Gopher Volleyball 2022 Season

Ignatius L Hoops

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
10,171
Reaction score
3,111
Points
113

Spring Season is around the corner.

Gophers volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him with the team through 2025 season, pending Board of Regents approval.

According to regents documents, the new deal would pay McCutcheon $515,000 for the recently completed season and $525,000 for next season with continued salary increases up to $565,000 in 2025.
 


Interesting. Here’s hoping Huge takes advantage and adds a great middle for 2022.
 





Once players go into the portal, can they return to their original team instead of transferring? If so, does that ever happen?
Yes, players can withdraw from the portal; but, the team does not have to take them back. It happens; although, off the top of my head I can't think of a name.
 

Once players go into the portal, can they return to their original team instead of transferring? If so, does that ever happen?

Yes, players can withdraw from the portal; but, the team does not have to take them back. It happens; although, off the top of my head I can't think of a name.
I'm thinking of the Men's Basketball side. If I recall correctly Matz Stockman was going to head somewhere in California then came back to the Gophers. That may have been before the current rules and it was called The Portal though. I feel like I've seen headlines about a number of football players in the past year doing this.
 

I'm thinking of the Men's Basketball side. If I recall correctly Matz Stockman was going to head somewhere in California then came back to the Gophers. That may have been before the current rules and it was called The Portal though. I feel like I've seen headlines about a number of football players in the past year doing this.
Stockman tried to grad transfer to Stanford except he forgot the "graduate" part.

I just remembered Darrell Thompson's son Race who entered the transfer portal and then withdrew and returned to Indiana when Woodson was hired.
 

Stockman tried to grad transfer to Stanford except he forgot the "graduate" part.

I just remembered Darrell Thompson's son Race who entered the transfer portal and then withdrew and returned to Indiana when Woodson was hired.
And now that I think about it, didn't Dunlap on the football team enter, return and then enter again mid-season? Anyhooo...it does happen some no tell on what will happen with Rubright. She had her moments but seemed to be overtaken by Husemann.
 



Rubright has also had multiple injuries which probably affected her development to this point. I could see her being a great middle for either a middle of the pack or a non-P5 team.
 


C'mon Hugh. Bucky just won a Natty. Time for us.
Uh, national titles are like… tough to win.

Cosmic volleyball forces are not just figuring out how to boost Minnesota to a national title. I may very well go my whole life without Minnesota winning a volleyball national title and that is okey so long as they play to their potential, win a lot of games, and are competitive for the Big Ten title.
 

Hate to say it but Wisconsin was the best team this year. The Gophers were close but the just a little short at a few positions. Sorry about the pun but Rekkte and Smrek are taller and better than our middles. I would take Samedy and Wenass over their outside hitters and consider Orzol and Miyabe to be about the same in value. Whether to favor Barnes over MCGraw could be debated but in my opinion I might lean towards Barnes . At setter Hilley is an three time all-american and simply better at this time than Shaffmaster and most others in the nation.

Better team prevailed but they lose the core of their advantage so lets get them next year. Should be the Gophers, Nebraska, Wisconsin and maybe Penn State again next year
 



Rumor has it that Rose is done at Penn St and they have 3 players in the portal so thinking more like Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio St as the top 4 teams in the B1G in 2022.
 

Rumor has it that Rose is done at Penn St and they have 3 players in the portal so thinking more like Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio St as the top 4 teams in the B1G in 2022.
It's really hard to nail a likely top 4 down until the rosters are set in stone. There's still a lot of player movement to be had. Transfers in and out, players opting for the extra year or passing on it, etc. Purdue and Illinois may also be in the mix. Obviously, Nebraska looks like the front-runner. Will Hames return? Or will Orr wait another year to play?

And let's just pretend the fall 2021 season tournament didn't happen. No champion was ever crowned, okay everyone? ;)

Can you imagine if the back-to-back Final Four teams of Wilhite/Tapps/Seliger-Swenson had been granted an extra year of eligibility? Incredible luck never seems to fall the Gophers' way.
 

This has to be the earliest by a landslide that the Gophers have had their roster updated for the upcoming season - even if just for the short spring season of practice games.

The omission of Kasey is certainly interesting. Is she stepping away or moving on to a different job? Is Hugh opting to replace her? If she is most indeed gone, then I think a new assistant coach would be named sooner than later, right? I'm sure the Gophers are looking at the middle blocker transfer pool for an experienced Rubright replacement.

Hey, isn't it about time we bribe a custodian at the U to plant a bug in Hugh's office? Wouldn't it be great to know what the coaches talk about after Gopher losses? To get to hear what they perceive as the real root of the team's struggles? :LOL: (Yes, I'm not being serious.)
 

This has to be the earliest by a landslide that the Gophers have had their roster updated for the upcoming season - even if just for the short spring season of practice games.

