Gopher Volleyball 2023 Season

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If anybody is interested, I see several matches from this past weekend are available on YouTube.... including both of the Texas matches.
 

Three losses and still inside the top ten. That's the tough non-conference schedule you want.
 

WayOfTheGopher said:
Three losses and still inside the top ten. That's the tough non-conference schedule you want.
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I don't know if I necessarily agree with that. I know some coaches like to schedule tough at the beginning of the season to see where they are, but are we really gaining that much? IMO, I think it hurts us in the long run more than helps (record-wise). Especially for the level that we're at. Yes, it can help you see your gaps and weaknesses, but to play four top 10 opponents out of your first six games is a really tough challenge for any team. There's no time to build that confidence or momentum as a team (unless you're winning most of them, then you know you're really good). There's no time to catch your breath before an already gauntlet of a season in the B1G. And it leads to more losses (at least for us right now), which can ultimately hurt us come seeding time.

I think we should have a more balanced non-conference schedule with maybe two top 10 teams and then two top 25 teams, with a few top 50 or so. I kind of like the way Nebraska has done it, with building more of a base and then playing tougher matches.

I'm just not sure it has made us better come tournament time (see last year's Sweet 16). I think end-of-season success ultimately comes down to each team's chemistry and if they have the competitive nature to keep fighting or not (and talent of course).

I don't know though, maybe I'm not seeing it the right way. Maybe it's helpful to the players and the coaches to know where they are right now in the nation compared to other teams and adjust aspirations accordingly. Does anyone else have thoughts on this?
 




I've been watching Gopher Volleyball since the start of the 2015 season and in those eight years they have never dropped out of the AVCA rankings. It was a great run while it lasted. They'll most likely be unranked at the end of the season as they'll lose their remaining matches against ranked opponents while getting tripped up against the likes of Indiana and Illinois. 😞
 
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I have had season tickets for about 25 years. I will agree that this season's troubles are surprising and disappointing, but it seems a little premature to write off this coach and staff as failures. He has succeeded elsewhere and I expect he will here if given time. I find it amusing how some of those fans who want Hugh out are already abandoning ship. I've had season tickets in four different Gopher sports over the years, and I've never lost sight of how special our VB program is, even if it has never won a National Championship.
 

There has been a lot of talk about many areas of our game this season. One is a lack of a consistent opposing middle game

I pulled up the Final Stats from last season. We had a middle presence last season and I really thought Pedro was an excellent addition to the coaching staff. We have no Pedro and no middle game this season.

Now....this season we have the SAME SETTER, different coaches, one new MB player, while 2 former MB's transferred out and 1 graduated.

gophersports.com

2022 Volleyball Cumulative Statistics

The official 2022 Volleyball cumulative statistics for the University of Minnesota Gophers
gophersports.com gophersports.com
 
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Out of curiosity, does anybody know if Schnichels ever played MB during her HS and/or Club days? I have been entertaining the thought of her being used in that position next season, if the coaching staff cannot convince some EXPERIENCED 5 yr MB's to come to Minnesota. This will be a tough sale, but we need them.
 



4EverAGopher said:
Out of curiosity, does anybody know if Schnichels ever played MB during her HS and/or Club days? I have been entertaining the thought of her being used in that position next season, if the coaching staff cannot convince some EXPERIENCED 5 yr MB's to come to Minnesota. This will be a tough sale, but we need them.
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She's a lefty so I kind of doubt it.
 

BBJones said:
I have had season tickets for about 25 years. I will agree that this season's troubles are surprising and disappointing, but it seems a little premature to write off this coach and staff as failures. He has succeeded elsewhere and I expect he will here if given time. I find it amusing how some of those fans who want Hugh out are already abandoning ship. I've had season tickets in four different Gopher sports over the years, and I've never lost sight of how special our VB program is, even if it has never won a National Championship.
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You say some fans want[ed] Hugh out. Is that to imply there was pressure for the AD to let him go? A friendly question; I only wonder.
 


Sounds like sinistrophobia to me. As I left hander I should be offended. Rather it should be used to put righty is there place
 



Schaff has never been able to do basic middle sets the entire time she's been here. After the covid spring season and Pittman left ... we basically shut down setting middles as any part of our offense.


Why would a good middle want to transfer here to that?
 

Hrothgar said:
You say some fans want[ed] Hugh out. Is that to imply there was pressure for the AD to let him go? A friendly question; I only wonder.
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I didn't mean to imply that the AD may have forced him out. I seriously doubt that was the case. I was just referring to the posters on this board who were always critizing Hugh for not winning a National Championship.
 
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Well, it was a valid criticism.

You talk about everything stacked in our favor in 2018. What a blown opportunity. That was the year.

Randy Johnson’s daughter and company had their Super Bowl against us and then promptly got blown out by Neb in the regional final.
 

MplsGopher said:
Schaff has never been able to do basic middle sets the entire time she's been here. After the covid spring season and Pittman left ... we basically shut down setting middles as any part of our offense.


Why would a good middle want to transfer here to that?
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You keep saying this but the stats for our team last season with Shaff as our setter certainly do not indicate that. In fact, our Middles (all of them) hitting % was better than our pins. You might have to download the PDF File after clicking on this link.

gophersports.com

31SeasonStats - University of Minnesota Athletics

31SeasonStats
gophersports.com gophersports.com
 

:rolleyes:

Yeah no kidding, 5 out of 8 is higher than 1450 out of 2400.

Come on man, don’t play dumb.

Gopher volleyball sets to the middle over fall 2021-23 seasons are massively lower than other Big Ten teams.

And the sets we do have are all those quick 30 sets. (Because that’s what Schaff can do) Those are fine once in a while, but they have nowhere near the same effect as true middle sets.
 

