Indiana University Athletics
No. 24 Hoosiers Travel to Purdue and Illinois
10/6/1998 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
THIS WEEK -- After playing eight-straight matches at home, the Hoosiers pack their bags and take to the road this week, playing Purdue in the historic Monon Spike match Friday, Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m., in West Lafayette, Ind., and then No. 19 Illinois Saturday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m., in Champaign, Ill.
ABOUT THE HOOSIERS -- No. 24 Indiana (10-3 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) is currently on a three match win streak and have won eight of their last nine matches. Four Hoosiers lead a balanced offensive attack, led by junior outside hitter Ryann Connors' 4.11 kills per game. Sophomore Amanda Welter follows Connors, averaging 2.95 kills per game while Jen Magelssen and Laura Mettes average 2.74 and 2.49 kills per game, respectively.
WELTER'S NAMED CO-BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK -- Sophomore outside hitter Amanda Welter was named Co-Big Ten Player of the Week Oct. 5 after guiding the Hoosiers to back-to-back wins over No. 23 Michigan State and Michigan last weekend. Welter shared the honor with Penn State's Lauren Cacciamani. Attacking on the right side, Welter registered a career-high 22 kills and 12 digs in the Hoosiers upset win over then-No. 21 Michigan State Oct. 2. Against Michigan, she posted eight kills, five blocks and 10 digs while posting a .333 attack percentage. For the week, Welter averaged 4.3 kills and 3.1 digs and had a .312 attack percentage in seven games.
HOOSIERS RANKED NO. 24 -- For just the second time in the program's history, the Hoosiers have landed a spot in the USA Today/AVCA Coaches Top 25 poll. Indiana, who moved into the top-25 for the first time this season, was voted in at No. 24 with 94 votes. For the Hoosiers, it is the school's highest ranking in the poll. Indiana's only other appearance in the poll was last season when the squad was voted in at No. 25, Sept. 30, 1997.
MONON SPIKE MATCH -- Friday's competition against Purdue is designated as the annual Monon Spike match with the winner of the match claiming the traveling trophy "Spike" for the 1998-99 school year. The trophy symbolizes the rivalry between the two schools, dating back to 1975. In 1992, Indiana brought the trophy back to Bloomington for the first time in four years and have gone on to win four of the last six spike matches.
REGIONAL RANKINGS -- In the inaugural NCAA District 2 Regional rankings released Sept. 23, the Hoosiers were ranked third behind No. 1 Penn State and No. 6 Wisconsin. The third place district ranking is the highest for the Hoosier program. Previously, Indiana was ranked fourth in the regional poll on Sept. 23, 1997 and Nov. 21, 1995. District 2 is made up of 41 teams from the Big Ten Conference, Mid-America Conference, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Northeast Conference.
BIG TEN PLAY -- Indiana is currently in a two-way tie for third place in the conference standings. The Hoosiers share the spot with this week's opponent No. 19 Illinois.
BIG TEN STARTS -- The Hoosiers are off to their best conference start since the 1993 season when IU opened league play at 3-1. A victory against Purdue on Friday would equal the program's best start at 4-1 set by the 1985 team.
HOME SWEET HOME -- The Hoosiers are currently 7-1 when playing at University Gym. Their lone home loss was to No. 6 Wisconsin in their Big Ten season opener. On the road, IU is 3-2.
RANKED LOSSES -- Of Indiana's three losses this fall, all have been to top-25 ranked teams. The Hoosiers have lost to No. 6 Wisconsin 3-0, No. 8 USC 3-1 and No. 18 Arizona. On the flip side, IU has defeated then-No. 21 Michigan State 3-1 and then-No. 18 Notre Dame 3-2.
COACH KATIE WEISMILLER -- Katie Weismiller is in her sixth season as Indiana's head coach with an 83-88 (.479) school record and an eight-year career mark of 133-112 (.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 seven teams voted in the latest USA TODAY/AVCA Top 25 poll, more than any other conference. The No. 2 Lady Lions are joined in the poll by No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 19 Illinois, No. 20 Ohio State, No. 21 Minnesota, No. 23 Michigan State and No. 23 Indiana. Michigan is currently receiving votes for Top 25 recognition.
VERSUS PURDUE -- The Boilermakers enter Friday night's match in a four-way tie for seventh place in the league standings with a 7-6 overall, 1-3 Big Ten mark after having lost its last three matches. Senior Bev Krupa leads her squad, averaging 4.37 kills per game. Teammate Colleen Henican follows, averaging 3.09 kills and 2.41 digs per game. The Boilers are coached by Joey Vrazel who holds a 38-66 career and school record in four seasons at Purdue. The Series: The Boilermakers lead the all-time series 37-24. Last season the two squads split play with each winning on the other's home court.
ON NO. 19 ILLINOIS -- Prior to the Fighting Illini's Friday night match against Northwestern, Illinois is 10-4 overall, 3-1 in the Big Ten and tied with the Hoosiers for third place in the league. Last Friday, Illinois became the first team to take then-No. 1 Penn State to five games before losing 12-15 in rally scoring. On Saturday, UI upset then-No. 18 Ohio State 3-1. The Fighting Illini are led by outside hitter Tracey Marshall who averages 4.64 kills and 4.27 digs per game. Setter Melissa Beitz currently leads the league in assists with 15.65 per game while her team leads the Big Ten in kills, averaging 18.87 per game. Head coach Don Hardin is in his fourth season with the program and holds a 40-32 school record. The Series: Illinois leads the all-time series 36-10-1. Last season, the Blue and Orange swept the Hoosiers in league play.
FRONT LINE DEFENSE -- Junior Laura Mettes has done a nice job of patrolling the net this season, averaging .90 blocks per game overall and 1.31 in Big Ten play. In addition, the 6-0 junior leads the squad in league play with a .329 attack percentage.
THE BIG HURT -- Starting rightside hitter Amanda Welter has become one of the Hoosiers top threats since conference play began two weeks ago. Through four Big Ten matches, the 6-3 sophomore has averaged a team-best 3.85 kills, 2.77 digs and .92 blocks per game while posting an .322 attack percentage. Named Big Ten Player of the Week Oct. 5, Welter pounded home a career-high 22 digs in the Hoosiers' win over then-No. 21 Michigan State Oct. 2.
LEADING THE WAY -- Junior Ryann Connors currently ranks ninth in the league and leads the Hoosier attack with her 4.11 kills per game average. The outside hitter has registered 20-plus kills in four matches and tallied a career-high 25 kills in the Hoosiers win over Eastern Washington Sept. 18.
GAL FRIDAY -- 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 129 kills, 15 service aces, 124 digs and 14 blocks.
SPECIAL DELIVERY -- Setter Kristina Sanderson currently ranks fifth in the league, averaging 12.02 assists per game. As the team's quarterback, Sanderson has set the squad to a .243 attack percentage.
TOP OF THE LEADERBOARD -- Senior Jen Magelssen already holds
the
school record for career service aces (175) and digs (1,168) and is
presently
in pursuit of the school record for kills. Currently she ranks
fifth on
the all-time list with 1,201 kills and needs just 180 more to
become the
program's career leader.
Go back to the Top
