Oct. 13, 2004

Champaign, Ill. -

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The Week Ahead

Oct. 15 at Iowa
7 p.m., Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, Iowa
Radio: Illini Sports Network (Dave Loane & Steve Layman)
Oct. 16 at #2 Minnesota
7 p.m., Williams Arena, Minneapolis, Minn.
Radio: Illini Sports Network (Steve Layman & Mike Koon)
TV: FoxSports North (Marney Gellner & Linda Schudlick, tape delay, Sunday, 2 p.m.

The skinny on Illinois:

Tough stretch ahead: Saturday Illinois begins a tough stretch with three straight matches against the league's top-ten ranked teams. The Illini meet #2 Minnesota in Minneapolis Saturday before coming home to #5 Penn State and #8 Ohio State next weekend at Huff Hall.

Hynds returns to the line-up: After suffering a severe ankle sprain in practice on Sept. 13, the day before Illinois lost its first match of the year at Loyola, Jen Hynds played in one rotation over the next eight matches and the Illini went 5-3 in those matches. The redshirt freshman middle blocker returned for game three vs. Michigan, a match the Illini won 3-2. She had eight kills and no errors in 17 swings for a .471 hitting percentage and hit .381 with 10 kills and two errors in 21 swings vs. Michigan State. The Illini are a perfect 7-0 with Hynds in the line-up.

Belter named Big Ten Player of the Week: Jessica Belter was named Big Ten Player of the Week. She had 25 kills and made just one attack error in 40 swings for a .600 hitting percentage vs. Michigan and followed that up with a .519 attack percentage (18 kills, four errors, 27 attacks) vs. Michigan State. For the week Belter had 43 kills and hit a combined .567.

This marks the second consecutive week Belter has had impressive numbers. She had 19 kills in a four-game match vs. Wisconsin and 12 kills in a three-game sweep of Northwestern a week ago giving her 74 kills and a .454 clip in the past two weeks. That raised her attack percentage from .256 in .320 in just four matches.

Belter's success against Michigan and Michigan State is nothing new. Last season she was named not only Big Ten Player of the Week, but also AVCA National Player of the Week on Oct. 20, 2003, following wins at Michigan State and Michigan. Belter totaled impressive averages of 14.0 kills on combined .558 hitting along with 1.7 blocks and 2.0 digs per game in those matches last year.

SERIES NOTES:

Iowa Series: Illinois leads the all-time series 40-12, including a 13-3 record under Head Coach Don Hardin.
• The last five Illinois wins have been in three-games, including both matches last season.
• Rachel VanMeter had nine kills and hit. 412 in the 30-21, 30-25, 30-18 win in Iowa City last year. The Hawkeyes hit just .098 in the match. VanMeter followed that with 21 kills and a .357 hitting percentage vs. the Hawkeyes in the 30-21, 30-25, 30-28 win in Champaign.
Minnesota Series: Illinois leads the all-time series 33-17 and is 7-9 vs. the Golden Gophers under Don Hardin.
• The teams split a pair of matches last year with each team winning 3-1 at home. Rachel VanMeter's 17 kills were not enough in a 30-21, 24-30, 30-21, 30-19 defeat in Minneapolis. In Champaign, Illinois survived three Golden Gopher match points in game four before a kill from Jessica Belter made it 34-32 Illinois. The Illini raced to an 11-6 lead in game five en route to completing a thrilling 23-30, 30-23, 24-30, 34-32, 15-13 victory.
• Don Hardin was an assistant under Mike Hebert at Illinois from 1983-87 helping the Illini to the `87 Final Four.
• Illinois has had some recent success in Minneapolis with victories in 1999 and 2002. The Illini also lost in five games in 2001.

A LOOK BACK

Illinois swept a pair of home conference matches, defeating Michigan 28-30, 30-22, 30-16, 36-30, 15-12 and Michigan State, 30-27, 30-22, 30-19. Jessica Belter had a big weekend hitting .600 with a career-high 25 kills vs. Michigan and .519 with 18 kills vs. Michigan State. Outside hitter Rasa Virsilaite had 17 kills vs. Michigan and 11 kills while hitting .526 vs. Michigan State. The Illini received a lift with the return of middle blocker Jen Hynds, who has been out since Sept. 10. Hynds returned in game three vs. Michigan and had eight kills while hitting .471 vs. Michigan and 10 kills while hitting .381 in three games vs. Michigan State.

