FACEBOOK.COM/NORTHERNIOWAN
WWW.NORTHERNIOWAN.COM
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA
CEDAR FALLS, IA
TWITTER & INSTAGRAM: @NORTHERNIOWAN
THURSDAY, APRIL 5
VOLUME 114, ISSUE 42
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29 VOLUME 115, ISSUE 25 CEDAR FALLS, IA #ClimateFriday 3 Tractor design competition 4 Playoff football vs Lamar 6 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Legislative liaison team 2
Panthers win MVC Volleyball Tournament JERRIUS CAMPBELL Sports Writer
The UNI’s volleyball team has dominated in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) all season. After finishing the regular season with an 22-9 record as well as beating ranked opponents such as Creighton and Kentucky, the Panthers proved they can strongly compete with the best. UNI hit the road for the MVC Tournament in Springfield, Mo. over the Thanksgiving break looking to win their first conference tournament title since 2011. With the top seed in the bracket and a first-round bye, the Panthers took on the Valparaiso Crusaders in their first match in the semifinal round. The Crusaders have never beaten the Panthers in their two seasons in the MVC, and from start to finish, the match was very intense. The first two sets would be split between the Crusaders and the Panthers. UNI gained momentum in the third set, winning 25-21, and in the final set,
winning 25-22, sealing the match. Three sets to one to advanced to the conference championship match. MVC Player of the Year Piper Thomas ended this outing with 17 kills and four blocks. Karlie Taylor led the team in kills with 21 against Valparaiso. This season has been one to remember for the UNI Panthers volleyball team. To determine the conference champion and the MVC’s automatic berth to the NCAA tournament, the Panthers would have to face the team that handed them their first conference loss of the season, the Illinois State Redbirds. UNI and Illinois State split their two regular season meetings. In the first set of the championship, the Panthers crushed the Redbirds 25-16. The second set for the Panthers was back and forth, but UNI took the lead by three points and finish the set, 25-22. In the third set, the Panthers were up 16-8, but the Redbirds found their way back and push their way to a 28-26 win, forcing a fourth
COURTESY PHOTO/UNI Athletics
The Panther Volleyball team won their first MVC Tournament Championship since 2011 and will head to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth year in a row.
set. Both teams gave it their all in the fourth set. After being tied at 22 a piece, the Panthers would rattle off three straight kills to win the match and clinch their first conference tournament championship since 2011. Thomas led the way with
24 kills and two blocks for the Panthers. Taylor finished with a double-double of 15 kills and 16 digs. The final point would be scored by Jaydlin Seehase, who finished the match with 16 kills. Taylor, Thomas and Rachel Koop were all named MVC
first team all-conference. Kate Busswitz and Jaydlin Seehase were named MVC second team all-conference. UNI will begin their NCAA tournament run tonight as they take on the Pepperdine Waves in Madison, Wis.
‘Idol’ winner Maddie Poppe to sing ‘for the kids’ COLBY WEBER Staff Writer
Some musicians perform for fame. Others for money. Still more do it for the love of the craft. During an upcoming concert sponsored by UNI Dance Marathon, however, ABC’s “American Idol” winner Maddie Poppe will be singing “for the kids.” Poppe will perform on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. “We have it with Maddie that she’s going to be performing for 90 minutes,” said Abbey Koerperich, a senior psychology major who is the executive co-director of UNI Dance Marathon. “Then there will be 30 minutes of Dance Marathon-related information filtered throughout the entire performance, so it’s not going to be all at once. We have a couple of
COURTESY PHOTO/University of Iowa Children’s Hospital
videos planned, and Mariah and I, the other executive co-director, will be on stage giving our plugs about Dance Marathon. You can donate while you’re there physically at the concert or online.”
During the concert, Maddie Poppe will be auctioning off a few items of her own. According to Koerperich, another surprise is being planned for the event by UNI Dance Marathon.
While tickets are currently sold out, people are still able to register for Dance Marathon by emailing Abbey Koerperich or Mariah Staebell. UNI Dance Marathon
raises money to benefit the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, which mostly goes directly to kids and families in the hospital. So far, the organization has funded three different rooms within the hospital and has provided the capability to hire a second transport team. They have also helped the hospital purchase a new pediatric ambulance. Donations for UNI Dance Marathon are divided based on need. “Let’s say if you were to donate to me today to the donor drive, the online bank where it goes,” Koerperich said. “They cut us the check for how much we’ve raised, and then we give that directly to the hospital. Some of the money goes into a general fund, which can buy parking passes for the families or a meal for a family. Sometimes we can do a special fund for a project, otherwise we can make it go towards the general fund for the hospital.” See POPPE, page 5