Required Reading

News & Notes

News & Notes
November 2, 2009

In the Polls
Led once again by No. 1 Penn State, four Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 15 of the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 poll. Illinois is up one spot from last week in a tie for fifth, marking the program's highest ranking since 1992. Minnesota comes in at No. 12, while Michigan is No. 15. Michigan State and Ohio State are receiving votes outside the top 25. FULL POLL

RPI Report
The Big Ten leads all conferences with four teams among the top 10 in the latest NCAA RPI report. Penn State fronts the conference at No. 2, followed by No. 4 Illinois, No. 6 Minnesota and No. 10 Michigan. Michigan State comes in at No. 23, followed by No. 25 Ohio State, giving the Big Ten six top-25 teams, which ties the Pac-10 for highest representation among all conferences. The Big Ten and the Pac-10 are the only conferences in the nation with all of their teams among the RPI's top 80. FULL REPORT

Players of the Week
Penn State's Megan Hodge was named Player of the Week after averaging 5.8 kills per set on .424 hitting to lead the Nittany Lions in wins over Ohio State and No. 7 Minnesota last week. Northwestern's Kate Nobilio grabbed Defensive Player of the Week honors after eclipsing the 400 digs mark for the fourth consecutive season. Illinois' Erin Johnson and Penn State's Darcy Dorton were honored as the conference's top freshmen for playing major roles as their respective teams each went 2-0. FULL STORY

Saturday on the Court
October 31, 2009

No. 6 ILLINOIS (10-2) def. PURDUE (3-9), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Illinois picked up its ninth-straight win with a sweep on the road against Purdue. Laura DeBruler and Michelle Bartsch each tallied 10 kills and hit over .300 to lead the Illini on offense, while Johannah Bangert had four blocks and Ashley Edinger picked up 12 digs for the defense. Tiffany Fisher paced Purdue with 10 kills.

NORTHWESTERN (4-8) def. INDIANA (3-9), 3-2
Recap and Box Score
Northwestern emerged victorious in a back-and-fourth battle with Indiana that was decided in the fifth set by a 24-22 margin. Northwestern's Sabel Moffett led all players with 23 kills, hitting at a .381 average, while Naomi Johnson had 17 kills for the Wildcats at a .500 clip. Kelsey Hall was one of four Hoosiers to finish the night with double-digit kills, leading her squad with 18.

No. 13 MICHIGAN (7-5) def. IOWA (3-9), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Led by four players in double-digit digs, Michigan rebounded from a first-set loss to down the Hawkeyes, 3-1, at home. Alex Hunt led the Wolverines on offense with 18 kills, also tallying 10 digs, while Lexi Zimmerman led the defense with 16 saves. Aimee Huffman paced the Hawkeyes with 13 kills on .355 hitting.

MICHIGAN STATE (rv) (4-8) def. WISCONSIN (6-6), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Michigan State extended its Halloween winning streak to five with a sweep at home over Wisconsin. Kyndra Abron and Becca Zlabis led the Spartans with 14 and 12 kills, respectively, each hitting over .500 in the match. Brittney Dolgner paced the Badgers with 16 kills on .333 hitting.

OHIO STATE (6-6) def. No. 7 MINNESOTA (8-4)
Recap and Box Score
Ohio State pulled off its first win over a ranked opponent under head coach Geoff Carlston, sweeping No. 7 Minnesota at home. Katie Dull led the Buckeyes on offense and defense, putting up 10 digs and 13 kills. Lauren Gibbemeyer paced the Gophers with 12 kills at a .455 attack average.

Friday's Results
October 30, 2009

No. 6 ILLINOIS (9-2) def. INDIANA (3-8), 3-2
Recap and Box Score
After falling behind, 2-0, Indiana won the next two sets to force a fifth, but Illinois earned the final 3-2 advantage. Laura DeBruler led all players with 20 kills for the Illini, also tacking on 10 digs. Indiana was led by Jordan Haverly, who put down 19 kills.

MICHIGAN STATE (3-8) def. IOWA (3-8), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Michigan State snapped a six-match losing skid with a sweep at home over Iowa. Becca Zlabis led the Spartans with 13 kills on .417 hitting, while Megan Schatzle put down nine kills at a .421 clip. Emma Krieger Kittle paced the Hawkeyes with 11 kills.

WISCONSIN (6-5) def. No. 13 MICHIGAN (6-5), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
For the second time in as many tries, Wisconsin defeated a nationally ranked Michigan team, this time by a 3-1 margin in Ann Arbor. Brittney Dolgner led the Badgers with 16 kills, while Allison Wack added 15. Michigan's Alex Hunt led all hitters with 19 hits.

No. 1 PENN STATE (12-0) def. No. 7 MINNESOTA (8-3), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Penn State increased its winning streak to 88 consecutive matches, tying the 1971-74 UCLA men's basketball program for fourth on the NCAA's all-time list of winning streaks among all sports. PSU's Megan Hodge led all hitters with 19 kills on .429 hitting, also adding five digs and two blocks. Lauren Gibbemeyer led Minnesota with six kills.

NORTHWESTERN (3-8) def. PURDUE (3-8), 3-2
Recap and Box Score
Northwestern pulled out a come-from-behind five-set win on the road at Purdue. Sabel Moffett led the Wildcats with 16 kills, while Ariel Baxterbeck and Alexandra Ayers each had 13. Purdue's Carrie Gurnell led all players with 17 hits, while Ariel Turner added 13 and Kristen Arthurs had 11.

This Weekend's Schedule
October 30, 2009

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30

No. 6 ILLINOIS (8-2) at INDIANA (3-7) 7 p.m.
www.BigTenNetwork.com (LIVE)

IOWA (3-7) at MICHIGAN STATE (rv) (2-8) 6:30 p.m.
www.BigTenNetwork.com (LIVE)

WISCONSIN (5-5) at No. 13 MICHIGAN (6-4) 7 p.m.

No. 7 MINNESOTA (8-2) at No. 1 PENN STATE (11-0) 7 p.m.
Big Ten Network (LIVE)

NORTHWESTERN (2-8) at PURDUE (3-7) 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31 - HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

No. 6 ILLINOIS at PURDUE 7 p.m.

NORTHWESTERN at INDIANA 7 p.m.
www.BigTenNetwork.com (LIVE)

IOWA at No. 13 MICHIGAN 7 p.m.

WISCONSIN at MICHIGAN STATE (rv) 6:30 p.m.
www.BigTenNetwork.com (LIVE)

No. 7 MINNESOTA at OHIO STATE (5-6) 7 p.m.

All times local to site

This Week's Top 10 List
October 27, 2009

The Big Ten volleyball weekly release is now available! Click HERE to view the whole thing, or read below for highlights:

1. The Big Ten leads the nation with three teams ranked in the top seven of the latest AVCA coaches poll.
2. The Big Ten leads all conferences with four teams in the top 10 of the latest NCAA RPI report.
3. Six matches will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network or http://video.bigtennetwork.com/index;jsessionid=vkkpnvnt45n6 this week.
4. Penn State extended its NCAA-record winning streak to 86 matches, while extending its Big Ten winning streak to 55 and its home win streak to 66.
5. Northwestern Kate Nobilio became the fifth player in Big Ten history to eclipse the 2,000 career digs milestone.
6. Johannah Bangert averaged 3.1 blocks per set last weekend to up her season average to 1.67 bps, which is tops in all of NCAA Division I.
7. Minnesota's Tabitha Love became the first player in Big Ten history to be named the conference's Freshman and Player of the Week.
8. Ashley Hughes was named Ohio State's first Player of the Week since 2007.
9. Penn State is one of just two undefeated teams in NCAA Division I.
10. Six Big Ten players rank among the NCAA's top 50 in hitting percentage, including the nation's leader, Arielle Wilson from Penn State (.586).

Saturday on the Court
October 25, 2009

No. 8 ILLINOIS (8-2) def. IOWA (3-7), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Illinois put up 16 total blocks to keep Iowa off-balance in a 3-0 win at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Laura DeBruler led the Illini with 17 kills on .389 hitting, while Johannah Bangert once again led the squad in blocks with eight. Becky Walters had seven kills to pace the Hawkeyes.

OHIO STATE (5-5) def. INDIANA (3-7), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Behind a career night from setter Ashley Hughes, Ohio State entertained a home crowd with a 3-1 win over Indiana. Hughes tallied career-highs with 53 assists and 19 digs, while Katie Dull led the Buckeye offense with a match-high 19 kills. Three Hoosiers recorded double-digit kills, led by Jordan Haverly's 15.

No. 9 MINNESOTA (8-2) def. No. 11 MICHIGAN (6-4), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Minnesota defeated its third ranked opponent of the season with a 3-1 victory over Michigan at Williams Arena in front of the fifth-largest crowd in program history. Freshman Tabitha Love led the Gophers with 19 kills on .450 hitting, while Ariana Filho tallied 13 at a .500 clip. Veronica Rood paced the Wolverines with 12 hits.

