The Big Ten Conference announced its fall Academic All-Big Ten honorees on Wednesday morning, including nine members of the Nebraska volleyball program.
Junior Cecilia Hall earned her second career honor. Hall is a biochemistry major. Eight Huskers were honored for the first time: Alexa Ethridge (speech-language pathology), Kelly Hunter (marketing), Melanie Keil (dietetics), Kira Larson (marketing), Mary Pollmiller (nutrition science), Amber Rolfzen (business administration), Kadie Rolfzen (advertising & public relations) and Justine Wong-Orantes (child, youth & family studies).
To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten selection, student-athletes must be letterwinners who are in at least their second academic year at their institution and carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.
Tag: Volleyball
Three Huskers Named to AVCA All-North Region Team
Kelsey Fien, Mary Pollmiller and Kadie Rolfzen were named to the AVCA All-North Region Team on Tuesday.
Pollmiller, a senior setter and captain from Littleton, Colo., is a three-time AVCA All-Region honoree, earning spots in 2011, 2013 and 2014. Pollmiller leads the Huskers with 10.10 assists per set and ranks fourth among active NCAA Division I players in career assists with 5,140. Pollmiller also adds 81 blocks (0.73 per set) to rank fourth on the team.
Rolfzen, a sophomore outside hitter from Papillion, Neb., earns her second career all-region honor after earning both all-region and all-America selections last year as a freshman. She leads Nebraska in kills with 381 (3.56 per set), and averaged 3.62 in Big Ten play. Rolfzen also tallies 2.66 digs per set to rank second on the team and establish herself as one of the top all-around players in the region for the second straight season.
Fien earns her first career AVCA All-Region honor after a breakout season. The junior outside hitter from Bakersfield, Calif., is second on the team in kills with 265 (3.23 per set) and was particularly strong in conference play, posting 3.39 kills per set while hitting .303, the best mark by an NU player and third among all B1G outside hitters.
All three players are now eligible for All-America honors. The Huskers hit the road this week for the NCAA Tournament Regional in Seattle, Wash. Nebraska will play the No. 3 seed Washington at 8:30 p.m. (CT) on Friday on ESPNU.
Sally Thalken: Impacting Lives One Game at a Time
Sally Thalken is the winningest active coach in the National Junior College Athletic Association.
During her 34-year career as head volleyball coach at North Platte Community College, Thalken has had 921 wins and 610 losses, coached 12 All-Americans and led her team to nationals five times.
She has been named Region IX Coach of the Year, District Coach of the Year and has been inducted into the NJCAA Volleyball Hall of Fame. However, it’s not the athletic victories that stand out in her mind – it’s the personal ones.
“You can’t get hung up on titles,” said Thalken. “For me, this job is all about the relationships you build with the kids.”
Coaching volleyball wasn’t her goal when she graduated from Ogallala High School in 1971. Partly, because she never played the sport.
“At that time, we only had track,” said Thalken. “I swam competitively at the University of Nebraska – Kearney my sophomore and junior years, so really, my sports background upon completion of college, was in aquatics.”
Her first job after UNK was teaching kindergarten through 12th grade physical education in Ainsworth.
“It was pretty remote, but I really loved it,” said Thalken. “I coached volleyball, basketball and track during my six years there. I kind of regret that I never got to serve as an assistant coach under someone great, though. I’ve been a head volleyball coach for 39 out of 40 years and just kind of grew into the job.”
It was in the summer of 1981 that Thalken heard about the opportunity to teach and coach volleyball and basketball at NPCC. Her predecessor left behind a skilled group of athletes willing to work hard.
“I walked into a real good situation,” Thalken said. “I had tremendous support from the administration, and I had great athletes who were smart kids. We were able to be successful not because of me, but because of them.”
She coached basketball at NPCC from 1981-1991, and recruited 62 players during that time. On the volleyball side, she has recruited 251 students for the college, 37 of whom were from North Platte.
“I’ve tried to recruit from our 18-county area,” said Thalken. “I like the idea of recruiting highly skilled kids who can be supported by their families and friends. It’s my philosophy, and it’s worked so far.”
That being said, the practice doesn’t come without its challenges.
