University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Return Home This Weekend
10/25/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
| #3 Minnesota vs. Rutgers | #10 Penn State | |
| MATCH 1 | Minnesota vs. Rutgers (Friday | 7 p.m.) |
| Sports Pavilion | Minneapolis | |
| Watch Online | | Live Updates | |
| MATCH 2 | Minnesota vs. Penn State (Saturday | (6:30 p.m.) |
| Sports Pavilion | Minneapolis | |
| BTN (BTN2Go) | | Live Updates | |
| SOCIAL MEDIA | @GopherVball | Facebook |
Oct. 25, 2016
Weekly Notes
GOPHERS HOST RUTGERS & PENN STATE
The University of Minnesota returns to the Sports Pavilion confines when it hosts Rutgers and Penn State, Friday and Saturday night. Friday's match is slated for a 7 p.m., start, while Saturday's contest is at 6:30 p.m. The Penn State match is sold out.
FOLLOWING THE GOPHERS
Friday's match against Rutgers will be streamed on BTN Plus. The Gopher/Nittany Lion match will be televised on the Big Ten Network. The matches will also have a game day live page on gophersports.com.
DIG PINK & LOUDEST ARENA CHALLENGE
Friday night marks Minnesota's annual Dig Pink night as Gopher Volleyball raises awareness for breast cancer. Fans are encouraged to wear pink and as they enter the Sports Pavilion, they receive a free rally towel.
On Saturday, the University of Minnesota is competing in the "Loudest Volleyball Venue in the Nation." The event, presented by BTN2Go, is a challenge within the Big Ten to become the loudest volleyball venue. Free ear plugs and poms will be given to fans as they enter the Sports Pavilion. Decibel readings will take place at the match as Big Ten schools compete for the loudest crowd in the Big Ten. Historically, the Gophers hosting Penn State has been one of the highest attended matches of the season.
GOOD TO BE HOME
Minnesota has been on the road the last seven of eight matches and return to the Sports Pavilion for the next three matches. Minnesota is 6-0 at home this season, including three wins against Big Ten opponents.
FIRST HALF OF BIG TEN IN THE BOOKS
Minnesota completed the first half of its Big Ten season last weekend and are 7-3 in league action. The Gophers were 3-0 at home in that span and 4-3 on the road. In the second half of the Big Ten, Minnesota will face six teams that are currently ranked in the AVCA top 25 in the second half of the season.
ON THE DOCKET
Minnesota hosts Indiana, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. Following the Hoosier match, Minnesota returns to road action as it travels to Maryland (Nov. 6), Illinois (Nov. 12) and Northwestern (Nov. 13).
ABOUT RUTGERS
Rutgers enters the Minnesota match with a 4-19 overall record and is looking for its first Big Ten win this season at 0-10. The Scarlet Knights recently fell to Michigan State and Maryland in three-set fashion. Meme Fletcher leads the team with 202 kills, while Lauren Cloyd follows with 172. Megan Sharkey and Talla Holze have 361 and 308 assists respectively. Karysa Swackenberg has a team-best 235 digs.
ABOUT PENN STATE
Penn State enters the weekend with a 17-4 overall record and a 9-1 mark in Big Ten play. The Nittany Lions fell in their first conference match last Saturday when they lost, 3-2, to host Michigan. As a team, PSU is hitting a Big Ten best .316 (.344 in conference action), led by middle blocker Haleigh Washington, who is hitting .468. Simone Lee has a Big Ten best 4.19 kills per set and is hitting .302, while Ali Frantti has 166 kills. Abby Detering has 684 assists, while libero Kendall White has a team-best 267 digs.
ALL-TIME SERIES AND LAST TIME
Minnesota and Rutgers have only faced each other five times in school history as the Gophers hold a 3-2 lead and have won the last two matches faced when the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten. Last season, Minnesota won, 3-0, in Piscataway, N.J.
Penn State holds a 46-9 all time record against the Gophers. Minnesota and Penn State faces each other for the second time this season as PSU won a five-set decision on its home court on Oct. 5 (27-29, 25-21, 25-23, 14-25, 15-10).
GOPHERS RANKED FOURTH IN RPI
Minnesota is ranked No. 4 in the NCAA's RPI, which is updated each Monday throughout the remainder of the season. In the top 25 alone, Minnesota has or will face nine teams in the top 25 of the RPI: Nebraska (1), Wisconsin (2), San Diego (5), Michigan (6), North Carolina (9), Stanford (12), Michigan State (14), Purdue (18), Penn State (22) and Ohio State (24).
GOPHERS RANKED THIRD IN RECENT AVCA POLL
For the third week in a row, Minnesota is ranked No. 3 in the recent American Volleyball Coaches' Association poll. The Gophers have or will face 10 teams ranked in the top 25, including this week's match up against No. 10 Penn State.
DOUBLING DOWN
Sarah Wilhite and Samantha Seliger-Swenson have had six and eight double-doubles this season. Wilhite has garnered the accomplishment against four ranked teams in Stanford, North Carolina, Ohio State, Penn State and Iowa. Seliger-Swenson has eight, including against ranked Stanford, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State and Nebraska.
