Volleyball Prepares for Final Home Matches

Friday, November 20

Cedar Falls, Iowa

7 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

Bradley

Volleyball Prepares for Final Home Matches

11/18/2015 3:01:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

FULL RELEASE (PDF)

This Week's Action
Fri., Nov. 20 - Cedar Falls, Iowa (McLeod Center)
Bradley at UNI, 7 p.m. (The Valley on ESPN3) | LIVE STATS

Sat., Nov. 21 - Cedar Falls, Iowa (McLeod Center)
Loyola at UNI, 7 p.m. - LIVE STATS

• The University of Northern Iowa women's volleyball team (16-13 overall, 10-6 Missouri Valley Conference) will play its final two home matches of the season this Friday and Saturday in the McLeod Center.

• The Panthers will take on the Bradley Braves on Friday at 7 p.m. The match will be shown live on The Valley on ESPN3.

• UNI will honor its three seniors on Saturday night when it takes on the Loyola Ramblers at 7 p.m.

• UNI's seniors Autumn Alitz, Jana Braakhuis and Haley Wandrey have been a part of a Panther volleyball program that over the past five seasons has registered 118 victories, two NCAA appearances, an MVC regular season title, an MVC tournament title and four 20-win seasons.

• UNI has clinched a spot in the MVC Tournament set for Nov. 26-28 in Springfield, Mo. Depending upon results this week, UNI will be the No. 3, No. 4, No. 5 or No. 6 seed.

• Since the first season of MVC volleyball in 1992, UNI has posted 11 or more conference wins each season. UNI enters the final weekend of MVC play with a league record of 10-6.

• Freshman Bri Weber set the UNI program record for freshman attacks with 1,119 attacks.

• Junior Amie Held moved into No. 5 on UNI's all-time digs list - surpassing her head coach Bobbi (Becker) Petersen on the list. Held has tallied 1,477 career digs.

UNI SET FOR FINAL WEEKEND OF REGULAR SEASON ACTION
The University of Northern Iowa women's volleyball team (16-13 overall, 10-6 Missouri Valley Conference) will play its final two home matches of the season this Friday and Saturday in the McLeod Center.
   The Panthers will take on the Bradley Braves on Friday at 7 p.m. The match will be shown live on The Valley on ESPN3.
   UNI will honor its three seniors on Saturday night when it takes on the Loyola Ramblers at 7 p.m.

THE VALLEY ON ESPN3
Friday's match will be shown live on The Valley on ESPN3 with Brad Wells (play-by-play) and Barb Randall (analyst) calling the action.

RADIO COVERAGE
Live radio coverage of the UNI Panther volleyball team can be found on www.UNIPanthers.com and KXEL (1540-AM). All audio this year will be free of charge (no subscription service).
   Chris Kleinhans-Schulz returns for his fourth season as the play-by-play voice of Panther volleyball.

Live Audio Coverage Schedule
Fri., vs. Bradley - KXEL (1540-AM)
Sat., vs. Loyola - UNIPanthers.com

SCOUTING BRADLEY
Bradley enters the week sporting a 6-22 overall mark with a 1-15 record in Missouri Valley Conference play.
   The Braves are in the midst of a five-match losing skid after scoring a 3-2 win over Evansville on Oct. 30. The win over the Purple Aces snapped the Braves's 16-match losing streak.
   UNI notched a 3-0 win over Bradley in Peoria on Sept. 29.

SCOUTING LOYOLA
Loyola begins the week looking to earn a 20-win season with a 19-10 mark overall and 8-8 in MVC action.
   The Ramblers have dropped four consecutive matches heading into the weekly slate of MVC competition.
   UNI recorded a 3-0 sweep of Loyola in Chicago on Oct. 20. Since the loss to the Panthers, Loyola has gone 2-5 in league play.

THREE PANTHER SENIORS
Over the past five seasons, UNI's senior class has been a part of 117 victories, two NCAA appearances, an MVC regular season title, an MVC tournament title and four 20-win seasons.

Jana Braakhuis - Velen, Germany
Braakhuis has played in 13 sets and 10 matches this season for the Panthers. She has seven kills and three block assists in her lone season at UNI. She is majoring in kinesiology. She is the daughter of Grego and Paulian Braakhuis.

Haley Wandrey - Ankeny, Iowa
Wandrey has seen action in 271 career sets and 87 matches for the Panthers. She has posted 527 career digs. Wandrey set her career-high for digs in a match with 17 vs. Bradley on Sept. 20, 2014. She also handed out a career-high five assists against Northern Illinois on Sept. 17. She is majoring in Spanish/ESL teaching. She is the daughter of Greg and Evelyn Wandrey.

