a.m. | AUDIO | STATS
UNI vs. South Dakota, 4:30 p.m. | AUDIO | STATS

Sat., Sept. 9 -- UMKC Tournament (Kansas City, Mo.)
UNI at UMKC, 1:30 p.m. | AUDIO | STATS

• The University of Northern Iowa volleyball team will take its 5-2 record to Kansas City, Missouri, to take part in the UMKC Tournament this weekend.

• UNI will match up against Rutgers (Fri., 10:30 a.m.), South Dakota (Fri., 4:30 p.m.) and UMKC (Sat., 1:30 p.m.).

• UNI received 60 votes in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll. The Panthers are the second-highest team receiving votes not in the top 25. The last time UNI was ranked in the poll came on Sept. 3, 2012, when the
Panthers were ranked No. 25.

• UNI improved to 13-5 in home openers for head coach Bobbi Petersen after the Panthers posted a 3-0 win over Northern Illinois on Tuesday night.

• UNI has recorded a pair of victories over ranked foes this season with triumphs over No. 19 Missouri (3-2) and No. 18 USC (3-1). It marks only the third time in school history that UNI has knocked off at least two ranked opponents in the same season (2002 - five times; 2003 - three times).

• Sophomore Karlie Taylor recorded 28 kills in a five-set match vs. No. 13 Kentucky. It marked the most kills in a match by a UNI Panther in 15 years since Molly O'Brien posted 29 kills vs. Creighton in the 2002 season.

• Taylor will be looking to be named to her third straight all-tournament team in Kansas City. Taylor earned spots on the all-tournament teamsa at the Bluejay Invitational and at the Culver's Governors Challenge.

PANTHERS TRAVEL TO KANSAS CITY FOR UMKC TOURNAMENT
UNI will take on Rutgers, South Dakota and UMKC this Friday and Saturday at the UMKC Tournament.

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. Rutgers - UNIPanthers.com
Fri., vs. USD - UNIPanthers.com
Sat. at UMKC - UNIPanthers.com

ALL-TIME SERIES
It will be the first meeting between UNI and Rutgers.
   UNI is 9-0 all-time vs. South Dakota, however the squads have met only once (Nov. 7, 2011) in the last 34 years.
   The Panthers hold a 6-1-1 lead in the all-time series vs. UMKC. UNI netted a 3-1 win (25-23, 25-19, 22-25, 25-16) over the Kangaroos last season in Kansas City.

HEAD COACH BOBBI PETERSEN
Head coach Bobbi Petersen is in her 18th year as the Panthers head coach.
   Petersen has posted an impressive 439-134 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 12 NCAA Tournaments under Petersen's direction. She ranks No. 12 of active Division I coaches in winning percentage (.766).
   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 (468 - Missouri State in that elite class.

HOME OPENERS UNDER BOBBI
UNI improved to 13-5 in home openers under head coach Bobbi Petersen following its 3-0 sweep of Northern Illinois on Tuesday.

TAYLOR NABS SECOND STRAIGHT ALL-TOURNEY HONOR
Sophomore Karlie Taylor earned a spot on the Bluejay Invitational All-Tournament team after leading UNI with 57 kills (4.75 kills/set) in three matches. It is the second straight week that Taylor has earned a spot on an all-tourney team.
   Taylor recorded 28 kills in a five-set match vs. No. 13 Kentucky. It marked the most kills in a match by a UNI Panther in 15 years since Molly O'Brien posted 29 kills vs. Creighton in the 2002 season.
   Taylor began the weekend by posting 20 kills and 12 digs in UNI's first-ever win over No. 18 Southern California. Taylor hit .326 against the Trojans.
   Taylor followed that up with a .333 hitting percentage against Kentucky as she was fed 66 attack attempts in posting 28 kills.
   On the season, Taylor leads the Panthers with 110 kills (4.58 kills/set) and four double-doubles. She has tallied 20 or more kills in four of the six matches this season.