No. 1 PENN STATE (10-0) def. PURDUE (3-7), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
The top-ranked team in the country, Penn State won its 86th consecutive match with a sweep at home over Purdue. PSU's Megan Hodge was the only player to post double-digit kills, recording 10 at a .450 hitting mark. Ariel Turner paced the Boilermakers with eight hits.

WISCONSIN (5-5) def. NORTHWESTERN (2-8), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
A career night from freshman Kirby Toon led Wisconsin to a 3-1 home win over Northwestern, evening the Badgers' Big Ten record to 5-5. Toon had 13 kills on .407 hitting, also adding 10 digs and five total blocks. Alexandra Ayers and Sabel Moffett each had 16 hits to front the Wildcats.

Friday Night Lights
October 24, 2009

IOWA (3-6) def. NORTHWESTERN (2-7), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Iowa earned a home sweep over Northwestern, led by 14 kills from Aimee Huffman, who hit .522 in the match. Megan Schipper and Christina Meister had 12 and 11 digs, respectively, as the Hawkeyes held the Wildcats to .152 hitting. Sabel Moffett led NU with 11 hits at a .348 clip.

No. 9 MINNESOTA (7-2) def. MICHIGAN STATE (rv) (2-8), 3-2
Recap and Box Score
Led by a career-high 18 kills from freshman Tabitha Love, Minnesota earned a five-set victory over Michigan State at home. Lauren Gibbemeyer also tallied double-digit hits for the Gophers, knocking down 12 kills on .370 hitting. Becca Zlabis paced the Spartans with 16 kills.

OHIO STATE (4-5) def. PURDUE (3-6), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Three Buckeyes finished in double-digit kills as the Buckeyes downed Purdue, 3-1, at home. Katie Dull paced OSU with 15 hits, while Kristen Dozier and Emily Danks put down 11 and 10, respectively. Purdue's Tiffany Fisher led all hitters with 16 kills on .500 hitting.

No. 1 PENN STATE (9-0) def. INDIANA (3-6), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Penn State extended its NCAA-record winning streak to 85 matches with a home sweep against Indiana. Megan Hodge paced the Nittany Lions with 16 kills on .538 hitting, leading a squad that hit .362 in the match. Kelsey Hall led the Hoosiers with seven kills at a .385 clip.

No. 8 ILLINOIS (7-2) def. WISCONSIN (4-5), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Paced by 16 kills each from Laura DeBruler and Kylie McCulley, Illinois grabbed a four-set win over Wisconsin on the road. Johannah Bangert kept the Badger offense off-balance with 14 total blocks, while Michelle Bartsch added eight. Brittney Dolgner led Wisconsin with 13 kills on the night.

Follow Friday
October 23, 2009

Follow your favorite volleyball teams in real time by logging on to Twitter and checking out the accounts listed below!

Big Ten Conference: @BigTenConf; @BigTenVal
Illinois: @IlliniVBall; @IlliniVBHambly
Indiana: @IUVolleyball
Iowa: @iowavolleyball
Michigan: @Michigan_vball
Michigan State: @MichStVB
Minnesota: @GopherVBall
Northwestern: @NU_Sports
Ohio State: @LetsGoBuckeyes
Penn State: @PSUWomenVBall; @SusanPSUSports
Purdue: @purduevb
Wisconsin: @BadgerVBall

Looking for a bigger list? The Big Ten Network's directory has you covered!

This Weekend's Schedule
October 23, 2009

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23

No. 8 ILLINOIS (6-2) at WISCONSIN (4-4)   7 p.m.

INDIANA (3-5) at No. 1 PENN STATE (8-0)   8 p.m.
ESPNU (LIVE); ESPN2 (1 p.m. on Oct. 25)

NORTHWESTERN (2-6) at IOWA (2-6)   7 p.m.

MICHIGAN STATE (rv)(2-7) at No. 9 MINNESOTA (6-2)   7 p.m.
www.BigTenNetwork.com (LIVE)

PURDUE (3-5) at OHIO STATE (3-5)   7 p.m.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24

No. 8 ILLINOIS at IOWA   7 p.m.

INDIANA at OHIO STATE   7 p.m.

No. 11 MICHIGAN (6-3) at No. 9 MINNESOTA   7 p.m.
www.BigTenNetwork.com (LIVE)

NORTHWESTERN at WISCONSIN   7 p.m.

PURDUE at No. 1 PENN STATE   7 p.m.
Big Ten Network (8 p.m. on Oct. 25)

All times local to site

Mid-Week Matchup
October 22, 2009

No. 11 MICHIGAN (6-3) def. MICHIGAN STATE (2-7), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Michigan rebounded from a tight first set to sweep Michigan State on the road, handing the Spartans their first ever loss in the Breslin Center. Alex Hunt led the Wolverines with 19 kills on .308 hitting, while Veronica Rood put down 12 hits at a .500 clip. Megan Schatzle paced MSU with nine kills on the night.

Read All About It...
October 21, 2009

News
Michigan State looks to "Bust Breslin" tonight as the Spartans host No. 11 Michigan tonight at 7 p.m. ET in a match that will be broadcast LIVE on the Big Ten Network!

Required Reading

Must-See TV

This Week's Top 10 List
October 20, 2009

This week's Big Ten volleyball release is now available! Click HERE to read the whole thing, or view below for highlights:

1. The Big Ten is the only conference in the country with three top-10 teams in the AVCA coaches poll.
2. The Big Ten is also the only conference in the nation with four teams in the top 10 of the latest NCAA RPI report.
3. Five matches will be nationally broadcast on the Big Ten Network, www.BigTenNetwork.com, ESPN2 and ESPNU this week.
4. Penn State extended its NCAA-record winning streak to 84 matches with a pair of wins over the weekend.
5. With a win over then-No. 6 Minnesota on Friday and an earlier win over then-No. 6 Michigan, Illinois has defeated two top-10 teams for the first   time since 2004.
6. Northwestern's Kate Nobilio now ranks among the Big Ten's top five in career digs, just seven shy of the 2,000 mark.
7. Big Ten teams continue to rank among the nation's best in average attendance.
8. Penn State leads all of NCAA Division I in hitting percentage by over 100 points.
9. Big Ten players are some of the nation's best at the net.
10. Seven of this week's matches feature at least one team either ranked or receiving votes.

News & Notes
October 19, 2009

Big Ten in the Polls
Once again, the Big Ten is the only conference in the nation with three top-10 teams, led by No. 1 Penn State. Illinois is up two spots from last week to No. 8, followed by No. 9 Minnesota. Michigan sits just outside the top 10 at No. 11, and Michigan State is receiving votes outside the top 25. FULL POLL

Ripping up the RPI
The Big Ten leads the nation with four teams in the top 10 of the latest NCAA RPI report. Eight Big Ten teams boast top-50 rankings, which is second only to the Pac-10's nine. RPI is one of several tools used to select teams for the NCAA Championship. FULL REPORT

Players of the Week
Penn State's Arielle Wilson earned her seventh career Player of the Week honor after hitting .706 against No. 11 Michigan and Michigan State over the weekend. Illinois' Ashley Edinger earned Defensive Player of the Week accolades for her performances against Northwestern and No. 6 Minnesota. Purdue's Ariel Turner was named Freshman of the Week after leading the Boilermakers in a pair of wins. FULL STORY

Sunday's Score
October 18, 2009

WISCONSIN (rv) (4-4), def. INDIANA (3-5), 3-2
Recap and Box Score
Wisconsin evened its record to 4-4 with a five-set win on the road against Indiana on Sunday. Brittney Dolgner led the Badgers with 15 kills on .265 hitting, also contributing 12 digs and five total blocks. For the Hoosiers, Ashley Benson led all hitters with 17 kills, also tacking on seven kills for a match-high 21.5 total points.

Saturday on the Court
October 17, 2009

No. 11 MICHIGAN (5-3) def. OHIO STATE (3-5), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Michigan dropped the first set, but rallied to take the next three in a home win over Ohio State on Saturday. Alex Hunt led all hitters with 15 kills for the Wolverines, while Sloane Donhoff picked up 13 digs. Katie Dull led the Buckeyes with 10 kills, also contributing 10 digs and three blocks.

No. 1 PENN STATE (8-0) def. MICHIGAN STATE (rv) (2-6), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
The top-ranked Nittany Lions extended their NCAA-record winning streak to 84 matches with a sweep on the road over Michigan State on Saturday. Blair Brown led PSU with 13 kills on .522 hitting, while Megan Hodge tallied 12 hits. Becca Zlabis and Vanessa King led the Spartans with six kills each.

