We recently saw a discussion about which 2011 women’s volleyball team is the youngest.  The metric used (at least in the first couple of pages — we only got that far) was the percentage of each team’s total roster that is composed of freshmen or sophomores.  

That’s fine, as far as it goes, but it doesn’t tell us which players are actually playing the biggest roles — that is, which teams are relying most on freshmen and sophomores. 

We decided to try to answer that question for the top five teams (based on won-lost records through 10-2-11) in the Big Ten: Illinois, Nebraska, Purdue, Penn State, and Michigan.  We looked at the top 10 players on each team (based on number of sets played), and compared the totals for those players to the team’s total in each of three categories: kills, digs, and points.  Below are two sets of charts reflecting our calculations. The first set includes aggregate data for all five teams.  The second set includes data for the individual players on each team. 

The fairly obvious conclusion?  It’s nice to be able to count on experienced players.  

Oh, and a word of caution.  We’re virtually certain that our crack team of DigNittany researchers and statisticians made some errors.  They’ve been rather surly lately, and our suspicions were raised when one of them said “if nyline can even find it, let him fix it!   So if you find any any errors, please let us know. 

                                         We’re still trying to get our arms around the roles of the new kids in the Big Ten.

Aggregate Data – All Teams

Comparison - Kills by Freshmen and Sophomores as % of Team Total

School	Overall W-L	Big Ten	SP	Kills	Kills/Set	% of Total Kills
Illinois - Fr./So. Total	15-0	4-0	59	173	2.93	21.04
Nebraska - Fr./So. Total	11-1	4-0	47	207	4.40	33.17
Purdue - Fr./So. Total	14-1	3-1	51	313	6.14	43.84
Penn State - Fr./So. Total	10-4	3-1	51	632	12.39	95.18
Michigan - Fr./So. Total	14-2	2-2	54	339	6.28	42.59

Comparison - Digs & Points by Freshmen and Sophomores as % of Team Total

School	SP	Digs	Digs/Set	% of Total Digs	Points	Points/Set	% of Total Points
Illinois - Fr./So. Total	59	255	4.32	27.93	259.5	4.40	25.06
Nebraska - Fr./So. Total	47	237	5.04	37.50	272.5	5.80	34.40
Purdue - Fr./So. Total	51	172	3.37	22.63	387.0	7.59	41.68
Penn State - Fr./So. Total	51	473	9.27	74.02	834.0	16.35	93.18
Michigan - Fr./So. Total	54	398	7.37	50.70	435.5	8.06	43.01

Individual Data by Team

Illinois - Kills by Freshmen and Sophmores as % of Team Total

Player	Class	SP	Kills	Kills/Set	% of Total Kills
McMahon, Liz	Fr.	48	78	1.62	n/a
Dorn, Anna	Fr.	59	70	1.19	n/a
Orozco, Jazmine	So.	34	24	0.71	n/a
Beltran, Jennifer	So.	50	1	0.02	n/a
Total Fr./So.	n/a	59	173	2.93	21.04
Team Total	n/a	59	822	13.93	100.00

Illinois - Digs & Points by Freshmen and Sophmores as % of Team Total

Player	Class	SP	Digs	Digs/Set	% of Total Digs	Points	Points/Set	% of Total Points
McMahon, Liz	Fr.	48	4	0.08	n/a	102.0	2.12	n/a
Dorn, Anna	Fr.	59	7	0.12	n/a	105.0	1.78	n/a
Orozco, Jazmine	So.	34	37	1.09	n/a	39.5	1.16	n/a
Beltran, Jennifer	So.	50	207	4.14	n/a	13.0	0.26	n/a
Total Fr./So.	n/a	59	255	4.32	27.93	259.5	4.40	25.06
Team Total	n/a	59	913	15.47	100.00	1035.5	17.55	100.00

Nebraska - Kills by Freshmen and Sophmores as % of Team Total

Player	Class	SP	Kills	Kills/Set	% of Total Kills
Broekhuis, Morgan	So.	47	151	3.21	n/a
Thramer, Haley	So.	32	44	1.38	n/a
Simpson, Taylor	Fr.	29	11	0.38	n/a
Dykstra, Lara	Fr.	47	1	0.02	n/a
Total Fr./So.	n/a	47	207	4.40	33.17
Team Total	n/a	47	624	13.28	100.00

Nebraska - Digs & Points by Freshmen and Sophmores as % of Team Total

Player	Class	SP	Digs	Digs/Set	% of Total Digs	Points	Points/Set	% of Total Points
Broekhuis, Morgan	So.	47	63	1.34	n/a	182.0	3.88	n/a
Thramer, Haley	So.	32	11	0.34	n/a	69.0	2.16	n/a
Simpson, Taylor	Fr.	29	3	0.10	n/a	15.5	0.53	n/a
Dykstra, Lara	Fr.	47	160	3.40	n/a	6.0	0.13	n/a
Total Fr./So.	n/a	47	237	5.04	37.50	272.5	5.80	34.40
Team Total	n/a	47	632	13.45	100.00	792.0	16.85	100.00