“One is that a lot of the kids started for three to four years at their high schools, so helping each feel like she can contribute can be difficult,” said Thalken. “They come here with the vision and intent of competing, and sometimes it doesn’t work out. The goal is to have great players work together.”
She remembers many individual players who have stood out over the years – as well as several groups.
“We had a group qualify for nationals in ’84, back when we competed without divisions,” Thalken said. “We were truly the best team that year. It was quite an accomplishment. But, I also have fond memories of years when we weren’t as good. Sometimes the teams that are the most successful aren’t the ones with the most wins.”
Walking away from coaching was something she had given serious thought to for years. She attributes the decision to a combination of factors.
For one thing, it will allow her to be more available to her 91-year-old mother, who is in an assisted living home in Ogallala, instead of being out of town for games. Thalken will also be able to pursue hobbies she hasn’t had time for previously.
“Plus, I believe the team needs more youthful leadership,” said Thalken. “Although the kids keep me young at heart, sometimes it’s difficult to find that physical energy required day in and day out for coaching and teaching in the classroom.”
She will remain area chair of the Mid-Plains Community College mathematics and science division, will continue to teach at the college and will still be a familiar face at NPCC volleyball games.
“What will I miss the most? I really don’t know because I haven’t gotten there, yet,” said Thalken. “I do know that it seems like the right time to go.”
Nebraska-Washington Set for 8:30 p.m. on ESPNU
The 14th-seeded Nebraska volleyball team will face No. 3 seed Washington on Friday at 8:30 p.m. (CT) in the Seattle Regional at Alaska Airlines Arena.
The match will be televised on ESPNU with Sam Gore and Holly McPeak on the broadcast. It is the first time ESPNU has aired a regional semifinal. The rest of the Sweet 16 matches will be streamed at ESPN3.com.
The first match, BYU vs. sixth-seeded Florida State, will begin at 6 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed at ESPN3.com. The Nebraska match will begin at either 8:30 p.m. or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first match, whichever is longer.
Friday’s winners will meet in the regional final on Saturday at 10:30 p.m. (CT).
Huskers Serve Up Win Over No. 20 Utah, Advance to Sweet 16
Lincoln – The 14th-seeded Nebraska volleyball team outlasted a tough Utah squad in a five-set thriller Saturday night at the Devaney Center to advance to an NCAA Regional for the 20th time in 21 seasons.
The Huskers won the opening two sets, only to see Utah rally to force a fifth set. Nebraska won the first four rallies of the fifth set and never trailed, improving to 20-1 all-time in second-round NCAA Tournament matches with a 25-23, 25-22, 23-25, 17-25, 15-11 victory over the 20th-ranked Utes.
With the win, Nebraska (23-9) advances to play either No. 3 Washington or Hawaii next Friday in the NCAA Seattle Regional. First serve for the NCAA Regional Semifinal will be announced at a later date, but the match will be televised on ESPN3. Utah ended its season with a 21-13 record.
The Huskers gave their all to punch their ticket to the next round. Nebraska was outscored in the match, 106-105, and Utah had more kills, digs and blocks than NU. The Utes hit .289 in the match, the third-highest mark Nebraska has allowed this season, while the Huskers hit .201.
The difference in the match proved to be the service line, as the Huskers had six aces and only three errors, while Utah had 11 errors and only two aces.
In a tight first set, strong serving from Justine Wong-Orantes was the difference in the Huskers’ 25-23 victory. Utah recorded six more kills (19) than the Huskers (13) and blocks were even at two apiece, but Nebraska scored on five of Wong-Orantes’ seven serves, including a pair of aces from the sophomore libero. Utah terminated four of its first five swings to jump out to a quick 4-1 lead. Wong-Orantes served up a pair of aces following the break as Nebraska used a 4-0 run to take its first lead of the match. The Huskers never trailed again, but the Utes pulled even on seven occasions, including at 23-23 before a service error and a Mary Pollmiller killed close out the set. While Nebraska had three aces and no service errors in the set, the Utes had three service errors and no aces.
