Gopher Volleyball 2023 Season

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She was tall but often looked out of place on defense, hopefully replaceable with similar height
 

Gophers_4life said:
Carter Booth: "At the end of the day, I want to compete for a national championship and Wisconsin is doing that."


^^^ that's spitting in the face of every Gopher volleyball fan and everyone on the team this year.


What a classless person. Lexi Sun 2.0

Hope that's how her career goes. Hope she gets boo'ed out of the Pav every time she steps foot in the building and hope everyone cheers every time she makes a hitting error.
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where did she say that? I haven’t read that anywhere else.
 

GopherHusky said:
where did she say that? I haven’t read that anywhere else.
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Was reported on Volleytalk. Here is the post: https://volleytalk.proboards.com/post/3281790/thread

EDIT: here is the quote in context, it was in the Madison paper, is maybe why you/we didn't see it https://madison.com/sports/college/...cle_ba9235a2-a164-5a6c-8184-ef6c1b46d22e.html

I don't know if it was hearsay or if there was a post/Tweet/Insta containing that at one time. Have to believe it has been taken down since, as it is an awful, terrible thing to say.
 


NateDawgUM said:
Well, of course you need a threat out of the middle...Arica Davis returns, Calissa Minatee comes in with great accolades and is playing in the high school All American game this weekend. Cook has some scholarships to work with and the portal is open.

The story remains the same, Landfair, Wucherer and Shaffmaster is quite the trio to build a championship around.
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For two lefts and a setter, yes I agree in looking at those positions in isolation, those are as good of building blocks as you could want. (Though we will see if Shaff can continue to improve her setting out of the middle .... but that of course is if they continue to run the hyper-tempo Olympic style offense under Cook, in the first place)


Minatee height/athletic ability wise I'm guessing will be a lot like Davis. So hope that converts into a one-two punch there.

And Schnichels on the right side and/or Crowl. Both probably need a DS and that is just fine. Elise McGhie could serve that role well. Hope we get a solid DS for one of the left's as well, ala Texas style.
 


Gophers_4life said:
Carter Booth: "At the end of the day, I want to compete for a national championship and Wisconsin is doing that."


^^^ that's spitting in the face of every Gopher volleyball fan and everyone on the team this year.


What a classless person. Lexi Sun 2.0

Hope that's how her career goes. Hope she gets boo'ed out of the Pav every time she steps foot in the building and hope everyone cheers every time she makes a hitting error.
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She needs to learn and learn quickly that less is more. Shut yer yap while you are still ahead kind of thing.

What she does not realize is she is implying Minnesota was not trying to do the same thing. What a nice tribute to the people you called your teammates just 3 weeks ago.

Classless turd.
 

NateDawgUM said:
Too many tears spilled over a middle blocker. One who hit negative in the Sweet 16 with the season on the line at that.

College volleyball has always been about left side hitters and setting. Landfair, a healthy Wucherer and Shaffmaster can easily compete for a national title if Cook can succeed in shoring up the backrow via the transfer portal.

People who would so quickly ditch a team after one season aren't going to be the ones you want sticking around anyway. Those character traits are part of everything they do.
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+100 to this
 

All that said, I would take former Badger Devyn Robinson in a second. She is in the portal, possibly not wanting to be stuck behind Smrek and Booth at middle?

Three year contributor for them, and could help at both middle and right.

EDIT: whoops, wrong Robinson! It’s Jess Robinson from Michigan, four-year contributor at Middle. Would take her too!
 
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You had me excited when you said Devyn Robinson as that would be a tremendous pick-up for any team if it were true!!!
 



Gophers_4life said:
Was reported on Volleytalk. Here is the post: https://volleytalk.proboards.com/post/3281790/thread

EDIT: here is the quote in context, it was in the Madison paper, is maybe why you/we didn't see it https://madison.com/sports/college/...cle_ba9235a2-a164-5a6c-8184-ef6c1b46d22e.html

I don't know if it was hearsay or if there was a post/Tweet/Insta containing that at one time. Have to believe it has been taken down since, as it is an awful, terrible thing to say.
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Thanks. That’s just so petty.
 

