GoFrogs: Preview Big Ten/Big 12 Volleyball Challenge

[TopFrog]

https://gofrogs.com/news/2021/8/26/womens-volleyball-preview-big-ten-big-12-challenge.aspx

GoFrogs: Preview Big Ten/Big 12 Volleyball Challenge

FORT WORTH – TCU volleyball is set to open up the 2021 season this weekend with the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge in Madison, Wisc. The Horned Frogs will be taking on the No. 2-ranked Wisconsin Badgers on Friday at 6 p.m. before taking on No. 7 Minnesota in the UW Field House on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.

Match Information
TCU at No. 2 Wisconsin Friday, August 27 6 p.m. Watch $ Live Stats
TCU vs. No. 7 Minnesota Saturday, August 28 8:30 p.m. Watch Live Stats

Frog Focus

• TCU is opening up the regular season with a road match against the No. 2-ranked team in the nation for the second straight season (at No. 2 Baylor in 2020).
• The Horned Frogs are 15-10 in season openers and 5-1 since head coach Jill Kramer took over in 2015.
• TCU enters the weekend with a three-match road win streak dating back to last season, defeating Texas State & Oklahoma (twice).
• This will be TCU's first matches against Big 10 foes since the NCAA Tournament 2nd Round match between TCU and Nebraska in 2016.
• The Horned Frogs have defeated the No. 2 ranked program in the nation once before, a 3-0 sweep vs. No. 2 Texas in October, 2015.
• TCU won its preseason scrimmage against Montana State, 3-0. Julia Adams led the team with 14 kills on .440 hitting. McKenzie Nichols played the entire match, finishing with 37 assists, while Madi Cole led the team in blocks (1BS, 3 BA).
• Rising junior setter McKenzie Nichols will be looking to improve on her stellar 2020-21 campaign. She averaged 10.10 assists/set last season, the third highest average by an underclassmen setter in the Power 5 conferences.
• Junior OH Julia Adams will begin her third season in purple and white, the Plano native was named All-Big 12 2nd team last season and earned a preseason All-Conference nod heading into this year.

Dig it Again Dan

• Senior Dani Dennison has been one of the most dependable players on the roster throughout her career.
• She has played in all 110 of TCU's matches over her college career, starting a majority at libero.
• Dennison has reached 1,332 digs, the third most in program history and just two shy of tying Katelyn Blackwood for 2nd all-time.
• She led TCU in digs last season, finishing with 287 in 21 matches
• Dennison is now the first Horned Frog in program history to lead the team in total digs over three seasons (2017, 2019 and 2020/21).
• Her 3.50 digs/set ranked 7th in the Big 12
• Last season, she produced the second-longest double digit dig streak of her career - and longest since her freshman year in 2017 - when she tallied 10 straight matches with at least 10 digs.
• In that stretch, Dennison racked up 185 digs in 42 sets (4.40 digs/set).

All Time Digs Leaders - TCU Program History

1. Calli Corley (2003-07) - 1,433
2. Katelyn Blackwood (2006-09) - 1,334
3. Dani Dennison (2017-present) - 1,332
4. Meghan Horio (2009-12) - 1,247
5. Sutton Sunstrum (2012-15) - 1,227

Scouting the Opponent: Wisconsin

• Wisconsin enters the 2021 season as the unanimous Big Ten preseason favorites and No. 2-ranked team in the nation.
• The Badgers reached the NCAA Final Four last season, winning their second consecutive conference title in the process.
• Wisconsin's only loss last season came in the NCAA Tournament Semifinal against Texas.
• UW returns three of its main contributors from last season's run, including two-time Big Ten setter of the year Sydney Hilley, 2019 Big Ten Player of the Year Dana Rettke and 2020-21 third-team All-American Devyn Robinson.
• Wisconsin finished last season with the 4th best hitting percentage in the nation, .318
• This is the first-ever meeting between Wisconsin and TCU

Scouting the Opponent: Minnesota

• Minnesota earned a preseason No. 7 ranking in the AVCA preseason poll.
• The Gophers delivered a 16-3 season last year, falling in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
• They were picked 4th in the Big Ten preseason poll, behind Penn State, Nebraska and Wisconsin.
• The Gophers return AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, Taylor Landfair, for her sophomore season. Landfair is the former No. 1 recruit from the 2020 class and averaged 3.03 kills/set in her freshman season.
• Also returning is 4-time AVCA All-American and 2020-21 Big Ten Player of the year, Stephanie Samedy. Samedy led Minnesota with 295 kills (4.15 kills/set) last season.
• Minnesota leads the all-time series, 3-0. TCU last played Minnesota in 2008.

For more information on TCU Volleyball visit GoFrogs.com and follow @TCUVolleyball on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

 

[Longhorn from Aledo]

https://www.ncaa.com/news/volleybal...l-rankings-texas-leads-our-preseason-power-10