Indiana University Athletics
INDIANA SET TO START SECOND HALF OF BIG TEN SEASON
10/27/1998 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Tuesday, October 27, 1998
INDIANA SET TO START SECOND HALF OF BIG TEN SEASON --11-8 Hoosiers on the road to MichiganUP NEXT -- The Hoosiers begin the second half of Big Ten play, traveling to the state of Michigan for matches against Michigan and Michigan State. Indiana takes on the Wolverines Friday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m., in Ann Arbor, Mich., before playing No. 18 Michigan State Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m., in East Lansing, Mich.
ABOUT THE HOOSIERS -- Indiana (11-8 overall, 4-6 Big Ten) snapped a five-match losing streak last Saturday by upsetting then-No. 23 Ohio State in three straight games. The Hoosiers are currently tied with Minnesota for sixth-place in the Big Ten Conference standings. Four Hoosiers lead a balanced offensive attack and are led by junior outside hitter Ryann Connors' 4.12 kills per game. Senior Jen Magelssen follows Connors, averaging 2.99 kills per game while Amanda Welter and Laura Mettes average 2.84 and 2.44 kills per game, respectively.
RECEIVING VOTES -- The Hoosiers received 13 votes this week in the USA TODAY/AVCA Coaches Top 25 Poll. Previously, Indiana has been ranked as high as 24th in the national poll.
HOME SWEET HOME -- The Hoosiers are 8-2 when playing at home in University Gym this season compared to a 3-6 record on the road.
COACH KATIE WEISMILLER -- Katie Weismiller is in her sixth season as Indiana's head coach with an 84-93 (.479) school record and an eight-year career mark of 134-117 (.541). Prior to coming to Indiana, Weismiller spent two years as the assistant coach at Florida where she helped lead the Gators to the school's first Final four appearance in 1992. She began her coaching career at St. Louis University, where she was head coach from 1989-91. There, she guided the Billikens to a 50-24 record, and in 1989, the Midwestern Collegiate Conference Championship.
BIG TEN TOUGHNESS -- Led by 1997 NCAA Division I runner-up Penn State, the Big Ten Conference has nine teams either ranked or receiving votes in the latest USA TODAY/AVCA Top 25 poll, more than any other conference. Undefeated Penn State is ranked No. 2 and is followed by No. 8 Wisconsin, No. 17 Illinois, No. 18 Michigan State and No. 25 Minnesota. Ohio State, Indiana, Purdue and Michigan are all receiving votes.
ON MICHIGAN -- The Wolverines enter Friday's match in a three-way tie for eighth place in the league standings. Michigan's record currently stands at 11-9 overall and 3-7 in Big Ten play. Michigan split their matches last weekend, falling to then-No. 5 Wisconsin in straight games before sweeping Iowa on Saturday. Karen Chase leads Michigan's offense, averaging 4.39 kills per game. Like the Hoosiers, the Wolverines sports a balanced offensive attack with four players registering 150 more kills this season. Michigan is coached by Greg Giovanazzi who in seven years with the program has posted a 103-107 school and career record. The Series: Indiana leads the all-time series 27-14. Earlier this month the Hoosiers swept the Wolverines in three-straight games.
FRIGHT NIGHT -- The Hoosiers face No. 18 Michigan State on Halloween. Prior to the Spartans Friday night match against Northwestern, MSU holds down fourth place in the league standings with a 14-4 overall record and a 7-3 mark in Big Ten play. The Spartans pulled out the upset of the week last weekend by defeating then-No. 5 Wisconsin in five games. MSU has won six of its last seven matches and boast the current AVCA National and Big Ten Player of the Week Jenna Wrobel. The senior outside hitter posted 21 kills against Iowa and 35 kills against Wisconsin last weekend. Currently, she averages 5.73 kills per game and carries a .320 attack percentage. The Spartans are coached by Chuck Erbe who is in his sixth year at MSU and carries a 123-63 record with the program. The Series: The Hoosiers tied the all-time series at 22-22 earlier this month after upsetting the then-No. 21 Spartans 3-1 in Bloomington.
SPECIAL DELIVERY -- Setter Kristina Sanderson's 3,211 career assists has moved the junior into third place in the school record books. Currently, she ranks sixth in the league, averaging 12.19 assists per game.
TOP OF THE LEADERBOARD -- Senior Jen Magelssen already holds the school record for career service aces (181) and digs (1,220) and is presently in pursuit of the school record for kills. Currently she ranks fourth on the all-time list with 1,264 kills and needs just 109 more to become the program's career leader.
RED CROSS -- Senior Melissa Rooney came to the rescue this past weekend by providing the Hoosiers with outstanding play in the middle. IU's co-captain equalled her season-high 12 kills against Ohio State while registering a .381 attack percentage. Rooney also added eight digs, two service aces and two blocks.
DOUBLE-TROUBLE -- Junior Cydryce Carter posted double-doubles for kills and digs in both of the Hoosiers' weekend matches. Against Penn State the middle blocker tallied 10 kills and 13 digs while against Ohio State, she posted 13 kills and 10 digs. In addition, Carter put up the big block against OSU with a match-high 6 block assists.
CANNON CONNORS -- Junior Ryann Connors currently ranks eighth in the league and leads the Hoosier attack with her 4.12 kills per game average. The outside hitter has registered 20-plus kills in five matches and tallied double-digit kills in 13 matches.
ALL-AROUND JEN -- For the fourth-straight year, Jen Magelssen has shined as Indiana's all-around player. This season the outside hitter has continued to contribute with 200 kills, 21 service aces, 176 digs and 23 blocks.
POWER RANKINGS -- The AVCA/Sagarin Division I Women's Volleyball
Power Ratings, which are updated weekly by Jeff Sagarin, can be found at:
http://www.kiva.net/~jsagarin/sports/voll1998.htm.