The omission of Kasey is certainly interesting. Is she stepping away or moving on to a different job? Is Hugh opting to replace her? If she is most indeed gone, then I think a new assistant coach would be named sooner than later, right? I'm sure the Gophers are looking at the middle blocker transfer pool for an experienced Rubright replacement.

Hey, isn't it about time we bribe a custodian at the U to plant a bug in Hugh's office? Wouldn't it be great to know what the coaches talk about after Gopher losses? To get to hear what they perceive as the real root of the team's struggles? :LOL: (Yes, I'm not being serious.)
"The real root of the team's struggles" is that they have a few all-BIG/all-American super stars supported by a thin & pretty ordinary (by top 10 standards) rest of the roster. IMO the Gophers have lagged behind a few other programs since 2018 in 1) recruiting and 2) in retention of a few superb talents. This tendency needs to be reversed soon to prevent a very slow movement downward in the standings. The past 3 yr., they've settled for #2 or 3 in the BIG, not #1. Hope I'm wrong....
 

Just like the Vikings we may always have great teams but are never good enough to win it all. Always a bridesmaid.
 

Uh, national titles are like… tough to win.

Cosmic volleyball forces are not just figuring out how to boost Minnesota to a national title. I may very well go my whole life without Minnesota winning a volleyball national title and that is okey so long as they play to their potential, win a lot of games, and are competitive for the Big Ten title.
Under Mike Hebert, the Gophers we're a far better program than Wisconsin, so Hugh started out with an advantage and unfortunately has lost it. His recruiting (recognizing the right talent) has been extremely hit and miss and you can't have that and win a national title. This also assumes coaching is not the problem.
 

It is interesting and disappointing that the Gophers only had one All-American and one Honorable Mention. The other top teams had multiple All-Americans and Honorable Mentions. It might say that Hugh got great results from players with less potential than other teams. And/or, it might say that the University does not do enough to promote its athletes compared to other schools.
 

Under Mike Hebert, the Gophers we're a far better program than Wisconsin, so Hugh started out with an advantage and unfortunately has lost it. His recruiting (recognizing the right talent) has been extremely hit and miss and you can't have that and win a national title. This also assumes coaching is not the problem.

But Hugh has closed what was a cavernous gap between us and Penn State/Stanford/Texas and others. Yippee!

It just seems like your critique is oriented to a glass as half empty view; which would make me so disappointed every single damn year when following my Gopher volleyballers.
 

"The real root of the team's struggles" is that they have a few all-BIG/all-American super stars supported by a thin & pretty ordinary (by top 10 standards) rest of the roster. IMO the Gophers have lagged behind a few other programs since 2018 in 1) recruiting and 2) in retention of a few superb talents. This tendency needs to be reversed soon to prevent a very slow movement downward in the standings. The past 3 yr., they've settled for #2 or 3 in the BIG, not #1. Hope I'm wrong....
I don't think it's as simple as you are making it out to be. Retention of a few superb talents? Who besides Barnes was a huge loss for the Gophers?

And slow movement downward in the standings? There was some definite forum pants-pissing at the start of this season after the Gophers started 1-3.....and the Gophers still finished tied for 3rd in a very strong big ten conference this year. A conference that had a lot of veteran players returning. That's now 9 out of 10 years that Hugh's teams have finished tied for 3rd or better in the Big Ten.

The Gophers will have an extremely talented roster the next 2, possibly 3, years. When these current players are juniors, seniors, and possibly 5th year players.....if they can't achieve any Final Fours or conference championships.....then I will share in your concerns.
 

Under Mike Hebert, the Gophers we're a far better program than Wisconsin, so Hugh started out with an advantage and unfortunately has lost it. His recruiting (recognizing the right talent) has been extremely hit and miss and you can't have that and win a national title. This also assumes coaching is not the problem.
What advantage and how exactly did he "lose it?" Wisconsin wasn't some gutter program beforehand. I'm not clear how Hugh is somehow at fault for Wisconsin becoming an elite program with a really good coaching hire. How was he supposed to stop it?

Recruiting has to be the worst part of college coaching. You could be the best talent scout in the country, have the absolute very best sales pitch.......but it won't make any difference if a player has zero desire to attend your college in your particular location of the country. And sometimes you land that talent and the players just don't pan out. (i.e. Lexi Sun)
 

Wisconsin consistently has the 2nd highest fan attendance each year in the country (behind Nebraska, we are third). Recruits like the idea of playing for an enthused fan base. Wisconsin will never be bad.
 

I don't think it's as simple as you are making it out to be. Retention of a few superb talents? Who besides Barnes was a huge loss for the Gophers?

And slow movement downward in the standings? There was some definite forum pants-pissing at the start of this season after the Gophers started 1-3.....and the Gophers still finished tied for 3rd in a very strong big ten conference this year. A conference that had a lot of veteran players returning. That's now 9 out of 10 years that Hugh's teams have finished tied for 3rd or better in the Big Ten.