4EverAGopher said:
You keep saying this but the stats for our team last season with Shaff as our setter certainly do not indicate that. In fact, our Middles (all of them) hitting % was better than our pins. You might have to download the PDF File after clicking on this link.

gophersports.com

31SeasonStats - University of Minnesota Athletics

31SeasonStats
gophersports.com gophersports.com
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Middles are supposed to hit better than pins. That's like saying a center on the basketball team has a better FG% than a guard.

The Gophers middle hitting is absolutely MIA, that usually means there's an issue with passing and/or setting...and I think that's obvious to anyone with two eyeballs.

Shaffmaster is a great all around player. Her hands and ball placement have always been the weakest part of her game, add in the fact that she's having injury issues, is already very tall and struggles to get under the ball and our passing ain't great...and, you see the results.

If Shaffmaster comes back, I hope they find another role for her. Both she and Stella are tall enough to play the non-subbing 6-2 that the Gophers played in 2004, where the front row setter plays RS. I don't think anyone would dare to play that style in 2023 though lol.
 

I was just trying to point out that Shaff has had SOME success setting the middle since she has been our starting setter. Her most success was last season. However, with that being said, I also feel Pedro had a lot to do with those numbers put up by our Middles. I believe Booth's numbers are not as good this season at Wisconsin as they were here in Minnesota.....now, that doesn't surprise me either.

Our most successful setters IMO in this Gopher program were Palmer, SSS and Miller. Two of those transferred here under Hugh.

I am hoping Stella starts as our setter. Maybe Shaff can become a MB or a DS for Zone 1 coverage.

There is no argument that changes need to be made for next season. Let's see what this coaching staff can do about that starting with the portal in December.
 

4EverAGopher said:
I was just trying to point out that Shaff has had SOME success setting the middle since she has been our starting setter. Her most success was last season. However, with that being said, I also feel Pedro had a lot to do with those numbers put up by our Middles. I believe Booth's numbers are not as good this season at Wisconsin as they were here in Minnesota.....now, that doesn't surprise me either.

Our most successful setters IMO in this Gopher program were Palmer, SSS and Miller. Two of those transferred here under Hugh.

I am hoping Stella starts as our setter. Maybe Shaff can become a MB or a DS for Zone 1 coverage.

There is no argument that changes need to be made for next season. Let's see what this coaching staff can do about that starting with the portal in December.
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Lindsey Berg and Lindsey Tatjes were awfully good!
 


I am reading.....

Both Murr and Phoebe will be recognized Friday night at The Pav for SENIOR Night. We now need two experienced Middles unless they possibly plan on converting Schnichels and Olivia to MB's.

I have also read that the portal is open.

Who knows but next season could be even longer than this season has been.
 

Gophers probably have the best SOS for teams with double digit losses. Will likely finish the season 16-12 and then have to wait for good news from the selection committee.
 

WayOfTheGopher said:
Gophers probably have the best SOS for teams with double digit losses. Will likely finish the season 16-12 and then have to wait for good news from the selection committee.
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Only graduate transfers can enter the portal. The main window opens Dec. 3 and closes Jan. 1.
 

Grote and McGhie have another year?

McGhie seems to know the role she has carved out and be satisfied with it. Though she could go elsewhere to try to play more for last year.

Grote obviously starter.

Wonder if Crowl will transfer out in search of more opportunity, with Schnichels waiting.
 

MplsGopher said:
Grote and McGhie have another year?

McGhie seems to know the role she has carved out and be satisfied with it. Though she could go elsewhere to try to play more for last year.

Grote obviously starter.

Wonder if Crowl will transfer out in search of more opportunity, with Schnichels waiting.
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Grote still has her COVID year and she seems like the perfect fit for the type of offense that Coach Cook wants to run. I'm guessing she stays and becomes that bridge for the younger players. McGhie was the starter at Kansas before she got pushed out, with the heir apparent to the position coming in next year, we'll see what she decides. And then Crowl, I would like for her to stay and push some of the starters but as you said it's gonna start getting crowded and someone is gonna fall through the crack. Some of these decisions I think are gonna be based on if they make the Tournament or not. I guess we'll wait and see.
 
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As the playoffs approach I check in on volleyball annually. Obviously, not an avid follower, but keep tabs. The record now probably has the most losses in quite some time? Is this about where folks thought this team would be at this point? Or have we had a bad year? Injuries? Transfers? Best players graduated? New coach? What's going on?
 

We have a "core" of three players that were all very highly rated recruits. One was player of the year last year in the Big Ten.

And they all played awful for a lot of the season. It's hard for me to trust that things have turned a corner (the two teams we dominated at home this past weekend were not great), but we will see this weekend, as any meaning to the season (ie, making the playoff) comes down to beating Illinois at home tomorrow. We will lose to Neb at home on Sat, they're the #1 team.

One big reason for the loss is forcing our two "star" offensive players to also play defense. There is absolutely no reason to do that in college volleyball.


In the Olympics, that is the usual thing ... because they have different rules, which greatly limit the substitutions. In college though, there are tons of subs. It's very easy to play the entire match using defensive specialists exclusively. That is what should be done in college. That's how the champions win.

Our new coach (first year) is trying to run the team like an Olympic team. Dumbass
 

@WayOfTheGopher and if we're talking outsides then you gotta talk about Hanson.

She singlehandedly saved the season by taking over for the benched Wucherer at IU, and helping the team to win in 5. Without that win, we're out of the playoff.

She should've gotten to start the rest of the year, until/unless she started slumping herself.

The job should not have been given right back to Wucherer. How deflating.
 

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