Utah won seven of the first 10 rallies in set two, only to see the Huskers respond by winning seven of the next eight points to take a 10-8 lead. Nebraska’s lead grew to as many as four before the Utes used a 6-1 run to tie the set at 14. NU quickly regained the lead and stretched its advantage to four at 20-16. Utah would not go away, pulling to within one before the service game came back into effect. Trailing 23-22, Utah committed its sixth service error of the match to give the Huskers a set point, and Annika Albrecht followed the error with her second ace to close out Nebraska’s 25-22- win.
In set three, Nebraska won four of the first five rallies before Utah bounced back to take a 15-14 lead. The Utes then won five consecutive points to take a 20-14 lead. Nebraska won three straight points to pull within one at 24-23, and the Huskers had a chance to extend the set, but a Kadie Rolfzen attack landed just wide to give the Utes a 25-23 victory.
Utah controlled the fourth set, cruising to a 25-17 win. The Utes led by six after the first 20 rallies and Nebraska could get no closer than six the rest of the way. Nebraska committed 10 hitting errors in the set, as Utah recorded five blocks. Adora Anae added six kills in the fourth set for the Utes, more than half of the Huskers’ team total.
In the shortened fifth set, it was who Nebraska jumped out to the all-important early lead, winning the first four rallies. Nebraska maintained its four-point advantage at the switch, leading 8-4. Utah scored two consecutive points to pull within one, but the Huskers responded with three straight points to go on top, 12-8. Nebraska earned its first match point at 14-11 before a Pollmiller kill closed out the match.
Pollmiller was one of three players to post a double-double in the match, finishing with a match-high 45 assists and a season-high 10 kills. Kadie Rolfzen also had a double-double for Nebraska with 15 kills and 11 digs. Chelsey Schofield-Olsen ended her career on a strong note for the Utes, finishing with 12 kills and a career-high 21 digs.
Nebraska Post-Match Notes
- Nebraska advanced to an NCAA Regional for the nation-leading 20th time in the last 21 seasons.
- NU improved to 91-29 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
- The Huskers improved to 20-1 all-time in second-round NCAA Tournament matches.
- Nebraska improved 68-8 all-time in home NCAA Tournament matches, including a 10-2 record at the Devaney Center.
- NU improved to 13-2 all-time in five-set NCAA Tournament matches, including an 8-1 record at home.
- The Huskers moved to 2-0 against Utah in the NCAA Tournament. Nebraska also defeated the Utes, 3-1, in a 1998 NCAA Tournament second-round match at the NU Coliseum.
- NU recorded fewer kills than its opponents for the fourth straight NCAA Tournament match, dating back to last year’s regional semifinal victory over San Diego.
- Mary Pollmiller recorded her fourth double-double of the season and had a season-high 10 kills.
- Kadie Rolfzen posted her team-leading 11th double-double of the season.
- Kelsey Fien had a career-high 19 kills in the win. Her previous career high was 18 against Maryland on Nov. 16.
- Annika Albrecht tied her career high with three aces.
Utah Post-Match Notes
- Utah ended its season with a 21-12 record, winning posting a 20-win season for the second consecutive year.
- The Utes fell to 12-12 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
- Utah lost a five-set NCAA Tournament match for the first time in school history, dropping to 3-1 in such matches.
- Utah dropped to 0-2 against Nebraska in the NCAA Tournament. The Utes also lost a second-round match at Nebraska in the 1998 NCAA Tournament.
- Utah finished with 69 kills in the match, tying for the second-most kills in an NCAA Tournament match in program history. The Utes also had 69 kills against Nebraska in a four-set loss in the second-round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament at Nebraska.
- Utah entered the match on a four-match winning streak, and the Utes had won eight of their last nine matches overall.
- Prior to the loss, Utah had won two straight matches against ranked opponents and five of its last six matches vs. top-25 teams.
- The Utes have lost 17 consecutive road matches to ranked opponents dating back to a 3-2 victory at No. 16 Oregon on Oct. 28, 2011.
- Eleven of Utah’s 13 losses in 24 were on the road, including eight road losses to ranked opponents.
- Chelsey Schofield-Olsen had a double-double with 12 kills and a career-high 21 digs.
