| WEEK 14: NO. 23 ILLINOIS (19-10, 11-7 B1G) at MICHIGAN (16-11, 9-9 B1G) // AT MICHIGAN STATE (11-16, 4-14 B1G) |
| Match 30: Michigan |
Wednesday, Nov. 24 // 6 p.m. CT // Cliff Keen Arena // Ann Arbor, Mich. |
| Match 31: Michigan State |
Friday, Nov. 26 // 6 p.m. // Jenison Field House // East Lansing, Mich. |
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Michigan // Michigan State |
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| Printable Notes |
Illinois // Michigan // Michigan State |
| Stats |
Illinois // Michigan // Michigan State |
| Series History |
Michigan: Illinois leads, 51-26 | Last Match: Illinois won, 3-1, on 10/23/2021 | Streak: Won 1 | Results
Michigan State: Illinois leads, 52-28 | Last Match: Illinois won, 3-0, on 11/2/2019 | Streak: Won 3 | Results |
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FIRST SERVE | WEEK 14
The No. 23 Illinois volleyball next wraps up its regular season with a trip to the state of Michigan, traveling to Ann Arbor to face Michigan on Wednesday (Nov. 24), before heading to East Lansing for a Friday (Nov. 26) night match against Michigan State. First serve for both matches is set for 6 p.m. CT.
Both matches will be streamed on B1G+ ($) and broadcasted on the radio on WDWS 1400 in Champaign and streamed on FightingIllini.com.
The 2021 season marks the 48th season of Illinois volleyball, with the Illini holding an overall record of 1,031-593-7 (.634) and a mark of 467-296 (.612) in the Big Ten.
ILLINOIS VS. THE FIELD
The Illini lead the all-time series with both of this week's opponents, holding a 51-26 advantage against Michigan, but are tied in the series in Ann Arbor, 18-18. Illinois won the earlier meeting between the two teams this season, in a 3-1 victory in Huff Hall on October 23.
Graduate student Megan Cooney registered her fourth-career 20-kill match with a match-high 20 on a .425 hitting percentage, while adding 10 digs for her 12th-career double-double against the Wolverines.
Sophomore Raina Terry also notched a double-double – her 11th of her career – with 13 kills and 10 digs to go along with four blocks and a pair of aces. Junior Kennedy Collins had a monster game as the Zion, Ill., native turned in eight kills on a .421 attack clip, while leading the block attack with six stuffs as well as serving up a career-high four aces.
Redshirt-junior Diana Brown directed the Illini offense with 38 assists to go along with 12 digs and five blocks for her 34th-career double-double and her team-leading 10th of the season.
Senior Taylor Kuper led the Illini defense with a team-high 17 digs, while also notching nine assists in the win, with freshman Caroline Barnes earned her third-career double-digit dig outing with 10.
The Illini also own a 52-28 all-time record against the Spartans, including a 23-14 mark in East Lansing. The two teams did not meet in last season's 2020-21 spring season, with the Illini taking a 3-0 sweep in the last meeting on November 2, 2019 in Champaign.
ILLINI RANKED NO. 23 IN AVCA POLL
After a week ranked at No. 24 in the AVCA Coaches Top 25 poll, the Illinois volleyball team moved up one spot to No. 23 in this week's poll. The Illini entered the poll at No. 25 during week 11, marking the first time since 2019 season the Illini were ranked.
Illinois is one of seven Big Ten schools ranked in the AVCA Poll with No. 5 Wisconsin, No. 6 Purdue, No. 9 Ohio State, No. 10 Minnesota, No. 11 Nebraska and No. 15 Penn State joining the Illini.
Along with their conference foes, the Illini have faced two other opponents in the top-25, including No. 12 Washington and No. 22 Creighton.
ILLINI NO. 30 IN NCAA RPI RANKING
The NCAA released its seventh RPI of the season on Monday (November 22), with Illinois coming in at No. 30 in the ranking.
The Illini have faced seven opponents that sit in the top 25, with 12 foes ranking in the top 75.
ILLINI SWEEP TERRAPINS ON SENIOR DAY
Illinois wrapped its 2021 home schedule and celebrated Senior Day with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-17) sweep over Maryland, sending senior manager Michael Ryan, senior Taylor Kuper and graduate students Megan Cooney and Kylie Bruder off in style on Sunday (November 21) in Huff Hall.