Purdue - Kills by Freshmen and Sophmores as % of Team Total

Player	Class	SP	Kills	Kills/Set	% of Total Kills
Davis, Rachel	So.	51	36	0.71	n/a
Jones, Kierra	Fr.	38	50	1.32	n/a
Griffin, Katie	So.	33	63	1.91	n/a
Rebarchak, Catherine	So.	47	101	2.15	n/a
Nichol, Valerie	Fr.	31	63	2.03	n/a
Total Fr./So.	n/a	51	313	6.14	43.84
Team	n/a	51	714	14.00	100.00

Purdue - Digs and Points by Freshmen and Sophmores as % of Team Total

Player	Class	SP	Digs	Digs/Set	% of Total Digs	Points	Points/Set	% of Total Points
Davis, Rachel	So.	51	119	2.33	n/a	49.5	0.97	n/a
Jones, Kierra	Fr.	38	6	0.16	n/a	75.0	1.97	n/a
Griffin, Katie	So.	33	12	0.36	n/a	70.5	2.14	n/a
Rebarchak, Catherine	So.	47	23	0.49	n/a	129.0	2.75	n/a
Nichol, Valerie	Fr.	31	12	0.39	n/a	63	2.03	n/a
Total Fr./So.	n/a	51	172	3.37	22.63	387.0	7.59	41.68
Team	n/a	51	760	14.90	100.00	928.5	18.21	100.00

Penn State - Kills by Freshmen and Sophomores as % of Team Total

#	Name	Class	SP	K	K/Set	% of Total Kills
18	McClendon, Deja	So.	51	176	3.45	n/a
1	Scott, Ariel	So.	47	151	3.21	n/a
16	Slay, Katie	So.	51	109	2.14	n/a
14	Whitney, Aiyana	Fr.	26	55	2.12	n/a
6	Martin, Maddie	So.	43	49	1.14	n/a
7	Grant, Nia	Fr.	46	50	1.09	n/a
12	Hancock, Micha	Fr.	50	42	0.84	n/a
33	Fuller, Lacey	Fr.	32	0	0.00	n/a
23	Longo, Ali	So.	46	0	0.00	n/a
	Total Fr./So.	n/a	51	632	12.39	95.18
	Team	n/a	51	664	13.02	100.00

Penn State - Digs & Points by Freshmen and Sophomores as % of Team Total

#	Name	Class	SP	Digs	Digs/Set	% of Total Digs	Points	Points/Set	% of Total Points
18	McClendon, Deja	So.	51	91	1.78	n/a	198.0	3.88	n/a
1	Scott, Ariel	So.	47	39	0.83	n/a	170.5	3.63	n/a
16	Slay, Katie	So.	51	31	0.61	n/a	151.0	2.96	n/a
14	Whitney, Aiyana	Fr.	26	3	0.12	n/a	61.5	2.37	n/a
6	Martin, Maddie	So.	43	63	1.47	n/a	63.0	1.47	n/a
7	Grant, Nia	Fr.	46	7	0.15	n/a	74.5	1.62	n/a
12	Hancock, Micha	Fr.	50	111	2.22	n/a	95.5	1.91	n/a
33	Fuller, Lacey	Fr.	32	29	0.91	n/a	6.0	0.19	n/a
23	Longo, Ali	So.	46	99	2.15	n/a	14.0	0.30	n/a
	Total Fr./So.	n/a	51	473	9.27	74.02	834.0	16.35	93.18
	Team	n/a	51	639	12.53	100.00	895.0	17.55	100.00

Michigan - Kills by Freshmen and Sophmores as % of Team Total

Player	Class	SP	Kills	Kills/Set	% of Total Kills
Erwin, Lexi	So.	53	178	3.36	n/a
Cross, Jennifer	So.	53	109	2.06	n/a
Dennemiller, Lexi	Fr.	54	34	0.63	n/a
Toon, Molly	So.	13	17	1.31	n/a
Sabol, Ally	So.	53	1	0.02	n/a
Total Fr./So.	n/a	54	339	6.28	42.59
Team	n/a	54	796	14.74	100.00

Michigan - Digs & Points by Freshmen and Sophmores as % of Team Total

Player	Class	SP	Digs	Digs/Set	% of Total Digs	Points	Points/Set	% of Total Pointsw
Erwin, Lexi	So.	53	110	2.08	n/a	206.5	3.90	n/a
Cross, Jennifer	So.	53	12	0.23	n/a	143.0	2.70	n/a
Dennemiller, Lexi	Fr.	54	145	2.69	n/a	60.0	1.11	n/a
Toon, Molly	So.	13	17	1.31	n/a	19.0	1.46	n/a
Sabol, Ally	So.	53	114	2.15	n/a	7.0	0.13	n/a
Total Fr./So.	n/a	54	398	7.37	50.70	435.5	8.06	43.01
Team	n/a	54	785	14.54	100.00	1012.5	18.75	100.00