• Minnesota will play one road match and one home match this week, as it faces No. 11 Wisconsin at the Sports Pavilion on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. The Golden Gophers will also travel to Iowa on Friday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. Minnesota enters the week having won 11 of its last 12 matches. The Golden Gophers are 13-5 overall, and are in sole possession of second place in the Big Ten at 7-1. Wisconsin enters the week with a 14-4 overall record, and is third in the Big Ten at 6-2. The Badgers have also won eight of their last 10 heading into the week. Iowa is 12-8 overall, but is tied for 10th in the Big Ten at 1-7.
• Minnesota enters the week with a 7-1 Big Ten record. The 7-1 record matches the best eight-match start in Big Ten play in school history. The Golden Gophers were 7-1 in 1989, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2004. Minnesota plays two matches this week against No. 11 Wisconsin and at Iowa. Minnesota enters the week with a chance to finish the first half of the Big Ten season 9-1 for just the fourth time in school history. The Golden Gophers had 9-1 records in the first half in 2000, 2002 and 2004. All three of those previous seasons the Golden Gophers had a school record in Big Ten wins with 17. Minnesota finished second in 2000 and 2004, and won the Big Ten for the first time in school history in 2002.
• Minnesota is 11-1 in its last 12 matches after starting 2-4. The Golden Gophers only loss in that stretch came on the road to No. 2 Penn State. In the last 12 matches, Minnesota is averaging 16.07 kpg, while holding opponents to 13.07 kpg. The Golden Gophers are also hitting .228, while holding their opposition to .136 during that stretch. Minnesota has also averaged 1.73 sapg to 1.11 for its opponents, and has 3.08 blpg Individually, Meredith Nelson has 3.64 kpg, is hitting .308 and has 0.83 blpg during that stretch. Kyla Roehrig has 3.48 kpg and 0.64 blpg, Jessy Jones is averaging 2.41 kpg and 1.56 blpg and Malama Peniata has 5.64 dpg. Rachel Hartmann has 12.89 apg, 2.39 dpg and 0.80 blpg, and Kelly Bowman is averaging 2.02 kpg, 1.05 apg, 3.34 dpg and 0.95 dpg.
• The Golden Gophers have gone 15-3 in their past 18 Big Ten matches dating back to last season. Minnesota had the second-best mark in the conference during the second half of the season last year at 8-2. In that stretch the Golden Gophers defeated No. 13 Wisconsin, No. 17 Ohio State and No. 22 Purdue. This year, Minnesota has started 7-1 with wins over No. 24 Michigan, No. 14 Ohio State and No. 9 Purdue. Penn State is the only team with a better record during that stretch at 18-0, and they have handed Minnesota two of its three losses during the 15-3 stretch. Both of which came at Penn State.
• Minnesota enters the week with the second-lowest opposing percentage in conference play at .157. That trails only Penn State who is first in opponent hitting percentage at .139. This year, the Golden Gophers have already played four different ranked opponents in Big Ten play. In those four matches, Minnesota has held those four teams to a cumulative .153 hitting percentage. In all four matches, the Golden Gophers limited the teams to .100 points below their current hitting percentage. Last week, Minnesota held Purdue to a .133 hitting percentage, .110 points below their average of .243. The Golden Gophers have also held No. 2 Penn State to .112 below their current average, then No. 14 Ohio State to .111 points below their average and No. 24 Michigan to .152 points below their average.
