Volleyball Takes on #1 Texas at Hilton This Week

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AMES, Iowa - It will be a busy Thursday and Friday at Hilton Coliseum as the Iowa State volleyball team takes on No. 1 Texas in Ames on Thursday and Friday. In an event-packed weekend, the Thursday "Gold Rush" match will begin at 6:30 p.m., while Friday's contest will start at 7 p.m.

Join the Cyclones

Tickets to both of this weekend's ISU matches (and all Iowa State home matches) are on sale now and can be bought, here. Tickets can also be purchased prior to the match, starting one hour before first serve, at the Hilton Coliseum Ticket Office at the southwest corner of Hilton Coliseum. Iowa State students can get in for free at the North Entrance of Hilton Coliseum.

Follow the Cyclones

Both matches will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. For more information, click here. Live stats for both matches can be accessed, here.

Weekend Promotions

Thursday's match will be ISU's "Gold Rush", with fans encouraged to wear gold to the match. Iowa State students can pick up free gold t-shirts when entering Hilton Coliseum on Thursday at the North entrance, quanitites are limited. Iowa State students get in for free to all Iowa State home volleyball matches with their free tickets via their student accounts, here.

Thursday's match is also Iowa State's "Homecoming Celebration" match. Fans can purchase $3 reserved tickets, here. This offer can only be purchased at the specific link and cannot be redeemed/requested at the Hilton Coliseum Ticket Office on the day of the match.

Following the conclusion of Friday's match, Iowa State will be honoring a pair of historic teams and an Iowa State legend. The 1995 volleyball team, the first in team in program history to make the NCAA Tournament, will be honored for a belated 25-year anniversary celebration. The 2011 volleyball team, which reached the Elite Eight, will be having a 10-year anniversary celebration. Iowa State will also be honoring All-American setter Kaylee Manns (2006-09), who earlier that evening will be inducted into the Iowa State Letterwinners Club Hall of Fame. Fans are encouraged to stay in their seats following the match for all the ceremonies.

Last Time Out

Iowa State will be in action for the first time in two weeks after having a bye last weekend. The Cyclones' most recent action came with a 1-1 weekend at Texas Tech. ISU took the first match in five sets before falling to the Red Raiders in four sets in the second meeting. The Cyclone defense had a strong weekend, holding TTU to a combined .129 hitting percentage across the two matches. Leading that effort was libero Marjia Popovic, who averaged 5.56 digs per set en route to earning her second Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honor. The Cyclone block averaged 3.22 blocks per set against the Red Raiders, with Avery Rhodes getting 1.83 per set and Candelaria Herrera 1.56 per frame.

About No. 1 Texas

The Texas Longhorns are the unanimous No. 1 team in this week's AVCA Top 25 Coaches Poll, coming into the contest with a 15-0 record and atop the Big 12 at 6-0. The Longhorns are coming off a pair of 3-0 sweeps over TCU in Austin last weekend and have picked up sweeps in five of their six Big 12 matches this season. Texas has one of the top offenses in the country, with UT ranking third in the country with a .330 hitting percentage, with Brionne Butler, Asjia O'Neal, Molly Phillips and Skylar Fields all hitting above .330 on the season. UT is also potent from benhind the service line, ranking third nationally with 2.20 aces per set, with Melanie Parra leading the conference with 33 aces on the season.

Texas leads the all-time series 47-5, and have won the last eight contests in the series. UT took both matches 3-0 at the Erwin Center in Austin last season. All five of ISU's victories over the Longhorns in program history did come in Ames and at Hilton Coliseu, the most recent being a five-set victory in 2016.