Photo by: ©Maria Lysaker - Rice Athletics
Volleyball Set to Host C-USA Championship
11/20/2019 2:36:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BracketBuy TicketsLive StatsWatch vs. UTEP Watch (Semifinals)Watch (Championship)C-USA Championship Central
Tournament runs Nov. 22-24
Match 27 | (No. 21) Rice Owls (24-2, 13-1) vs. UTEP Miners (13-14, 6-8) | Friday, Nov. 22 (5 p.m. CT)
Location: Tudor Fieldhouse
Buy Tickets: RiceOwls.com
Video Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: Sidearm
Series: Rice leads, 40-10 (Last Meeting: W, 3-0, 11/16/19)
- 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 at Tudor Fieldhouse. No. 21 Rice closed the regular season as the No. 2 seed and will face No. 7 seed UTEP in the quarterfinals on Friday.
- Rice placed a league-high six players on the C-USA all-conference teams, the league office announced on Wednesday. Earning first-team status were junior outside hitter Nicole Lennon and sophomore middle blocker Anota Adekunle, while senior libero Lee Ann Cunningham, middle blocker Grace Morgan, and setter Adria Martinez received second-team nods. Outside hitter Ellie Bichelmeyer also earned a spot on the seven-member all-freshman team, marking the seventh consecutive season the Owls have been represented. The six selections for the Owls marks the sixth consecutive season that Rice has placed five or more players on all-conference teams.
- In the latest RPI rankings the Owls are ranked 14th in the NCAA. The Owls have 11 wins against Top-100 programs this season, including three in the top 40. The Owls' biggest resume builder was their five-set victory over then No. 3 Texas (currently No. 1) back on Sept. 18 at Tudor Fieldhouse, Rice's first win ever against the Longhorns.
- Rice, who last year swept the C-USA regular season and tournament titles, ranks in the top-20 nationally in five categories: kills per set (3rd-14.72), opponents hitting percentage (8th-.141), winning percentage (8th-.923), assists per set (9th-13.50), and hitting percentage (18th-.275).
- The Owls have set a school record with 19 sweeps this season. Rice had a stretch of 26 consecutive set victories from Sept. 18-Oct. 27, which was also a school record.
- Rice placed a league-high three student-athletes on the Conference USA All-Academic Team, the league office announced on Tuesday. Senior libero Lee Ann Cunningham, junior outside hitter Nicole Lennon, and senior right side hitter Tori Woogk all received league recognition for both their athletic and academic achievements.
- Lennon was named to the C-USA First Team for a second straight year after posting one of the best seasons in school history. Lennon established a league record with seven C-USA Offensive Player of the Week awards, backing up her C-US Preseason Player of the Year accolades. The junior ranks ninth in the NCAA in kills per set (4.82-1st in C-USA) and 13th in points per set (5.21-1st in C-USA).
- Adekunle currently ranks seventh in the NCAA in hitting percentage (.425) and stepped up her game even more in league play, ranking second in C-USA with a .462 hitting percentage, sixth in kills per set (3.60), and sixth in blocks per set (1.11). Adekunle was named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 14 and was a C-USA Preseason honoree.
- Morgan earned her third straight all-conference accolade by ranking fourth in C-USA during league play in hitting percentage (.371). Morgan will graduate from Rice as the school's all-time leader in hitting percentage (.352).
- Cunningham ranks fifth among all C-USA players in digs per set (4.63) and is sixth in total digs (407). Earlier this season, Cunningham became just the second Owl in school history to surpass 2,000 career digs.
- Genny Volpe is in her 16th season with the Owls and is the school's all-time leader in totals wins (312) and winning percentage (.634). She notched her ninth, 20-plus win season for the Owls this year while collecting her 300th career win.
-RiceOwls.com-
Players Mentioned
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