Gopher Volleyball 2022 Season

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I'm calling it: Georgia Tech over Texas in the Sweet Sixteen. They spend every bit of energy and karma they have on it.

Then we waltz into the Elite Eight and sweep them. Thank you very much!


Just like with Louisville in 2019 :)
 

Gophers_4life said:
I'm calling it: Georgia Tech over Texas in the Sweet Sixteen. They spend every bit of energy and karma they have on it.

Then we waltz into the Elite Eight and sweep them. Thank you very much!


Just like with Louisville in 2019 :)
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Don't overlook Towson.
 

Tough for me to take teams from low-major conferences seriously. If they surprise, great
 

Can somebody give me some reason for confidence? I love this team and think that at our best we could win, but I'm having a hard time believing we'll be able to play at that level over a sustained period (my bracket has OSU taking us out though I really hope I'm wrong)
 

IMGopher said:
Can somebody give me some reason for confidence? I love this team and think that at our best we could win, but I'm having a hard time believing we'll be able to play at that level over a sustained period (my bracket has OSU taking us out though I really hope I'm wrong)
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The only reason for confidence that you should need is that they just beat two top ten teams on the road. If that's not enough to give you at least a little bit of hope, I don't know what will.

At the end of the day, it is the nature of sports to have upsets and underdogs making a run. That's what makes it fun to watch. Let's hope the Gophers can win the ones that they 'should' and then play some inspired ball that carries them far.
 


IMGopher said:
Can somebody give me some reason for confidence? I love this team and think that at our best we could win, but I'm having a hard time believing we'll be able to play at that level over a sustained period (my bracket has OSU taking us out though I really hope I'm wrong)
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Honestly: 2019.

That's what it has to be for us to get back to the Final Four. We survived against Florida. Then Louisville had its Super Bowl against Texas, taking them out but leaving nothing in the tank. We waltzed into the match and swept them.


This year, Georgia Tech is the Louisville, and OSU is the Florida. We have to survive OSU and hope GT beats Texas.
 


IMGopher said:
Can somebody give me some reason for confidence? I love this team and think that at our best we could win, but I'm having a hard time believing we'll be able to play at that level over a sustained period (my bracket has OSU taking us out though I really hope I'm wrong)
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The straight fact is that to win big you have to beat the very best even when the very best is at their very best. If you can't do that, then there's a loss. But even the very best need a few breaks on the way; there's no way to predict that, so just relax and take it a point at a time. My philosophy was always: Play well and let winning take care of itself.
 

Gophers_4life said:
Honestly: 2019.

That's what it has to be for us to get back to the Final Four. We survived against Florida. Then Louisville had its Super Bowl against Texas, taking them out but leaving nothing in the tank. We waltzed into the match and swept them.


This year, Georgia Tech is the Louisville, and OSU is the Florida. We have to survive OSU and hope GT beats Texas.
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You've got to go to one game earlier, that crazy match against Creighton. We were two match points away from back-to-back disappointing finishes in the NCAA.
 






All the first two round games for sure, maybe the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight as well?, are on ESPN+.

$10 for one month, cancel when you're done. Only way you're going to see the Gophers in the Pav this weekend, unless you're a season ticket holder or willing to spend a pretty penny.
 




IMGopher said:
For anybody who didn’t see…

Coach: Sheffield
Defensive: Murr
Freshman: Hudson
Setter: Podraza

And of course, POY: Landfair 💛
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Wucherer was higher rated? Do you think if she could've played all the games this year without injury, she would've got it?
 

Gophers_4life said:
Wucherer was higher rated? Do you think if she could've played all the games this year without injury, she would've got it?
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I doubt it. One major difference is that Hudson *was* Purdue’s offense. If the award were based fully on per attempt then sure, but I think Hudson had a much bigger overall impact on her team even if Wucherer were always healthy. Booth is more deserving then Wucherer imo, she added a huge block and a middle threat at a position where we haven’t been the most consistent (I think Davis is going to be great and I’m a huge fan of Naya, but Booth has been outstanding)
 

IMGopher said:
I doubt it. One major difference is that Hudson *was* Purdue’s offense. If the award were based fully on per attempt then sure, but I think Hudson had a much bigger overall impact on her team even if Wucherer were always healthy. Booth is more deserving then Wucherer imo, she added a huge block and a middle threat at a position where we haven’t been the most consistent (I think Davis is going to be great and I’m a huge fan of Naya, but Booth has been outstanding)
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I just tend to think of OH and Setter as the "MVP" type of positions, with middles not really playing defense or serving if you get L'ed out (as I believe Booth does).