No. 6 MINNESOTA (6-2) def. NORTHWESTERN (2-6), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Minnesota dropped the first set, but won the next three to maintain sole possession of second place in the conference standings with a win at Northwestern on Saturday. Four Gophers finished with double-digit kills on the night, while Naomi Johnson led the Wildcats with 13 hits.

PURDUE (3-5) def. IOWA (2-6), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Purdue won its second match in a row with a sweep over Iowa at home on Saturday night. Carrie Gurnell and Ariel Turner led the Boilermakers with 11 kills each, while setter Jaclyn Hart commanded the offense that hit .383 on the night. Katie Kennedy had nine kills on .389 to pace the Hawkeyes.

Friday Night Results
October 17, 2009

No. 10 ILLINOIS (6-2) def. No. 6 MINNESOTA (5-2), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Playing its first match at Assembly Hall in 28 years, the Illinois volleyball team swept Minnesota in front of a school-record crowd. Laura DeBruler, Michelle Bartsch and Kylie McCulley each had double-digit kills for the Illini, while Ashley Edinger led the defense with 19 digs. Brook Dieter, Lauren Gibbemeyer and Ariana Filho each had double-digit kills for the Gophers.

INDIANA (3-4) def. IOWA (2-5), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
The Indiana volleyball team kicked off Hoosier Hysteria at Assembly Hall with a sweep over the Hawkeyes to improve to 3-4 in conference play. Ashley Benson led IU with 10 kills on .409 hitting, also contributing four blocks. Megan Schipper led the Hawkeyes with nine hits.

No. 1 PENN STATE (7-0) def. No. 11 MICHIGAN (4-3), 3-2
Recap and Box Score
In front of a sold-out crowd at Cliff Keen Arena, Michigan took top-ranked Penn State further than any team since last year's NCAA semifinals, but the Nittany Lions took the fifth set to remain undefeated in their last 83 matches. PSU's Megan Hodge led all players with 25 kills, while Arielle Wilson had 17 on .696 hitting. Juliana Paz and Alex Hunt paced the Wolverine attack with 17 and 16 kills, respectively.

OHIO STATE (3-4) def. MICHIGAN STATE (rv) (2-5), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Ohio State ran its Big Ten mark to 3-4 with a four-set road win over the Spartans. Katie Dull led the Buckeyes with 19 kills on .268 hitting, while Chelsea Noble put up 16 digs to pace the defense. Becca Zlabis led the Spartans with 12 kills, while Kyndra Abron tallied 10.

PURDUE (2-5) def. WISCONSIN (rv) (3-4), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Purdue snapped a five-match losing streak by earning a four-set victory in front of its home crowd. Ariel Turner led all players with a career-high 22 kills for the Boilermakers, while Kristen Arthurs kept the Badger offense off-balance with nine total blocks. Three Wisconsin players ended the night with double-digit kills, led by Alexis Mitchell who tallied 14 at a .636 clip.

This Weekend's Schedule
October 16, 2009

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16

#6 MINNESOTA (5-1) at #10 ILLINOIS (5-2)   6:30 p.m.
Big Ten Network (7 p.m. on Oct. 18)  -  Spike the Record at Illini Madness

IOWA (2-4) at INDIANA (2-4)   7 p.m.
DIG PINK  -  Hoosier Hysteria

#1 PENN STATE (6-0) at #11 MICHIGAN (4-2)   7 p.m.
ESPN2 (1 p.m., Oct. 18)  -  SOLD OUT

OHIO STATE (2-4) at MICHIGAN STATE (rv) (2-4)   6:30 p.m.

WISCONSIN (rv) (3-3) at PURDUE (1-5)   7 p.m.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17

IOWA at PURDUE   7 p.m.
DIG PINK

OHIO STATE at #11 MICHIGAN   7 p.m.

#1 PENN STATE at MICHIGAN STATE (rv)   6:30 p.m.

#6 MINNESOTA at NORTHWESTERN (2-5)   7 p.m.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18

WISCONSIN (rv) at INDIANA   1 p.m.

All times local to site

Required Reading
October 15, 2009

Wednesday Night Wrap-Up
October 15, 2009

No. 10 ILLINOIS def. NORTHWESTERN, 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Illinois extended its winning streak to four straight matches with a three-set sweep over Northwestern on Dig Pink Night in Huff Hall. Laura DeBruler, Michelle Bartsch and Kylie McCulley each posted double-doubles for the Illini, with Bartsch leading the way in kills with 13. Ariel Baxterbeck led the Wildcat attack with eight kills on .333 hitting, also contributing 13 digs on the night.

Can You Dig It?
October 14, 2009

Illinois and Northwestern will DIG PINK tonight at Huff Hall as the 10th-ranked Fighting Illini host the red-hot Wildcats in a match that will be televised LIVE on the Big Ten Network.

Wednesday Morning Reading Material
October 14, 2009

Must-See TV

Required Reading

News & Notes
October 12, 2009

Players of the Week
Penn State setter Alisha Glass was named Big Ten Player of the Week after leading the Nittany Lions to a pair of wins last week, including a three-set victory on the road against No. 5 Minnesota. Glass passed PSU to a combined .340 hitting average. Illinois' Johannah Bangert and Wisconsin's Brittney Dolgner shared defensive honors after Bangert tied a school record with 13 block assists, and Dolgner led a balanced Badger team that posted upset wins over No. 8 Michigan and No. 18 Michigan State. PSU's Darcy Dorton earned her fourth Freshman of the Week accolade. FULL STORY

In the Polls
The Big Ten is once again the only conference in the nation with three top-10 teams, led by No. 1 Penn State. Minnesota comes in at No. 6, and Illinois is up two spots from last week to No. 10. Michigan is ranked No. 11 in this week's poll, while Michigan State and Wisconsin are receiving votes outside the top 25. FULL POLL

In the RPI
In the first edition of the NCAA RPI report released on Monday, the Big Ten led all conferences with four representatives in the top 10. The Big Ten and the Pac-10 are tied for most representatives in the top 50, each with nine schools. FULL REPORT

Sunday on the Court
October 11, 2009

NORTHWESTERN def. INDIANA (rv), 3-2
Recap and Box Score
Behind a career night from Sabel Moffett, Northwestern pulled out its second five-set victory in as many days, edging out Indiana. Moffett put down a career-high 24 kills on .463 hitting, also adding seven blocks. Ashley Benson tallied 14 hits to pace the Hoosiers.

IOWA def. No. 18 MICHIGAN STATE, 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Iowa attacked at a season-high .356 clip to pick up its first home win of the season with a sweep over the nationally ranked Spartans. Megan Schipper led the Hawkeyes with 13 kills on .324 hitting, while Becky Walters had 11 kills at a .733 clip. Natalie Emro had seven kills at a .500 pace to front the Spartans.

No. 1 PENN STATE def. No. 5 MINNESOTA, 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Penn State emerged victorious in a close three-set match between two top-five teams, extending their NCAA-record winning streak to 82 matches. Megan Hodge had 21 kills on .340 hitting to front the Nittany Lions, while Alisha Glass put up 46 assists as PSU hit .328 in the contest. Lauren Gibbemeyer led the Gophers with 13 kills on .462 hitting, also adding three blocks.

Saturday's Scores
October 10, 2009

No. 12 ILLINOIS def. INDIANA (rv), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Illinois used a strong team block to down Indiana in straight sets and improve to 4-2 in conference play. Johannah Bangert had six blocks and eight kills for the Illini, while Laura DeBruler led the Illini attack with 12 hits. Kelci Marschall had 10 kills to pace the Hoosiers.

NORTHWESTERN def. PURDUE (rv), 3-2
Recap and Box Score
Northwestern picked up its first win of the conference season with a five-set victory over Purdue. Naomi Johnson and Sabel Moffett each put down 15 kills to lead the Wildcats, while Brittany Gray contributed 12. Three Boilermakers ended the night with double-digit kills, including Tiffany Fisher who led all players with 17.

WISCONSIN def. No. 8 MICHIGAN, 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Wisconsin upset its second ranked opponent in as many nights with a four-set win over Michigan. The Badgers' Allison Wack led all players with 18 kills on .472 hitting, while Brittney Dolgner had 14 and Elle Ohlander contributed 11. Alex Hunt led the Wolverines with 15 kills, while Veronica Rood added 14.

Friday Night Lights
October 9, 2009

No. 12 ILLINOIS (3-2) def. PURDUE (rv) (1-4), 3-2
Recap and Box Score
Playing in its third consecutive five-set match, Illinois pulled out a close victory over Purdue in a game that was broadcast by ESPN2. The match will air Sunday at Noon CT. Laura DeBruler and Kylie McCulley each had 20 kills for the Illini, while Johannah Bangert put down 13 blocks. Carrie Gurnell paced the Boilermakers with 13 hits.

