Illinois senior middle blocker Ali Bastianelli put her name in the school record book as the best all-time blocker.
Bastianelli, who was named as one of the Top 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award on Monday, needed just four stuffs on Wednesday against Wisconsin to match alumna Johannah Bangert’s record mark of 653 career blocks from 2007-10. She managed two in that contest, but broke through with five against Northwestern on Saturday.
The Preseason All-Big Ten selection had turned in 84 stuffs in 2018, including nine efforts of six or more. The two-time All-Big Ten selection (2016, 2017) and 2017 AVCA Preseason All-American entered the year with 567 blocks.
As a rookie in 2015, she racked up 167 stuffs, ranking second in the Big Ten and 11th nationally. Her 1.39 blocks per set clip also was second the league and 21st nationally.
A 201-stuff haul in 2016, saw the Marysville, Michigan native, average 1.79 per set, leading the conference.
Bastianelli added 199 blocks in 2017, ranking second nationally, while averaging 1.60 stuffs per set, fourth in the nation and tops in the Big Ten, setting the table for Wednesday’s record night.
Bastianelli is the only active player in the country with more than 600 blocks to her credit. Not including Wednesday’s stats, Bastianelli ranked 11th nationally in blocks per set (1.49) and 18th in total blocks (82).
In addition to snapping Bangert’s total blocks record, Bastianelli is primed to grab her block assists record as well, currently sitting in second place with 602, just 11 behind Bangert’s tally of 613.
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