The Illini had a terrific game on the defensive side vs. Michigan with four players reaching double-figures in digs, led by Lauren Harks' 18 digs. Senior Kathleen Bazzetta chipped in 16 digs, while Beth Vrdsky added 13 digs. Freshman Stephanie Obermeier recorded a career-high 70 assists, while also leading the Illini on the night with three service aces. The Illini held an 8-1 advantage in service aces.

The Illini hit .462 vs. MSU with 59 kills on just 10 errors. That was the best output since September 12, last season against Manhattan when the Orange and Blue hit .475 with 56 kills and only eight errors.

HARDIN CLOSES IN ON 350

Don Hardin has 345 victories in his collegiate career, five from the 350 milestone. Here is when the coach reach the other milestones of 50.
50 -- Oct. 21, 1990 (Louisville 3, Butler 0)
100 -- Oct. 17, 1992 (Louisville 3, Tulane 0)
150 -- Oct. 14, 1994 (Louisville 3, S. Mississippi 0)
200 -- Oct. 12, 1996 (Illinois 3, Indiana 1)
250 -- Sept. 24, 1999 (Illinois 3, Northwestern 2)
300 -- Sept. 14, 2002 (Illinois 3, Connecticut 0)

ILLINOIS ATTACK IMPROVES

Illinois has hit over .300 in three of the last five matches, including hitting .462 as a team vs. Michigan State. In the span of those five matches, Illinois' team attack percentage has improved from .252 to .267. Jessica Belter has been at the heart of the improvement hitting .454 in her last four matches, raising her attack percentage from .256 to .320.

INSTANT OFFENSE

When Illinois needs a spark offensively, Head Coach Don Hardin has inserted freshman Vicki Brown. Her presence has often meant an immediate kill for side-out. Brown had two kills in three swings (.667) vs. Wisconsin, matching her four-kill, .667 performance vs. Miami, She has quickly become a fan favorite. Brown had seven kills in the win over #1 USC and finished Arkansas off in the final game of the championship match of the tournament in Fayetteville. Brown recorded the Illini's last six points when the Illini trailed 25-27 in that one.

ON THE ATTACK

Rachel VanMeter has 630 attack attempts on the season through 15 matches that means she is on pace for 1,218 on the season, which would be fifth on the Illinois single-season list. Her 1,197 attack attempts is currently fifth best. VanMeter, has led Illinois in attacks in 13 of the first 15 matches. She entered the season with 1,395 attack for career. She would have 2,613 at the end of the regular season at this pace, just 117 from tenth all time with one season to play.
• Illinois assistant coach Mary (Coleman) Hambly is Illinois' career leader with 4,374

WEDDING BLISS

Needing to replace two assistant coaches this year, Illinois Head Coach Don Hardin made two outstanding hires in Mary Coleman, a former Illini and member of the USPV's Minnesota Chill and Jen Flynn, a former setter for the U.S. National Team. There was just one problem. Both assistants already had wedding plans.....during the season.....one week apart.
• Coleman was engaged to Kevin Hambly, an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic Team, and chose a September 25 wedding because it was after the Olympic Games. Hambly serves Illinois as a volunteer assistant coach this year. The couple missed the Purdue and Indiana matches.
• Flynn married Steve Oldenburg, who now serves the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics as an assistant strength coach. The couple were married Sept. 18. Flynn missed the University of Arkansas Tournament
• As a compromise, both agreed to postpone their honeymoons.

ILLINI TOP NUMBER ONE

In a weekend full of upsets in the volleyball world, Illinois pulled the one most talked about with the win over USC. The Illini came from behind to win, 30-24, 24-30, 12-30, 30-27, 15-8 in front of 3,000 fans at Huff Hall. USC had come into the match with the all-time best win streak in NCAA History -- 52 matches and were the two-time defending champion. Illinois was out hit in the match .277-.126 and out-blocked 19-10, but didn't give up one service ace, while converting nine of their own.
After that week Illinois reached the top ten for the first since the 1993 season and has reached its best ranking since ending the 1998 season at No. 14.