No. 8 MICHIGAN (4-1) def. IOWA (1-4), 3-2
Recap and Box Score
Iowa pulled out to a 2-1 advantage in its Big Ten home opener, but the eight-ranked Wolverines pulled away in the final two sets to claim the victory. Veronica Rood paced the Michigan attack with 19 kills on .548 hitting, while four Wolverines tallied double-digit digs. Aimee Huffman led Iowa with 13 kills on the night.

No. 5 MINNESOTA (5-0) def. OHIO STATE (2-4), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Minnesota won its seventh straight match and remained undefeated in conference play with a 3-1 win over Ohio State at home. Brook Dieter put down 24 kills on .321 hitting for the Gophers, while Lauren Gibbemeyer had 17 hits at a .531 clip. Taylor Carico put up 57 assists and led Minnesota to a combined attacking percentage of .260. Katie Dull paced the Buckeyes with 22 kills.

WISCONSIN (2-3) def. No. 18 MICHIGAN STATE (2-3), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Wisconsin notched its biggest win of the season with a home sweep over the 18th-ranked Spartans. Brittney Dolgner had 15 kills on .444 hitting for the Badgers, while Elle Ohlander had 10 hits at a .500 clip. Kyndra Abron led Michigan State with 10 kills at a .600 percentage.

This Weekend's Schedule
October 9, 2009

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9
PURDUE (rv) (1-3) at #12 ILLINOIS (2-2) 7 p.m.
ESPN2 (Oct. 11, Noon)

#8 MICHIGAN (3-1) at IOWA (1-3) 7 p.m.

#18 MICHIGAN STATE (2-2) at WISCONSIN (1-3) 7 p.m.

OHIO STATE (2-3) at #5 MINNESOTA (4-0) 6 p.m.
www.BigTenNetwork.com (LIVE)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10
INDIANA (rv) (2-2) at #12 ILLINOIS 7 p.m.

#8 MICHIGAN at WISCONSIN 7 p.m.

PURDUE (rv) at NORTHWESTERN (0-4) 7 p.m.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11
INDIANA (rv) at NORTHWESTERN 5 p.m.

#18 MICHIGAN STATE at IOWA 1 p.m.

#1 PENN STATE at #5 MINNESOTA 1 p.m.
Big Ten Network (LIVE)

All times local to site

Mid-Week Matchup
October 8, 2009

No. 1 PENN STATE (5-0) def. OHIO STATE (2-3), 3-1
Recap and Box Score      Big Ten Network Highlights
Penn State improved to 5-0 in Big Ten play with a 3-1 win on the road against Ohio State. Three Nittany Lions posted double-digit kills in the match, led by Megan Hodge's tally of 18. As a team, PSU hit .353 and kept Ohio State off-balance with 18 total blocks. Kristen Dozier led the Buckeyes with 11 kills, while Katie Dull had 10.

Wednesday Roundup
October 7, 2009

Must-See TV

Required Reading

This Week's Top 10
October 6, 2009

The Big Ten volleyball weekly release is now available! Click HERE to view the whole thing, or read below for highlights:

1. The Big Ten is the only conference in the country with two top-five and three top-10 teams.
2. Penn State is No. 1 in the nation for the 30th consecutive week.
3. Minnesota cracked the top five this week, marking the program's highest ranking since 2005.
4. Five total Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 25, while two more squads are receiving votes.
5. Iowa snapped Penn State's regular-season sets winning streak at 141.
6. The Nittany Lions extended their NCAA-record overall winning streak to 80 matches.
7. Four matches will be broadcast by ESPN2, the Big Ten Network and http://www.bigtennetwork.com/sports/wvolleyball/ this week.
8. Penn State and Minnesota remain unbeaten in conference play. Both squads need to get through Ohio State before facing off against each other on Sunday.
9. The Big Ten continues to boast the best-hitting teams and individuals in the country.
10. Minnesota's Christine Tan was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for the ninth time in her career.

News & Notes
October 5, 2009

In the Polls
The Big Ten is the only conference in the nation with two top-five and three top-10 teams in the latest AVCA coaches poll. Penn State is spending its 30th straight week at the top spot, while Minnesota is up to No. 5, marking its highest ranking since 2005. Michigan comes in at No. 8, while Illinois follows at No. 12, and Michigan State is up five places to No. 18. Indiana and Purdue are receiving votes outside the top 25. COMPLETE POLL

Players of the Week
Penn State's Arielle Wilson was named Big Ten Player of the Week for the second consecutive week after hitting .472 to lead her team to wins against Iowa and Wisconsin over the weekend. Minnesota's Christine Tan earned her ninth career Defensive Player of the Week honor after commanding the Gopher defense that allowed opponents to hit just .151. Indiana's Jordan Haverly was named Freshman of the Week after averaging 3.9 kills against Purdue and Minnesota. COMPLETE RELEASE

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!
October 4, 2009

No. 8 MINNESOTA (4-0) def. INDIANA (2-2), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Minnesota remained one of two teams undefeated in Big Ten play with a sweep over Indiana on the road. Brook Dieter led the Gophers with 14 kills, while Lauren Gibbemeyer had 13 on .435 hitting. Freshman Jordan Haverly paced the Hoosiers with 12 kills, while Kelsey Hall chipped in 10.

Saturday on the Court
October 3, 2009

#12 ILLINOIS (2-2) def. #6 MICHIGAN (3-1), 3-2
Recap and Box Score
Illinois posted its highest-ranked win of the season with a come-from-behind five-set win on the road against Michigan. Kylie McCulley led all players with 22 kills for the Illini, while Laura DeBruler and Michelle Bartsch each had 13. Juliana Paz paced the Wolverines with 21 kills on the night.

OHIO STATE (2-2) def. IOWA (1-3), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
The Buckeyes evened their conference record with a sweep at home over Iowa. Ohio State's Katie Dull led all players with 16 kills, while teammate Chelsea Noble racked up 15 digs. Megan Schipper and Aimee Huffman paced the Hawkeyes with nine kills each.

#23 MICHIGAN STATE (2-2) def. NORTHWESTERN (0-4), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
The Spartans improved to 5-0 at home with a win over Northwestern, bringing the Spartans up to .500 in conference play. MSU's Megan Schatzle led all players with 20 kills on .543 hitting, while Allyson Karaba and Becca Zlabis recorded 18 and 16 digs, respectively, for the Spartans. Sabel Moffett led the Wildcats with 12 kills on .375 hitting.

#1 PENN STATE (4-0) def. WISCONSIN (1-3), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Penn State extended its NCAA-record winning streak to 80 matches with a sweep at home over Wisconsin. Megan Hodge and Blair Brown had 12 kills each for the Nittany Lions, who combined to hit .375 as a team. Freshman Kirby Toon led the Badgers with 10 kills, also with two aces and a block solo for 13 points on the night.

Friday Night Scores
October 2, 2009

#23 MICHIGAN STATE (1-2) def. #12 ILLINOIS (1-2), 3-2
Recap and Box Score
Michigan State pulled off its second upset of the season over an opponent ranked No. 12, holding off Illinois in five sets and giving the program its first conference win of the year. Mischelle Nelson led the Spartans with 14 kills on .542 hitting, while three more MSU players ended the night in double-digit kills. Illinois' Laura DeBruler led all players with 21 kills, while Kylie McCulley had 19.

#1 PENN STATE (3-0) def. IOWA (1-2), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Iowa ended Penn State's winning streak of 141 consecutive regular-season sets in the third stanza, but the Nittany Lions emerged victorious in the match, extending their overall winning streak to 79 straight matches. Megan Hodge had 20 kills on .395 hitting for PSU, while Megan Schipper led the Hawkeyes with 11 hits.

#6 MICHIGAN (3-0) def. NORTHWESTERN (0-3), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Michigan overpowered Northwestern to remain undefeated in conference play, led by a .375 team hitting percentage. Alex Hunt and Juliana Paz each had nine kills for the Wolverines, while the Wildcats were paced on offense by Ariel Baxterbeck.

#8 MINNESOTA (3-0) def. PURDUE (rv) (1-3), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Minnesota remained one of three teams undefeated in Big Ten play with a sweep over Purdue on the road. Brook Dieter led the Gophers with 12 kills, while Ariana Filho contributed 10. Tiffany Fisher paced the Boilermaker attack with 11 kills on the night.

WISCONSIN (1-2) def. OHIO STATE (1-2), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Wisconsin picked up its first conference season on the road with a 3-1 decision over Ohio State. Brittney Dolgner led the Badgers with 14 kills, while teammate Caity DuPont chipped in with 10 hits. OSU's Katie Dull led all players with 17 kills on the night.

This Weekend's Schedule
October 2, 2009

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2
#12 ILLINOIS (1-1) at #23 MICHIGAN STATE (0-2) 6:30 p.m.

