Gopher 2026 Volleyball Commitments

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4EverAGopher

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Right now there is a lot of talk on the Volleytalk Proboard Forum. I just don't understand the impatience of some of our Minnesota fans. Many of those considered Top 2026 prospects have already committed in the last few days to our rivals in the Big Ten...Nebraska, Wisconsin and Penn State. For whatever their reasons, many of our recent top recruited players have transferred to these three previously mentioned programs.

I am not all that surprised and I guess I have a hard time understanding why others don't see why this is happening. As much as we love our University here in Minnesota and this volleyball program and players it is just going to take time for our new HC and Assistants to bring this program up to the level that our rivals in the Big Ten have. How many Big Ten Championships and National Championships do they have combined? Also, let's also not forget we had a very proven HC resign.

I for one have faith in this HC and his newly formed Assistants to rebuild and maintain the Gopher Volleyball Program as one of the top programs in NCAA Div 1 Volleyball. Patience is just not easy for all of us to have I guess. Yes, and I can be guilty of it myself at times. However, right now under these circumstances this should be common sense knowledge that we all should be able to see and be able to get through together.

Should anybody have some great news or tea to spill on the above Subject Line, please feel free to post it.
 
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4EverAGopher said:
Right now there is a lot of talk on the Volleytalk Proboard Forum. I just don't understand the impatience of some of our Minnesota fans. Many of those considered Top 2026 prospects have already committed in the last few days to our rivals in the Big Ten...Nebraska, Wisconsin and Penn State. For whatever their reasons, many of our recent top recruited players thave ransferred to these three previously mentioned programs.

I am not all that surprised and I guess I have a hard time understanding why others don't see why this is happening. As much as we love our University here in Minnesota and this volleyball program and players it is just going to take time for our new HC and Assistants to bring this program up to the level that our rivals in the Big Ten have. How many Big Ten Championships and National Championships do they have combined? Also, let's also not forget we had a very proven HC resign.

I for one have faith in this HC and his newly formed Assistants to rebuild and maintain the Gopher Volleyball Program as one of the top programs in NCAA Div 1 Volleyball. Patience is just not easy for all of us to have I guess. Yes, and I can be guilty of it myself at times. However, right now under these circumstances this should be common sense knowledge that we all should be able to see and be able to get through together.

Should anybody have some great news or tea to spill on the above Subject Line, please feel free to post it.
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I know the recruits will come and I know that there is plenty of talent still out there. Still, it's fine to feel left out when our rivals are trumpeting recruits as they come in and we're still waiting. It's only natural.
 

sptimes said:
I know the recruits will come and I know that there is plenty of talent still out there. Still, it's fine to feel left out when our rivals are trumpeting recruits as they come in and we're still waiting. It's only natural.
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In addition to a change in the coaching staff, we are also dealing with a seismic shift in NIL and free transfers. There is so much more static going on behind the scenes today than even 6 months ago.
 

We have capable coaches in most sports. They are greatly handicapped in recruiting and retaining players by the transfer portal and NIL monies. We need Coyle to step up his efforts in developing NIL monies. Until Minnesota completes in the NIL game, most Gopher sports will not be at the elite level.
 



So far the early TOP RECRUIT committments are going to the Big teams I already mentioned and, of course, Texas. And the only one I felt we would land in that elite group was Hoecke, which we did.

As time goes on, there is always plenty of room on rosters for many Top Athletes. However, only 6-8 will be seeing the court on all these teams. If this program can keep improving, we just might see some of these players on these 4 teams transfer to Minnesota within 2-3 years...fingers crossed.
 

www.startribune.com

Gophers volleyball lands Elena Hoecke, Minnesota's top in-state 2026 recruit

Elena Hoecke, a standout middle blocker, plays for Minnesota Select and the U.S. national development team and already has ties with current and future Gophers players.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

It continued a welcome trend for coach Keegan Cook and his staff: keeping top local talent at home. Since taking over the program, Cook has kept in-state recruits Stella and Olivia Swenson, who are on campus now, and received commitments from Carly Gilk (the top Minnesota recruit for 2025) and now Hoecke.

"I have been a U fan my whole life, just cause of growing up here," Hoecke said Thursday. "But going into this recruiting process, I was completely open to all options, and I did the work before to find my top five."
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4EverAGopher said:
Right now there is a lot of talk on the Volleytalk Proboard Forum. I just don't understand the impatience of some of our Minnesota fans. Many of those considered Top 2026 prospects have already committed in the last few days to our rivals in the Big Ten...Nebraska, Wisconsin and Penn State. For whatever their reasons, many of our recent top recruited players thave ransferred to these three previously mentioned programs.

I am not all that surprised and I guess I have a hard time understanding why others don't see why this is happening. As much as we love our University here in Minnesota and this volleyball program and players it is just going to take time for our new HC and Assistants to bring this program up to the level that our rivals in the Big Ten have. How many Big Ten Championships and National Championships do they have combined? Also, let's also not forget we had a very proven HC resign.

