Gopher Volleyball 2022 Season

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Q&A: Gophers volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon awaiting season opener next Friday

The 5th-ranked Gophers volleyball team opens the 2022 season next Friday in Dallas against Baylor. With training camp not starting until Aug. 9, it’s a sprint to get ready. KSTP Sports stopped by practice on Friday, and spoke with 11th-year head coach Hugh McCutcheon. ***Click the video box...
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Doogies friday interview with Hugh.
 

For whatever reason I did not come out of that scrimmage feeling like I have in the past. I am still really unsure who will be the starting MB's and who will be on the RS.

I have to point out Shaffmaster was struggling more in the second and definitely the third set yesterday Someone refresh my memory, Was she playing with Landfair and Hanson most of the time and not Wenaas? Was CC the Libero those two sets? I know she was the third set for sure. HELP!!!!

I really felt Shaff's back set connection to the RS was really good. She also had some great connections with Gros. Husemann was coming up with some big blocks However, I don't remember any slides. All the setters (Shaff, Elise, Miranda) connections to the middles had it's bright moments. Honestly, I left feeling it will BE A WORK IN PROGRESS THIS YEAR TOO. I am still leaning to Gros and Husemann as starting MB's.

Yes we have probably more depth in each position than we have had in the past but there are just too many NEW moving parts this season. It could be a good thing or it could not be so good.

I just feel it is going to take this TEAM longer to come together than most of us were thinking. Talent doesn't necessarily equal success especially right at the beginning of the season with such a tough schedule.
 

I am excited to see what Choboy brings to the Gophers. But I also feel for whatever reason the Libero position just seems so so different under Hugh than it did under Hebert. I am coming to the conclusion that these two outstanding Head Coaches have very different coaching styles for this all important position.
 

MICHELLA CHESTER | NCAA.COM | AUGUST 15, 2022​

Nebraska, Texas and Wisconsin lead the DI women's college volleyball preseason rankings​


1. Nebraska (24)

2. Texas (27)

3. Wisconsin (12)

4. Louisville (1)

5. Minnesota

6. Pittsburgh

7. Ohio State

8. Washington

9. Georgia Tech

10. BYU

11. Kentucky

12. UCLA 791

13. Purdue 783

14. Stanford

15. Florida 733

16. Baylor 645

17. Illinois 504

18. Creighton

19. Oregon 392

20. Penn State

21. Western Kentucky

22. Utah

23. Kansas

24. Southern California

25 San Diego


Others receiving votes and listed on two or more ballots: Washington State 104; Miami (FL) 101; Tennessee 83; Michigan 66; North Carolina 66; Pepperdine 60; UCF 55; Mississippi State 51; Rice 50; Hawai'i 48; Florida State 43; Marquette 40; Ball State 18; Dayton 14; South Alabama 5; Texas State 3; 9 teams mentioned on only one ballot for a total of 44 combined points.



www.ncaa.com

DI Women's Volleyball Rankings - AVCA Rankings | NCAA.com

Get updated NCAA Women's Volleyball DI rankings from every source, including coaches and national polls.
www.ncaa.com www.ncaa.com
 



Hrothgar said:
For those who know VB (which doesn't include me), what are the Gophers' chances of winning the BIG and making a deep run in the NCAA this year? Any opinions?
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Gophers have a shot at a national title, less so for winning the Big Ten title. Gophers project to finish #3 to #5 in the nation with a shot at being the national champ.

The obstacle is that the top 2 teams in the nation also play in the Big Ten. including the defending champion Wisconsin and the #1 team in the national power poll Nebraska.

The aim then should be the best finish possible in the NCAA tournament, hopefully as champions.
 


4EverAGopher said:
For whatever reason I did not come out of that scrimmage feeling like I have in the past. I am still really unsure who will be the starting MB's and who will be on the RS.

I have to point out Shaffmaster was struggling more in the second and definitely the third set yesterday Someone refresh my memory, Was she playing with Landfair and Hanson most of the time and not Wenaas? Was CC the Libero those two sets? I know she was the third set for sure. HELP!!!!

