- All 14 Big Ten volleyball teams are in action this weekend, with Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin playing at home. Conference teams will take on eight ranked opponents, including five top-10 teams.
- Eight Big Ten programs earned spots in the latest AVCA coaches poll, with three teams ranked among the top 10: No. 1 Minnesota, No. 3 Penn State, No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 12 Nebraska, No. 16 Michigan, No. 17 Purdue, No. 21 Michigan State and No. 24 Ohio State.
- Since the 2012 season, four Big Ten schools have been ranked No. 1 in the AVCA coaches poll a total of 41 weeks: Minnesota, Nebraska, Penn State and Wisconsin. During that span, the Nittany Lions have earned the top spot 21 times.
- In the first two of weeks non-conference of play, the Big Ten has amassed a 70-11 combined record, a winning percentage of .864.
- Big Ten teams currently occupy six of the top 10 positions on the national team hitting percentage list, including the top four spots. Wisconsin leads the country with a .393 hitting percentage, followed by Purdue (.385) in second, Penn State (.368) in third and Illinois (.327) in fourth. Minnesota ranks seventh, boasting a .325 percentage, while Michigan rounds out the list at No. 10 with a .308 hitting clip.
- Penn State’s Abby Detering is one of two standouts in the NCAA this season to record a triple-double. In the Nittany Lions’ 3-1 victory over then top-ranked Stanford, Detering dished out 23 assists, while adding 11 kills and 10 digs.
- Michigan State head coach Cathy George earned her 600th career win as the Spartans defeated San Diego State in straight sets on Sept. 1. George becomes the third Big Ten head coach to amass 600 wins, along with Penn State’s Russ Rose (1,218) and Wisconsin’s John Cook (632). George ranks 22nd among active Division I coaches in career victories.
- A pair of Big Ten students currently occupy top two spots nationally in hitting percentage. Penn State’s Haleigh Washington leads the nation with a .575 hitting percentage, while Bastianelli ranks second nationally with a mark of .573. Wisconsin’s Dana Rettke ranks fourth, hitting a clip of .533.
- Based on average attendance, the Big Ten currently has four of the nation’s top 10 teams. Nebraska leads the nation, averaging 8,030 fans per contest, Wisconsin is third with 6,012, Minnesota is fifth at 4,695, while Purdue checks in at No. 9 with 1,868 patrons per contest.
- The 2017 Big Ten volleyball television package features 36 contests, with 31 of those matches airing live on BTN, and highlighted by 10 doubleheaders. Five other matches will be carried live on ESPN network, including a Sept. 24 doubleheader on ESPN when Michigan State visits Minnesota (1 p.m. ET) and Michigan travels to Wisconsin (3 p.m. ET).