IOWA (1-1) at #1 PENN STATE (2-0) 7 p.m.
www.BigTenNetwork.com (LIVE)

NORTHWESTERN (0-2) at #6 MICHIGAN (2-0) 7 p.m.

#8 MINNESOTA (2-0) at PURDUE (rv) (1-2) 7 p.m.

WISCONSIN (0-2) at OHIO STATE (1-1) 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3
#12 ILLINOIS at #6 MICHIGAN 7 p.m.

IOWA at OHIO STATE 7 p.m.

NORTHWESTERN at #23 MICHIGAN STATE 6:30 p.m.

WISCONSIN at #1 PENN STATE 7 p.m.
www.BigTenNetwork.com (LIVE)

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4
#8 MINNESOTA at INDIANA (2-1) 1 p.m.

All times local to site

Wednesday Wrap-Up
September 30, 2009

INDIANA (2-1) def. PURDUE (rv) (1-2), 3-2
Recap and Box Score     Big Ten Network Highlights
Indiana claimed the first points in this year's Crimson and Gold Cup with a thrilling five-set victory over Purdue in West Lafayette in a match that was televised live on the Big Ten Network. IU's Ashley Benson led all hitters with 21 kills, while three Boilermakers put up double-digit tallies, led by Carrie Gurnell's 14.

Around the Horn
September 30, 2009

News & Notes

Required Reading

This Week's Top 10 List
September 29, 2009

The latest edition of the Big Ten volleyball weekly release is now available! Click HERE to view the full version, or check out highlights below:

1. The Big Ten once again boasts five nationally ranked teams, including three in the top eight.
2. Penn State is spending its 29th straight poll at No. 1.
3. Michigan ties its program-high, ranked No. 6 this week.
4. Michigan, Minnesota and Penn State all opened up their conference seasons by going undefeated in the first weekend of action.
5. Penn State's NCAA-record winning streak now stands at 78 straight matches.
6. Three matches will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network and www.BigTenNetwork.com this week.
7. Five Big Ten teams are in the nation's top 15 in average home attendance.
8. Big Ten teams and student-athletes pace the nation in hitting percentage.
9. Six Big Ten juniors rank in the NCAA's top 45 in blocks per set.
10. PSU's Wilson hits .657 last week to earn fifth career Player of the Week honor.

News & Notes
September 28, 2009

Big Ten in the Polls
For the fifth straight week, three Big Ten teams are in the top 10 of the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 poll. Penn State is enjoying its 29th consecutive top billing, while Michigan ties its program best at No. 6. Minnesota moves up one spot to No. 8, marking the first time since Sept. 15 of last year the Golden Gophers have been ranked that high. The Big Ten and the Pac-10 are the only conferences with three top-10 teams, and the Big Ten is the only conference with three top-eight teams. Also representing the Big Ten in the poll, Illinois is up three spots from last week to No. 12, and Michigan State comes in at No. 23. Purdue is receiving votes outside the top 25. COMPLETE POLL

Players of the Week
Penn State's Arielle Wilson earned her fifth career Player of the Week award after leading the Nittany Lions to sweeps on the road over Northwestern and No. 15 Illinois. The junior hit .657 on the week, including a .750 clip vs. the Illini. Michigan's Sloane Donhoff took home her first career honor after tallying 35 total digs, including a career-high 25 in a win over Purdue. Penn State's Darcy Dorton was named Freshman of the Week for the third time this season, averaging 3.5 kills on .545 hitting. COMPLETE RELEASE

Sunday on the Court
September 27, 2009

No. 8 MICHIGAN (2-0) def. PURDUE (rv) (1-1), 3-2
Recap and Box Score
Michigan narrowly edged Purdue in West Lafayette on Sunday to open the conference season 2-0. The Wolverines won the second and fourth sets before taking the decisive frame, 15-13. Michigan's Juliana Paz led all players with 18 kills, while Ariel Turner fronted the Boilermakers with 15 hits.

Saturday's Scores
September 26, 2009

No. 1 PENN STATE (2-0) def. No. 15 ILLINOIS (1-1), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
No. 1 Penn State extended its winning streak to 78 consecutive matches with a sweep over No. 15 Illinois in Champaign. Arielle Wilson, (13) Megan Hodge (12) and Darcy Dorton (14) each posted double-digit kills for the Nittany Lions, while the Illini's Michelle Bartsch led all players with 16 hits on the night.

INDIANA (1-1) def. No. 16 MICHIGAN STATE (0-2), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Indiana recorded a huge win at home, downing nationally ranked Michigan State in four sets. The Hoosiers' Ashley Benson paced her team with 14 kills and six blocks, fronting all players with 18 points. Four players tallied double-digit kills for the Spartans, led by Becca Zlabis' 12.

No. 9 MINNESOTA (2-0) def. IOWA (1-1), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Minnesota improved to 2-0 in conference play with a sweep over Iowa at home. Lauren Gibbemeyer and Brook Dieter led the Golden Gophers with 13 kills each, Gibbemeyer's total coming on .565 hitting. Megan Schipper was one of two Hawkeyes with seven kills, also tying for the team lead with 11 digs.

OHIO STATE (1-1) def. NORTHWESTERN (0-2), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Kristen Dozier and Katie Dull had 10 kills each for the Buckeyes as Ohio State combined to hit .347 as a team in a sweep over Northwestern. Chelsea Noble had 14 digs to lead OSU on defense, while Betsy Hone dished out 39 assists. Northwestern's Sabel Moffett led all players with 15 kills.

Friday's Results
September 25, 2009

No. 15 ILLINOIS (1-0) def. OHIO STATE (0-1), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Michelle Bartsch and Laura DeBruler led Illinois with 17 and 16 kills, respectively, as the Illini opened the conference season with a win at home. DeBruler also tallied 11 digs and six blocks to lead all players with 20.5 points. Katie Dull and Kristen Dozier had 14 kills each for the Buckeyes.

No. 8 MICHIGAN (1-0) def. INDIANA (0-1), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
The Wolverines swept Indiana in Bloomington to open the Big Ten season, led by Courtney Fletcher's 11 kills and .625 hitting percentage. Fletcher also had six digs and two blocks for 14 total points. Indiana's Ashley Benson led all players with 12 kills on the night.

No. 9 MINNESOTA (1-0) def. WISCONSIN (0-2), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
The Golden Gophers won their conference home opener for the 11th straight year with a sweep over Wisconsin. Lauren Gibbemeyer led Minnesota with 14 kills on .480 hitting, marking her fifth consecutive match hitting .470 or better. Brittney Dolgner led the Badgers with seven kills, eight digs and two blocks.

No. 1 PENN STATE (1-0) def. NORTHWESTERN (0-1), 3-0
Recap and Box Score
Penn State extended its winning streak to 77 consecutive matches with a sweep over Northwestern. PSU's Megan Hodge led all hitters with 16 kills, while Alyssa D'Errico had 14 digs and Alisha Glass put up 45 assists. Sabel Moffett fronted the Wildcats with nine kills on .500 hitting.

PURDUE (rv) (1-0) def. No. 16 MICHIGAN STATE (0-1), 3-1
Recap and Box Score
Purdue opened conference play by downing previously unbeaten and nationally ranked Michigan State in Mackey Arena. Tiffany Fisher and Carrie Gurnell each had double-digit kills for the Boilermakers, while Blair Bashen had 10 digs. Michigan State's Kyndra Abron led all players with 16 kills on .571 hitting.

This Weekend's Schedule
September 25, 2009

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
OHIO STATE at #15 ILLINOIS 7 p.m.

#8 MICHIGAN at INDIANA 7 p.m.

#16 MICHIGAN STATE at PURDUE (rv) 7 p.m.

WISCONSIN at #9 MINNESOTA 7 p.m.
BigTenNetwork.com (LIVE)

#1 PENN STATE at NORTHWESTERN 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
#1 PENN STATE at #15 ILLINOIS 7 p.m.
Big Ten Network (LIVE)

#16 MICHIGAN STATE at INDIANA 7 p.m.

IOWA at #9 MINNESOTA 7 p.m.
BigTenNetwork.com (LIVE)

OHIO STATE at NORTHWESTERN 7 p.m.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
#8 MICHIGAN at PURDUE (rv) 1 p.m.

All times local to site

Extra, Extra!
September 23, 2009

Rock the Vote
Vote for Ohio State's Chelsea Noble (play #5) for the Volleyball Market/AVCA Play of the Week!

Catching Up
Read why Anna Szerszen, Ohio State's "French Connection" is a key part of the Buckeyes' hot start.
Hey, Purdue alumni! Help the Boilermakers celebrate 35 years of volleyball this weekend.
See what former Wisconsin setter Laura Abbinante is up to now.