I really felt Shaff's back set connection to the RS was really good. She also had some great connections with Gros. Husemann was coming up with some big blocks However, I don't remember any slides. All the setters (Shaff, Elise, Miranda) connections to the middles had it's bright moments. Honestly, I left feeling it will BE A WORK IN PROGRESS THIS YEAR TOO. I am still leaning to Gros and Husemann as starting MB's.

Yes we have probably more depth in each position than we have had in the past but there are just too many NEW moving parts this season. It could be a good thing or it could not be so good.

I just feel it is going to take this TEAM longer to come together than most of us were thinking. Talent doesn't necessarily equal success especially right at the beginning of the season with such a tough schedule.
Click to expand...
Some were saying Booth had some nice plays, while Davis was MIA.

Why the heck did she transfer from Ohio State, then?? She literally started every set for them last season, and they were a great team.
 

Nebraska is ranked #1 entering the season. Here is a preview of the Nebraska competition.

Last season, the Gophers defeated Nebraska 3-2 at home in a huge victory.

Could defending champion Wisconsin actually be the toughest rival this season? Gophers enter the season rated #5 in the nation.

This just in: Gophers volleyball team is awesome!

journalstar.com

2022 NU volleyball preview: Here's what you need to know about the Huskers this season

Nebraska has high expectations for this season, which begins Friday. Brent C. Wagner considers the most interesting storylines, among other topics.
journalstar.com journalstar.com
 




Love the optimism but this seems to be one of those programs that is cursed. Like the Vikings they should have one a title by now and something always happens. Close but no cigar as they say.
 

Gophers_4life said:
Some were saying Booth had some nice plays, while Davis was MIA.

Why the heck did she transfer from Ohio State, then?? She literally started every set for them last season, and they were a great team.
Click to expand...
I wish I had insight on the Davis transfer, but I most certainly don't. Players transfer for many reasons.

We now have 4 setters for all of our talented MB's to make a connection of some kind. However, we all know Shaffmaster will be Hugh's starting setter no matter the situation.

Also, I might add, I will find it interesting to see how Hugh handles this part of our game starting with some very tough opponents in our first half of the season. If the middle game is still not there, I would think he would try to develop as much fire power from all the pins this season. We cannot afford to find ourselves in a one-two person offense like last season.

Now let's hope we all can watch the Baylor match Friday.
 

maroonfive said:
Love the optimism but this seems to be one of those programs that is cursed. Like the Vikings they should have one a title by now and something always happens. Close but no cigar as they say.
Click to expand...
Cursed? How so? They have never been a consensus favorite for a natty. Heck, they've only won the conference 3 times!

Wisconsin has 8 conference championships and finally broke through with the NCAA championship last year.

For comparison, Penn State leads with 17. After WI's 8, comes IL with 4. Nebraska, Ohio St, and the Gophers have 3.

I hardly think this demonstrates that they are cursed! I'd say that it is just the way of sports.
 



4EverAGopher said:
I wish I had insight on the Davis transfer, but I most certainly don't. Players transfer for many reasons.

We now have 4 setters for all of our talented MB's to make a connection of some kind. However, we all know Shaffmaster will be Hugh's starting setter no matter the situation.

Also, I might add, I will find it interesting to see how Hugh handles this part of our game starting with some very tough opponents in our first half of the season. If the middle game is still not there, I would think he would try to develop as much fire power from all the pins this season. We cannot afford to find ourselves in a one-two person offense like last season.

Now let's hope we all can watch the Baylor match Friday.
Click to expand...
Sadly, it is not going to happen. These Tweets pretty much doom that possibility, short of a miraculous 11th hour change of heart by ESPN.

 

ecoperson said:
Cursed? How so? They have never been a consensus favorite for a natty. Heck, they've only won the conference 3 times!

Wisconsin has 8 conference championships and finally broke through with the NCAA championship last year.

For comparison, Penn State leads with 17. After WI's 8, comes IL with 4. Nebraska, Ohio St, and the Gophers have 3.

I hardly think this demonstrates that they are cursed! I'd say that it is just the way of sports.
Click to expand...
I reject winning the conference as a good measure of national title opportunities.

Wisconsin had only been to the Final Four twice, 2000 and 2013 (though both times also making it to the natty game), before this last run of three in a row (2019-2021). Went to the natty in 2019 and 2021 (winning), in that last run.

