Panther VB Travels to UMKC, Kansas This Weekend

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This Week's Action
Fri., Sept. 9 -- Kangaroo Klassic (Kansas City, Mo.)
UNI vs. Nebraska-Omaha, 3 p.m. - LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS
UNI at UMKC, 7:30 p.m. - LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS

Sat., Sept. 3
UNI at Kansas, 6 p.m. - WATCH ESPN3 | LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS

• The University of Northern Iowa women's volleyball team returns to the Midwest to take part in the Kangaroo Klassic in Kansas City on Friday before heading to Lawrence, Kan., on Saturday for a matchup with the No. 4-ranked Kansas Jayhawk squad.

• UNI will square off against Nebraska-Omaha on Friday at 3 p.m. The Panthers will then wrap up Friday's action with a 7:30 p.m. match at Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC).

• Saturday will bring another match as the Panthers take on the No. 4-ranked Kansas Jayhawks at 6 p.m.

• UNI moved to 3-3 on the season by going 1-2 at the USC Radisson Classic. UNI scored a 3-0 victory over No. 23-ranked Kentucky on Saturday night to pick up the Panthers's first win over a ranked foe since the 2013 season.

• Junior setter Heather Hook was named to the USC Radisson Classic All-Tournament Team.

• Hook moved up to No. 10 on UNI's all-time assist list at the USC Radisson Classic. Hook has tallied 1,623 career assists.

• Head coach Bobbi Petersen is in her 17th year at the helm of the Panther program with a record of 413-125.

• $1 tickets are on sale for UNI's home opener vs. Iowa State on Sept. 13. UNI is looking to break its home attendance mark of 6,621 set in Sept. 4, 2013, also against the Cyclones. Call 319-273-4849 or stop by the ticket office to get your tickets today.

PANTHERS RETURN TO MIDWEST
UNI will square off against Nebraska-Omaha on Friday at 3 p.m. The Panthers will then wrap up Friday's action with a 7:30 p.m. match at Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC).
   Saturday will bring another match against the No. 4-ranked Kansas Jayhawks at 6 p.m.

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 (no subscription service).
   Chris Kleinhans-Schulz will return for his fifth season as the play-by-play voice of Panther volleyball.

Live Audio Coverage Schedule
Fri., vs. Omaha - UNIPanthers.com
Fri., at UMKC - KXEL (1540-AM)
Sat., at Kansas - UNIPanthers.com

ALL-TIME SERIES
UNI is 2-4 all-time vs. Nebraska-Omaha but the squads have not met since the 1983 season. UNI's only two victories in the series came Nov. 20, 1980 and Sept. 26, 1981.
   UNI has posted a 5-1-1 mark vs. UMKC. The last meeting between the Panthers and Kangaroos came Sept. 7, 1996, when UNI scored a 3-0 victory. UNI has won five consecutive matches in the series.
   UNI owns a 9-2-1 lead in the all-time series vs. Kansas. UNI has won nine in a row over the Jayhawks including a pair of five-setters on Sept. 10, 2010 and Sept. 9, 2011. UNI is 2-1 all-time against Kansas in Lawrence.

HEAD COACH BOBBI PETERSEN
Head coach Bobbi Petersen is beginning her 17th year as the Panthers head coach.
   Petersen has posted an impressive 413-125 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. She ranks in the top 10 of active Division I coaches in winning percentage (.768).
   In 2015, Petersen joined the 400-win club allowing her to become only the fourth MVC coach to earn 400 victories. Petersen joined Linda Dollar (758 - Missouri State), Iradge Ahrabi-Fard (503 - UNI) and Melissa Stokes (438 - Missouri State) in that elite class.

$1 TICKETS FOR IOWA STATE
The UNI ticket office is offering $1 tickets for the home-opener vs. Iowa State on Sept. 13.
   The Panthers are looking to set the McLeod Center attendance record - set with 6,621 fans on Sept. 4, 2013 for an Iowa State-UNI match.

STIFF SCHEDULE
Head coach Bobbi Petersen has lined up a loaded schedule that will feature nine matches against teams either ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA Top 25.

Ranked or Receiving Votes
#4   Kansas
#24   Southern California
RV   Creighton
RV   Kentucky
RV   Iowa State
RV Missouri State
RV Wichita State

PANTHERS TAKE DOWN NO. 23 KENTUCKY
UNI scored the program's first win over a ranked opponent since Sept. 7, 2013, when the Panthers knocked off No. 17 Louisville in Fargo, N.D., 3-0.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TALK
Sophomore Bri Weber has collected four consecutive double-doubles as the Panthers head into action at the Kangaroo Klassic in Kansas City, Mo.
   After notching a double-double over Michigan on Aug. 27, Weber collected double figures in kills and digs in all three matches at the USC Radisson Classic against No. 22 Creighton, Southern California and No. 23 Kentucky.
   Weber leads the Panthers in digs (74 - 3.89/set) this season.

UNI Double-Doubles
4, Bri Weber
2, Amie Held

HOOK NAMED TO USC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Junior setter Heather Hook earned a spot on the USC Radisson Classic All-Tournament squad.
   Hook averaged 10.20 assists per set as UNI went 1-2 against the field. Hook tallied 12 kills, hit .526 and collected six blocks in the three matches.

FIRST SET WIN OVER USC
UNI also recorded the program's first-ever set victory over the USC Trojans this past weekend. UNI rallied from a 20-11 deficit in the third set with a 15-4 run to take the set, 26-24. It was the first set dropped by USC against UNI, Creighton or Kentucky in the three years that the four teams have been competing in this rotating tournament.

HELD AT NO. 4 ON DIGS CHART
Senior Amie Held ranks No. 4 on UNI's all-time digs list with 1,626.
   Amy Braun (2009-2012) ranks No. 3 on UNI's digs list with 1,672.
   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.    Amie Held (2013-pres.)    1,626
5.    Stephanie May (2003-06)    1,570
6.    Bobbi Becker (1986-89)    1,457
7.    Kate Galer (1993-96)    1,368
8.    Alexandra Auker (1997-00)   1,303
9.    Mary Bernhardt (1984-87)    1,202
10.   Miranda Weber (1999-02)    1,148

HOOK JOINS TOP-10 ASSIST LIST
Junior Heather Hook joined UNI's top-10 list for career assists in the Panther volleyball program.
   Hook has tallied 1,623 assists in her career, which moved her past Erin Hirsch's total of 1,555.
   Jill Arganbright holds the all-time digs mark at UNI with 6,064 from 2000-2003.

UNI's All-Time Assists List
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.   Bobbie Kreple (1987-90)   2,780
8.   Kinsey Caldwell (2013-14)   2,549
9.   Katie Crowley (1988-91)   1,895
10.   Heather Hook (2014-pres.)   1,623

VOLLEYBALL GOLF OUTING
The 2016 UNI volleyball golf outing is set for Sun., Oct. 9, 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.
   For questions call Joe Becker at 319-989-2405.
   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

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.

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Amie Held

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