Northwestern University Athletics
Season Review: NCAA Tournament Berth Highlights Memorable 2010 Season
12/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Dec. 27, 2010
2010 Northwestern Volleyball Final Release 
Opening Serve
Northwestern posted a year to remember in 2010, finishing with a 20-13 overall record, the first time the program has notched 20 wins in a season since 2005 and the second time in Keylor Chan's coaching tenure. The Wildcats finished 9-11 in Big Ten play, the most conference wins since 2007, finishing tied for seventh. Northwestern was one of eight Big Ten teams selected to the NCAA tournament, defeating Arizona in the opening round before falling to Missouri in the round of 32. The 15-2 start to open up the 2010 campaign was also the best start in program history.
Northwestern Notches Five Victories Over Top-20 Teams
The Wildcats held their own against some of the top teams in the country in 2010, defeating five teams ranked among the top-20 of the AVCA coaches poll - the most ever under coach Chan. Down two sets to none, Northwestern rallied to take the final three and shock 14th-ranked Tennessee 3-2 at the Baymont Suites Invitational in Athens, Ohio on Sept. 10. In conference play, the Wildcats defeated 16th-ranked Minnesota 3-1 in front of a national Big Ten Network audience on Oct. 10, while also knocking off 19th-ranked Michigan in the season finale and 20th-ranked Arizona in the first round of the NCAA tournament. But the biggest victory of the year came on Nov. 5 at Welsh-Ryan Arena when Northwestern swept sixth-ranked Illinois 3-0, marking the highest ranked opponent to fall to the Wildcats since third-ranked Penn State in 2000. In addition, the Wildcats also defeated Purdue and swept the season series against Indiana, both of which finished the year among the nation's top-25.
Wildcats Nationally Ranked For Eight-Straight Weeks
For eight-straight weeks in 2010, Northwestern remained among the AVCA Division I Coaches Top-25 poll, beginning Sept. 27 and lasting until Nov. 22, tying the program's single-season record for consecutive weeks among the nation's top-25 as the 1982 team was ranked in all eight polls of that season. Northwestern reached as high as 20th on Oct. 11, checking in at 22nd on Oct. 18th, 24th on Oct. 4, Oct. 25, Nov. 1 and Nov. 8 and 25th on Sept. 27 and Nov. 15. The Wildcats also received votes in the final three polls of the season, finishing the year fifth among those receiving votes.
Rewriting the Record Books
A handful of team and individual records were rewritten in the Wildcat record book in 2010. Northwestern's .234 hitting percentage was the third-highest in program history, two points shy of the .236 hit by the 1984 team. The Wildcats committed just 605 hitting errors in 33 matches, the lowest in the program history and eight fewer than the previous record of 613 set in 2009. One of the Big Ten's best blocking teams, Northwestern racked up 315.0 team blocks, the fourth-best total in program history, while the Wildcats' 1,520 assists and 1,756 digs both rank fifth all-time. Individually, Sabel Moffett posted a .345 hitting percentage on the year, which is the second-best single-season performance in school history, while Naomi Johnson's .314 is sixth-highest in the Wildcat record books. Moffett made her mark once again in blocks, as her 143 block assists was the second-best single-season performance in program history with her 171 total blocks tying for second all-time. Elyse Glab, who finished her career second all-time in Northwestern history in assists, dished out 1,384 helpers in 2010, which checks in at third on the all-time list, while Julie Chin's 437 digs is the ninth-best total in program history.
Moffett, Johnson Garner AVCA All-America Honors
During their four years together in Evanston, Sabel Moffett and Naomi Johnson formed one of the most dangerous middle blocking duos in the country, and the pair of them were recognized for their invaluable contributions on the court. Moffett was tabbed a second team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), with Johnson being named an honorable mention selection. Moffett becomes the first Wildcat since Madelyn Meneghetti in 1984 to be named a national All-American and the first since Patty Walsh (1980-82) to be a multi-year selection. The duo, who were both named to the All-Mideast Region team, up the number of Wildcat All-Americans to six players earning eight recognitions.
Three Wildcats Earn All-Big Ten Accolades
The Big Ten Conference has announced its year-end honors, with three Wildcats being tabbed among the conference's best, voted on by the Big Ten coaches. Sabel Moffett was a unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten team, while her middle blocking counterpart Naomi Johnson was an honorable mention selection with Stephanie Holthus being named to the All-Freshman Team. Moffett becomes the first Wildcat since Erika Lange in 2002 and 2003, and the second all-time, to earn back-to-back All-Big Ten first team honors, as she was one of nine players listed on every ballot. The three All-Big Ten selections from Northwestern is the most for the program since four Wildcats were honored following the 1984 season. NU has now had 18 players receive 23 conference postseason honors with Holthus becoming the first to be named to the All-Freshman Team. Additionally, Elyse Glab was tabbed as Northwestern's Sportsmanship Honoree.
Moffett Solidifies Her Place Among Wildcat All-Time Greats
Sabel Moffett used a stellar senior season to solidify herself as one of the all-time greats in Northwestern volleyball, becoming just the fourth player in program history to notch both 1,000 career kills and 500 career blocks. Moffett ends her career in Evanston as the Wildcats' all-time leader in career hitting percentage at .313, nine points higher than second-place Erika Lange's .304. Moffett ranks third all-time in block assists (422), fourth in total blocks (510) and eighth in solo blocks (88), while establishing herself offensively as well, posting 1,132 career kills to finish 15th all-time in program history. Moffett became the first player since Lange to be a two-time All-Big Ten first team selection and was a unanimous selection in 2010, ranking third in the conference in blocks per set (1.37) and fifth in hitting percentage (.345).
Glab Finishes Second All-Time Among Program Assist Leaders
Elyse Glab has been a constant in the Northwestern lineup since her freshman season, solidifying her place among the best setters in program history. Glab moved into second-place in program history for career assists against Michigan State on Nov. 26, finishing with 4,890 career helpers. Glab became just the third player in program history to surpass 1,000 assists in four consecutive seasons as her 1,384 for the 2010 season was the third-highest single-season total in Northwestern history. Glab, who also holds the eighth and ninth-highest yearly assist totals, ranked third in the Big Ten with 11.07 assists per set and was recognized as the Wildcats' sportsmanship honoree.
Johnson Closes Out Career With Breakthrough 2010 Campaign
Naomi Johnson saved her best for last, using a breakthrough 2010 senior season to comprise half of one of the top middle blocking tandems in the country. Johnson set personal highs in nearly every statistical category, ranking second on the team in kills (358), hitting percentage (.314), service aces (32), solo blocks (13), block assists (111) and total blocks (143). An AVCA honorable mention All-America selection, Johnson was tied for ninth in the Big Ten in service aces per set (0.26). She closes out her career in Evanston tied for eighth all-time with a .253 hitting percentage and ninth all-time in block assists (286).
Holthus Makes Her Mark As A Freshman
Stephanie Holthus made quite an impact as a freshman for Northwestern, starting every set of the 2010 season at outside hitter. A Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection, Holthus finished third on the Wildcats with 332 kills, the eighth-best performance by a freshman in program history. The Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Oct. 11, Holthus finished her inaugural campaign leading the Wildcats in attempts (1,120) while ranking second in digs (326), third in kills (332) and assists (17), fourth in service aces (17) and fifth in blocks (68).
For the complete final 2010 release, click the PDF link above.
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