SORGE FROM THE BACK ROW
Junior Kendyl Sorge led the Panther defensive charge at the Bluejay Invitational with 60 digs (5.00 digs/set).
   Sorge added a pair of 20-plus dig performances with 25 digs vs. No. 13 Kentucky and 21 digs vs. No. 7 Creighton.
   Sorge has produced four 20-plus dig efforts through six matches this season.
   Sorge chipped in with five assists vs. USC, four assists vs. Kentucky and three assists vs. Creighton.
   On the season, Sorge leads the team with 111 digs (4.62 digs/set).
KNOCKING OFF THE WOMEN OF TROY
UNI secured the program's first-ever win over the University of Southern California on Friday with a 3-1 triumph at the Bluejay Invitational.
   UNI entered the match vs. USC having lost all four previous matchups.
   This time around it proved to be UNI's time to shine as the Panthers were paced by 20-kill efforts from Karlie Taylor and Piper Thomas. Bri Weber contributed with a season-high 18 digs.

TWO RANKED FOES HAVE FALLEN
UNI has recorded a pair of victories over ranked foes this season with triumphs over No. 19 Missouri (3-2) and No. 18 USC (3-1).
   It marks only the third time in school history that UNI has knocked off at least two ranked opponents in the same season.
   UNI defeated five ranked opponents in 2002 (No. 8 Pepperdine, No. 7 UCLA, No. 20 Minnesota), No. 3 Florida, No. 20 Missouri) and 2003 (No. 11 Notre Dame, No. 23 Missouri State, No. 20 UC Santa Barbara). UNI is 2-2 against ranked opponents this season.

SORGE MOVES TO NO. 9 ON UNI'S TOP-10 ALL-TIME DIGS LIST
Junior libero Kendyl Sorge has moved into the No. 9 slot on UNI's all-time digs list with 1,235 digs.
   Sorge climbed on past Mary Bernhardt, who had 1,202 digs from 1984-1987.

UNI'S All-Time Digs Chart
1.   Ellie Blankenship (2007-10)   2,656
2.   Amie Held (2013-16)       2,002
3.   Candice Burke (2008-12)   1,737
4.   Amy Braun (2009-12)       1,672
5.   Stephanie May (2003-06)   1,570
6.   Bobbi Becker (1986-89)   1,457
7.   Kate Galer (1993-96)       1,368
8.   Alexandra Auker (1997-2000)   1,303
9.   Kendyl Sorge (2015-pres.)   1,235
10.   Mary Bernhardt (1984-87)   1,202

HOOK JOINS 3,000 ASSIST CLUB
Senior setter Heather Hook became the seventh UNI player to record 3,000 or more assists in her career.
   Hook surpassed the 3,000 mark in UNI's 3-1 win over No. 18 USC. Hook has registered 3,036 assists.

HOOK CLIMBS ASSIST LADDER
UNI senior setter Heather Hook moved up to No. 7 on the school's all-time assist chart.
   Hook became the seventh UNI Panther to accumulate at least 3,000 assists in her career. Hook has posted 3,036 career assists.

UNI'S All-Time Assist Chart
1.   Jill Arganbright (2000-03)   6,064
2.   Shannon Perry (1996-99)   4,881
3.   Bre Payton (2008-11)       4,752
4.   Kara Galer (1992-95)       4,265
5.   Kristin Belzung (2003-07)   4,256
6.   Mary Bernhardt (1984-87)   3,977
7.   Heather Hook (2014-pres.)   3,068
8.   Bobbie Kreple (1987-90)   2,780
9.   Kinsey Caldwell (2013-14)   2,549
10.   Katie Crowley (1988-91)   1,895

12 CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF APR RECOGNITION, PERFECTION
For the past 12 years the NCAA has recognized teams in the top-10 percent of the Academic Progress Report and the UNI volleyball team has been on the list all 11 years.
   In fact, the UNI volleyball team has had a perfect score of 1,000 in each of the 12 years.
   UNI volleyball is one of 93 programs in the nation to have earned the recognition in each of the 12 years teams have been honored.

AVCA Team Academic Award
The UNI volleyball team compiled a 3.42 cumulative GPA during the 2016-17 season.
   It marks the sixth consecutive season that the Panthers have earned the AVCA Team Academic Award.