The Gophers will have an extremely talented roster the next 2, possibly 3, years. When these current players are juniors, seniors, and possibly 5th year players.....if they can't achieve any Final Fours or conference championships.....then I will share in your concerns.
Let's see what happens then in, say, "the next 2, possibly 3, years." I'd be overjoyed to be proven wrong and see some Final Fours and conference championships.
 

I don't think it's as simple as you are making it out to be. Retention of a few superb talents? Who besides Barnes was a huge loss for the Gophers?

And slow movement downward in the standings? There was some definite forum pants-pissing at the start of this season after the Gophers started 1-3.....and the Gophers still finished tied for 3rd in a very strong big ten conference this year. A conference that had a lot of veteran players returning. That's now 9 out of 10 years that Hugh's teams have finished tied for 3rd or better in the Big Ten.

The Gophers will have an extremely talented roster the next 2, possibly 3, years. When these current players are juniors, seniors, and possibly 5th year players.....if they can't achieve any Final Fours or conference championships.....then I will share in your concerns.
The reason Barnes left for Wisconsin is that HM put Kilkelly on scholarship and not Barnes. Wisconsin paid for Barnes schooling but Hugh felt that Kilkelly was better. Poor decision.
 

What advantage and how exactly did he "lose it?" Wisconsin wasn't some gutter program beforehand. I'm not clear how Hugh is somehow at fault for Wisconsin becoming an elite program with a really good coaching hire. How was he supposed to stop it?

Recruiting has to be the worst part of college coaching. You could be the best talent scout in the country, have the absolute very best sales pitch.......but it won't make any difference if a player has zero desire to attend your college in your particular location of the country. And sometimes you land that talent and the players just don't pan out. (i.e. Lexi Sun)
The advantage he had was Minnesota VB was the equivalent of a Notre Dame, Georgia, Oklahoma, etc. in football. Where Wisconsin was equivalent to a Missouri, UCLA or Oklahoma State, maybe. That means he should get better recruits. Also, the state of Minnesota has produced many more high level volleyball players than the state of Wisconsin has. Another advantage. As well, players not panning out is also a function of recruiting. It happens to all programs, but, less so to the more successful ones. He could've had Hilley too, but, chose others at her position in the previous class. Bad recruiting strategy? Well, Wisconsin won a national title before we did. To me, that should not be acceptable. We gotta be tired of being satisfied with "2nd Place" and quit making excuses.
 

Regarding Hilley remember that Samatha Seliger Swenson was our setter and was only a freshman at the time. That was the year Hilley would have a high school senior and being recruited. I suspect that Hilley wanted to play right away. Further Lauren Carlini was a senior at Wisconsin and Hilley likely realized she could play as a freshman just like SSS did at MN the year before.
 

Regarding Hilley remember that Samatha Seliger Swenson was our setter and was only a freshman at the time. That was the year Hilley would have a high school senior and being recruited. I suspect that Hilley wanted to play right away. Further Lauren Carlini was a senior at Wisconsin and Hilley likely realized she could play as a freshman just like SSS did at MN the year before.
I agree with you on Hilley. I'm also referring to who you recruit and when. That is part of a recruiting strategy. If you look at the 2017 and 2018 recruiting classes, there were many recruiting misses. I show this list with no intention of disparaging any one of them. 2017: Sara Nielsen, Sydney Kleinman, Alice Zeimann and Jazmyn Martin. Was the transfer of Lauren Barnes a miss since she transferred? 2018: Bayley McMenimen, Paulina Swider, Rebecca Rendahl. Was Adanna Rollins a miss since she transferred after a good Freshman and Sophomore years? Again, too many recruiting misses.
 

I agree with you on Hilley. I'm also referring to who you recruit and when. That is part of a recruiting strategy. If you look at the 2017 and 2018 recruiting classes, there were many recruiting misses. I show this list with no intention of disparaging any one of them. 2017: Sara Nielsen, Sydney Kleinman, Alice Zeimann and Jazmyn Martin. Was the transfer of Lauren Barnes a miss since she transferred? 2018: Bayley McMenimen, Paulina Swider, Rebecca Rendahl. Was Adanna Rollins a miss since she transferred after a good Freshman and Sophomore years? Again, too many recruiting misses.

My complaint toward people who incessantly whine about recruiting is that those people seem to forget that their are only 12 scholarships to be split among a roster of about 15 on an average year… meaning the Gophers are always going to deal with some partial scholarships. All the higher-end recruits are of course going to expect full scholarships.

So, based on previous and upcoming recruiting classes (remember offers are accepted by some really high-end players in 8th-9th grade), some recruiting years the Gophers are just going to have to bring in some partial scholarship-type players (maybe even a zero scholarship player or two).
 




Top Bottom