COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University women’s volleyball team makes its final edits to the postseason resume Nov. 25-26, playing host to Purdue and Indiana to put a bow on the 2016 regular season. Both matches contested inside St. John Arena are set for 7 p.m. ET starts.
WEEKLY BASICS Friday, Nov. 25 – 7 p.m. ET – Columbus, Ohio (St. John Arena) Ohio State (18-12, 8-12 B1G) vs. Purdue (17-12, 7-11 B1G) Live Stats: GameTracker Video Broadcast: BTN Plus
Saturday, Nov. 26 – 7 p.m. ET – Columbus, Ohio (St. John Arena) Ohio State (18-12, 8-12 B1G) vs. Indiana (17-14, 6-12 B1G) Live Stats: GameTracker Video Broadcast: Buckeye Vision
MARK YOUR CALENDARS A field of 330 NCAA member institutions sponsoring Division I Women’s Volleyball programs will be trimmed down to 64 teams to compete in the single-elimination NCAA Tournament coming to a crescendo with the Semifinals and Finals hosted right here in the state’s capital (see below). Thirty-two at-large selections to go along with the 32 schools receiving automatic qualification through conference championships will be announced during the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, Nov. 27 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
SENIOR SALUTE Abby Fesl | #12 | Setter | Arlington Heights, Ill. • Played in all but two matches this season • Owns over 2,500 assists in her collegiate career • Transferred to Ohio State after three years at the University of North Florida
Maggie Heim | Student Coach/Former Setter | Omaha, Neb. • Competed as a setter during the 2013-14 seasons • Transitioned to the coaching staff after injuries ended playing career • Also assists in video production for the women’s volleyball program
Valeria León | #3 | Libero | Ponce, P.R. • All-time career digs leader in Ohio State history • Starting libero for all 66 matches during the past two seasons • Three-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week selection
Kylie Randall | #1 | Middle Blocker | Tomball, Texas • Played in over 70 career matches, including 28 total starts and 10 this season • Recorded more than 300 kills and 75 blocks thus far during her career • Two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
Taylor Sandbothe | #10 | Middle Blocker | Lee’s Summit, Mo. • All-time career blocks leader in Ohio State history • Owns 127 career starts as a Buckeye • 2015 First Team All-American and unanimous choice for the All-Big Ten First Team
HISTORY WITH THE BOILERMAKERS AND HOOSIERS Ohio State and Purdue have split an 84-match all-time series right down the middle, each arising victorious in 42 contests. St. John Arena has witnessed a 21-14 advantage in favor of OSU, including last season’s five-set triumph for the Scarlet & Gray.
The Buckeyes own a 50-27 advantage in the all-time series with Indiana despite the Hoosiers snapping a nine-match losing streak with a victory in Bloomington earlier this season.
HUGHES DOES IT ALL IN WIN OVER NITTANY LIONS Taylor Hughes was everywhere in Ohio State’s five-set triumph over No. 10 Penn State (Nov. 12), registering the first triple-double by a Buckeye since 2007 (Brianna McCarthy). Spending half her time as the setter and the other half as an attacker allowed her to shine in contributing 34 assists, 12 digs and 10 kills. The triple-double is one of just 18 nationally this season and second by a Big Ten student-athlete (Ashley Evans, Purdue).
COLUMBUS — THE CITY THAT CROWNS CHAMPIONS The 2016 NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship will be held in Nationwide Arena. The NCAA Semifinals are contested on Dec. 15, followed two days later by the crowning of a national champion on Saturday, Dec. 17, in front of a national television audience on ESPN. Tickets are ON SALE NOW! In addition, volleyball fans can also look forward to the 2017 NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship which is also being hosted in Ohio’s capital city (St. John Arena — May 4-6, 2017).
ANOTHER RANKED FOE DOWNED BY OSU The Buckeyes outlasted 10th-ranked Penn State on Nov. 12, representing Ohio State’s fourth victory over a Top-25 team in 2016. Then-No. 16 Texas A&M, top-ranked Nebraska and No. 11 Michigan State also fell victim to Buckeye wins.
Taylor Sandbothe – OHIO STATE’S ALL-TIME BLOCKS QUEEN Taylor Sandbothe surpassed Dawn McDougall (1988-91) on Nov. 2 (vs. Wisconsin) for the most career blocks in Ohio State history. Her third block of that evening marked the 518th of her career and launched her to the top of the all-time OSU list. She enters the week with 538 total blocks.
Sandbothe’s assault on the OSU Record Books includes a Top-20 standing in nine additional categories. The complete list is: 538 total blocks (1st), 108 solo blocks (2nd), 430 block assists (2nd), 1.13 blocks/set (2nd), .304 attack percentage (6th), 1,812 points (6th), 1,413 kills (9th), 3,174 attempts (11th), 3.81 points/set (14th) and 2.97 kills/set (T-19th).
Valeria León – OHIO STATE’S ALL-TIME DIGS QUEEN With her first dig of the night against Michigan State on Oct. 22, Valeria León took sole possession of the Ohio State school record for career digs. Her 1,573rd dig set the new mark and she enters tonight’s contest with 1,709 to her name. The Buckeye libero also has control of the best digs per set average in school history, putting up 3.49 per set since arriving at Ohio State in 2013.
BRINGING IN MORE BUCKEYES A quartet of highly-touted prep players have signed on to become the next class of Buckeyes to join the women’s volleyball program. Head coach Geoff Carlston and staff scoured the country to find the talented group hailing from four different states, including a native Buckeye in Lauren Witte from Mentor. Joining her in the 2017 class will be Hannah Gruensfelder (Weldon Springs, Mo.), Becca Mauer (Houston, Texas) and Ayanna Swan (Richmond, Va.) — all signing National Letters of Intent to attend and compete at The Ohio State University.
News courtesy of Ohio State Athletics.
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