Wednesday Wrap-Up
September 23, 2009

IOWA def. WISCONSIN, 3-1
Iowa defeated Wisconsin, 3-1 (25-21, 19-25, 25-22, 25-18), on the Badgers' home court on Wednesday in the 2009 conference season opener, televised live on the Big Ten Network. Wisconsin's Allison Wack led all players with 17 kills, while Becky Walters and Megan Schipper paced the Hawkeyes with 12 hits each. Walters also tallied eight total blocks, combining for a match-high 17.5 points.
Recap and Box Score

Wednesday Roundup
September 23, 2009

Don't forget, the 2009 Big Ten conference season starts tonight as Wisconsin hosts Iowa at 7 p.m. CT LIVE on the Big Ten Network!

Raking in the Honors
September 22, 2009

Penn State's Megan Hodge was today named the Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week. It is the second honor of her career and the first for the Big Ten this season.

Penn State Release
AVCA Release

Tuesday Tidbits
September 22, 2009

Must-See TV

Required Reading

This Week's Top 10
September 21, 2009

The Big Ten's weekly volleyball release is now available! Click HERE to read the whole thing, or look below for highlights:

1. Five Big Ten teams are ranked in the AVCA poll, including three in the top 10.
2. Northwestern already has more wins this season than it did all of last season, while Ohio State has matched its win total from a year ago.
3. Big Ten teams combined to go 106-23 in non-conference matches this year, including eight wins over top-25 opponents.
4. Six Big Ten teams rank among the nation's top 15 in average home attendance.
5. Penn State has won its last 76 overall matches and its last 62 home matches.
6. Illinois' Hillary Haen leads the nation with 12.24 assists per set.
7. Eight Big Ten teams rank in the NCAA's top 40 in hitting percentage, including Penn State who leads the nation (.448).
8. Four matches will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network or streamed on www.BigTenNetwork.com this week.
9. At No. 16, Michigan State is enjoying its highest ranking since 2003.
10. Penn State's Arielle Wilson leads the nation in hitting percentage, followed by seven other Big Ten players in the top 20.

News & Notes
September 21, 2009

In the Polls
The Big Ten once again boasts three teams in the top 10 of the AVCA coaches poll, tying with the Pac-10 among all conferences. Penn State is in the top spot for the 28th consecutive week, followed by No. 8 Michigan and No. 9 Minnesota. Illinois comes in at No. 15, while Michigan State is ranked No. 16, marking the program's highest spot since 2003. Purdue is receiving votes outside the top 25. COMPLETE POLL

Players of the Week
Megan Hodge earned her sixth career Player of the Week honor after hitting .543 as Penn State recorded three sweeps over the weekend. Michigan State's Allyson Karaba earned defensive honors, while Ohio State's Emily Danks and Purdue's Ariel Turner shared the offense for top Freshman of the Week. COMPLETE RELEASE

Sunday's Results
September 20, 2009

IOWA def. Morgan State, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

Saturday on the Court
September 19, 2009

No. 14 ILLINOIS def. Ohio (rv), 3-0
Recap and Box Score

INDIANA def. Alabama A&M, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

INDIANA def. North Carolina A&T, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

Oregon State (rv) def. No. 6 MICHIGAN, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 17 MICHIGAN STATE def. Clemson, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 9 MINNESOTA def. Georgia Tech, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

No. 9 MINNESOTA def. Denver, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

NORTHWESTERN def. Long Island, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

NORTHWESTERN def. Cincinnati, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

OHIO STATE def. Cleveland State, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

OHIO STATE def. Xavier, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 1 PENN STATE def. St. Francis (Pa.), 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 1 PENN STATE def. Temple, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

PURDUE (rv) def. Louisville, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

Friday's Scores
September 18, 2009

No. 14 ILLINOIS def. Louisville, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

Western Michigan def. INDIANA, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

IOWA def. Binghamton, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

Army def. IOWA, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

No. 6 MICHIGAN def. Marquette, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 6 MICHIGAN def. Dayton (rv), 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 17 MICHIGAN STATE def. Furman, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 17 MICHIGAN STATE def. Clemson, 3-2
Recap and Box Score

No. 12 Oregon def. No. 9 MINNESOTA, 3-2
Recap and Box Score

NORTHWESTERN def. Akron, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

OHIO STATE def. Bowling Green, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 1 PENN STATE def. Temple, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

PURDUE (rv) def. Ohio (rv)
Recap and Box Score

Must-See TV
September 18, 2009

In addition to its extensive television schedule, the Big Ten Network will stream 21 more Big Ten volleyball matches on www.BigTenNetwork.com. First up is Penn State vs. Temple on Saturday. Click HERE to view the full streaming schedule.

This Weekend's Schedule
September 18, 2009

SEPTEMBER 18
#14 ILLINOIS vs. Louisville [33] 5 p.m.
Western Michigan at INDIANA [34] 7 p.m.
IOWA vs. Binghampton [35] 2 p.m.
IOWA at Army [35] 7 p.m.
Marquette at #6 MICHIGAN [36] 1:30 p.m.
Dayton (rv) at #6 MICHIGAN [36] 7:30 p.m.
#17 MICHIGAN STATE vs. Furman [37] 11 a.m.
#17 MICHIGAN STATE at Clemson [37] 7 p.m.
#9 MINNESOTA vs. #12 Oregon [38] 5 p.m.
Akron at NORTHWESTERN [39] 7 p.m.
Bowling Green at OHIO STATE [40] 7:30 p.m.
#1 PENN STATE at Temple 7 p.m.
Ohio (rv) at PURDUE (rv) [33] 7:30 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 19
#14 ILLINOIS vs. Ohio (rv) [33] 5 p.m.
Alabama A&M at INDIANA [34] 10 a.m.
North Carolina A&T at INDIANA [34] 7 p.m.
Oregon State (rv) at #6 MICHIGAN [36] 7:30 p.m.
#17 MICHIGAN STATE vs. Presbyterian [37] Noon
#9 MINNESOTA vs. Georgia Tech [38] 1 p.m.
#9 MINNESOTA at Denver [38] 7:30 p.m.
Long Island at NORTHWESTERN [39] Noon
Cincinnati (rv) at NORTHWESTERN [39] 7 p.m.
Cleveland State at OHIO STATE [40] 11:30 a.m.
Xavier at OHIO STATE [40] 7:30 p.m.
Saint Francis (Pa.) at #1 PENN STATE 10 a.m.
Temple at #1 PENN STATE 7:30 p.m.
Louisville at PURDUE (rv) [33] 7:30 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 20
IOWA vs. Morgan State [35] 9 a.m.

33 - Purdue Active Ankle Challenge (West Lafayette, Ind.)
34 - IU Invitational (Bloomington, Ind.)
35 - West Point Challenge (West Point, N.Y.)
36 - Michigan/adidas Invitational (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
37 - Clemson Classic (Clemson, S.C.)
38 - Pioneer Classic (Denver, Colo.)
39 - 38th Annual Wildcat Classic (Evanston, Ill.)
40 - Ohio State Sports Imports Classic (Columbus, Ohio)

All times local to site

Wednesday on the Court
September 16, 2009

WISCONSIN def. UW-Green Bay, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

Midweek Mash-Up
September 16, 2009

Must-See TV

Required Reading

Listening In

Around the Horn
September 15, 2009

Must-See TV

Required Reading

This Week's Top 10
September 14, 2009

The Big Ten volleyball weekly release is now available! View the complete version HERE or look below for the highlights:

1. Penn State is the No. 1 team in the country for the 27th consecutive week.
2. The Big Ten is one of just two conferences with three top-10 teams.
3. Three teams - Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State - remain undefeated in 2009.
4. At No. 6, Michigan is enjoying its highest ranking in program history.
5. Michigan State is No. 17, marking the Spartans' best ranking since 2003.
6. At 9-0, MSU is off to its best start since 1976.
7. Michigan has won its last 50 regular-season non-conference matches.
8. Illinois' Laura DeBruler took home her sixth career Player of the Week award.
9. Indiana's Caitlin Cox executed on 99 of 100 service reception opportunities last weekend.
10. This week, Big Ten squads face five different opponents ranked or receiving votes.

