FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Volley Hogs are in for a packed week of action all on their home court as No. 21 Arkansas will host No. 1 Wisconsin, RV Colorado State and Michigan with four matches over the span of five days.

The slate kicks off with a pair of contests with the top-ranked Badgers on Wednesday and Thursday, both at 7 p.m. Wednesday’s match has been tabbed a red out, and Thursday’s a white out. The series opener will be broadcast live on SEC Network, and Thursday’s finale can be found on ESPNU.

Wisconsin was crowned No. 1 in this week’s AVCA coaches poll, and Arkansas moved from No. 25 in the preseason edition to No. 21. The last, and only, time the top-ranked team in the country came to Barnhill was Florida in 2010, a 3-1 loss for the Hogs. Arkansas has played a No. 1 three times, the last being Nebraska in 2016.

The Hogs complete a three-day match streak on Friday at 7 p.m. when they host the Colorado State Rams at Barnhill. CSU received votes in this week’s poll after a win over then-No. 10 Kentucky and a 3-1 loss over then-No. 3 Stanford in their opening matches. Arkansas gets the day off Saturday, but caps off the week with a match against its third Big Ten opponent of the season, Michigan, at 11 a.m. Sunday. Friday and Sunday’s matches will both air on SEC Network+.

Arkansas had an excellent opening weekend in terms of attendance, with 2,745 fans at Barnhill Arena over the two matches, which checks in at 24th-best in the country. The average attendance of 1,373 falls within the top 20 at No. 16. Friday’s match against Michigan State was the highest-attended home opener ever and fourth highest-attended match in program history with 1,717 fans.

Tickets for all of this week’s matches are on sale via the Razorback Ticket Center online, in person, or by phone.

Scouting the Series: Wisconsin

• First time the two teams have played at a non-neutral site
• With Wisconsin as this week’s No. 1, first time Arkansas has hosted a No. 1 since 2010
• Wisconsin opened the weekend with victories against No. 15 Baylor (3-1) and TCU (3-0)

Stat Leaders – Wisconsin

• Kills/set: Sarah Franklin | 3.43
• Assists/set: Izzy Ashburn | 6.14
• Digs/set: Julia Orzol | 3.14
• Blocks/set: Carter Booth | 1.43
• Aces/set: Izzy Ashburn | 0.43

Scouting the Series: Colorado State

• Colorado St. defeated then-No. 10 Kentucky in Emily Kohan’s first game at the helm and took a set from then-No. 3 Stanford the following day
• The two teams have not played in Fayetteville since 2011
• Rams are receiving votes this week after their opening weekend success

Stat Leaders – Colorado State

• Kills/set: Annie Sullivan | 3.13
• Assists/set: Emery Herman | 7.75
• Digs/set: Katie Yoshimoto | 2.75
• Blocks/set: Naeemah Weathers/Karina Leber | 0.75
• Aces/set: Karina Leber | 0.50

Scouting the Series: Michigan

• In head coach Erin Virtue’s first two matches, the Wolverines were swept by Boston College and swept Sacred Heart the following day
• First meeting in nearly 10 years between the two teams and first of the Watson era
• Michigan will be the third Big Ten team Arkansas will face in nine days

Stat Leaders – Michigan

• Kills/set: Jacque Boney | 3.33
• Assists/set: Scottee Johnson | 9.67
• Digs/set: Hannah Grant/Kendall Murray | 3.17
• Blocks/set: Lydia Johnson | 1.67
• Aces/set: Lydia Johnson | 2.33

Stat Leaders – Arkansas

• Kills/set: Jillian Gillen | 4.83
• Assists/set: Hannah Hogue | 11.50
• Digs/set: Jillian Gillen | 3.45
• Blocks/set: Zoi Evans | 1.00
• Aces/set: Sania Petties/Maggie Cartwright/Hannah Hogue | 0.33

More Information

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