Rice University
(8) Charlotte
Preview: Top-Seeded Owls Open C-USA Championship on Friday
11/15/2018 8:32:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Face No. 8 seed Charlotte at 11 a.m. (CT)
No. 1 Rice Owls (21-6, 12-2 C-USA) vs. No. 8 Charlotte 49ers (16-14, 6-8)
C-USA Quarterfinals, Friday, Nov. 16, 11 a.m. (CT)
Huntington, WV • Cam Henderson Center
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Live Stats: Sidearm
Video Stream (FREE): ESPN+
Twitter Updates: @RiceVolleyball
Series Record: Rice leads, 6-0
NEWS & NOTES
*The Owls will be in search of an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament from Conference USA by winning the C-USA Championship this weekend in Huntingon, WV. Rice closed the regular season as the C-USA regular season champs for the first time in program history and will face No. 8 seed Charlotte in the quarterfinals on Friday.
*On Thursday, sophomore outside hitter Nicole Lennon became the first player in Rice history to be named C-USA Player of the Year, just one year removed from being selected the C-USA Co-Freshman of the Year. The Katy, Texas native backed up a strong freshman campaign by leading the Owls in double-doubles (17), total points (473.0-4th in C-USA), points per set (4.55-3rd in C-USA), total kills (419-4th in C-USA), kills per set (4.03-3rd in C-USA) and total attacks (1,037-6th in C-USA).
*Rice head coach Genny Volpe was named the C-USA Coach of the Year in her 15th season at the helm, leading the Owls to a fifth straight 20-plus win season (21-6 record) and the Owls first C-USA regular season title. Riceachieved their best C-USA record (12-2) and recorded the longest win streak (15) in program history.
*A total of five Owls were named to the All-Conference USA teams on Wednesday, as Lennon, Lee Ann Cunningham (junior) and Grace Morgan (junior) earned First Team honors, while freshman Anota Adekunle picked up Second Team/All-Freshman Team accolades and Carly Graham was also named to the C-USA All-Freshman Team.
Rice is 9-10 all-time in the C-USA Championship and last won the tournament in 2009.
*In the latest NCAA RPI rankings the Owls are ranked 37th, the highest in C-USA.
*Rice ranks 18th in the latest VolleyballMag.com's Mid-Major Top 25 Poll. Rice is also the highest ranked C-USA team in the Pablo Rankings, coming in at No. 38.
*Rice leads all of C-USA in digs per set (18.28-7th nationally) and opponents hitting percentage (.159-17th nationally). During league only play Rice leads in hitting percentage (.271), opponents hitting percentage (.160), opponents service aces (0.87 per set), and digs (18.74 per set).
*The Owls have recorded their fifth consecutive 20-win season and the eighth of Rice head coach Genny Volpe's career. Volpe, who is the winningest coach in program history, has a 283-177 record (.615) coaching at Rice.
*Cunningham was named to the Google Cloud CoSIDA District 7 All-Academic Second Team while senior Shelby Livingstone earned a spot on the C-USA All-Academic Team.
*Sophomore outside hitter Nicole Lennon has registered 10 or more kills in 21 consecutive matches and has recorded a double-double in 12 of her last 14 matches overall.