Autumn Alitz - Mason City, Iowa
Alitz has played in 116 sets and 35 matches in her career for the Panthers, while being credited with 206 career kills. Her 93 career blocks ranks her third among current UNI Panthers. She set a career-high with 14 kills in a 3-1 win over Missouri State on Oct. 31, 2014. She also recorded a career-high three service aces in a 3-1 triumph over Notre Dame on Sept. 13, 2014. Alitz tied a career-high with seven blocks in UNI's 3-1 MVC Tournament win over Wichita State on Nov. 28, 2014 in the McLeod Center. She is majoring in accounting and marketing. She is the daughter of Mark and Lori Alitz.

PANTHERS LOCKED INTO THE MVC TOURNEY
UNI has clinched one of six spots for the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference volleyball tournament, which will take place Nov. 26-28 in Springfield, Mo.
   Depending upon results this week, UNI will be the No. 3, No. 4, No. 5 or No. 6 seed for the MVC tournament.
   It marks the 31st straight time that UNI has qualified for the Gateway/MVC tournament. The Panthers will be joined by Wichita State, Southern Illinois, Illinois State, Missouri State and Loyola.

HISTORY OF SUCCESS
UNI's 3-0 win over Drake (Nov. 14) assured the Panthers of their 37th consecutive non-losing season.
   UNI needs one more victory this year to ensure its 31st consecutive winning season.

DIGGIN' TRIPLE DIGITS
For the second time this season, UNI posted 100 digs in a match in its 3-2 victory at Drake (Nov. 14).
   UNI also tallied 111 digs in a 3-2 win over Missouri State (Oct. 10).

SEASON-HIGHS AT DRAKE
UNI set a season-high with nine service aces in the 3-2 win at Drake (Nov. 14).
   The Panthers also tied a season-high with 13 blocks vs. the Bulldogs. It is the eighth time this season that UNI has achieved double-figures in blocks in a match.

HANELINE BOOSTS UNI
Junior Kayla Haneline registered 21 kills, nine blocks and a .381 hitting percentage in leading UNI to a 3-2 win over Drake (Nov. 14).
   Haneline set her career-high with nine blocks and tied another career-high with 21 kills vs. the Bulldogs.

HELD UP TO NO. 5 ON DIGS LIST
Junior Amie Held moved into No. 5 on UNI's all-time digs list - surpassing her head coach Bobbi (Becker) Petersen on the list. Held has tallied 1,477 career digs.
   Ellie Blankenship holds the all-time digs mark at UNI with 2,656 from 2007-2010.

UNI's All-Time Digs List
1.   Ellie Blankenship (2007-10)   2,656
2.   Candice Burke (2008-12)   1,737
3.   Amy Braun (2009-12)   1,672
4.   Stephanie May (2003-06)   1,570
5.   Amie Held (2013-pres.)   1,477
6.   Bobbi Becker (1986-89)   1,457
7.   Kate Galer (1993-96)   1,368
8.   Alexandra Auker (1997-00)   1,303
9.   Mary Bernhardt (1984-87)   1,202
10.   Miranda Weber (1999-02)   1,148

WEBER TAKES OVER UNI FROSH MARK FOR TOTAL ATTACKS
Freshman outside hitter Bri Weber set UNI's freshman attacks mark in UNI's 3-2 win at Drake (Nov. 14).
   Weber has registered 1,119 attacks, which moved her past Alex Auker's freshman mark of 1,081 attacks in 1997 for the Panthers.

WEBER POSTS CAREER-BEST FOR DIGS VS. DRAKE
Freshman Bri Weber posted her team-leading 16th double-double and a career-high 23 digs in helping UNI to a 3-2 win over the Drake Bulldogs on Saturday.
   Weber tallied 16 kills, 23 digs, two service aces and a block in the road victory.

HOOK RANKS 18TH NATIONALLY
Sophomore setter Heather Hook ranks No. 21 nationally in total assists with 1,187.

11 OR MORE LEAGUE WINS
Since the first season of MVC volleyball in 1992, UNI has posted 11 or more conference wins in every season.
   UNI's mark for fewest MVC wins in a season came in 1992 when the Panthers tallied 11 league victories.
   UNI will enter its final week of the MVC regular season with a mark of 10-6 with home matches against Bradley and Loyola.
   UNI's record for most league losses came in 2005, when the Panther recorded an MVC mark of 12-6.