- Schofield-Olsen finished her career with 1,379 kills to rank third in school history.
- Schofield-Olsen also finished with 1,286 career digs, a total that ranks fourth in Utah history.
- Bailey Bateman had five blocks in the match, and she totaled 493 in her career to rank sixth in school history.
- Kendgal Cygan finished with 22 assists in the match to end her career with 1,864 assists, the seventh-highest total in Ute history.
- Adora Anae had a career-high 20 kills in the match.
Huskers Stuff Hofstra in NCAA Opener
Lincoln – Behind a big block, the 14th-seeded Nebraska volleyball team swept Hofstra, 3-0, Friday evening in a first-round NCAA Tournament match at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Despite the sweep, the Huskers had to work to win their opening NCAA Tournament match for the 31st consecutive season. Nebraska survived late Hofstra rallies in each of the first two sets, winning the opener 27-25 and taking set two, 25-23. NU closed out the match with a 25-16 victory in set three, but the Huskers did not secure the win until their fifth match point.
With the win, Nebraska (21-9) advances to Saturday’s second-round match against No. 20 Utah, which swept Kansas State in Friday’s first match. First serve between the Huskers and Utes is set for 7 p.m. and the match will air live in the state of Nebraska on NET. The television broadcast will also be streamed for free on Huskers.com and on BTN2GO.
Hofstra ended its season with a 28-6 record, tying for the sixth-most victories in school history and the program’s highest total since 1989.
Hofstra enjoyed a 38-36 advantage in kills, but it was the Husker block that was the difference. Nebraska totaled 19.5 blocks, just one-half block shy of the school record for a three-set NCAA Tournament match. Amber Rolfzen had 10 blocks to tie Melissa Elmer’s record for most blocks in a three-set postseason match. Amber’s twin sister Kadie posted a match-high 13 kills and hit .323 for the Big Red, while adding a double-double with a team-high 15 digs. Nuria Lopes da Silva led Hofstra with 10 kills as the only other player with double-figure kills.
Nebraska was victorious, 27-25, in a tight opening set that featured nine ties and three lead changes. Hofstra won five of the first six rallies and was on top 8-3 before the Huskers stormed back to take a 10-9 advantage. After Hofstra regained the lead, Nebraska used a 7-1 run to take a 19-5 lead. The Pride chipped away from there, evening the match at 23-23. The teams then traded side outs before Kadie Rolfzen secured the victory with a kill on the Huskers’ third set point. Rolfzen had five kills in the set, as did Lopes da Silva. Nebraska was strong at the net, recording 8.5 blocks in the set.
The Huskers began the second set in much stronger fashion, jumping out to a 9-2 advantage. Nebraska stretched the lead to as many as eight, before four straight Hofstra points closed the score to 12-8 and forced a Husker timeout. Nebraska won six of the next eight points to quickly push the lead back to eight. The Huskers were seemingly in control with six set points at 24-18, but Hofstra fought back with five straight points before Kelsey Fien closed out the 25-23 victory with a kill on Nebraska’s sixth set point. Hofstra totaled more kills than Nebraska for the second straight set, but the Huskers were once again bolstered by their block, stuffing six attacks in the set.
Nebraska dominated much of the third set in a 25-16 win. The Huskers won eight of the first nine rallies and stretched the lead to 23-11 following an 8-2 run. But as was the case in the first two sets, Hofstra did not go down without a fight. Nebraska had its first match point at 24-13, but needed five match points to close out the victory. Kadie Rolfzen had five kills and seven digs in the third set.
Huskers Host NCAA Tournament Opening Rounds
For the 11th straight year, the Nebraska volleyball team will open the NCAA Tournament at home, as the Huskers host the NCAA first and second rounds this weekend. The 11th-ranked Huskers, making their 33rd straight NCAA Tournament appearance, were selected as the No. 14 overall seed in the 64-team field. Nebraska will open the tournament on Friday, Dec. 5 against Hofstra. The Pride was crowned tournament champion of the Colonial Athletic Association. That match will start at either 7 p.m. or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the 4:30 p.m. match, which features the Kansas State Wildcats of the Big 12 Conference and the Utah Utes of the Pac-12 Conference. Friday’s winners will meet in the second round at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6 to battle for a spot in the Seattle Regional on Dec. 12-13. The winner of the Lincoln bracket will take on the winner of the Washington first and second round bracket, featuring the third-seeded Huskies against New Hampshire, and Hawaii against Duke.