Sophomore Raina Terry turned in a match-high 11 kills, with junior Jessica Nunge joining her in double figures with 10 kills. Cooney added nine kills, eight digs and three blocks in her final match in Huff Hall, with junior Kennedy Collins contributing eight kills on a .583 hitting percentage and a match-high four blocks.
As a team, the Illini registered a .327 hitting percentage, with redshirt-junior Diana Brown handing out 39 assists in the win.
Defensively, Illinois held the Terrapins to a .118 team attack clip behind a 7.0 to 4.0 blocking effort, with Kuper leading the way in the floor defense with 13 digs and two service aces.
ILLINI EARN SEASON SWEEP OF INDIANA
Illinois earned the season sweep of Indiana as the Illini dominated in a 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-11) victory in Wilkinson Hall on Friday (November 19) night.
Sophomore Raina Terry led a balanced attack with 11 kills to go along with eight digs and a team-high three service aces, with redshirt-freshman Maddie Whittington turning in eight kills on a .538 hitting percentage and junior Jessica Nunge and graduate student Megan Cooney each posting seven kills, with Cooney delivering on a .412 attack clip.
Redshirt-junior Diana Brown directed the Illini to a .309 team hitting percentage while handing out 32 assists, while defensively, senior Taylor Kuper registered a team-high 11 digs and Cooney contributing 10 digs in the win. The Illini outblocked the Hoosiers (9-20, 3-14 B1G), 8.0 to 2.0, with Whittington, Brown and junior Kyla Swanson each posting three stuffs on the night.
WEEK 13 STANDOUTS
Sophomore Raina Terry led the Illini with 22 kills on a .236 hitting percentage, to go along with a team-highs of five blocks and four aces and 13 digs.
Junior Jessica Nunge added 17 kills, 13 digs and three aces, while graduate student Megan Cooney totaled 16 kills on a .317 attack clip as well as 18 digs and four blocks.
Redshirt-junior Diana Brown directed the Illini offense to a .318 hitting percentage after handing out 71 assists for a 11.83 assists per set mark, while adding 10 digs for a 1.67 digs per set mark, three blocks and four kills on a 1.000 attack clip.
Senior Taylor Kuper collected 24 digs for a 4.00 digs per set mark, with junior Kyla Swanson also turning in a team-high five blocks in the two matches.
IRON WOMAN COONEY BECOMES ALL-TIME LEADER IN CAREER SETS
Graduate student Megan Cooney has been a stalwart in the Illini lineup since she has been a freshman - playing in 143 of 147 in her five years. Her 143 matches played also sits fourth all-time in program history behind Chris Schwarz (151, 1985-88), Mary Eggers (150, 1985-88) and Sandy Scholtens (146, 1985-88).
On October 29 at Rutgers, Cooney became the all-time leader in career sets played at Illinois and has currently played in 539 sets in her storied career. She passes Illinois Hall of Famer Mary Eggers' previous program record of 516 sets played that she established from 1985-88.
After reaching the 1,000 kills mark a season ago on the road at Penn State, she also recently moved over 1,400 kills and reached 500 digs in her Illini career on Nov. 14. Heading into this week's matches, Cooney currently sits at 1,450 kills, 521 digs and 339 blocks in her career.
TERRY SERVING UP THE FIRE
Sophomore Raina Terry owns 50 service aces in 109 sets played on the season, ranking her 13th in the NCAA and first in the Big Ten.
Her 50 aces also sits tied for third all-time for service aces in a single season in the Illinois record book, with Tina Rogers (1992) owning the program record with 67 in 108 sets. Sue Nucci (1994) sits in second place with 52 aces in 129 sets, while Chris Schwarz (1985) - in 139 sets - and Mary Eggers (1986) - in 133 sets - are tied with Terry at 50.
The Sophomore's 0.46 aces per set mark also ranks 23rd nationally and is second in the conference.
STRONG ILLINI BLOCK IN BIG TEN PLAY
Since the start of Big Ten play, Illinois has outblocked its opponents in all but five matches and have outblocked 10 of their last 13 foes.
The Illini rank sixth in conference action with 2.41 blocks per set and have totaled the fifth-most blocks in league action (166).
ILLINI IN NCAA & B1G RANKINGS
• Illinois is 11th the nation and leads the Big Ten in total service aces (207).
• Illinois ranks 13th in the nation and leads the Big Ten in service aces per set (1.90).
• Illinois is 56th in the NCAA in team total blocks (252.5).
• Illinois is 81st in the NCAA in blocks per set (2.32).
• Illinois is 84th in the NCAA in team kills (1,404).
