Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge
Match 4: No. 2 Stanford	Friday, Sept. 4, 2015 | 4 p.m. CT | University Park, Pa. | Rec Hall Video: BTN Plus | Radio: WDWS 1400 | GameTracker
Match 5: No. 21 Colorado	Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015 | 4:30 p.m. CT | University Park, Pa. | Rec Hall TV: BTN | Radio: WDWS 1400 | GameTracker
Full Match Notes	Illinois | Stanford | Colorado
Statistics	Illinois (3-0) | Stanford (2-0) | Colorado (2-1)
Series History	Stanford: 0-6 | Last: L, 2-3, on 9/714 | Streak: L6 | Results Colorado: 3-2 | Last: W, 3-1, on 9/2014 | Streak: W2 | Results
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ILLINOIS VS. THE FIELD

The Illini face a pair of familiar foes this weekend, having taken on both Stanford and Colorado during nonconference play last season.

Illinois took then-No. 2 Stanford down to the wire on Sept. 7, 2014, sending the match to five sets and tying the score at 11-11 with a block in set five. However, the Cardinal, who would become the top-ranked team in the nation the next day and spend 13 weeks undefeated, won four of the final five points to win 15-12 and remain undefeated against Illinois.

The Illini are 0-6 all time against Stanford, with the Cardinal in the top 10 in the polls in all five matchups since the AVCA rankings began. No. 6 Stanford topped Illinois in five on Sept. 8, 1990, then the Illini took No. 2 Stanford to five on Sept. 19, 1992. The No. 2 Cardinal then knocked the Illini out of the NCAA Regional on Dec. 11, 1992, and Stanford was ranked No. 3 when it swept Illinois on Sept. 6, 2008.

Illinois is 3-2 all time against Colorado, including a 3-1 victory over the Buffs at the Creighton Classic on Sept. 20, 2014. Prior to last season, the Illini had not faced Colorado since 1998, when the Orange and Blue took down the No. 17 Buffs in the NCAA Second Round. Both of Colorado's wins came during the 1993 season, including No. 9 Colorado knocking the Illini out of the NCAA Second Round.

BIG TEN/PAC-12 CHALLENGE

The Fighting Illini hit the road this weekend for the second annual Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenging, featuring four nationally-ranked teams including three of the top six in the nation. Hosted by Penn State this season, the No. 6 Illini and No. 1 Nittany Lions will take on Pac-12 powerhouses No. 2 Stanford and No. 21 Colorado in a pair of doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday.

Then-No. 2 Stanford gritted out a pair of five-set wins over then-No. 1 Penn State and then-No. 9 Illinois on its home court to win the first annual Challenge in 2014. The pair of top-10 victories helped the Cardinal take over the No. 1 ranking in the country which it would keep for the next 12 weeks of undefeated play. UCLA was the fourth participant last season, but Colorado will represent the Pac-12 in 2015.

ILLINI TRIO GARNER B1G WEEKLY AWARDS

After the opening week of competition, Michelle Strizak, Brandi Donnelly and Jordyn Poulter took home Big Ten weekly awards. Strizak earned her first career Big Ten Player of the Week award; Donnelly was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for the first time after garnering three Freshman of the Week awards in 2014, and Poulter became the third Illini since the award began in 2009 to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after her first career match. The threesome also became the first Illini trio to take home weekly awards on the same week since the expansion to three awards in 2009.

HUFF HALL ATTENDANCE CONTINUES TO CLIMB

In 1992, the Illini set an NCAA record with 52,666 fans for an average of 3,098 fans per match. Under head coach Kevin Hambly, that loyalty has returned, as attendance has steadily risen every year during his tenure.

In 2013, the Illini set a new record for average attendance, ranking ninth in the nation with 3,117 fans per match, which included two matches played at State Farm Center. The following summer, Huff Hall renovations increased capacity to 4,536, and the Illini posted yet another 3,000+ crowd average, ranking eighth in the nation in 2014 at 3,027.

The Fighting Illini faithful returned in full force to start 2015, as reserved season tickets sold out during preseason sales for the first time in program history, and the Orange and Blue posted three consecutive 3,000+ crowds on opening weekend. 3,344 fans "stuffed" Huff on opening night, and 3,005 came through the doors on Saturday for an average of 3,118 to start the year.

On Oct. 4, 2014, the Orange and Blue hosted the first-ever IlliNOISE Night promotion, during which the Illini faithful sold out Huff Hall with a record crowd of 4,536 fans. In the first official sellout since 2011, Illinois fans broke the 22-year-old record of 4,316 set at the 1992 NCAA Regional vs. Stanford after the 2014 summer renovations increased listed capacity by nearly 500 seats. IlliNOISE Night returns on Oct. 9 vs. Penn State.

Illinois went 14-1 at home in 2014, winning the first 18 sets at Huff Hall before falling to No. 6 Wisconsin on Oct. 4. Illinois opened 2015 with three straight sweeps, as the Illini are now 89-20 in front of a home crowd since the start of 2008. All-but-two of those losses came to teams in the top 25, including three to the No. 1 team in the country.