Tickets for the first and second rounds in Lincoln went on sale online at Huskers.com on Sunday night. All-session ticket prices are set at $34 (reserved A and B sections) and $30 (C section) and include all three matches this weekend.
Media Information
NET will broadcast Friday’s Nebraska match against Hofstra and also the second round match on Saturday should the Huskers advance. The NET broadcasts will also be streamed online for free at BTN2GO.com if your cable provider includes the Big Ten Network. All three matches this weekend will also have a free video stream at Huskers.com. Fans can also listen to the action with John Baylor and Diane Mendenhall on the 25-station Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and 94.9 FM in Omaha on Friday. Should the Huskers advance to Saturday, the match would be carried on 93.3 FM in Omaha. Fans inside and outside the state of Nebraska will also be able to catch the live audio feed on Huskers.com for free.
Series History
Nebraska will be meeting Hofstra for the second time. NU beat Hofstra 3-1 on Sept. 16, 1989. The Huskers are 82-4 all-time against Kansas State and 2-0-1 all-time against Utah.
Up Next
Friday’s winners will meet Saturday at 7 p.m. for a chance to advance to the Seattle Regional.
NET to Broadcast NCAA Volleyball Matches
NET and the Nebraska Athletic Department announced Thursday that the Huskers’ Friday night NCAA Tournament first-round match will air statewide on NET. If the Huskers advance to Saturday night’s 7 p.m. second-round match against Kansas State or Utah, that match will also broadcast live on NET. The NET broadcasts will also be streamed online for free at BTN2GO.com if your cable provider includes the Big Ten Network. All three matches this weekend will also have a free video stream at Huskers.com.
Larry Punteney and Kathi Wieskamp will call the action for NET from the Bob Devaney Sports Center, as Nebraska opens the NCAA Tournament against Hofstra on Friday at 7 p.m., or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first match if it runs late. Nebraska’s match will start no sooner than 7 p.m.
All of Nebraska’s matches will also be available on the radio on selected Husker Sports Network stations, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln, and 94.9 FM in Omaha on Friday and 93.3 FM in Omaha if NU plays on Saturday. Audio is also free online at Huskers.com.
There are still some tickets available for this weekend’s matches at the Devaney Center. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-8BIGRED or visiting Huskers.com.
BTN2Go to Provide Live Coverage of 2014 NCAA Volleyball Tournament
With six Big Ten volleyball teams selected to the 2014 NCAA Volleyball Tournament, BTN2Go will provide live coverage of four First Round matches, and live coverage of Second Round matches if Wisconsin, Penn State, Illinois and/or Nebraska advance.
The Big Ten looks to build on last year’s record-setting success. Last season, Penn State defeated Wisconsin in the national championship to win its fifth national title in the past seven years. With the Nittany Lions and Badgers both in the championship match, it marked the first time two Big Ten teams battled for the national crown.
The complimentary live streaming coverage on BTN2Go will not require cable/satellite authentication or a subscription.
Below is the schedule, complete with direct links to the event page on BTN2Go.
FIRST ROUND
| Date | Time | Matchup | BTN2Go Link |
| Thursday, Dec. 4 | 8:30 PM ET | Wisconsin vs. Western Michigan | Watch Here |
| Friday, Dec. 5 | 7:30 PM ET | Penn State vs. Siena | Watch Here |
| Friday, Dec. 5 | 8 PM ET | Illinois vs. Murray State | Watch Here |
| Friday, Dec. 5 | 8 PM ET | Nebraska vs. Hofstra | Watch Here |
SECOND ROUND (All Second Round matches are dependent on the Big Ten team listed advancing)
| Date | Time | Matchup | BTN2Go Link |
| Friday, Dec. 5 | 8 PM ET | Wisconsin vs. Marquette/Illinois State | Watch Here |
| Saturday, Dec. 6 | 7:30 PM ET | Penn State vs. American/Dayton | Watch Here |
| Saturday, Dec. 6 | 8 PM ET | Illinois vs. W. Kentucky/Iowa State | Watch Here |
| Saturday, Dec. 6 | 8 PM ET | Nebraska vs. Kansas State/Utah | Watch Here |
Fien, K. Rolfzen Named All-Big Ten; Pollmiller Honorable Mention
LINCOLN – Kelsey Fien and Kadie Rolfzen were named to the All-Big Ten team, while Mary Pollmiller earned honorable mention and a sportsmanship award, the Big Ten Conference announced on Tuesday.
