UNI Returns to McLeod For Bradley, Illinois State

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This Week's Action

Fri., Sept. 29 -- Cedar Falls, Iowa (McLeod Center)
Bradley at UNI, 7 p.m. | ESPN3 | AUDIO | STATS

Sat., Sept. 30 -- Cedar Falls, Iowa (McLeod Center)
Illinois State at UNI, 7 p.m. | ESPN3 | AUDIO | STATS

• The No. 22-ranked University of Northern Iowa volleyball team (12-4 overall, 2-0 MVC) returns home this weekend to take on the Bradley Braves (Fri., 7 p.m.) and the Illinois State Redbirds (Sat., 7 p.m.) in the McLeod Center.

• Friday's match will honor the 25th anniversary of women's athletics in the Missouri Valley Conference.

• Saturday's match will be a gold game as a part of Childhood Cancer night.

• UNI junior Piper Thomas earned MVC Player of the Week honors for the second time this season for her play in two wins at Valparaiso and Loyola. Thomas tallied a career-high 23 kills (.373 hitting percentage) to go along with three blocks in a 3-1 win at Valparaiso. Thomas added 13 kills (.323 hitting percentage) and four blocks in a 3-0 sweep of Loyola Saturday.

• UNI has won the opening set in 13 of its 16 matches this season. The Panthers are 12-1 when winning the first set.

• The Panthers are 4-2 this season against ranked opponents with wins over No. 10 Nebraska (3-1), No. 18 USC (3-1), No. 19 Missouri (3-2) and No. 19 Iowa State (3-2).

• The Panthers have posted a record of 111-24 in the McLeod Center since moving into the venue on Nov. 18, 2006.

• UNI is 675-9 all-time when winning the first two sets of a match.

• Head coach Bobbi Petersen is in her 18th year at the helm of the Panther program with a record of 446-136.

UNI RETURNS HOME FOR
MATCHES AGAINST BRADLEY, ILLINOIS STATE
The No. 22-ranked University of Northern Iowa volleyball team (12-4 overall) returns home to the McLeod Center to take on Bradley (Fri., 7 p.m.) and Illinois State (Sat., 7 p.m.).
   Bradley enters the weekend with a mark of 0-3 in the MVC and 7-10 overall.
   Illinois State is 2-1 in the MVC and 9-7 overall.

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF MVC WOMEN'S SPORTS
The 2017-18 season is a landmark one for the Conference and for women's sports.
   To help celebrate the 45th anniversary of Title IX and the 25th anniversary of women's sports in the Missouri Valley Conference, league staff, in conjunction with SWAs, marketing directors and sports information directors at its 10 institutions, have developed a list of initiatives with the following goals in mind.
   • To honor women student-athletes from the first 25 years of MVC competition
   • To recognize outstanding achievements during the first 25 years of women in the MVC
   • To bring attention to the current women student-athletes
   • To honor the Conference history of women's sports and its pioneers
   • To enhance future progress of women student-athletes

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 Bradley - KXEL (1540-AM)
Sat., vs Illinois St. - UNIPanthers.com

THE VALLEY ON ESPN3
Both matches will be streamed live on The Valley on ESPN3.
   Brad Wells (play-by-play) and Barb Randall (analyst) will call the action courtside in the McLeod Center.

SERIES NOTES
UNI has defeated Bradley in 23 consecutive matchups. UNI holds a 62-9 lead in the all-time series. UNI has defeated Bradley 27 straight times in matches played in Cedar Falls.
   UNI owns a 50-24 mark against Illinois State in the all-time series between the two schools.
   UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen is 30-5 vs. Bradley. Petersen is 28-11 vs. Illinois State.

HEAD COACH BOBBI PETERSEN
Head coach Bobbi Petersen is in her 18th year as the Panthers head coach.
   Petersen has posted an impressive 446-136 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 (474 - Missouri State in that elite class.

WEBER CLOSING IN ON AN ELITE 1,000/1,000 CLUB
Junior Bri Weber is looking to become the 11th UNI Panther to post a pair of 1,000 career totals (digs, kills or assists).
   Weber has registered 1,075 career digs and 935 career 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

PIPER POWERS PANTHER OFFENSE
Junior middle hitter Piper Thomas has been named the MVC Player of the Week for the second time this season. Thomas powered the UNI offense with a .354 hitting percentage and a team-best 36 kills (5.14 kills/set) as the Panthers secured a pair of road wins to begin Missouri Valley Conference play.
   Thomas tallied a career-high 23 kills (.373 hitting percentage) to go along with three blocks in a 3-1 win at Valparaiso. Thomas added 13 kills (.323 hitting percentage) and four blocks in a 3-0 sweep of Loyola.
   Thomas ranks fifth in the league in total kills (234) and seventh in hitting percentage (.308) on the season.

PANTHERS NEARLY AUTOMATIC WHEN UP 2-0
UNI jumped out to a 2-0 lead at Loyola on Saturday and finished off the advantage with a 3-0 sweep.
   UNI improved to 675-9 all-time when winning the first two sets of a match.