Illinois ranked ninth in the nation in average crowd size and eighth in total attendance in 2014. Six of the top 11 teams in average attendance were members of the Big Ten, with Nebraska leading the nation at 8,083.

Illinois has had 47 home matches in program history with a crowd of 3,000 fans or more, including all three home matches this season.

Illinois has had at least five home matches with over 3,000 fans in each of the past three seasons. The seven 3,000+ crowds in 2014 were second only to the 1992 season, when 11 of the Illini's 17 home matches featured crowds of 3,000 or more. Despite playing just three home matches so far this season, the Illini already tie with 1993 for sixth all time in program history.

YET ANOTHER CHALLENGING SLATE AWAITS ILLINI

In 2013, the Fighting Illini played the most challenging schedule of any team in the NCAA that season, and arguably one of the most difficult slates ever. The Illini followed that year with the 12th-most-difficult schedule in 2014, including playing eight matches against teams that finished the season ranked in the top eight.

2015 figures to be just as exciting as the last two, as Illinois has 10 of this week's top 25 on its schedule for a total of 13 matches, including facing No. 1 Penn State, No. 2 Stanford and No. 4 Nebraska. Additionally, the Illini will take on Michigan (twice) and Wichita State who are both receiving votes in this week's poll.

When Illinois takes on No. 2 Stanford this weekend, it will mark the 19th time that the Illini will face the No. 2 team in the nation and the 40th time facing a top-two opponent. The Illini have four wins over top-two opponents in program history, most recently taking down No. 2 Texas and No. 2 Penn State in 2010.

O&B SWEEP THROUGH ILLINI CLASSIC

For the second straight season, the Fighting Illini opened the season by sweeping through their home tournament and going a perfect 9-0 in sets to capture the Illini Classic crown. Illinois took down Louisville, Miami (Ohio) and Creighton in straight sets for a flawless opening weekend.

Junior Michelle Strizak was named Most Valuable player, after hitting .448 with 33 kills (4.71 k/s) to go along with six digs and three blocks. Fellow pin hitters Ali Stark and Jocelynn Birks joined her on the seven-player All-Tournament team. Birks led the Illini with 37 kills on the weekend to go with 16 digs and three blocks, including hitting a career-high .500 with 16 kills against Miami. Stark posted 18 kills, 21 digs and six blocks on the weekend, including going 14-0-30 (.467) over the pair of matches on Saturday.

NO. 1 RECRUITING CLASS HITS THE COURT IN '15

On May 28, 2015, PrepVolleyball.com released its annual recruiting class rankings, staking the claim that the Illini's incoming freshman class, featuring No. 3 Jordyn Poulter, No. 10  Ali Bastianelli and No. 52 Beth Prince, is projected to be the most talented group of recruits in the country. The ranking marked the fourth time during Kevin Hambly's tenure on staff that the Illini have brought in a top-10 class and the highest-rated class in program history.

Poulter and Bastianelli were named opening day starters and turned heads at the Illini Classic. Poulter led the Illini to a .414 hitting percentage against Miami, then tallied her second straight double-double against Creighton with 34 assists, 10 digs, four kills and two solo blocks.

The freshman duo tied for the team lead with five block assists on opening night against Creighton, as Bastianelli finished the Illini classic with a team-high 11 blocks and six kills over three straight sweeps.

The 2011 National Freshman of the Year according to both ESPN and PrepVolleyball.com, Prince has yet to don the Orange and Blue, having been sidelined during the Illini Classic with an injury. An Under Armour High School All-American, she was one of just two athletes in her class nationally to be rated a PrepVolleyball.com All-American four years in a row.

ILLINI RANKED PRESEASON NO. 8

After going 26-8 with a repeat trip to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2014, expectations are again high for the 2015 Fighting Illini. Returning a majority of their starters and bringing in the top recruiting class in the nation, Illinois received the No. 8 ranking the AVCA Preseason Poll. The top-10 mark is the highest for the Illini since 2012, when the NCAA National Runner-Up gained a No. 7 preseason rank, the fourth-straight top-10 rank for the Illini under Hambly.

The No. 8 ranking marks the 11th time that Illinois has been ranked in the top 10 in the first AVCA poll of the season. Illinois' highest opening rank came on Sept. 6, 1988, when the AVCA placed the Illini at No. 2 on the first week of the season following their first-ever trip to the NCAA Semifinals.

Illinois appeared in the top 25 of the AVCA's first poll every season from 1986 to 1994, resurfaced at No. 14 in 1999 then at No. 19 in 2002 and 2004. The Illini have been ranked in the preseason top 25 in all-but-one season under Hambly, having received votes in 2013, with five top-10 projections in his seven seasons. The 2015 preseason ranking marks the Illini's 18th year beginning the schedule in the top 25.

After sweeping on opening weekend, Illinois jumped up two spots to No. 6, marking the highest ranking for the Illini since finishing the 2011 season at No. 2.