POLLING NUMBERS
UNI has been ranked in the AVCA Top 25 110 times in program history - the most in the Missouri Valley Conference.
   By comparison, the rest of the current teams in the MVC have been ranked 17 times (Illinois State - 14; Missouri State - 3).
   In the state of Iowa, UNI's 110 poll rankings puts it on top. Iowa State has been ranked in 79 polls, while Iowa has been ranked in one.
   UNI has been ranked in the top 10 in the AVCA poll on 25 occasions - the best mark in the MVC. Illinois State is second with one top-10 appearance.
   UNI's highest ranking in the AVCA Top 25 is No. 6 (Sept. 15, 2003).

AMONG ELITE COMPANY
The Panthers rank No. 8 all-time in NCAA Division I winning percentage (.774). UNI trails only Penn State (.861), Hawaii (.855), Nebraska (.842), Florida (.830), Stanford (.811), UCLA (.776) and BYU (.775) in NCAA Division I winning percentage totals.

MORE STREAKS OF NOTE
UNI, Hawaii, Nebraska, Stanford, Penn State and UCLA lead the nation with 36 consecutive non-losing seasons in NCAA Division I volleyball.
   UNI has posted 32 straight NCAA Division I winning seasons – the sixth-longest active streak in the nation behind Hawaii (36), Nebraska (36), Penn State (36), Stanford (36) and UCLA (34).

17 MVC REGULAR SEASON TITLES
The Panthers have tallied 17 MVC regular season titles through the years.
   UNI won the regular season title in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013.

20 NCAA APPEARANCES
In its 20 trips to the NCAA tournament, UNI has posted 14 wins, advancing to at least the second round 11 times.
   UNI has advanced as far as the NCAA's Sweet 16 three times since 1999. In 2002, the Panthers went into the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 seed in the East Region.

VOLLEYBALL GOLF OUTING
The 2017 UNI volleyball golf outing is set for Sun., Oct. 1, at Fox Ridge Golf Course in Dike.
   The four-person best shot will get underway at 12:30 p.m. with the shotgun start. The $45 entry per golfer includes green fees, flight prizes and flag events. For an additional $12 golfers can use a golf cart for the event. Entrants can also add in $8 per golfer for a meal following the golf.
   Send golfer names, addresses, phone numbers along with $45 entry fee per golfer along with cart fee and meal fee (if applicable) to:

UNI Volleyball Golf Outing
P.O. Box 257
Dike, Iowa 50624

   For questions call Joe Becker at 319-989-2405.

PANTHERS PICKED SECOND IN MVC PRESEASON POLL
The Panthers earned one first-place vote in the preseason Missouri Valley Conference coaches poll.
   UNI is projected to finish second behind preseason favorite Missouri State.

2017 PRESEASON POLL
1.   Missouri State (9)   99 pts.
2.    UNI (1)    89 pts.
3.    Illinois State    76 pts.
4.    Loyola    67 pts.
5.    Southern Illinois    64 pts.
6.    Drake    48 pts.
7.    Valparaiso    33 pts.
8.    Bradley    32 pts.
9.    Indiana State    26 pts.
10. Evansville    16 pts.

WEBER EARNS PRESEASON ALL-MVC STATUS
Junior Bri Weber (Dike, Iowa) has been named to the preseason all-Missouri Valley Conference squad.

NICARAGUA TRIP
UNI spent 10 days in Nicaragua this past spring as the Panthers were able to make an trip outside the United States.
   UNI was in Nicaragua from May 9-17. The days consisted of playing volleyball, experiencing Nicaragua and doing mission work.
   An extra component of this trip that was different than in the past was the opportunity to give back. The team volunteered at Manos Unidas (cooperative for people with disabilities), Escuela Adelante (preschool) and local schools. The Panthers also hosted a youth volleyball clinic.

FAN FAVORITES
The Panthers consistently have ranked among the national leaders in attendance, including ranking No. 18 in the nation in 2016 with an average of 2,086 fans per home match.
   UNI has ranked in the top 20 in home attandance in 16 of the last 18 seasons, including a stretch of eight straight seasons in the top 20.

WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE
UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen will be available at the weekly press conference held each Monday beginning at noon in the McLeod Center's Alumni Suite. The press conference will be streamed live for the general public and media to view.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

UNI is Going to Kansas City for UMKC Tourney

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Amie Held

Heather Hook

Kendyl Sorge

Karlie Taylor

Piper Thomas

Bri Weber

Upcoming Events