2016 Big Ten Volleyball Weekly Release

Courtesy of The Big 10

2016 Big Ten volleyball weekly rankings, schedules and notes:

• All 14 Big Ten volleyball teams begin conference play this week with 11 matches being carried on either BTN or BTN Plus.

• For the fourth straight week, Nebraska was the unanimous top-ranked team in the latest AVCA coaches poll. Seven other Big Ten programs are ranked in the poll: No. 2 Minnesota, No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 10 Purdue, No. 17 Ohio State, No. 18 Penn State, No. 20 Michigan State and No. 22 Michigan. Illinois is receiving votes in the poll.

• Through non-conference play, the Big Ten has amassed an 122-36 combined record for a winning percentage of .772.

• Based on average attendance, the Big Ten has five of the nation’s top 15 teams. Nebraska is No. 1 in attendance, averaging 8,189 fans per contest, while Wisconsin is third with 5,958 and Minnesota is fourth with 4,181. Penn State checks in at No. 5 with 3,585 patrons while Michigan State ranks 12th at 2,028 and Purdue is 15th with 1,975 people per match.

• Nebraska has posted a .349 hitting percentage this season, which leads the nation. Michigan ranks sixth, hitting at a clip of .301, while Iowa is eighth with a hitting percentage of .299. Indiana ranks ninth with a mark of .297 and Minnesota ranks 10th with a hitting percentage of .297.

• Nebraska is averaging 14.93 kills per set, good for second in the country. Minnesota is fourth with 14.84 kills per set and Michigan is ninth with 14.54 kills per set

• After an impressive weekend that saw Wisconsin freshman Molly Haggerty named Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Week, Haggerty earned AVCA National Player of the Week honors after leading the Badgers to wins over nationally-ranked Texas and Texas A&M.

• Maryland’s Ashlyn MacGregor ranks third in the country, averaging 1.88 blocks per set. Illinois’ Ali Bastianelli ranks fourth with 1.80 blocks per set while Wisconsin’s Tionna Williams (1.71 blocks per set) ranks sixth.

• Based on past opposition’s winning percentage, Wisonsin has played the second toughest schedule in the nation, while Minnesota has played the sixth toughest schedule.

• Minnesota currently ranks second nationally with 3.42 blocks per set. Wisconsin is fourth with 3.28 blocks per set, while Maryland checks in at ninth with 3.06.