Riding an eight-match winning streak into Big Ten play, Maryland volleyball (9-2) looks to continue its hot start and make some noise in a loaded conference. The Terps haven’t lost a match since Aug. 31, when they went to five sets against New Hampshire.
Last weekend, Maryland swept the field in the UCF Tournament, marking its third-straight unbeaten week.
The Terps return home to the Xfinity Center Pavilion for their first two Big Ten matches. They face Northwestern on Thursday at 7 p.m., before turning to Iowa on Saturday at 7 p.m. as well.
Both matches will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
Northwestern Wildcats (2-6, 0-0 Big Ten)
2023 record: 15-15 (9-11 Big Ten)
First-year head coach Tim Nollan faces a daunting task ahead as he looks to avoid a losing record. The Wildcats haven’t finished below .500 in three years. Nollan previously spent eight seasons at the helm of Grand Canyon, leading the program to its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. Northwestern has gotten off to a slow start in 2024, falling in its first six matches before closing out nonconference play with back-to-back wins.
Players to watch
Buse Hazan, junior outside hitter, No. 12 — In her first season with the Wildcats, Hazan has been the go-to option out wide. She earned a first-team All-AAC selection last season with USF before transferring. Now, Hazan leads the team in both kills (100) and service aces (14).
Alexa Rousseau, graduate student setter, No. 5 — As the lone player from last year’s roster to start in every match, Rousseau has proved to be irreplaceable. She tallied 1,061 assists in 2023, good for fifth in the Big Ten. Rousseau has picked up where she left off this year. She leads the team with 214 assists and is second in both digs (72) and service aces (11).
Iowa Hawkeyes (6-6, 0-0 Big Ten)
2023 record: 8-24 (0-20 Big Ten)
As the 11th head coach in program history, third-year head coach Jim Barnes is on the hot seat. With only four conference wins over the past two seasons — including last year’s winless run — Barnes will need to find some success to keep his job. The Hawkeyes have gone almost a decade since their last winning season. Iowa started the year with a 4-1 record before falling in five of its last seven matches to close out nonconference play.
Players to watch
Hannah Whittingstall, sophomore middle blocker, No. 12 — The first-year transfer from SMU has provided the Hawkeyes with a spark that it desperately needed. After Iowa finished in the bottom-half of the nation in total blocks, Whittingstall has led the squad to 29th overall this season. Her 58 total blocks are tied for 27th in the country.
Joy Galles, graduate student libero, No. 0 — A transfer from Arizona, Galles has been a gem defensively. She recorded 180 digs last season, but has already matched that mark through 12 matches this season. Galles has tallied 183 assists, which puts her top-100 in the nation.
Three things to watch
1. Unbeaten at home. After playing its last two matches on the road, the Terps return to the Xfinity Center Pavilion, a place they have found great success this season. Maryland is 5-0 at home, dropping just one set.
2. Serving dominance. Maryland has been one of the best serving teams in the country with 2.2 service aces per set, good for ninth in the nation. Pin hitter Samantha Schnitta has been the leader in this department. Schnitta has tallied 31 service aces, tied for third in the country.
3. Will Anastasia Russ play? Russ got injured early on in the Terps’ last match against UCF. The 6-foot-5 middle blocker has been a strong presence at the net with 41 total blocks, tying middle blocker Eva Rohrbach. If Russ is out for the next two matches, Rohrbach and middle blocker Ellie Watson will see an increase in court time.
“I think it was just a tweaked ankle,” head coach Adam Hughes said. “A lot of times with ankles you have to wait to see how the swelling goes. We’ll see where she’s at.”
