UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- No. 18 Penn State women's volleyball hosts Rutgers for the team’s annual Dig Pink match Friday at 7 p.m. The Nittany Lions then go on the road for another Big Ten match when head to Columbus to play Ohio State on Sundat at noon. Both matches will stream on B1G+.
night and then goes on the road to play Ohio State on Sunday afternoon.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Friday, Oct. 24 | 7 p.m.
Rutgers (10-10, 1-7 B1G) at No. 18 Penn State (11-7, 5-3 B1G) | Live Stats | B1G+
Sunday, Oct. 26 | Noon
No. 18 Penn State (11-7, 5-3 B1G) at Ohio State (3-13, 0-8 B1G) | Live Stats | B1G+
OPENING NOTES
• Every match is important at this point in the season, as evident by the NCAA Division I Committee Top 16, which gives a sneak peek at what the top 16 seeds for the NCAA Tournament would be if the season ended on their release date (Oct. 18). The Nittany Lions were listed at No. 15 in the Top 16, which would be good enough to host NCAA First and Second Round matches at Rec Hall.
• Why is playing at home in the NCAA Tournament so important? Penn State is 73-3 all-time in NCAA Tournament matches at Rec Hall, including wins over Delaware State, North Caroline, Marquette, and Creighton on its way to winning the program’s eighth national title last season.
SERIES HISTORY - RUTGERS
• Penn State is 43-9 in the all-time series with Rutgers. The teams first played in 1977.
• The Nittany Lions have won 34 straight matches over the Scarlet Knights, with the last loss coming in 1982.
• Penn State is 24-1 in road matches against Rutgers.
• The Nittany Lions are 4-0 against the Scarlet Knights under head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, sweeping all four matches.
• Gillian Grimes has averaged 3.33 digs/set in four career matches against Rutgers.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
• Rutgers is 10-10 overall and 1-7 in the Big Ten after a five-match losing streak against No. 1 Nebraska (3-0), Northwestern (3-0), Illinois (3-0), Maryland (3-1), and No. 12 Purdue (3-0).
• The Scarlet Knights were picked 18th in the Big Ten Preseason Poll. They finished 18th last season.
• Rutgers ranks first in the conference and ninth in the nation in aces/set (2.09). Lexi Visintine ranks first in the conference and 18th nationally with 33 aces.
SERIES HISTORY - OHIO STATE
• Penn State is 54-21 in the all-time series with Ohio State. The teams first played in 1981.
• The Nittany Lions have won three straight matches against the Buckeyes, including a five-set win at the Covelli Center last year. Emmi Sellman, then a freshman at Ohio State, led all players with 27 kills in that match. She is now a sophomore for Penn State.
• Penn State is 24-3 against Ohio State in road matches.
SCOUTING OHIO STATE
• Ohio State is 3-13 overall and 0-8 in the Big Ten following an eight match losing streak to UCLA (3-2), No. 17 USC (3-0), Washington (3-1), Oregon (3-0), No. 12 Purdue (3-0), No. 14 Minnesota (3-0), Illinois (3-1), and No. 22 Indiana (3-1).
• The Buckeyes were picked 13th in the Big Ten Preseason Poll. They finished 13th last season.
STREAKS TO WATCH
Gillian Grimes
· 82 straight starts at libero
· 5 straight matches with at least one ace
· 3 straight matches with double-digit digs
Caroline Jurevicius
· 3 straight matches with double-digit kills
Kennedy Martin
· 69 straight matches with double-digit kills when playing at least three sets
Maggie Mendelson
· 5 straight matches with double-digit kills
LAST TIME OUT
• Penn State left its first trip to the Pacific Northwest as part of Big Ten play with a 3-1 (25-22, 23-25, 25-23, 27-25) win over Oregon on Saturday.
• Kennedy Martin led a trio Nittany Lions with double-digit kills as she totaled 26 on .315 hitting. Maggie Mendelson reached double-digits for the fifth-straight match, hitting .667 with 12 kills. Caroline Jurevicius did it for the third-straight match with her 11 kills.
• Penn State hit .341 behind 47 assists from Addie Lyon. The setter added 14 digs to record her second double-double of the season.
• The Nittany Lions had a strong night at the service line with eight aces. Martin led the way with three, Lyon and Ava Falduto had two apiece, and Gillian Grimes chipped in with one.
CAREER HIGHS SET LAST WEEK
at Washington
Jordan Hopp - aces (3)
Jocelyn Nathan - digs (16)
UP NEXT
• Penn State travels to play Michigan on Friday, Oct. 31 and hosts Indiana on Sunday, Nov. 2. Both matches will air on B1G Network.
• Michigan is 12-7 overall and 2-6 in the Big Ten after back-to-back losses to Northwestern (3-2) and No. 1 Nebraska (3-0).
• Indiana is 15-3 overall and 6-2 in the conference following a 3-1 win over Ohio State in its most recent match.
The 2025 Penn State women's volleyball season is presented by Musselman's.