Minnesota has been to the Final Four in 2003, 2004, 2009, 2015, 2016, and 2019. Only went to the natty in 2004.


Minnesota, especially before 2019, has had far more opportunities to get it done than Wisconsin did.
 




JacksonMedford said:
Of those first eight game, six are a toss up. We'll probably go 3-5 to start.
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Why are you including Pepperdine and Wazzou in that? Those should be wins.

Would think TCU and Oregon, as well. No idea if Stanford is back to form, either.
 

Based only on the preseason power rankings the Gophers (5) are:
  • Likely to defeat Baylor (16)
  • Very likely to defeat TCU
  • Likely to lose to Texas
  • Likely to defeat Florida (15)
  • More likely to defeat Oregon (19)
  • Likely to defeat Stanford (14)
  • Highly likely to defeat Pepperdine

Yet last year they started the season with a loss to Baylor. That was followed by a win against TCU, loss to Texas, loss to Florida, and win against Stanford.
 

www.startribune.com

Seven players to know about as Gophers volleyball opens 2022 season

Depth and balance are the words being used to describe this year's roster. Here are seven players to keep an eye on.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

STrib: seven gophers to know

Arica Davis, middle blocker​

After helping Ohio State to the Sweet 16 as a freshman, and ranking 23rd in the nation in blocks per set, Davis transferred to the U with three years of eligibility remaining. Will battle for playing time amid a suddenly crowded defensive interior.

Naya Gros, middle blocker​

A graduate senior transfer, Gros knows the Big Ten. She spent four seasons starting at Michigan State and ranked fifth in the conference last season with 1.31 blocks per set to go along with a career 1.80 kills per set.
Click to expand...
 

Ticket Deals Related to Gophers at the State Fair

Fans can take advantage of exclusive ticket specials for upcoming Gopher events. Tickets are available for as low as $10 for select events.

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2022 State Fair - University of Minnesota Athletics

VIEW DEALS State Fair Ticket Deals are available now! Score on these discounts to select events for ALL Athletic programs! Tickets start as low as $10 for se...
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Bfan said:
Based only on the preseason power rankings the Gophers (5) are:
  • Likely to defeat Baylor (16)
  • Very likely to defeat TCU
  • Likely to lose to Texas
  • Likely to defeat Florida (15)
  • More likely to defeat Oregon (19)
  • Likely to defeat Stanford (14)
  • Highly likely to defeat Pepperdine

Yet last year they started the season with a loss to Baylor. That was followed by a win against TCU, loss to Texas, loss to Florida, and win against Stanford.
Click to expand...

That’s why they play the games.

One doesn’t know who will win the game with certainty until the game is over.
 

BIG TEN WEEKLY RELEASE - AUG. 25

  • The 42nd season of Big Ten Conference volleyball opens this weekend with a full slate of matches featuring all 14 member schools. The Big Ten is coming off another landmark season in 2021, culminating with Wisconsin earning its first national championship with a thrilling five-set win over fellow Big Ten member Nebraska in the title match before an NCAA-record crowd of 18,755 fans at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

  • Among the highlights of the Big Ten’s opening weekend schedule is No. 7 Ohio State playing host to second-ranked Texas in a pair of matches on Friday and Saturday at the Covelli Center. Both contests will start at 8 p.m. (ET), with Friday’s match televised live nationally on FS1 and Saturday’s match broadcast live to a national audience on the Big Ten Network.

  • The Big 12/Big Ten Challenge is also on the docket this weekend at TCU’s Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. Reigning national champion (and three-time defending Big Ten champion) Wisconsin opens defense of its titles as the third-ranked Badgers take on host TCU Friday and No. 16 Baylor Saturday. No. 5 Minnesota will also represent the Big Ten at this weekend’s Challenge, facing Baylor on Friday and TCU on Saturday — the Challenge matches involving TCU will be streamed on ESPN+.

  • The other Top 25 contest involving a Big Ten squad this weekend will take place Saturday, when No. 17 Illinois makes its season debut at the Ole Miss Invitational in Oxford, Miss., against No. 9 Georgia Tech.