News & Notes
September 14, 2009

In the Polls
The Big Ten once again boasts three top-10 teams in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll, tying the conference with the Big 12. Penn State is enjoying its 27th consecutive week at No. 1, while Michigan is up one spot to No. 6, marking the program's highest-ever ranking. Minnesota holds steady at No. 9. Also in the top 25, Illinois once again comes in at No. 14, and Michigan State claims its highest ranking since 2003 at No. 17. Purdue is receiving votes outside the top 25. COMPLETE POLL

Players of the Week
Illinois junior Laura DeBruler was named Big Ten Player of the Week after averaging 6.3 kills as her team went 3-0 at the State Farm Illini Classic over the weekend. Indiana's Caitlin Cox was named Defensive Player of the Week as she was named MVP of the Hampton Inn Invitational in Athens, Ohio. IU's Jordan Haverly was named Freshman of the Week for her role in helping IU go 4-0 last weekend. FULL RELEASE

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!
September 13, 2009

OHIO STATE def. Marquette, 3-2
Recap and Box Score

Saturday on the Court
September 12, 2009

No. 14 ILLINOIS def. Illinois State, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 14 ILLINOIS def. No. 16 St. Louis, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

INDIANA def. Eastern Kentucky, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

INDIANA def. Missouri State, 3-2
Recap and Box Score

Northern Colorado def. IOWA, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

Drake def. IOWA, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 7 MICHIGAN def. Virginia Commonwealth, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 7 MICHIGAN def. Missouri, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 18 MICHIGAN STATE def. Georgia State, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 18 MICHIGAN STATE def. Illinois-Chicago, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

No. 9 MINNESOTA def. South Florida, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

NORTHWESTERN def. James Madison, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

NORTHWESTERN def. Charlotte, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

OHIO STATE def. Western Michigan, 3-2
Recap and Box Score

OHIO STATE def. UW-Milwaukee, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 1 PENN STATE def. College of Charleston, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 1 PENN STATE def. Duke (rv), 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 17 Kentucky def. PURDUE (rv), 3-1
Recap and Box Score

PURDUE (rv) def. No. 21 Kansas State, 3-2
Recap and Box Score

WISCONSIN def. New Mexico State, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

Friday's Results
September 11, 2009

No. 14 ILLINOIS def. Cincinnati, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

INDIANA def. Delaware, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

INDIANA def. Ohio (rv), 3-2
Recap and Box Score

No. 11 Iowa State def. IOWA, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

No. 7 MICHIGAN def. Fairfield, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 7 MICHIGAN def. Morehead State, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 18 MICHIGAN STATE def. Duquesne, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 3 Washington def. No. 9 MINNESOTA
Recap and Box Score

NORTHWESTERN def. Presbyterian, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 1 PENN STATE def. Loyola (Md.), 3-0
Recap and Box Score

PURDUE (rv) def. Portland, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

Notre Dame (rv) def. WISCONSIN, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

This Weekend's Schedule
September 11, 2009

SEPTEMBER 11
Cincinnati at #14 ILLINOIS [22] 7 p.m.
INDIANA vs. Delaware [23] 10 a.m.
INDIANA at Ohio (rv) [23] 7 p.m.
#11 Iowa State at IOWA [24] 7 p.m.
Fairfield at #7 MICHIGAN [25] 12:30 p.m.
Morehead State at MICHIGAN [25] 7:30 p.m.
#18 MICHIGAN STATE vs. Duquesne [26] 5 p.m.
#9 MINNESOTA vs. #3 Washington [27] 6 p.m.
NORTHWESTERN vs. Presbyterian [28] 4:30 p.m.
#1 PENN STATE vs. Loyola (Md.) [29] 5 p.m.
PURDUE (rv) vs. Portland [30] 5 p.m.
WISCONSIN at Notre Dame (rv) [31] 7 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 12
Illinois State at #14 ILLINOIS [22] 10 a.m.
#16 St. Louis at #14 ILLINOIS [22] 7 p.m.
INDIANA vs. Eastern Kentucky [23] 10 a.m.
INDIANA vs. Missouri State [23] 5 p.m.
Northern Colorado at IOWA [24] Noon
Drake at IOWA [24] 7 p.m.
Virginia Commonwealth at #7 MICHIGAN [25] 12:30 p.m.
Missouri at #7 MICHIGAN [25] 7:30 p.m.
#18 MICHIGAN STATE vs. Georgia State [26] 11 a.m.
#18 MICHIGAN STATE at Illinois-Chicago [26] 6 p.m.
#9 MINNESOTA at South Florida [27] 8 p.m.
NORTHWESTERN vs. James Madison [28] 10 a.m.
NORTHWESTERN at Charlotte [28] 7 p.m.
OHIO STATE vs. Western Michigan [32] 11 a.m.
OHIO STATE at UW-Milwaukee [32] 7:30 p.m.
#1 PENN STATE vs. Charleston [29] Noon
#1 PENN STATE at Duke (rv) [29] 7 p.m.
PURDUE (rv) vs. #17 Kentucky [30] 10:30 a.m.
PURDUE (rv) at #21 Kansas State [30] 7:30 p.m.
WISCONSIN vs. New Mexico State [31] 5 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 13
OHIO STATE at Marquette 1 p.m.

22 - State Farm Illini Classic (Champaign, Ill.)
23 - Ohio University Tournament (Athens, Ohio)
24 - Hawkeye Challenge (Iowa City, Iowa)
25 - Michigan/Pepsi Challenge (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
26 - UIC Invitational (Chicago, Ill.)
27 - Tampa Twice Tournament (St. Petersburg, Fla.)
28 - Comfort Suites 49er Tournament (Charlotte, N.C.)
29 - Duke Invitational (Durham, N.C.)
30 - Varnay's Kansas State Invitational (Manhattan, Kan.)
31 - Notre Dame Invitational (Notre Dame, Ind.)

All times local to site

Required Reading
September 10, 2009

Mid-Week Matchup
September 9, 2009

No. 7 MICHIGAN def. Eastern Michigan, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

Required Reading
September 9, 2009

Wednesday Wrap-Up
September 2, 2009

Required Reading
September 2, 2009

Midweek Matchups
September 1, 2009

August 31
No. 13 MINNESOTA def. George Mason, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

September 1
No. 13 MINNESOTA def. Navy, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

This Week's Top 10
August 31, 2009

The Big Ten volleyball weekly release is up! View the entire version HERE or read the highlights below.

1. Penn State is enjoying its 25th straight week at No. 1 in the AVCA coaches poll.
2. Indiana's Taylor Wittmer leads the Big Ten in hitting percentage and blocks per set.
3. The Big Ten is tied with the Pac-10 with three teams in the AVCA top 10.
4. Michigan head coach Mark Rosen earned career win No. 400 vs. Kansas State on Saturday.
5. Big Ten teams combined to go 5-1 against ranked teams last weekend.
6. Six Big Ten teams are ranked in this week's AVCA Top 25 Coaches Poll.
7. Seven Big Ten teams opened the season with undefeated records over the weekend.
8. Big Ten teams went a combined 25-6 (.806) in the first weekend of play.
9. Six of the nine highest-attended matches so far in 2009 have featured at least one Big Ten team.
10. Purdue's Kristen Arthurs tied Purdue, Big Ten and NCAA records with a 1.000 (10-for-10) hitting percentage vs. Ball State on Friday.

Monday's News & Notes
August 31, 2009

Players of the Week
Michigan State's Kyndra Abron was named Big Ten Player of the Week, while Minnesota's Christine Tan and Northwestern's Kate Nobilio received defensive accolades, and Penn State's Darcy Dorton was named the conference's first-ever volleyball Freshman of the Week.

In the Poll
Six Big Ten teams are ranked in the latest AVCA poll, including three top-10 teams. The Big Ten is tied with the Pac-10 for most teams in the top 10, and Michigan receives its highest ranking ever.

Sunday's Results
August 30, 2009

Ohio (rv) def. WISCONSIN (rv), 3-1
Recap and Box Score

Saturday Scores
August 29, 2009

No. 10 ILLINOIS def. Texas Tech, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 10 ILLINOIS def. Creighton, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

INDIANA def. New Orleans, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

INDIANA def. Houston, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

IOWA def. Marquette, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

IOWA def. Eastern Kentucky, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 16 MICHIGAN def. No. 22 Kansas State, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

MICHIGAN STATE (rv) def. Albany, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

MICHIGAN STATE (rv) def. North Carolina, 3-2
Recap and Box Score

No. 3 Nebraska def. No. 11 MINNESOTA, 3-2
Recap and Box Score

NORTHWESTERN def. Western Carolina, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

OHIO STATE def. Maryland Eastern Shore, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

OHIO STATE def. William & Mary, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

No. 1 PENN STATE def. Alabama, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 1 PENN STATE def. No. 20 St. Louis, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 19 PURDUE def. Coastal Carolina, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

Dayton def. No. 19 PURDUE, 3-2
Recap and Box Score

WISCONSIN (rv) def. South Dakota, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

The Results Are In
August 28, 2009

INDIANA def. Southeastern Louisiana, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

IOWA def. Loyola-Chicago, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 16 MICHIGAN def. No. 3 Nebraska, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

MICHIGAN STATE (rv) def. No. 12 USC, 3-2
Recap and Box Score

No. 11 MINNESOTA def. No. 22 Kansas State, 3-2
Recap and Box Score

No. 21 Kentucky def. NORTHWESTERN, 3-1
Recap and Box Score

OHIO STATE def. Rider, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

OHIO STATE def. North Carolina A&T, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 1 PENN STATE def. Miami (Ohio), 3-0
Recap and Box Score

No. 10 PURDUE def. Ball State, 3-0
Recap and Box Score

Duke (rv) def. WISCONSIN (rv), 3-2
Recap and Box Score

Tonight's the Night!
August 28, 2009

The 2009 volleyball season opens tonight! Ten of the Big Ten's 11 teams are in action this evening with the exception of Illinois, whose schedule at the Bluejay Classic was recently changed. The full weekend schedule is below. Click the team names for their weekend notes, and click HERE to read the Big Ten release.

