Illinois volleyball continues to climb

CHAMPAIGN – The Illinois volleyball team rose two spots, to No. 6, in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll on Monday.

The ranking is the Illini's highest since it was sixth in the 1993 preseason poll. The last time Illinois was ranked as high during the season was in 1992, when it was No. 6 in the final poll.

The Illini (16-3) will take a seven-match winning streak into its match at 6 p.m. Friday at Indiana.

Bangert honored. Johannah Bangert was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, the third consecutive Illini to receive the award.

The junior middle blocker had 22 blocks last weekend in victories against Wisconsin and Iowa, leading an Illini defense that held the two opponents to a combined .043 hitting percentage.

Against the Badgers, Bangert finished with one block solo and 13 block assists, tying the school block assists record for the second time in three weeks. Her 14 total blocks were the most by a Big Ten player this season.

At Iowa, Bangert had eight block assists, helping hold the Hawkeyes to a season-low .025 hitting percentage.

Bangert won the same Big Ten award two weeks ago, with Illini libero Ashley Edinger receiving the honor last week.

Poeta wins title. Former Illinois wrestling All-American and current assistant coach Mike Poeta won the 163-pound title at the Sunkist Kids International Open freestyle tournament in Phoenix. Poeta topped Jon Reader of Iowa State 1-0, 2-1 in the finals.

Illinois freshman Sam White took sixth at 121 pounds, falling to Mark McKnight, a former Penn State wrestler who placed fourth at the 2008 NCAA Championships.

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