I for one have faith in this HC and his newly formed Assistants to rebuild and maintain the Gopher Volleyball Program as one of the top programs in NCAA Div 1 Volleyball. Patience is just not easy for all of us to have I guess. Yes, and I can be guilty of it myself at times. However, right now under these circumstances this should be common sense knowledge that we all should be able to see and be able to get through together.

Should anybody have some great news or tea to spill on the above Subject Line, please feel free to post it.
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Cook got a verbal commitment from Crosson, ranked #8 in 2026 class.
 



Do freshman matter in volleyball anymore, or is the portal more important?
 

TruthSeeker said:
Do freshman matter in volleyball anymore, or is the portal more important?
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The answer is both matter. Freshmen can provide long-term stability assuming they don't jump ship for NIL Transfers are important to fill holes and provide experience, maturity, and leadership. Transfers have the added benefit in that you know more about how they perform at a higher level of competition whereas there is more uncertainty about whether freshmen will compete well at a higher level. In addition, freshmen may take at 2-3 years to develop whereas transfers likely are closer to their peak. If you have 4-year players, fans and recruits can follow and identify with players more than if you have a lot of NIL free agents.
 





walleye said:
The answer is both matter. Freshmen can provide long-term stability assuming they don't jump ship for NIL Transfers are important to fill holes and provide experience, maturity, and leadership. Transfers have the added benefit in that you know more about how they perform at a higher level of competition whereas there is more uncertainty about whether freshmen will compete well at a higher level. In addition, freshmen may take at 2-3 years to develop whereas transfers likely are closer to their peak. If you have 4-year players, fans and recruits can follow and identify with players more than if you have a lot of NIL free agents.
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Probably the most unfortunate is that your top VB programs are stacking their teams more with the portal and becoming as many label them"All Star" teams such as Texas, Penn State, and Pittsburgh who have and continue to do so.

We had interest in certain top portal players and some visited but we were unable to sign them. They went on to "greener pastures" is how you can look at it. We have a great program at Minnesota but it needs to reestablish itself as a Top 10 program. The 5th yr/Graduate players want to be with a program where they could possibly close their careers by winning a Natty. I don't blame them, so it becomes really hard for us to sign these players. On the other hand, you certainly don't want to start taking steps backwards so signing a very experienced player or players can be very beneficial to a program.

Then you have teams like Stanford who don't have to recruit. The college reputation alone will be sufficient. Nebraska had top players leave because their HC started Freshman (from another one of his #1 recruiting classes) instead this season. Most of the top ten VB recruits for years have gone to Stanford, Texas or Nebraska, if the need was there. I am not expecting that to change any time soon.

Then you have Wisconsin who has transferred in players from other BIG programs and created their own "All Star" team in their last three seasons. I am expecting that to continue with the portal this year. They are losing 5 of their 6 net starting players at the end of this season. There is no doubt in my mind that Sheffield will go to the portal again and recruit top players no matter who he has returning next season.

I feel there are coaches out there that are willing to develop players while others want that experienced natural player(s) year after year after year. I remember John Cook saying it is a business and he is getting paid to coach a Championship team.
 
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Is it a business? I disagree. Although maybe it is at Nebraska.
 

4EverAGopher said:
Probably the most unfortunate is that your top VB programs are stacking their teams more with the portal and becoming as many label them"All Star" teams such as Texas, Penn State, and Pittsburgh sho have and continue to do so.

We had interest in certain top portal players and some visited but we were unable to sign them. They went on to "greener pastures" is how you can look at it. We have a great program at Minnesota but it needs to reestablish itself as a Top 10 program. The 5th yr/Graduate players want to be with a program where they could possibly close their careers by winning a Natty. I don't blame them, so it becomes really hard for us to sign these players. On the other hand, you certainly don't want to start taking steps backwards so signing a very experienced player or players can be very beneficial to a program.

Then you have teams like Stanford who don't have to recruit. The college reputation alone will be sufficient. Nebraska had top players leave because their HC started Freshman (from another one of his #1 recruiting classes) instead this season. Most of the top ten VB recruits for years have gone to Stanford, Texas or Nebraska, if the need was there. I am not expecting that to change any time soon.

Then you have Wisconsin who has transferred in players from other BIG programs and created their own "All Star" team in their last three seasons. I am expecting that to continue with the portal this year. They are losing 5 of their 6 net starting players at the end of this season. There is no doubt in my mind that Sheffield will go to the portal again and recruit top players no matter who he has returning next season.

I feel there are coaches out there that are willing to develop players while others want that experienced natural player(s) year after year after year. I remember John Cook saying it is a business and he is getting paid to coach a Championship tea
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4EverAGopher said:
Probably the most unfortunate is that your top VB programs are stacking their teams more with the portal and becoming as many label them"All Star" teams such as Texas, Penn State, and Pittsburgh sho have and continue to do so.

We had interest in certain top portal players and some visited but we were unable to sign them. They went on to "greener pastures" is how you can look at it. We have a great program at Minnesota but it needs to reestablish itself as a Top 10 program. The 5th yr/Graduate players want to be with a program where they could possibly close their careers by winning a Natty. I don't blame them, so it becomes really hard for us to sign these players. On the other hand, you certainly don't want to start taking steps backwards so signing a very experienced player or players can be very beneficial to a program.

