JPN: Volleyball: Big Dog Blocks

CU Volleyball:

Let the Big Dog block.

I've read that freshman Meghan Barkman is called "big dog," I suppose because of her last name. Anyway, she is barking at the block.

She set the record for most blocks by a freshman. In fact, she blew it away.

Gower didn't do shabby either - especially when you realize that numbers 1 through 4 were all middle blockers. Gower has more blocks than any other outside hitter did as a freshman.

(Final 1999 stats.)

Most blocks in a season by a fresman

1. Meghan Barkman, 1999, 117
2. Wendy Van Wyhe, 1989, 98
3. Katie Zabransky, 1990, 96
4. Heather Sweeney, 1992, 79
5. Stephanie Salgado, 1987, 64
6. Elizabeth Gower, 1999, 62
7. Alison Koepke, 1994, 61
8. Kelly Campbell, 1996, 56
9. Karrie Downey, 1991, 56
10. Sarah Lodge, 1995, 55

Top Blocks/game (Season averages).

1 Leah Williams 1995, Sr, 1.65
2 Amy Hulstrom 1986, So, 1.41
3 Lisa Soulliere 1989, Sr, 1.41
4 Alison Koepke 1995, So, 1.35
5 Alison Koepke 1997, Sr, 1.33
6 Meghan Barkman 1999, F, 1.31
7 Leah Williams 1994, Jr, 1.25
8 Kristin Engelking 1998, Jr, 1.20
9 Lisa Soulliere, 1988, Jr, 1.19
10. Wendy Van Wyhe, 1990, So, 1.13

2nd highest freshman:
15. Wendy Van Wyhe 1989, F, 0.94

That's right, Freshman Barkman set the 6th highest seasonal blocks/game average in the history of CU volleyball. And at 1.3, she smashed the previous freshman record of 0.94. Not bad.

Meghan didn't come close to the season record - this year at least. But 7th is pretty impressive.

Most blocks in a season

1. Leah Williams, Sr. 1995, 177
2. Lisa Souilliere, Sr, 1989, 168
3. Alison Koepke, Sr, 1997, 144
4. Alison Koepke, So, 1995, 142
5. Lisa Soulliere, Jr, 1988, 141
6. Wendy Van Wyhe, So, 1990, 135
7. Meghan Barkman, Fr, 1999, 134
8. Katie Zabransky, So, 1991, 129

19. Kristin Engelking, Sr, 1999, 82

Top Blocks/game (Career averages).

1 Meghan Barkman, 1.31
2 Lisa Soulliere, 1.22
3 Alison Koepke, 1.18
4 Leah Williams, 1.11
5 Wendy Van Wyhe, 1.00
6 Katie Zabransky 0.97
7 Amy Hulstrom 0.89

11 Kristin Engelking 0.71
15 Elizabeth Gower 0.64

And check this out, she's got the highest career average ever! What this also shows is that CU has not had a history of big-time blockers. There have been a few, but not like our history of outside hitters.

Ah, but that's not all. Last I checked, for the Big 12 she's 7th in blocks (1.84 for the lead, stats through Nov 10th) and nationally, she's darn near on the top 20 (national leader at 2.32, freshman leader at 1.66, 20th place 1.45, stats through Nov 7th.)