Big Ten Takes 7 Teams, Including 5 of Top 8 Seeds into NCAA Tournament Play

Courtesy: Big Ten Conference

Seven Big Ten volleyball teams were selected to the 2018 NCAA Volleyball Tournament. Big Ten Champion Minnesota enters the tournament as the No. 2 overall seed. Illinois earned the No. 3 seed, Wisconsin was chosen the No. 6 seed, Nebraska earned the seventh seed, while Penn State is the eighth seed. Michigan and Purdue received at-large bids to the tournament. The seven bids mark the 26th consecutive season that at least six Big Ten volleyball teams have been selected for the tournament. Five of the top eight seeds are Big Ten programs.

• Penn State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Illinois will host first and second round contests. All five schools are ranked in the top 15 in average attendance. Nebraska leads the nation, averaging 8,188 fans per contest, Wisconsin is second with 7,052 and Minnesota is fourth at 5,354. Penn State checks in at No. 6 with 3,491 and Illinois is 12th with 2,562 patrons per contest.

• Nebraska and Penn State have combined to win nine of the last 12 NCAA Championships with Penn State collecting six (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014) and Nebraska winning three titles (2006, 2015, 2017).

• Per NCAA statistics, the Big Ten holds a .624 winning percentage which ranks first among all Division I conferences.

• For the 12th week in a row, seven Big Ten programs claimed spots in this week’s AVCA poll, with five teams ranked among the top 10: No. 2 Minnesota, No. 3 Illinois, No. 6 Nebraska, No. 7 Penn State, No. 8 Wisconsin, No. 12 Purdue and No. 18 Michigan.

• Eight Big Ten volleyball teams are ranked in the top 60 of the NCAA RPI: No. 2 Illinois, No. 4 Minnesota, No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 11 Nebraska, No. 12 Penn State, No. 20 Purdue, No. 21 Michigan and No. 56 Maryland.

• Big Ten teams currently obtain three of the top-15 positions on the national team hitting percentage list. Minnesota leads the conference at No. 5 with a .299 hitting percentage, Illinois is 10th at .278, and Wisconsin is No. 11 in the NCAA, boasting a .277 team hitting percentage.

• Big Ten students currently occupy three of the top-10 spots nationally in hitting percentage. Wisconsin’s Dana Rettke is second in the nation with a .422 hitting percentage, Minnesota’s Regan Pittman is No. 6 averaging a .407 hitting percentage and Nebraska’s Lauren Stivrins is No. 9 with a .401 hitting clip.

• Three Big Ten students hold top-15 positions nationally in assists per set. Wisconsin’s Sydney Hilley paces the conference at No. 5 averaging 11.93 helpers per set, Minnesota’s Samantha Seliger-Swenson is No. 7 with 11.76 and Illinois’ Jordyn Poulter is 11th with 11.66 assists per set.

• Four active Big Ten coaches have recorded at least 600 career wins: Penn State’s Russ Rose (1,269), Nebraska’s John Cook (716), Michigan State’s Cathy George (638) and Michigan’s Mark Rosen (615). Rose ranks first among active Division I coaches in career victories, while Cook ranks 10th, George is 15th and Rosen is No. 18.

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