Virginia Concludes 2022 Slate at NCSU, UNC

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (12-15, 4-12 ACC) rounds out its 2022 season when it travels to NC State (14-13, 8-8 ACC) on Wednesday (Nov. 23) at 3 p.m. and North Carolina (15-12, 7-9 ACC) on Saturday (Nov. 26) at 1 p.m. UVA lost in five sets to both the Wolfpack and Tar Heels to open conference play in Memorial Gymnasium earlier this season.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

• Both matches are set to stream on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) through the ESPN app, which is available through participating TV providers that carry ACC Network.
• Live stats will also be available for both matches and can be accessed via the Cavaliers’ schedule page on VirginiaSports.com. 

SERIES HISTORY

• Virginia leads the all-time series against the Wolfpack, 39-34, but have lost the previous nine meetings. The Cavaliers’ last win over NC State was a sweep on Nov. 20, 2015 in Mem Gym. The two teams first met on Oct. 31, 1981 with the Wolfpack winning in two sets (15-4, 17-15).
• North Carolina leads the all-time series, 54-16, over the Cavaliers and are winners of 20 of the last 22 meetings. However, Virginia split its pair of matches against the Tar Heels in 2021 as both teams were victorious on the road. The Cavaliers’ four-set win in Chapel Hill on Sept. 26, 2021 was UVA’s only win in conference play last year. Former Virginia middle blocker Alana Walker totaled 11 blocks in the win, which stands tied for ninth all-time in program history. As a team, the Cavaliers posted 16.5 blocks to UNC’s 7.0.
• For a complete list of series results, visit the Virginia Volleyball Record Book.

LAST TIME OUT

• The Cavaliers fell in straight sets to Wake Forest, 21-25,23-25,25-27, at Memorial Gymnasium last Sunday (Nov. 20).
• UVA and the Demon Deacons posted 48 kills each and the Cavaliers out-hit Wake, .248 to .223, but eight service errors proved costly for the Hoos.
• Virginia was led by Abby Tadder, who played on the right pin instead of in the middle and finished with a match-high 14 kills and hit .386. For the second consecutive match, Gabby Easton tallied 35 assists in just three sets. Easton had 36 assists in UVA’s sweep over Virginia Tech on Nov. 11.

THE SHANNON WELLS ERA HAS BEEN A BLOCK PARTY

• Since Shannon Wells became Virginia volleyball head coach in 2021, there have been six matches in which the Cavaliers have tallied at least 15.0 blocks, including twice in 2022 against then-No. 10 Pittsburgh (17.5) and Notre Dame (16.0).
• Virginia’s season-high 17.5 blocks against the tenth-ranked Panthers are good for fifth all-time among four-set matches and No. 4 since the implementation of the rally-scoring format (2001).
• In UVA’s sweep over Notre Dame, the Cavaliers registered 16.0 total blocks, good for second most all-time in program history among three-set matches. UVA’s 16.0 blocks also tied for second most by any NCAA Division-I team in a three-set match this season.
• In 2021, Wells’ first season at the helm, Virginia posted four matches with at least 15.0 blocks, including a season-best 20.0 blocks at Boston College (Nov. 26, 2021), which tied for sixth all-time. The Cavaliers also had 18.0 blocks against Clemson (Oct. 10, 2021), 16.5 blocks in UVA’s lone ACC win of the season at North Carolina (Sept. 26, 2021), and 15.5 blocks at NC State (Sept. 24, 2021).

AMAZING GRACE (TURNER)

• Grace Turner has been a workhorse for the Cavaliers this season. Turner has started in all 27 matches and appeared in all 108 possible sets as a six-rotation outside hitter.
• She leads the Cavaliers in kills per set (3.52), aces per set (0.38), points per set (4.18) and total receptions (738). Her 3.52 kills per set and 4.18 points per set are good for eighth in the ACC, while her 0.38 aces per set are sixth.
• With six 20-kill performances in 2022, including a career-high 24 kills at Boston College (Nov. 4), Turner is the first UVA player to accomplish that feat since 2010, when Simone Asque, who is the program’s No. 4 leader in kills per set (3.48), posted seven 20-kill outings.
• Turner has also registered back-to-back 20-kill matches twice this season: the first against Charlotte (Sept. 9 & 10) and the second against NC State (Sept. 23) and North Carolina (Sept. 25). She is the first UVA player to notch back-to-back 20-kill performances since 2016.
• Turner also leads the Cavaliers with nine career double-doubles, including four this season.
• Through 25 matches in 2022, Turner has registered 40 aces, which is 13 more than her total for the 2021 season (27), which was a then-career best in a single season.