  • Three Big Ten programs will start their seasons this weekend with new head coaches at the helm. Iowa welcomes Jim Barnes to town, with the 24-year veteran having made prior stops at Lamar, Wyoming, Baylor and most recently, Tulane. Leah Johnson comes to Michigan State from Illinois State, where she successfully guided the Redbirds for five seasons (along with six prior years at SIU Edwardsville). Lastly, former Penn State All-American Katie Schumacher-Cawley moves from the associate head coach role at PSU that she held the past four years to take the baton from legendary Hall of Famer Russ Rose, who retired after the 2021 season.

  • The Big Ten leads all conferences with exactly half (7) of its teams ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) preseason poll that was released Aug. 15. Nebraska holds down the preseason No. 1 ranking (having earned 24 first-place votes), while Wisconsin is No. 3 and garnered 12 first-place votes. Minnesota is ranked No. 5, followed by No. 7 Ohio State and No. 13 Purdue. Illinois is next at No. 17, with Penn State starting its season at No. 20. In addition, Michigan received votes in the preseason coaches’ poll.

  • Wisconsin was selected by the 14 conference coaches to earn its fourth consecutive Big Ten title, according to the Big Ten Preseason Poll announced Aug. 1 at the start of the inaugural Big Ten Volleyball Media Days in Chicago. The Badgers have won the past three conference championships on the way to berths in the NCAA Final Four (including last year’s national championship) and are seeking to be the first Big Ten volleyball program to earn four consecutive conference titles since Penn State won a Big Ten-record eight in a row from 2003-10. Nebraska was second in the Big Ten preseason coaches’ poll, followed by Minnesota, Ohio State and Penn State. The full poll, alon with the 2022 Preseason All-Big Ten Team, can be found on page 3 of this release.

  • The Big Ten has announced the most robust volleyball television package in its history with a record-setting 55 matches scheduled for linear television coverage (47 on Big Ten Network, six on ESPN2/ESPNU, two on FS1), with the possibility of further broadcasts to be announced at a later date. In addition, all non-televised Big Ten volleyball home matches are scheduled to be broadcast live on B1G+, the Big Ten Network’s subscription streaming service (bigtenplus.com).

  • On Aug. 1, the Big Ten Network announced a groundbreaking, multi-year distribution partnership with Volleyball World that will enhance the promotion and coverage of Big Ten Conference volleyball across the globe. As part of that agreement, 70+ Big Ten volleyball matches will appear worldwide on VolleyballWorld.tv. There will also be live streaming of nearly 50 televised Big Ten Network volleyball matches outside of North America and certain Caribbean islands, as well as worldwide streaming of an additional 28 matches from B1G+ inventory, with those matches airing concurrently on B1G+.

  • For the 16th consecutive season, Big Ten volleyball honored more than 70 Academic All-Big Ten standouts in 2021, as a record-setting 153 volleyball student-athletes were recognized, including a pair of Academic All-America selections in first-team honoree Sydney Hilley (Wisconsin) and second-team choice Diana Brown (Illinois).


bigten.org

Big Ten Conference

The official athletics website for Big Ten Conference
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AUGUST 25, 2022 BY MINNESOTA NEWS NETWORK

FORT WORTH, Texas — The No. 5 ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers are getting set to open the 51st season of Gophers volleyball this weekend in the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge. The ‘U’ will open up against No. 16 Baylor on Friday before taking on the host team, TCU, on Saturday night. Minnesota went 1-1 in last year’s challenge in Madison, Wis., losing in four sets to Baylor before sweeping TCU.

LAST TIME OUT
• Minnesota ended its season with a three set loss to eventual national champion Wisconsin, 3-0, in the Regional Finals. The final score was 25-18, 26-24, 25-23. Airi Miyabe led the ‘U’ with 13 kills.
• Before that, the Gophers took down No. 5 Baylor in a thrilling five set battle in the Regional Semifinals. Minnesota trailed 2-1 before winning the fourth set, 25-23, and then taking set five, 15-10.
• Airi Miyabe led the way with 18 kills while Stephanie Samedy went for 16 kills and 16 digs in a workman-like effort. Jenna Wenaas also posted a double double with 13 kills and 14 digs. Minnesota advances to its fifth Regional Final appearance in 10 years under coach McCutcheon with the win.

