Sept. 9, 2009
No. 2/2 TEXAS (5-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Italian National A2 Team
When: Friday, Sept. 11 at 6:30 p.m. & Saturday, Sept. 12 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Austin, Texas (Gregory Gymnasium)
Live Stats: Friday -- Saturday
Internet Audio/Video: Watch Texas Volleyball home matches FREE on TexasSports.TV. Friday -- Saturday
SERIES INFO
All-Time Series Records: Texas has never played a foreign opponent at Gregory Gymnasium
TEXAS IN THE AVCA POLL
The Longhorns are ranked No. 2 in the most recent AVCA Division I Coaches Poll (Sept. 7) ... UT received seven first-place votes ... Texas’ No. 2 preseason ranking was its highest ranking in the AVCA poll since UT finished the 1995 season ranked second ... UT has now been ranked in the Top 10 for 45 straight weeks ... UT opponents in the poll include, No. 5 Nebraska, No. 6 Hawaii, No. 11 Iowa State, No.13 California, No. 16 Saint Louis, No. 21 Kansas State and No. 24 San Diego ... Texas is 5-0 against ranked opponents in 2009.
THE HORNS IN THE VOLLEYBALL MAGAZINE POLL
Texas holds the No. 2 spot in the current Volleyball Magazine Poll (Sept. 8) ... the Horns trail two-time defending NCAA Champion Penn State in the poll by six points 236-to-230 ... Big 12 foes Nebraska and Iowa State hold the No. 6 and No. 10 positions, respectively ... four of Texas’ non-conference opponents are ranked (No. 7 Hawaii, No. 11 California, No. 16 Saint Louis).
HOT START FOR THE HORNSOn Texas’ season-opening road trip it recorded victories over five ranked opponents, downing then-No. 4 Hawaii, No. 10 California, No. 15 San Diego, No. 19 Saint Louis and No. 23 Long Beach State … the Longhorns are hitting a Big 12-best .326 as a team in 2009, while limiting opponents to a .153 attack mark … senior setter
Ashley Engle leads the Texas offense with 8.58 assists, 2.32 kills and 2.42 digs per-set and a.409 hitting percentage … senior outside hitter
Destinee Hooker anchors UT on the outside with 4.42 kills per-set and a .313 hitting percentage … junior outside hitter
Juliann Faucette is averaging 3.84 kills on .312 hitting.
ENGLE NAMED AVCA/BIG 12 POW
Senior All-America setter Ashley Engle was named the Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week and Big 12 Player of the Week after leading the Longhorns to victories over No. 4 Hawaii, No. 10 California and No. 19 Saint Louis last week ... Engle earned the sixth Big 12 weekly honor of her career and her first national honor ... Texas’ senior setter was the guiding force for UT last week, earning Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Classic Most Outstanding Player honors after leading Texas to the tourney title ... the Yorba Linda, Calif., native averaged 8.82 assists, 2.91 kills, 2.27 digs and 0.64 blocks per-set for the week, while hitting at a .564 clip ... Engle set for a Horns’ offense that hit at a .359 clip in its three road victories over Top 25 opponents.
HAWAIIAN ALL-TOURNEY TEAM
After claiming the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Classic title, three Longhorns were named to the all-tournament team … senior setter Ashley Engle garnered tournament Most Outstanding Player honors, while senior outside hitter Destinee Hooker and junior outside hitter Juliann Faucette earned all-tournament accolades … Engle headlined the Texas offense on the week, averaging 8.82 assists, 2.91 kills, 2.27 digs and 0.64 blocks per-set for the week, while hitting at a .564 clip.
ENGLE’S TRIPLE-DOUBLE
Senior setter Ashley Engle’s triple-double against No. 4 Hawaii (Sept. 5) was the first by a Texas player since Jenny Andrew accomplished the feat against Kansas State on Oct. 15, 2003 ... Engle has recorded 25 kills on 42 swings in her last two matches while committing zero errors.
STREAKING
Texas is currently riding a 14-match regular-season winning streak that dates back to Nov. 1, 2008 against Texas A&M ... Texas also currently owns a nine-match home winning streak at Gregory Gymnasium dating back to Nov. 1, 2008.
