Volleyball Travels To #4 Nebraska

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University of Maryland volleyball team (0-4) will hit the road for the second time in the 2020-21 season when the Terps match up vs. the #4 Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0) on Friday and Saturday. Friday’s match at 7:00 will be streamed on Big Ten Network Plus, while Saturday’s matchup will be broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network.

2020-21 STORYLINES

Erika pritchard preseason all-big ten

• Senior outside hitter Erika Pritchard was named a 2020-21 preseason All-Big Ten honoree by the conference prior to the beginning of the season. In fall 2019, Pritchard became Maryland’s first preseason All-Big Ten selection since joining the conference in 2014. She collects the second preseason conference honor of her career and remains the only Terp in program history to garner Big Ten preseason honors.

2019 in review

• Maryland finished the 2019 season with a 13-19 overall record, earning conference wins over Indiana, Northwestern, Rutgers, and Michigan State.
• The Terps’ win over Michigan State was the first time in program history Maryland has defeated the Spartans.
• Maryland earned its 1000th win in program history in September 2019 after sweeping Kennesaw State and Appalachian State, both in three sets, to close out nonconference play.
• Erika Pritchard was selected to the U.S. Collegiate National Team following the conclusion of the season.  She was one of 28 players – and one of eight outside hitters – selected nationally to join the squad.

new kids on the block

• The Terps’ net-front presence of Rainelle Jones and Cara Lewis vs. Ohio State was impressive as Maryland out-blocked the Buckeyes last weekend 3.0 to 1.8 in blocks/set in the first week of the season.
• Jones currently ranks second in the Big Ten with 1.62 blocks/set and first in total blocks (26).
• As a team, Maryland ranks third in the Big Ten with 2.75 blocks/set.

pritchard approaching program greatness

• Senior outside hitter Erika Pritchard is on the brink of breaking several program records, including a chance at becoming Maryland’s all-time leader in kills and points. The 2020-21 preseason All-Big Ten honoree currently stands seventh in the Maryland record book with 1,283 kills and seventh with 1,505 career points.

Record-breakers

• Despite dropping the first two matches of the season vs. Ohio State, six Terps tied or set career-highs in their season-opening performances.
• Nicole Alford, who returns as Maryland’s setter after an injury-limited 2019 campaign, set career highs in kills (7), assists (52), and blocks (6) in Saturday’s match vs. the Buckeyes.
• Junior middle blocker Rainelle Jones and sophomore middle blocker Cara Lewis both set career-highs in blocks over the weekend, as Jones notched 11 and Lewis tallied six on Saturday. 
• Sam Burgio also broke a pair of career-highs vs. Ohio State. In her first two starts at libero since her freshman year, Burgio notched a career-best 25 digs Saturday and four assists Friday.