Big Ten Action Kicks Off with Three Wednesday Matches

Courtesy: Big Ten Conference

Conference play continues this week with all 14 schools in action. No. 6 Nebraska at Iowa will be carried live on BTN and the remaining matches will stream live on BTN Plus.

• For the ninth week in a row, seven Big Ten programs claimed spots in the latest AVCA poll, with five teams ranked among the top 10: No. 3 Minnesota, No. 4 Illinois, No. 6 Nebraska, No. 7 Penn State, No. 8 Wisconsin, No. 12 Purdue and No. 15 Michigan.
• Nine Big Ten volleyball teams are ranked in the top 60 of the NCAA RPI: No. 2 Illinois, No. 4 Minnesota, No. 7 Wisconsin, No. 12 Purdue, No. 13 Michigan, No. 14 Nebraska, No. 17 Penn State, No. 56 Northwestern and No. 57 Indiana.
• Based on past opponents’ winning percentage, eight Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 25 for toughest schedules in the nation. The Badgers are fourth (.680), Illinois is fifth (.679), Michigan is 10th (.639), Minnesota is 12th (.638), Nebraska is 17th (.619), Ohio State is 20th (.615), Northwestern is 22nd (.612), and Purdue is No. 25 (.609).
• Per NCAA statistics, the Big Ten holds a .652 winning percentage which ranks first among all Division I conferences.
• Big Ten teams currently obtain four of the top-30 positions on the national team hitting percentage list. Minnesota leads the conference at No. 4 with a .299 hitting percentage, Illinois is 10th at .278, Wisconsin (.278) is 11th and Penn State is No. 27 in the NCAA, boasting a .256 team hitting percentage.
• Big Ten teams occupy six of the top-25 positions on the national blocks per set rankings. Penn State is No. 5 with 2.94 blocks per set and Nebraska (2.84) is 11th. Rutgers is No. 20 with 2.68 rejections per set, Indiana follows at 21st with 2.68, Wisconsin is No. 23 averaging 2.65 blocks and Michigan State is No. 24 (2.64).
• Three Big Ten teams currently hold top-20 spots nationally in kills per set. Minnesota ranks second with 15.16 kills per set, Illinois is 10th with 14.38, and Wisconsin is No. 19 with 14.01 kills per set.
• Big Ten students currently occupy five of the top-25 spots nationally in hitting percentage. Wisconsin’s Dana Rettke leads the Big Ten and ranks third nationally with a .434 hitting percentage. Nebraska’s Lauren Stivrins (.406) is No. 10, Illinois’ Ali Bastianelli (.402) is No. 14, Minnesota’s Regan Pittman is No. 18 (.398) and Penn State’s Kaitlyn Hord is No. 24 hitting a clip of .386.
• Four Big Ten students rank in the top-30 positions for blocks per set. Wisconsin’s Dana Rettke leads the conference and is ranked sixth nationally with 1.59 blocks per set. Nebraska’s Callie Schwarzenbach ranks 10th nationally, averaging 1.52 blocks per set, Illinois’ Ali Bastianelli is No. 24 with 1.35 and Penn State’s Serena Grey is No. 28 with 1.34 blocks per set.
• Four active Big Ten coaches have recorded at least 600 career wins: Penn State’s Russ Rose (1,265), Nebraska’s John Cook (710), Michigan State’s Cathy George (636) and Michigan’s Mark Rosen (612). Rose ranks first among active Division I coaches in career victories, while Cook ranks 10th, George is 15th and Rosen is No. 18.
• Based on average attendance, the Big Ten currently has ten of the nation’s top 25 programs, including the top two spots. Nebraska leads the nation, averaging 8,186 fans per contest, Wisconsin is second with 7,052 and Minnesota is fourth at 5,310. Penn State checks in at No. 7 with 3,403, Michigan State is 10th with 2,765, Illinois is 17th with 2,228, Purdue is 18th with 2,188, Ohio State is 20th with 2,118, Iowa is No. 21 with 2,028 and Michigan is No. 26 with 1,803 patrons per contest.