Rolfzen, a sophomore outside hitter from Papillion, Neb., earns her second career spot on the All-Big Ten team. The 2013 AVCA All-American led Nebraska in kills in the regular season with 353 (3.57 per set). She upped her average to 3.62 in conference play. Rolfzen also added 2.62 digs per set to rank second on the team and establish herself as one of the top all-around players in the conference for the second straight season.
Fien, a junior outside hitter from Bakersfield, Calif., is a first-time honoree after a breakout season. Fien was second on the team in kills with 240 (3.24 per set) and was particularly strong in conference play, posting 3.39 kills per set while hitting .303, the best mark by an NU player and third among all B1G outside hitters.
Pollmiller, a senior setter and captain from Littleton, Colo., earned All-Big Ten honorable mention for the second straight season in her two-year stint at Nebraska. Pollmiller ranked fourth in the conference in assists with 10.17 per set and ranks fourth among active NCAA Division I players in career assists with 5,067. An honorable mention AVCA All-American last season, Pollmiller also added 73 blocks (0.71 per set) in the regular season to rank fourth on the team.
The Husker volleyball team has had at least two first-team all-conference honorees every year since 1982.
ALL-BIG TEN
JOCELYNN BIRKS, Jr., OH, ILL
ABBY COLE, So., MB, MICH
Chloe Reinig, So., OH, MSU
Paige Tapp, So., MB, MINN
Kelsey Fien, Jr., OH, NEB
Kadie Rolfzen, So., OH, NEB
MICHA HANCOCK, Sr., S, PSU
NIA GRANT, Sr., MH, PSU
Haleigh Washington, Fr., MB, PSU
Annie Drews, Jr., OH, PUR
Val Nichol, Sr., S/OH, PUR
LAUREN CARLINI, So., S., WIS
Taylor Morey, Jr., L, WIS
Courtney Thomas, Sr., OH, WIS
Honorable Mention
Elizabeth McMahon, Sr., OPP, ILL
Lexi Dannemiller, Sr., S, MICH
Kori Moster, Sr., L, MSU
Daly Santana, Jr., OH, MINN
Mary Pollmiller, Sr., S, NEB
Caroline Niedospial, Jr., DS/L, NU
Taylor Sandbothe, So., MB, OSU
Taylor Sherwin, Sr., S, OSU
Ali Frantti, Fr., OH, PSU
Aiyana Whitney, Jr., OH, PSU
Haleigh Nelson, So., MB, WIS
Dominique Thompson, Sr., MB, WIS
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Brandi Donnelly, L, ILL
Caroline Knop, OH/DS, MICH
Rachel Minarick, S, MSU
ALI FRANTTI, OH, PSU
HALEIGH WASHINGTON, MB, PSU
Danielle Cuttino, MB, PUR
Kelli Bates, OH, WIS
Unanimous selections in CAPS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Lauren Carlini, WIS
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Taylor Morey, WIS
SETTER OF THE YEAR
Lauren Carlini, WIS
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Haleigh Washington, PSU
COACH OF THE YEAR (COACHES AND MEDIA)
Kelly Sheffield, WIS
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Kathryn Polkoff, ILL
Kyndall Merritt, IND
Alex Lovell, IOWA
Emily Fraik, MD
Lindsey Lerg, MICH
Jazmine White, MSU
Daly Santana, MINN
Mary Pollmiller, NEB
Caleigh Ryan, NU
Andrea Kacsits, OSU
Lacey Fuller, PSU
KiKi Jones, PUR
Ali Schroeter, RU
Deme Morales, WIS