HELD NOT FAZED BY SWITCHING
Since making the switch from libero to a six-rotation player on Oct. 2, junior Amie Held has led the Panthers in kills. Held has posted 157 kills in UNI's last 13 matches.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TALK
Freshman Bri Weber has recorded a team-best 16 double-doubles. Junior Amie Held has tallied 10 double-doubles. Sophomore Heather Hook has been credited with eight double-doubles.

38 CONSECUTIVE WINS VS DRAKE
UNI recorded its 38th consecutive win over Drake at the Knapp Center (Nov. 14).
   Drake did snap a streak of 19 consecutive set losses vs. UNI by taking the opening set of its 3-2 loss to the Panthers.
   Drake's last victory over UNI in the series came Nov. 23, 1996.

11 OR MORE LEAGUE WINS
Since the first season of MVC volleyball in 1992, UNI has posted 11 or more conference wins in every season.
   UNI's mark for fewest MVC wins in a season came in 1992 when the Panthers tallied 11 league victories.
   UNI's record of most league losses came in 2005, when the Panther recorded an MVC mark of 12-6.

NO. 7 IN THE NATION IN DIGS
UNI ranks No. 7 in the nation in digs/set as the Panthers are averaging 17.59 digs/set this season.

GREAT FAN SUPPORT
UNI is ranked No. 12 in the nation in average home attendance. UNI is averaging 2,319 fans per home match this season.
   UNI ranked No. 7 in the nation in average home attendance in the 2014 season with 3,118 fans per match in the McLeod Center.

NCAA'S UPDATED RPI NUMBERS
UNI is ranked No. 52 in the latest release of the NCAA's RPI listing. UNI has already played 11 top-64 teams in the RPI.
   UNI has collected four wins over top-64 RPI teams season with victories over No. 20 Creighton, No. 42 Southern Illinois, No. 43 Missouri State and No. 64 Illinois State.
   Five MVC schools are ranked in the top 64 including Wichita State (No. 30), Southern Illinois (No. 42), Missouri State (No. 43), UNI (No. 52) and Illinois State (No. 64).

UNI's Top-100 RPI Opponents
3. USC (L, 3-0)
15. Kentucky (L, 3-1)
19. Western Kentucky (L, 3-1)
20. Creighton (W, 3-1)
21. Iowa State (L, 3-0)
28. Colorado State (L, 3-0)
30. Wichita State (L, 3-0 | L, 3-0)
42. Southern Illinois (W, 3-1 | L, 3-1)
43. Missouri State (W, 3-2 | L, 3-1)
47. Baylor (L, 3-2)
64. Illinois State (L, 3-0 | W, 3-1)

ONE OF THE TOUGHEST SLATES
UNI's schedule strength is ranked No. 18 in the nation according to the latest NCAA statistical release.
   UNI's opponents this season have posted a mark of 370-232 (.615), which puts the Panthers's 2015 schedule as the toughest in the Missouri Valley Conference.
   Wichita State has the second toughest schedule in the MVC with its opposition's record at 364-262 (.581), which ranks No. 46 in the nation.

NCAA REGIONAL HOST
UNI will serve as the host to the 2015 Division I NCAA Tournament Regional in Des Moines, Iowa, on Dec. 11-12.
   The regional semifinals and final will take place in Wells Fargo Arena.
   To purchase all-session tickets ($17 or $20) to the NCAA Regional contact the Wells Fargo Arena ticket office at 515-564-8300.

UNI ADDS FOUR SIGNEES
UNI head volleyball coach Bobbi Petersen has announced the addition of four signees to the Panther volleyball program for the 2016 season.
   Kate Busswitz (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/C.R. Prairie HS), Kate Cassabaum (Nevada, Iowa/Nevada HS), Abbi Staack (Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock HS) and Karlie Taylor (Eddyville, Iowa/Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont HS) have each signed at UNI to become a part of the Panther volleyball tradition.
   "We are extremely excited about our 2016 recruiting class and look forward to what these four student athletes will bring to our program," Petersen said. "Each is an incredible athlete, with great work ethic, a hunger to compete and have a high commitment to academics, all of which are important to our program. We are thrilled to have each of them and their families become members of the UNI Panther volleyball program."

WEEKLY PRESS LUNCHEONS
UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen will be available at the weekly Press Luncheons held each Monday beginning at noon in the back room of Pepper's Grill and Sports Pub located on 18th Street in Cedar Falls.