But you are absolutely right that she had more impact on the team this year.
 

Now that everything is out, here's a complete list of honors

Taylor Landfair: Player of the Year, First Team All-Big Ten (unanimous)

Carter Booth: First Team All-Big Ten (one of only two freshmen), All-Freshman Team

Melani Shaffmaster: First Team All-Big Ten

McKenna Wucherer: All-Freshman Team

CC McGraw: Second Team All-Big Ten, Sportsmanship Honoree

The Gophers are tied for 1st in First Team All-Big Ten Honorees (Ohio State and Wisconsin also have 3), and they are the only team with two players on the All-Freshman Team.
 

IMGopher said:
Now that everything is out, here's a complete list of honors

Taylor Landfair: Player of the Year, First Team All-Big Ten (unanimous)

Carter Booth: First Team All-Big Ten (one of only two freshmen), All-Freshman Team

Melani Shaffmaster: First Team All-Big Ten

McKenna Wucherer: All-Freshman Team

CC McGraw: Second Team All-Big Ten, Sportsmanship Honoree

The Gophers are tied for 1st in First Team All-Big Ten Honorees (Ohio State and Wisconsin also have 3), and they are the only team with two players on the All-Freshman Team.
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Yep, future seems bleak. What coach would possibly want to come here and take over this ship??
 

Also, asking for a friend: what did/does CC do, in particular, that makes her have the most sportsmanship on the team?? :LOL:
 

www.startribune.com

Gophers' Landfair named Big Ten Volleyball Player of the Year

After missing the bulk of last season because of a torn abdominal muscle, Taylor Landfair anchored the Gophers and led the Big Ten in points and kills.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

A little more on the B1G Player of the Year

After missing the bulk of the 2021 season with an abdominal injury, Gophers outside hitter Taylor Landfair was rewarded for her resounding comeback in 2022 and was named the Big Ten Volleyball Player of the Year on Wednesday.

Landfair, a redshirt sophomore, became the ninth Gopher to win the award since it was introduced in 1983, and the third in a row after Stephanie Samedy won it back-to-back the last two seasons.

"She is a rare talent," her coach Hugh McCutcheon said at a press conference ahead of the NCAA tournament on Tuesday. "On top of that her ability to make change and learn is really an important part of it. ... She isn't satisfied with just having the talent."

Landfair finished the regular season first in the Big Ten in kills (4.43 per set) and points (4.99 per set). She totaled 443 kills on 1,133 attempts and in a testament to her all-around development added 23 aces, 167 digs and 65 blocks, which was good for the third-best mark on the Gophers
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Very happy for the Conference awards for our Gopher players and the outstanding award for Landfair as NPOY...all well deserved. Happy for this team finishing the season the way they did and happy for the program.

Wenaas has been my girl all season and so glad others are recognizing her contribution to this team, whether she is acnowledged in the conference or not. Great time for her and Shaff to FINALLY be connecting and I am adding with some solid authority. RS here we come!!!

I want, like all of us Gopher fans do, for this team to play out the season like they have been this past month. The Gophers are one of the hottest teams going into the NCAA tournament. I am hoping for a focused and consistent team to show up starting tomorrow.

Nebraska DIDN'T serve us very tough and as a result we were IN SYSTEM. We all just witnessed how dangerous a team we are when that happens. Fun to watch....right?

Please CC and Kilkelly focus and play like there is no tomorrow in every match from here on out. If Shaff doesn't have to run around the whole court, we can beat anybody.
 

Looking over some of SE Louisiana's last few matches and a few things stood out. They have a really good serve game and they play a lot of defense. I have no doubt that they'll get through to the second round, but they might have to work for it if SLU is on their game.
 



WayOfTheGopher said:
They have to find some new pxp person for the next match because I can't with this guy. I love hearing Meredith's insights into the game, but I'm watching the rest of the match on mute.
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A thousand times agree. Way too gushy.
 

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