1 Assistant Volleyball Coach hired and 1 to go. Now let's see who she can recruit. It sounds like a great late Gopher Volleyball Christmas Present. We truly do need at least 1-2 DS's and a Libero that all can pass/dig. You can add serving to those qualities too.

I am still hoping for us to recruit a Nya Gros like MB out of the portal too. IMO Davis was still struggling somewhat, by the end of the season. Not sure if it was reading the opponents setter or a connection with Shaff that still needed work or something else. However, I feel we would be better off bringing in another MB with some outstanding stats and work ethic to add to Davis and Freshman Minatee's capabilities, which by the way I read are pretty good.
 

Land a solid third assistant coach.
Land Robinson (Michigan) at MB out of the portal, to be a strong senior leader for the dynamic, young(er) Davis and Minatee.
Land Murr and another very solid DS out of the portal.

Continue to develop Shaff and Landfair into top national players. Wucherer and Davis healthy all year, smashing and roofing.

Schnichels Big Ten FPOY, with blockers focus on our OH's and MB's.



$$$$$$

= Cook Final Four in his first year, and Gopher nation saying Whoooo McCutcheon?? :)
 

Gophers_4life said:
Land a solid third assistant coach.
Land Robinson (Michigan) at MB out of the portal, to be a strong senior leader for the dynamic, young(er) Davis and Minatee.
Land Murr and another very solid DS out of the portal.

Continue to develop Shaff and Landfair into top national players. Wucherer and Davis healthy all year, smashing and roofing.

Schnichels Big Ten FPOY, with blockers focus on our OH's and MB's.



$$$$$$

= Cook Final Four in his first year, and Gopher nation saying Whoooo McCutcheon?? :)
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Everyone stays healthy and a regional finals appearance would be a successful year one, anything more would be a great bonus.
 



Only because it’s his first year, will I accept “just happy to be in the Elite Eight”.

Our front court talent is, still, final four level, if we can land a comparable backcourt and actually focus on defense.
 

WayOfTheGopher said:
Everyone stays healthy and a regional finals appearance would be a successful year one, anything more would be a great bonus.
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Would love to get Murr, but would prefer Milan Gomillian(sp) from Maryland. Two years left and a top libero. That would give us an extra year to come up with a top libero HS recruit.
 

dlw4gophers said:
Would love to get Murr, but would prefer Milan Gomillian(sp) from Maryland. Two years left and a top libero. That would give us an extra year to come up with a top libero HS recruit.
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I would agree and keep in mind it could come down to scholarship availabillity.
 

Seems like Texas and Nebraska are substituting scholarships with NIL money. We need some donors to steep up if we are short of scholarships. We should have 3 more this year with Choboy, Booth and Weness not here
 

Bfan said:
2023 and 2024 are going to be awesome years! They are on a path to reach higher, the highest levels yet. The much-honored players are anchored by star Taylor Landfair. Look for Minnesota to reach the highest levels in school history.

Landfair won Big Ten Player of the Year in 2022.

Landfair was named All American.

Landfair was the #1 prospect in the nation coming out of high school per Prep Volleyball and VolleyballMag.com

Carter Booth had one of the greatest rookie seasons in Minnesota history, leading the team and ranking sixth in the conference in blocks per set (1.41). Booth was also selected to the All-Big Ten Freshman team.

Melani Shaffmaster was named All Big Ten First Team.

Mckenna Wucherer was All-North Region Honorable Mention and Big Ten All-Freshman Team.

Then the team is deep with talent. Minnesota is loaded. This is an opportunity to climb over obstacles to the best finish yet. More talent is incoming too, including Calissa Minatee and Sydney Schnichels. Next season's top elite prospect in Minnesota Stella Swenson has already committed to Minnesota too -- plus her ace twin sister Olivia Swenson too!


Minnesota is a preferred elite destination.