WHY DON’T YOU JUST MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE

• Middle blockers Abby Tadder and Veresia Yon have been a steady force for Virginia this season. However, Tadder has also played right side hitter in UVA’s last two matches.
• Yon leads the Cavaliers in hitting percentage (.344) and is second on the team in blocks per set (0.89). Her .344 hitting percentage is good for sixth in the ACC.
• Yon registered seven blocks (1 BS, 6 BA) in UVA’s sweep over Notre Dame, when the Cavaliers posted 16.0 total team blocks.
• Yon is a graduate transfer from West Florida, a premier Division-II program, where she was named the 2022 AVCA South Region Player of the Year and a First Team All-American. Yon is currently in her first year of graduate school at UVA, but is set to return for the Cavaliers in 2023 to exhaust her final season of eligibility.
• Tadder leads the Cavaliers in blocks per set (1.02) and is second in hitting percentage (.333). Her .333 hitting percentage is currently good for ninth in the ACC.
• Tadder had a career day in the Cavaliers’ win over Florida State (Oct. 14), when she posted a career-high 18 kills and hit .517 (18-3-29). Her 18 kills against the Seminoles are the most by a Cavalier middle blocker since Oct. 18, 2015, when Anna Walsh tallied 20 kills at Syracuse.
• Tadder also led UVA with nine blocks against then-No. 10 Pittsburgh (Sept. 28), which tied for third most by an ACC in a single match this season.

AVCA TOP 50 & TOP 100 TEAMS ANNOUNCED

• On Nov. 16, the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced its Top 50 and Top 100 teams, which includes 11 UVA opponents this season: Duke, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami (FL), North Carolina, NC State, Pittsburgh and Wake Forest.
• Among those Top 100 teams, six fell in the Top 50: Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami (FL) and Pittsburgh.
• Virginia knocked off Top 50 foe Florida State at Mem Gym on Oct. 14, which marked UVA’s first win over the Seminoles since 2010 and snapped a 13-match skid in the series between the two teams.

THE ACC: THE NATION’S PREMIER VOLLEYBALL CONFERENCE

• Last season, the Atlantic Coast Conference led all conferences in the nation in both RPI and adjusted RPI.
• For the first time in league history, two ACC teams (Louisville and Pitt) advanced to the NCAA Volleyball Tournament semifinals in 2021.
• In addition to the Cardinals and Panthers, Georgia Tech was also one of three ACC teams to advance to the Elite 8, also a first in ACC history.
• A record-tying six ACC schools made the 2021 NCAA Volleyball Tournament, including No. 1 overall seed Louisville, which won 32 consecutive matches last season.

SEASON OVERVIEW

• This year marks the 44th season of Virginia Volleyball, which held its inaugural season in 1979.
• The Hoos are slated to face four AVCA preseason top-25 teams, including three teams ranked in the top 10, in No. 4 Louisville (Oct. 21), No. 6 Pitt (Sept. 28), at No. 9 Georgia Tech (Oct. 7) and at No. 15 Florida (Aug. 27).
• Virginia’s 2022 schedule consists of seven 2021 NCAA Tournament teams in Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina and Pittsburgh.
• With a home-and-home series against Virginia Tech, both matches between UVA and the Hokies will be worth 0.5 points toward the Commonwealth Clash standings, presented by Smithfield.
• The Cavaliers hosted 14 home matches in 2022.
• For the first time in history, Virginia faced Purdue Fort Wayne (Sept. 3) and Mercer (Sept. 16).