• Illinois is 95th in the nation in team assists (1,274).
• Sophomore Raina Terry is 13th in the NCAA and leads the Big Ten with 50 total aces and is 23rd nationally and second in the conference with 0.46 aces per set.
• Senior Taylor Kuper ranks 30th in the NCAA and second in the Big Ten in aces (44) and is 57th in the nation and sixth in the Big Ten with 0.40 aces per set.
• Kuper ranks 90th in the NCAA and is fifth the conference in digs per set (4.46) and is 52nd in the nation and first in the Big Ten with 486 digs on the season.
• Terry also ranks 72nd in the NCAA and is sixth in the conference with 442 total points on the season and is 74th nationally and sits fifth in the Big Ten with 1,094 attacks on the season.
• Redshirt-junior Diana Brown ranks 25th in the NCAA and is third in the conference with 1,107 total assists, while also sitting 61st nationally and seventh in the Big Ten with 10.16 assists per set.
• Junior Kennedy Collins ranks 87th in the NCAA and ninth in the Big Ten with 111.0 total blocks and is eighth in the conference with a .336 hitting percentage.
KUPER HITS 1,000 CAREER DIGS, CLOSING IN ON ACES RECORD
A constant in the Illini lineup through her four years at Illinois, senior Taylor Kuper reached a career milestone in the Missouri match on Sept. 17 as she collected a match-high 18 digs, with her 14th dig of the match marking her 1,000 career dig. Kuper becomes the 16th Illini to reach that mark and is currently in seventh place in program history with 1,330 career digs.
The Lenexa, Kansas native also owns 165 career service aces and moved into third place in program history with four total aces in wins at Rutgers and No. 13 Penn State. Illini Hall of Famer Mary Eggers owns the all-time record with 180 aces from 1985-88, with Laura Bush (1987-90) sitting in second with 176.
BROWN AND COONEY NAMED CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Illinois redshirt-junior Diana Brown and graduate student Megan Cooney garnered Academic All-District honors for district 5, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced on November 18. It is the second-straight first-team accolade for Brown, who also earned the honor following the 2020-21 season, with Cooney collecting second-team honors for the first time in her career.
The honor, which is selected by CoSIDA members, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. Brown now advances to the Academic All-America team ballot as a first-team selection.
It is the first time since 2018 that the Illini have had multiple Academic All-District honors with former greats Jordyn Poulter and Ali Bastianelli named to the first- and second-teams, respectively.
Brown owns a 4.00 GPA in molecular and cellular biology, while Cooney registered a 3.46 undergraduate GPA after earning a bachelor's degree in speech and hearing science in May and currently owns a 4.00 GPA in her speech and hearing science graduate program.
The duo has started all 27 matches for the Illini, with Brown dishing out 1,036 assists for a 10.06 assists per set mark, while directing the Illini to a .217 team hitting percentage She paces the team with 13 double-doubles, ranking second in digs (244) and fourth in blocks (60) on the team. She is a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
The 'Iron Woman' of the Illini, Cooney recently became the program's career sets played leader and has played in 533 sets in her career at Illinois, playing in 141 of 145 matches in her five year. She ranks second on the team with 303 kills for a 2.94 kill per set on a .253 hitting percentage, while also ranking third on the team in digs (239), blocks (72) and service aces (28). A 2020-21 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and three-time Academic All-Big Ten, Cooney was named All-Big Ten Second-Team a season ago.
HEAD COACH CHRIS TAMAS IN FIFTH SEASON AT THE HELM
Chris Tamas is in his fifth season as head coach of the Fighting Illini volleyball program in 2021 after being named to the position in February 2017. Tamas (pronounced Thomas) is the eighth head coach in Illinois history.
In his five seasons at the helm of the program, Tamas has made an immediate impact on Illinois volleyball and owns an overall record of 97-50 (.660), including a 58-38 (.604) mark in the nation's toughest volleyball league, the Big Ten Conference, as well as three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Illinois experienced one of its most successful seasons ever in 2018 under Tamas, who was named American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Northeast Region Coach of the Year. The Illini made the program's fourth-ever appearance in the NCAA National Semifinals as the No. 3 overall seed in the tournament – riding a 17-match win streak into the Final Four - and ended the season ranked No. 3 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Coaches Poll. The team registered a 32-4 overall record and finished in second place in the Big Ten Conference with a 17-3 mark, with the 32 victories ranking tied for fourth-most wins in school history.
