MINNEAPOLIS -- The University of Minnesota volleyball program has announced three signees to its 2022 recruiting class. The Golden Gophers welcome middle blocker
Carter Booth (Denver, Colo.) and outsides
Julia Hanson (Savage, Minn.) and
Mckenna Wucherer (Brookfield, Wis.) to the program.
"This is an extremely talented recruiting class," said head coach
Hugh McCutcheon. "These three are already great student-athletes and people. We know they will have great careers here in Minnesota."
A 6-foot-7 middle blocker out of Denver, Colo. (Cherry Creek H.S./Colorado Juniors Volleyball Club),
Carter Booth comes to Minnesota as a 2020 Under Armour All-American selection and the No. 1 2022 recruit in Colorado, according to multiple recruiting outlets. An all-conference selection last season, Booth also played club for Colorado Juniors Club Volleyball and was an alternate for the United States' FIVB Women's Under-20 World Championship team. In her career at Cherry Creek, Booth has tallied 681 kills, 346 blocks (86 solo), 61 aces, 138 digs and a .390 attacking percentage.
"Carter is a great addition to our middle blocking group," McCutcheon said. "She has the ability, work ethic and experience in high school, club and internationally with USA Volleyball to have an impact right away. We are so happy she chose to become a Gopher."
Why Minnesota: "Minnesota was the only school that felt truly right for me," said Booth. "The coaching staff, the campus, the location - all of it makes Minnesota feel like home."
Personal: The daughter of Keisha and Calvin Booth, she has three younger brothers, Carey, Camble and Clark. Her father, Calvin, played college basketball at Penn State and then in the NBA for 10 seasons. Carter hopes to major in criminology and law at Minnesota.
Goals: "Ultimately, my goal is to win a championship during my time at Minnesota. As for myself, I want to become the best volleyball player that I can be."
Julia Hanson, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter from Savage, Minn. (Prior Lake H.S/Northern Lights Volleyball Club), is a three-time all-conference selection and a 2020 Class 3A All-State selection. She was named the 2021
Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year on Nov. 8, 2021. Three times she's won both Prior Lake's Most Valuable Player and Best Offensive Player awards. In her decorated prep career, she's accumulated 1,490 kills, 712 digs, 98 aces and 106 blocks. As a senior, Hanson has tallied 537 kills, 290 digs, 33 aces and 38 blocks. As a member of Northern Lights Volleyball Club, Hanson was named an AAU 17's Open All-American and the MVP of her team's tournament in Europe. A two-time
Star Tribune First Team All-Metro honoree, she also participated in the 2021 U19 U.S.A. Volleyball training series.
"Julia absolutely has what it takes to succeed at this level and beyond," McCutcheon said. "Her physical talents and her ability to learn and compete speak to a bright future for her here at Minnesota.
Why Minnesota: "I wanted to play in the Big Ten and for my home state," said Hanson. "The awesome coaching staff and culture are also reasons I chose Minnesota."
Personal: The daughter of Dan and Lisa Hanson, Julia has one older brother, Nick. Her father, Dan, played football and hockey at Augsburg University. Her brother, Nick, signed to play baseball at Kentucky before being drafted in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft to the Cincinnati Reds
Goals: "My goals are to become the best volleyball player I can be, both on and off the court. I also want to win a national championship."
Mckenna Wucherer, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter from Brookfield, Wis. (Brookfield Central/Milwaukee Sting Volleyball Club), comes to Minnesota as one of the most decorated players in Wisconsin prep history. The No. 1 ranked 2022 recruit in the state of Wisconsin, Wucherer is a four-time Greater Metro Conference Player of the Year and a four-time WVCA All-State selection. As a junior, she was named the 2020
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and
USA Today Girls Volleyball Player of the Year in addition to being named a Gatorade Player of the Year finalist. Wucherer was an Under Armour First Team All-American last year as well. As it stands, she's totaled 1,970 kills, 1,039 digs, 225 aces, 132 blocks and a .394 hitting percentage with several games remaining in her senior year. This fall, she's played in 67 sets, tallying 386 kills (5.8 k/s), 173 digs, 40 aces, 24 blocks and a .444 attacking percentage.
On the club circuit, Wucherer was a 2020 Prep Volleyball First Team All-America selection. She led her 16U team to an Open USAV National Championship on her way to All-American honors. She's also a two-time Ultra Ankle JVA All-National Team selection. Internationally, she led Team U.S.A. to a gold medal at the 2019 USAV High Performance Championships while also garnering tournament MVP honors. This past summer, Wucherer was a USA U18 National Team member and led the Americans to a bronze medal at the FIVB U18 World Championships in Mexico. She was named to the 'Dream Team' as one of two best outside hitters at the FIVB U18 World Championships.
"Mckenna is a special talent," McCutcheon said. "She is physically gifted and technically skilled, but she also has had a significant amount of international success through USA Volleyball. That will help ease her transition into the collegiate game. She'll have a great career here!"
Why Minnesota: "I chose the University of Minnesota because of the outstanding mix of academics and athletics," said Wucherer. "I fell in love with the campus, coaching staff and atmosphere of the program. It felt as if I was at home and I can not wait to be a part of the legacy in Minneapolis."
Personal: The daughter of Greg and the late Wendy Wucherer, Mckenna has two older sisters, Miranda and Abby. Miranda plays collegiate volleyball at Northern Kentucky while Abby plays at Southern Utah. She has a 4.134 GPA and will graduate with honors. She's thinking about a sports management major at Minnesota.
Goals: "My goal is to help the Gophers win a national championship!"
Mckenna (first team), Julia (second team) and Carter (second team) were all named AVCA High School All-Americans this morning as well
