No. 3 Women's Volleyball Plays at Ohio State Friday, Hosts No. 14 Minnesota for Dig Pink Sunday

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- No. 3 Penn State Women's Volleyball looks to keep its unbeaten Big Ten record intact as it plays a pair of conference opponents this week. The Nittany Lions go on the road to play Ohio State on Friday at 8 p.m., in a match that will air live on B1G Network. They return to Happy Valley to host No. 14 Minnesota at Rec Hall on Sunday at 2 p.m. That match will stream on B1G+.

Penn State is 16-1 overall with an eight-match winning streak and is tied with Nebraska atop the Big Ten standings at 6-0. Coming in behind the leaders in the 18-team conference are Oregon and Wisconsin at 5-1.

PROMOS/THEME SUNDAY VS. MINNESOTA
• Dig Pink (fans encouraged to wear pink)
• Alumni Day
• 1999, 2009, and 2014 NCAA Championship teams will be honord

HOW TO FOLLOW
Friday, Oct. 18 – 8 p.m. ET
#3 Penn State (16-1, 6-0 B1G) at Ohio State (8-8, 1-5 B1G) | Live Stats | B1G Network

Sunday, Oct. 20 – 2 p.m. ET
#14 Minnesota (11-5, 4-2 B1G) at #3 Penn State (16-1, 6-0 B1G) | Live Stats | B1G+

OPENING NOTES
• The Nittany Lions take a 12-match Big Ten regular season winning streak into the weekend. Their last regular season loss in conference play came to Purdue on Nov. 5, 2023. It is the longest active streak of any Big Ten team.
• Penn State also carries a 13-match home winning streak into Sunday’s contest with the Gophers. The Nittany Lions’ last home loss was also to Purdue on Nov. 5, 2023.

SERIES HISTORY - OHIO STATE
• Penn State is 53-21 in the all-time series with Ohio State. The teams first played in 1981.
• The Nittany Lions won won both matches last season, beating the Buckeyes in five sets at Rec Hall and with a sweep at the Covelli Center.
• Penn State is 23-3 against Ohio State in road matches.
• Jess Mruzik has averaged 4.13 kills and 2.13 digs per set in two career matches against Ohio State as a Nittany Lion. Camryn Hannah has averaged 3.63 kills and 1.13 digs per set in her two matches against the Buckeyes while playing for Penn State.

SCOUTING OHIO STATE
• Ohio State is 8-8 overall and 1-5 in the Big Ten following a 3-1 loss to Michigan.
• Emily Londot ranks first in the Big Ten and eighth nationally in kills/set (4/65) and first in the Big Ten and ninth nationally in points/set (5.48).
• Ohio State was picked ninth in the Big Ten Preseason Poll.
• The Buckeyes’ top win in non-conference play came by a 3-0 score over then-No. 20 Miami at the Covelli Center.

SERIES HISTORY - MINNESOTA
• Penn State is 51-15 in the all-time series with Minnesota. The teams first played in 1983.
• The Nittany Lions have won three of the past four matches in the series, including a 3-1 win against the 13th-ranked Gophers last season at Maturi Pavilion. Taylor Trammell hit .800 with 16 kills in that win. Jess Mruzik hit .381 with 21 kills and 15 digs.
• Penn State is 27-5 against Minnesota at Rec Hall.
• Taylor Trammell has hit .556 while averaging 2.07 kills/set in four career matches against the Gophers.

SCOUTING MINNESOTA
• Minnesota is ranked 14th in the nation and is 11-5 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten following back-to-back 3-0 wins over Indiana and Maryland.
• The Gophers top win in non-conference play came by a 3-2 score over then-No. 1 Texas in Milwaukee.
• Minnesota was picked fifth in the Big Ten Preseason Poll. Senior setter Melani Shaffmaster was named Preseason All-Big Ten. She is a two-time All-Big Ten selection in her career.

STREAKS TO WATCH
Ava Falduto
· 5 straight matches with an ace

Gillian Grimes
· 5 straight matches with double-digit digs

Jess Mruzik
· 8 straight matches with double-digit kills

Team
· 13 straight wins at Rec Hall
· 12 straight Big Ten regular season wins

MILESTONES
• Jess Mruzik recorded her 1,000th career kill during the first set of a 3-0 home win over Colgate on Sept. 2, 2023.  She recorded her 1,000th career dig in the second set of a 3-1 win at Indiana on Oct. 13, 2024. She enters the weekend with 1,706 career kills, 1,003 digs, and 92 aces.
• Camryn Hannah recorded her 1,000th career kill during the first set of a 3-0 home win over UMBC on Sept. 15, 2023. She enters the weekend with 1,487 career kills.
• Taylor Trammell recorded her 500th career block in a home win over Maryland on Oct. 3, 2024. She enters the weekend with 511 career blocks.

REC HALL SUCCESS
• Penn State is 718-55 (.929) all-time at Rec Hall.
• The Nittany Lions are 340-38 (.900) against current Big Ten opponents at Rec Hall and 378-17 (.957) against non-conference opponents.
• Penn State is 9-0 at Rec Hall this season.

HOLD THEM UNDER .200
• Penn State has held 14 of its 17 opponents under .200 hitting this season. That includes all five wins over nationally-ranked opponents.
• The Nittany Lions’ five wins over nationally-ranked opponents - No. 4 Louisville, No. 9 Kentucky, No. 10 Purdue, No. 11 Oregon, and No. 15 Tennessee -  the teams combined to hit an average of .144.

UP NEXT
• No. 3 Penn State flies across the country for a pair of matches against new members of the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions play at UCLA on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET, and then play at No. 16 USC on Saturday at 11 p.m. ET. Both matches will air on B1G Network.