SCOUTING BAYLOR
• After winning a share of its first Big 12 title and making a Final Four run in 2019, Baylor made the Sweet 16 the past two years. They went 22-6 (14-2 Big 12) last year and earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
• The Bears are led by eighth-year head coach Ryan McGuyre. The rosters is paced by seniors Lauren Harrison and Kara McGhee, along with the highest-ranked recruit in program history, freshman Averi Carlson. Harrison and McGhee were named Preseason All-Big 12 on June 22, with Carlson named the program’s first Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year.
• Baylor has been voted to finish second in the 2022 Big 12 Preseason Coaches Poll, as announced by the league office in late June. They will need to replace All-Americans Yossiana Pressley and Avery Skinner, among others. They come into 2022 with a No. 16 ranking in the AVCA Preseason Poll.

SCOUTING TCU
• The Horned Frogs are led by eighth-year head coach Jill Kramer. She led TCU to consecutive NCAA Tournaments during her first couple years in Fort Worth in 2015/2016 and is looking to get her team back there for the first time in six seasons. TCU was picked to finish seventh in the 2022 Preseason Poll.
• Last year, the Horned Frogs went 8-18 (2-14 Big 12), taking down Kansas State and Okahoma in Big 12 play.
• Senior Julia Adams has been awarded Preseason All-Big 12 honors. Adams led the Horned Frogs with a career-best 285 kills last season, averaging over three kills per set (3.03) for the second season in a row.

MINNESOTA’S HISTORY VS. BAYLOR AND TCU
• Minnesota is 3-1 all-time against Baylor. The lone loss came in the 2021 season opener, a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the then No. 10 Bears. Stephanie Samedy had a match-high 21 kills and 18 digs for Minnesota, while BU’s Yossiana Pressley went for 19 kills and 13 digs.
• Besides the two matches last season, Minnesota has played BU two other times. The first came in 1981, a 2-0 Gophers victory. The other came in the 2010 Diet Coke Classic, a 3-1 Gophers win. The two teams have never before met in postseason play.
• The Gophers are 3-0 all-time against TCU. They played last year in the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge, with Minnesota taking a 3-0 victory. Taylor Landfair and Jenna Wenaas had 11 kills each while CC McGraw had 13 digs. The ‘U’ beat TCU two other times, in 2005 and 2008.

AUDIO INTERVIEW AT LINK --SHAFFMASTER READY
Gopher junior setter Melani Shaffmaster spoke with MNN sports director Mike Grimm about the upcoming season:


minnesotanewsnetwork.com

Gopher volleyball set to open regular season tomorrow in Texas (AUDIO) - Minnesota News Network

FORT WORTH, Texas — The No. 5 ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers are getting set to open the 51st season of Gophers volleyball this weekend in the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge. The ‘U’ will open up against No. 16 Baylor on Friday before taking on the host team, TCU, on Saturday night. Minnesota went...
minnesotanewsnetwork.com minnesotanewsnetwork.com
 


Gophers_4life said:
I reject winning the conference as a good measure of national title opportunities.

Wisconsin had only been to the Final Four twice, 2000 and 2013 (though both times also making it to the natty game), before this last run of three in a row (2019-2021). Went to the natty in 2019 and 2021 (winning), in that last run.

Minnesota has been to the Final Four in 2003, 2004, 2009, 2015, 2016, and 2019. Only went to the natty in 2004.


Minnesota, especially before 2019, has had far more opportunities to get it done than Wisconsin did.
Click to expand...
I don't have time to research further but I imagine that conference championships are statistically positive indicators of national title opportunities. If you can successfully run the gauntlet of the B1G or PAC and win pressure filled matches week in and week out, you are more likely than not going to be ready for one and done tournament time.

I think that WI's recent 3 year run to the Final Four shows why they were finally able to break through with a natty. You get there with a core of players in their 2nd year and then build on that experience in their Jr. and Sr. years.

I think that the MN teams have been more mature. They haven't had the same core group that can take that next step the following year.
 

We lead in almost every offensive category, and now it's even one set apiece. We should've been up 2-0 by now.
 

1661551138065.png
Tough start and then Gopher took off in the 2nd.
 


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