Yes, we've got five more things to take note of this week, starting with a circle-the-calendar game on Friday and plenty on the horizon for those who delight in the world of kills, digs and blocks.
1. Big 12 showdown set
Texas' Gregory Gym sold out for the first time this season last Saturday when fans were treated to a Longhorn sweep of Texas Tech behind 19 kills and 12 digs from senior Amy Neal. We'll go out on a limb and project another full house when the No. 2-ranked Longhorns (16-1) meet No. 7 Kansas (18-0) on Friday night at 9 p.m. ET (Longhorn Network). Along with USC, Kansas is one of only two unbeaten teams in Division I. Texas' only loss was to Florida on Sept. 5.
First things first -- Texas goes to Kansas State (11-7) on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. ET game on ESPNU. The Wildcats swept Oklahoma in their last game, their first win in Norman since 2005.
"If you overlook Kansas State on the road, you're going to come back home with a loss," said Longhorns coach Jerritt Elliott. "I think the advantage we have is that we've been in this situation. The upperclassmen know that a loss is a loss. You can't look ahead; you just have to take one game at a time. I think we'll prepare really well for Kansas State and be ready for them, because they'll be very, very good. We'll have a huge crowd and we have a great student section."
Meanwhile, Kansas hosts Oklahoma on Wednesday. The Jayhawks' set record is 54-5, and they have yet to play a five-set match this season. The 18-0 start is the best in school history.
Texas is seeking its fifth straight conference crown; both teams are 6-0 in the Big 12. The Longhorns have hit .300 or better in six straight matches.
2. As for the Big Ten ...
Add ninth-ranked Minnesota to the contenders in that juggernaut known as the Big Ten, which has eight teams ranked in the Top 25 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.
We've previously touted No. 3 Nebraska, which defeated No. 5 Penn State on its home floor; No. 6. Ohio State (18-2), winner of its last seven; and, of course, the Nittany Lions (17-2), who handed Purdue its first conference loss last week.
But the Golden Gophers are no slouch at 15-3 with a 7-1 mark in the Big Ten after starting the season 0-2. Their lone conference loss came at Penn State in five sets. Last week, Minnesota recorded back-to-back wins over 16th-ranked Wisconsin, led by Daly Santana with a combined 41 kills. Sunday's game was played in front of a sellout of 5,597 fans, the largest crowd to see Minnesota this season.
Victories over Illinois, Ohio State, North Carolina and Louisville are among the reasons why the Golden Gophers are No. 9 in this week's RPI. Minnesota hosts Penn State in a rematch on Nov. 14. The Nittany Lions eked out a 15-12 fifth set on Sept. 26.
Minnesota travels to Nebraska on Friday.
3. USC's Haley in exclusive company
Mick Haley became the third active NCAA Division I coach to amass 900 victories when top-ranked USC upended then-No. 10 Arizona State on Friday.
Haley has recorded 379 of those victories at USC (the Trojans beat Arizona on Sunday) and 522 at Texas. He is in his 39th season as a head coach, having spent the past 15 of those with the Women of Troy. USC has won two NCAA titles under Haley (2002, 2003).
Penn State's Russ Rose and Hawaii's Dave Shoji are the only other active only Division I coaches to have reached 900 wins. Haley ranks fourth all-time among Division I coaches behind Rose, Shoji and Andy Banachowski (1,106), who retired in 2009 after 43 years at UCLA.
Haley says his success dates to his days as a student and intramural athlete at Ball State. He was a basketball player but took up volleyball in an attempt to get into the good graces of a coach who was a fan of the sport. "Once the coaches get you to own it," he told theartofcoachingvolleyball.com, "it becomes a part of you."
The Women of Troy (20-0) are off to their best start under Haley since the 2003 season, when they finished 35-0.
4. ACC's best
No. 17 Florida State (15-4) and No. 24 Louisville (14-4) are atop of the ACC with 8-0 marks. The teams do not meet until Nov. 15 in Tallahassee.
The Seminoles knocked off North Carolina in Chapel Hill last week despite trailing by two sets and facing a 10-6 deficit in the fourth set. Florida State led 22-17 in the third set.
"We did step up big-time in both the fourth and fifth sets and got a great win on the road," said coach Chris Poole.
Florida State prevailed 25-20, 22-25, 18-25, 25-21, 15-10 and beat NC State in four on Sunday behind 23 kills from Nicole Walch.
Louisville last dropped a set on Oct. 2 against Syracuse, sweeping its past five matches.
5. Gators back on track
After dropping three straight two weeks ago in the SEC for the first time under coach Mary Wise, Florida is back on track.
No. 15 Florida (13-4) has won its past four and avenged its home loss to Kentucky, now ranked 21st, by beating the Wildcats on their home floor on Sunday in four sets. The first frame went to Kentucky, which came into the match unbeaten in the conference, but Florida took the next three behind 17 blocks and double-doubles by three players. Middle Rhamat Alhassan (12 kills, 10 blocks), outside hitter Carli Snyder (11 kills, 17 digs) and outside hitter Ziva Recek (10 kills, 13 digs) notched Florida's fourth win this season over a Top 25 foe. Right side Alex Holston added 12 kills.
"The numbers tell the story of how much better we have gotten over the past month," Wise said.
Snyder is healthy again after a Sept. 8 ankle sprain, and Recek is back in the lineup after missing time to play for the Slovenia national team in the European volleyball championships. Florida can avenge its other two losses when it hosts Arkansas and Missouri on Friday and Sunday.
The loss was Kentucky's first in the SEC.