FACING NUMBER ONE

The win over USC was the first by Illinois in seven tries against a number one team, four of those matches have come at Huff Hall. The Illini have taken the top team to five games now five times. In 1990 Nebraska played Illinois in the Illini Invitational ranked number one. The unranked Illini took the first two games from the Huskers, 15-6, 15-13 before falling in the final three games, 15-9, 15-8, 15-8. In 1998, top-ranked Penn State came in to Huff. This time the Nittany Lions took the first two games, 15-6, 15-7. Illinois took the next two, 17-15, 15-8 before Penn State won game five 15-12. #1 Penn State downed the Illini, in three games in 1999.

Illinois also faced number one in 1988 and 1990. #2 Illinois lost to #1 Hawaii 15-11, 15-9, 15-8 in the 1988 Wahine Classic and to #1 UCLA at the Community Banker's Classic in Los Angeles, 15-6, 15-12, 15-3 in 1990.

KILLER "Vs" SPARK ILLINI

While Melissa Vandrey graduated from last year, Illinois still has the distinction of having four players that start with the letter V in the line-up. All four played a huge role in the victory over USC and three of the four were named to the State Farm Illini Classic All-Tournament Team.

Erin Virtue, a Pre-Season All Big Ten selection, had 97 assists in eight games to earn all-tourney accolades. Rasa Virsilaite had a career night 14 kills vs. USC and earned All-Tournament honors for the second straight week. Rachel VanMeter earned her second MVP honor with another game-winning kill vs. the Women of Troy.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING...

• Illinois has allowed just three opponents -- USC (.277), Wisconsin (.321) and Michigan State (.274) to hit over .250 in a match this season.
• Illinois has 109 services aces compared to just 44 for their opponents.
• Stephanie Obermeier had four kills and hit .500 vs. Michigan State on Saturday.

FIRST CLASS ATHLETES

The Illini volleyball team had a combined 3.39 GPA during the Spring semester, marking the 13th straight semester that the team GPA has been 3.0 or higher.

VIRTUE TOPS 2,000

With her 97 assists in the State Farm Illini Classic, Erin Virtue topped the 2,000 assists mark. She finishes her career with 2,220 for her career.

HARKS DIGS FOR RECORD

Lauren Harks enters the week with 1,151 digs for her career. She passed Sandy Scholtens for third vs. Michigan. The Top Ten:
No. Years
1. Tracey Marshall 1,426 1996-1999
2. Mary Coleman 1,393 1995-1998
3. Lauren Harks 1,151 2001-
4. Sandy Scholtens 1,133 1985-1988
5. Mary Eggers 1,092 1985-1988
6. Petra Laverman 1,003 1988-1990
7. Shadia Haddad 962 1998-2001
8. Disa Johnson 959 1984-1987
9. Bridget Boyle 951 1986-1989
10.Laura Bush 915 1987-1990

THREE NAMED ALL-TOURNAMENT in MIAMI

Junior Rachel VanMeter was named MVP of the Hurricane Frances Classic in Oxford, Ohio. Senior Lauren Harks and junior Rasa Virsilaite also were named All-Tournament.

VanMeter compiled 43 kills, 4.5 blocks in the two tournament matches, and hit over .300 in both matches. The junior enjoyed a career performance in the first match of the day, registering 28 kills. Harks tallied 31 digs in the two matches, while Virsilaite totaled 26 kills, including a career-high 15 in the first match against TCU.

MAKING RANK

Here is a list of the number of times teams have finished ranked in the Final poll of the season:
Nebraska 22
Stanford 22
Hawai'i 21
Pacific 20
UCLA 20
USC 20
BYU 19
Penn State 19
UCSB 19
Texas 18
Long Beach St. 16
Arizona 15
Ohio St. 13
Pepperdine 13
Florida 12
Illinois 11
Colorado St. 10
Texas A&M 10
Arizona St. 9
Wisconsin 9