EARLY ADVANTAGE
UNI has won the opening set in 13 of its 16 matches this season. The Panthers are 12-1 when winning the first set.
   UNI's only loss this season when winning the Panthers won the first set vs. No. 13 Kentucky and the Wildcats scored a five-set win on Sept. 2 in Omaha, Nebraska.

HOME SWEET HOME
UNI will return home to the McLeod Center for a pair of Missouri Valley Conference matches this Friday and Saturday. UNI has played 15 of its first 16 matches away from the friendly confines of the McLeod Center.
   The Panthers have posted a record of 111-24 in the McLeod Center since moving into the venue on Nov. 18, 2006.

DIGGING IN VS. VALPO
UNI was credited with 104 digs in a four-set win at Valparaiso to begin league play.
   The 104 digs ranks as the third-best total in school history in four-set matches.
   UNI tallied 37 digs in the opening set alone against the Crusaders - topping its previous season-high of 33 digs in the first set of match vs. South Dakota (9/8).
   UNI tied a school record for four-set matches earlier this season by posting 107 digs vs. South Dakota.

UNI Record - Digs (4-Set Match)
1.   107 vs. South Dakota (9/8/17)
   107 at Creighton (10/27/00)
3.   104 at Valparaiso (9/22/17)
4.   101 vs. Arkansas State (12/4/93)
5.   100 vs. Illinois State (10/18/13)

SORGE MOVES TO NO. 7 ON UNI'S TOP-10 ALL-TIME DIGS LIST
Junior libero Kendyl Sorge has moved into the No. 7 slot on UNI's all-time digs list with 1,392 digs.
   Sorge needs 65 more digs to move into No. 6 on the list. Bobbi Becker recorded 1,457 digs from 1986-1989.

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.   Amy Braun (2009-2012)   1,672
5.   Stephanie May (2003-2006)   1,570
6.   Bobbi Becker (1986-1989)   1,457
7.   Kendyl Sorge (2015-pres.)   1,392
8.   Kate Galer (1993-1996)   1,368
9.   Alexandra Auker (1997-2000)   1,303
10.   Bre Payton (2007-2011)   1,222
11.   Mary Bernhardt (1984-1987)   1,202
12.   Miranda Weber (1999-2002)   1,148
13.   Laura Rowen (2004-2007)   1,145
14.   Bri Weber (2015-pres.)   1,075
15.   Jill Arganbright (2000-2003)   1,025

HOOK CLIMBS ASSIST LADDER
UNI senior setter Heather Hook ranks No. 7 on the school's all-time assist chart.
   Hook is the seventh UNI Panther to accumulate at least 3,000 assists in her career. Hook has posted 3,467 career assists.

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.   Kristin Belzung (2003-2007)   4,256
6.   Mary Bernhardt (1984-1987)   3,977
7.   Heather Hook (2014-pres.)   3,467
8.   Bobbie Kreple (1987-1990)   2,780
9.   Kinsey Caldwell (2013-2014)   2,549
10.   Katie Crowley (1988-1991)   1,895

THOMAS CLOSING IN ON TOP-10 SOLO BLOCKS LIST
Junior middle hitter Piper Thomas is one solo block away from joining the top-10 list of solo blockers in UNI volleyball history.
   Thomas is tied with Kayla Hanline for No. 11 on the solo blocks list with 61.

UNI's All-Time Assist 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.   Jill Sprague (1985-1988)   71
   Danielle Brazda (2003-20070   71
8.   Tricia Mills (1990-1993)   65
9.   Krista DeGeest (2008-2012)   64
10.   Shelby Kintzel (2009-2013)   62
11.   Kayla Haneline (2012-2016)   61
   Piper Thomas (2015-pres.)   61

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TALK
Karlie Taylor leads the Panthers in double-doubles this season with nine.
   Bri Weber ranks second on the team in double-doubles with eight, while Heather Hook has posted seven double-doubles this year.
   Weber has recorded 42 career double-doubles. Hook has tallied 31 career double doubles.

Career Double-Doubles
Bri Weber - 42
Heather Hook - 31
Karlie Taylor - 9

UNI ENTERS AVCA TOP 25 POLL
UNI earned a No. 22 ranking in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll on Sept. 18. UNI maintained the No. 22 ranking in the Sept. 25 poll.
   The last time UNI was ranked came when the Panthers appeared at No. 25 in the Sept. 3, 2012, top 25 poll.

MORE POLLING NUMBERS
UNI has been ranked in the AVCA Top 25 112 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 112 poll rankings puts it on top. Iowa State has been ranked in 82 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).

FOUR WINS OVER RANKED FOES
UNI wrapped up its non-conference play and captured two more wins over ranked foes to run the Panther season total to four wins over top-25 opposition.
   UNI began last week by going on the road and securing a 3-2 victory at No. 19-ranked Iowa State.
   UNI recorded the program's first win over Nebraska with a 3-1 triumph at the Omaha Challenge. The Panthers entered the match against Nebraska having only won one set against the Cornhuskers and that had occurred all the way back in 1977.

UNI KNOCKED OFF FIVE RANKED TEAMS IN 2002
UNI is 4-2 against ranked foes in 2017. 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).

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.

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.

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