Then you have teams like Stanford who don't have to recruit. The college reputation alone will be sufficient. Nebraska had top players leave because their HC started Freshman (from another one of his #1 recruiting classes) instead this season. Most of the top ten VB recruits for years have gone to Stanford, Texas or Nebraska, if the need was there. I am not expecting that to change any time soon.

Then you have Wisconsin who has transferred in players from other BIG programs and created their own "All Star" team in their last three seasons. I am expecting that to continue with the portal this year. They are losing 5 of their 6 net starting players at the end of this season. There is no doubt in my mind that Sheffield will go to the portal again and recruit top players no matter who he has returning next season.

I feel there are coaches out there that are willing to develop players while others want that experienced natural player(s) year after year after year. I remember John Cook saying it is a business and he is getting paid to coach a Championship team.
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It didn’t take long for the badgers to get their first in conference transfer, Egan from OSU.
 

(R)uffda! said:
Is it a business? I disagree. Although maybe it is at Nebraska.
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Are they students or student-athletes? I sometimes have difficulty believing they are when I hear that a player has transferred three times. I think it would be great if the NCAA required schools to show how much scholarship and NIL monies that players receive. Then, we would have a better idea of whether it is a business.
 

walleye said:
Are they students or student-athletes? I sometimes have difficulty believing they are when I hear that a player has transferred three times. I think it would be great if the NCAA required schools to show how much scholarship and NIL monies that players receive. Then, we would have a better idea of whether it is a business.
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Absolute shame that a 4-year college scholarship is not enough compensation. But, of course, the obscene amounts of money the NCAA and schools receive makes things problematic. Just further signs of the rot at the center of our culture. And what our priorities are.
 

The NCAA and the major colleges don't give a single sh@% about the athletes. They care only about money. Any time you hear one of these self important blowhards talk about the well being of the student athletes being the number one priority you should fall over laughing.
 

Just got done watching the Wisconsin vs Nebraska Regional Championship match.

AT HALF TIME, if you were listening, the on floor Announcer asked JCook to comment on Taylor Landfair leading both teams with kills. His response was something like, "Good because that is what she is GETTING PAID TO DO". Yes....I believe it is a business ran program MINDSET in Nebraska.
 

So she left because another company offered her a raise?
 


Hoolio said:
So she left because another company offered her a raise?
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She left for the same reason Booth did. No faith in KC. Self-fulfilling in some ways. Too bad they went to such unethical programs.
 


To be fair Booth left before the new coach was even announced. Glad Franklin, Robinson, Smrek, Orzol and Crawford are all done playing for Wisconsin. Sheff will need to reload through the portal.
 

jham13 said:
To be fair Booth left before the new coach was even announced. Glad Franklin, Robinson, Smrek, Orzol and Crawford are all done playing for Wisconsin. Sheff will need to reload through the portal.
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Oh he will be reloading through the portal. Both Nebraska and Wisconsin will need to replace their RS players. I am expecting those top RS players in the portal now or to enter will definitely be playing for these two teams next season. Top players just want to go to a top NCAA team and play for them and vice versa.

Again, this portal recruiting will continue for Penn State, Pitt, and Texas too. These teams want to stay on the top in their conferences and so do their fans. Teams on the outside looking in will continue to be doing that.

Now with all that said, I do believe Creighton can beat Penn State tonight. It should be another great match for the sport.
 
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jham13 said:
To be fair Booth left before the new coach was even announced. Glad Franklin, Robinson, Smrek, Orzol and Crawford are all done playing for Wisconsin. Sheff will need to reload through the portal.
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Wenaas did. Booth left after the announcement, right?
 

4EverAGopher said:
Oh he will be reloading through the portal. Both Nebraska and Wisconsin will need to replace their RS players. I am expecting those top RS players in the portal now or to enter will definitely be playing for these two teams next season. Top players just want to go to a top NCAA team and play for them and vice versa.

Again, this portal recruiting will continue for Penn State, Pitt, and Texas too. These teams want to stay on the top in their conferences and so do their fans. Teams on the outside looking in will continue to be doing that.

Now with all that said, I do believe Creighton can beat Penn State tonight. It should be another great match for the sport.
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One can hope they screw up the chemistry like Texas did. This year anyhow.
 


I don't know how many coaches a Div 1 team can have, but I know that was talked about elsewhere. Now a few BIG Teams have added a USA Olympian to their coaching staff. Setter Lauren Carlini is Wisconsin's newest coach and their was some question if she was helping coach from the bench during one of their conference matches. It appeared there was talk about too many coaches on the court and she wasn't allowed to coach. However, it looked like she might have been.

Also, Nebraska hired OH Jordan Larson and Ohio State OH Michelle Bartsch-Hackley. I don't consider Ohio State as a top tier team but it is amazing what other BIG programs have recently done. The sport is growing in so many new directions.
 

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