And the new coach? Players stay when they play for coach. Coach's players haven't entered the transfer portal.

Keegan Cook's 8 Seasons at Washington:

  • Eight-straight NCAA Tournament Appearances
  • Six Sweet 16's, Four Elite Eight's, One Final Four (2020-21)
  • Four Pac-12 Regular Season Championships
  • Three-time AVCA Region Coach of the Year (2015, 2020-21, 2021)
  • 2020-21 Pac-12 Coach of the Year
  • 37 All-Pac 12 Selections
  • 18 All-America honors (12 individuals)
  • One Pac-12 Player of the Year
  • Two Pac-12 Setters of the Year

Now Minnesota needs to take a step higher than recent years of being so close.

There's a lot of talk right now in the volleyball community and some moves are getting attention but no one should doubt the team will climb the highest yet.

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To reach that higher level coach Cook will need to replace Booth and find top level DS and libero’s (3). I agree with you about the talent and depth currently and the incoming’24 class. Can’t wait to watch the Swenson sisters. Hope to see some portal news soon.
 

Nipomo 56 said:
To reach that higher level coach Cook will need to replace Booth and find top level DS and libero’s (3). I agree with you about the talent and depth currently and the incoming’24 class. Can’t wait to watch the Swenson sisters. Hope to see some portal news soon.
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Schnichels and Minatee are playing in the UA All-American game, today in fact: https://underarmournext.com/volleyball/all-america/

Seems like some pretty solid talent for 23, as well?

I don't know that Minatee can replace what Booth brought to the table as a true freshman -- also note that she played in the 2022 UA game -- but will be a nice piece I think. Hope they can bring in Robinson (Michigan) as a senior leader at middle (like Gros). Also hope they sign Pedro as assistant coach!


As you say, the key thing is going to be convincing back row talent to transfer in.
 

Schnichles and Minatee played very well a the Under Armour All-American game. I thought their team played some of the best volleyball when both were in the game. There were several times when Minatee and Schnickles were at the net blocking together. They looked like they had been playing together for quite a while. Good chemistry. Good omen?
 

walleye said:
Schnichles and Minatee played very well a the Under Armour All-American game. I thought their team played some of the best volleyball when both were in the game. There were several times when Minatee and Schnickles were at the net blocking together. They looked like they had been playing together for quite a while. Good chemistry. Good omen?
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Liked the comment from Minatee that she can do anything. Confidence is great. She is a little short at 6'1" for a typical MB but showed great effort. Schnichles also looked like she can play
 

Shorter but highly athletic is just fine. Booth and Smrek are freakishly tall, but they are big humans (relatively, for females) so they don't move as well.
 




Gophers_4life said:
Shorter but highly athletic is just fine. Booth and Smrek are freakishly tall, but they are big humans (relatively, for females) so they don't move as well.
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We have two middles that look like they have springs in their shoes like TayMo did. Placement and speed of setting will BE VERY IMPORTANT when we play Wisconsin to get beyond the arms of Booth and Smrek.
 



Debbie Downer here, maybe, but the Gophers need to replace:

Wenaas
Booth
Choboy (or CC)
Kilkelly

Not to mention middle depth with Gros and Husemann. At this point I don't see how we can reasonably expect the 2023 team to even be as good as the 2022 team.
 

Well we have Crowl, Hanson and Schnichles all vying for the right side position. I'm not too concerned about replacing Wenaas, I think one of those will fill that spot well enough.

Middle we have Davis and Minatee, both a bit undersized but can jump. I think its harder for Shaff to set the smaller middles so that could be interesting. They'll need to bring in another middle for depth.

Backrow is our biggest hole. Worst case scenario we use Elise or Julia has a DS and hope Skylar can hang at libero. I would be shocked if we aren't able to bring in a couple of backrow players though or at least get Murr/Gomillion and fill the DS with someone from our bench. Maybe there are some uncommitted '23s still out there looking for a home.

Now that Cook has his team they should be out there hardcore looking to fill these holes.
 

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