AUGUST 28
INDIANA vs. Southeastern Louisiana [2] 5:30 p.m.
IOWA at Loyola-Chicago [3] 7 p.m.
#16 MICHIGAN vs. #3 Nebraska [4] 8:30 p.m.
#12 USC at MICHIGAN STATE (rv) [5] 6:30 p.m.
#11 MINNESOTA vs. #22 Kansas State [4] 6 p.m.
NORTHWESTERN at #21 Kentucky [6] 7 p.m.
OHIO STATE vs. Rider [7] 10 a.m.
OHIO STATE vs. North Carolina A&T [7] 5 p.m.
#1 PENN STATE vs. Miami (Ohio) [8] 5 p.m.
Ball State at #19 PURDUE [9] 7 p.m.
Duke (rv) at WISCONSIN (rv) [10] 7 p.m.

AUGUST 29
#10 ILLINOIS vs. Texas Tech [1] Noon
#10 ILLINOIS at Creighton [1] 7 p.m.
INDIANA vs. New Orleans [2] 11:30 a.m.
INDIANA at Houston [2] 7:30 p.m.
IOWA vs. Marquette [3] 10:30 a.m.
IOWA vs. Eastern Kentucky [3] 5 p.m.
#16 MICHIGAN vs. #22 Kansas State [4] 6 p.m.
Albany at MICHIGAN STATE (rv) [5] 10:30 a.m.
North Carolina at MICHIGAN STATE (rv) [5] 7:30 p.m.
#11 MINNESOTA vs. #3 Nebraska [4] 8:30 p.m.
NORTHWESTERN vs. Florida International [6] Noon
NORTHWESTERN vs. Western Carolina [6] 5 p.m.
OHIO STATE vs. Maryland Eastern Shore [7] Noon
OHIO STATE at William & Mary [7] 7 p.m.
#1 PENN STATE vs. Alabama [8] 1 p.m.
#1 PENN STATE at #20 St. Louis [8] 7 p.m.
Coastal Carolina at #19 PURDUE [9] 10 a.m.
Dayton at #19 PURDUE [9] 7:30 p.m.
South Dakota at WISCONSIN (rv) [10] 7 p.m.

AUGUST 30
Ohio (rv) at WISCONSIN (rv) [10] 1 p.m.

1 - Bluejay Invitational (Omaha, Neb.)
2 - University of Houston Tournament (Houston, Texas)
3 - Loyola Invitational (Chicago, Ill.)
4 - Runza/AVCA Showcase (Omaha, Neb.)
5 - MSU Showcase (East Lansing, Mich.)
6 - Kentucky Classic (Lexington, Ky.)
7 - William & Mary Tribe Invitational (Williamsburg, Va.)
8 - Active Ankle Challenge (St. Louis, Mo.)
9 - Mortar Board Premier (West Lafayette, Ind.)
10 - InnTowner Invitational (Madison, Wis.)

All times local to site

Around The Horn
August 27, 2009

Required Reading
The Illinois volleyball team is ready to perform up to its high preseason expectations, writes Kyle Diller of the Daily Illini.
Check in with Minnesota freshman Mia Tabberson.
Go Off the Court with Purdue's Katie Griffin.
View the Wisconsin volleyball record book.

News and Notes
The Fighting Illini have changed their schedule for this weekend.
Curt Sivertsen will join the Iowa program as a volunteer assistant coach.
Register now for the Bucky's Buddies Volleyball Skills Clinic, Sept. 15.

Listening In
Preview Michigan in the Runza/AVCA Showcase by tuning in to The Rosen Report.

Required Reading
August 26, 2009

Dave Reed of ESPN.com thinks Penn State has what it takes to win its third straight national title.
Michigan's Megan Bower is At the Net.
Minnesota's Tabitha Love blogs about the Gophers' scrimmage on Tuesday.
Read quotes from Minnesota's media day yesterday.
Catch Wisconsin volleyball all season long on Clear Channel Radio Madison.
Peter Netisingha was named volunteer assistant coach for the Badgers today.

Today's Top 10
August 26, 2009

The first Big Ten volleyball release of the season is up! Check it out HERE or view the top 10 highlights below:

1. Five Big Ten teams are ranked in the preseason AVCA poll and two more are receiving votes.
2. Big Ten teams will combine to play 10 opponents either ranked or receiving votes this weekend.
3. Nineteen of this week's matches will feature at least one team either ranked or receiving votes.
4. The Big Ten welcomes back 10 members of last year's All-Big Ten team.
5. Eight of the Big Ten's 11 All-Americans from last season return in 2009.
6. Five Big Ten players return who finished ranked in the NCAA's top 50 in blocks last season.
7. Penn State is seeking its seventh consecutive Big Ten title.
8. The Nittany Lions have been ranked No. 1 in the AVCA poll since Oct. 29, 2007.
9. Illinois' No. 10 ranking is its highest since debuting at No. 6 prior to the 1993 season.
10. Big Ten volleyball will make 23 appearances on national television this season.

Rise and Shine
August 26, 2009

Read what Illinois first-year head coach Kevin Hambly had to say during his online chat yesterday.
Get the dish on Minnesota's Volleyball 101.
Hey, Boilermakers! Now's your chance to be part of the Block Party student section.
Meet Badger newcomer Kelli Kasha.

Tuesday Tidbits
August 25, 2009

Indiana sophomore Mary Chaudoin is hosting a video blog throughout the season. Check out the first episode of "Here's Something from Mary."
Minnesota is hosting its media day and Volleyball 101 today.
Check out the results of yesterday's Scarlet and Gray Scrimmage.
Get to know Badger newcomer Clare Liston.

Read All About It...
August 24, 2009

Illinois head coach Kevin Hambly will chat with fans tomorrow at Noon CT. Get your questions in now!
Iowa's Emily Krieger-Kittle is going against the grain of her family's history to play volleyball at Iowa.
Get a glimpse Michigan's volleyball yearbook.
Preview Michigan State's 2009 season.
The Golden Gophers are preparing for the season-opening Runza/AVCA Showcase.
Northwestern will rely on its experience in 2009.
Expectations remain high for the Boilermakers this season.
Wisconsin head coach Pete Waite addressed the Badger media today.

Weekend Roundup
August 24, 2009

The current Fighting Illini downed the alumni, 3-0.
The Hoosiers celebrated head coach Sherry Dunbar's 40th birthday.
Iowa hosted its Black and Gold Scrimmage on Saturday.
It was the Green over the White in Michigan State's annual scrimmage.
The White team won, 2-1, over the Cardinal in Wisconsin's intrasquad scrimmage.

Required Reading
August 20, 2009

Learn more about some of your favorite Big Ten volleyball players:
Iowa's Megan Schipper thrives on "relaxed intensity."
Minnesota sophomore Jessica Granquist and the rest of the Gopher volleyball squad enjoyed some time off at the Mall of America.
Go off the court with Purdue freshman Anna Drewry.

News & Notes
August 20, 2009

What's new with Big Ten volleyball:
Illinois opens its season with its annual alumni match on Saturday.
Admission is free for Monday's Scarlet and Gray scrimmage.

Required Reading
August 19, 2009

The IU volleyball team took some much-deserved time off during the weekend.
Iowa has named its team captains.
Step up to the net with Michigan's Cassie Petoskey.
The Spartans are busy preparing for the Green and White Scrimmage on Saturday.
Minnesota's Brook Dieter blogs about her experiences so far in pre-season practice.
Northwestern season tickets are now on sale.
Purdue has announced a time change for its scrimmage on Saturday.
Meet Badger newcomer Ashley Wiedmeyer.

Five Big Ten Teams Ranked in Preseason Poll
August 19, 2009

Five Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 20 of the preseason AVCA poll, released yesterday, including No. 1 Penn State. Two more conference teams are receiving votes.

Welcome To The Big Ten Volleyball Blog
August 19, 2009

Welcome to the Big Ten Volleyball Blog - your ultimate source for Big Ten volleyball updates all season long. Throughout the season, we'll bring you news updates, match results, links to features and much more, so be sure to check back often and see what's new with Big Ten volleyball!