Gopher volleyball 2024

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It's never been easy to get elite out-of-state talent to come here. Hugh's reputation changed that. Where we are headed is TO the Mike Hebert days (if we are lucky). Even Mike was not able to attract the top recruits, other than MN kids. Keeping the MN elite players was a step-up from the Schleuder years, however. Mike was also able to find players who were not highly recruited but were great -- Branagh, Berg, Gentil. Tabi Love was probably his biggest non-Minnesota recruit (I include Meredith Nelson as a local).

So the question is, if Keegan can't land the quality of players Hugh did (some of whom were overrated btw), can he get as much out of the players he does land as Mike did? Can he field competitive teams no matter what hand he is dealt as both Mike and Hugh did? THEN can he take recruiting to the next level?

I do realize Kelly Kinney and Jordan Taylor are highly regarded. But the lack of transfers in (so far) and the transfers out is a bad trend. Staff turnover doesn't help this perception either. Let's hope the commits don't pull Choboys.

I'm rooting for Keegan. He had many top teams at Washington. First step is to identify players who REALLY WANT to be here.
 
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GopherVB23 said:
Dire as in we aren't landing top, or even second tier, transfers. We had multiple transfer visits and didnt' land them. Middles don't seem to want to come here and we only have one middle for next season.

I'm afraid MNs reputation has been tarnished by the high publicity transfers and in team drama. Along with the team flailing last year I'm just not feeling great about where we are.

This is definitely a crossroads and I hope Cook can steer us in the right direction so we don't fall off too much farther. People no longer see us as a top team and that perception is huge in recruiting whether correct or not.
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High level talent need to see that we have a setter. At the very least that is true for middles.

No high level middle will come here to be a blocking specialist.

We've been able to be bailed out of the fact that Schaff can't set a middle to save her life by having incredible pin hitters (Samedy, 22 Landfair, etc.) and middles who did enough on blocking.

That fell apart last year.
 

(R)uffda! said:
It's never been easy to get elite out-of-state talent to come here. Hugh's reputation changed that. Where we are headed is TO the Mike Hebert days (if we are lucky). Even Mike was not able to attract the top recruits, other than MN kids. Keeping the MN elite players was a step-up from the Schleuder years, however. Mike was also able to find players who were not highly recruited but were great -- Branagh, Berg, Gentil. Tabi Love was probably his biggest non-Minnesota recruit (I include Meredith Nelson as a local).
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Just an absurd silly take, unless all that you think matters is landing elite non-MN talent.

Which of course is absurd.


McCutcheon record was not significantly better than Hebert's.

Results are all that matters.


Hugh's best results by far were driven by: SSS, Tapp's, Wilhite ... all MN!
 

The two leaving staff were only here for a year.

Did they make recruiting relationships that will break us when they leave??


Also think that is way overblown to act like that is a major blow to the program.



Only realistically 12 players matter on each roster of Texas, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. They can't all go there.

Some have to go to the next-rung down programs, which we still are at the moment.
 

I am going to ignore Mpls and the constant insults -- he/she didn't even know Bush was an interim coach. Plus he/she constantly seems to think I have said things I did not.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned, in terms of creativity, is playing Crowl at middle. Yes, she is left-handed, but they could make it work. Especially if she plays next to Grote, allowing them to switch at times.
 


It's exactly, literally what you said. It's right there.

"It's never been easy to get elite out-of-state talent to come here. Hugh's reputation changed that. ...
Even Mike was not able to attract the top recruits, other than MN kids."


So what???

Hugh's best players other than Samedy were MN kids. Give me MN kids and go piss off with your fancy national recruits.
 

(R)uffda! said:
I am going to ignore Mpls and the constant insults -- he/she didn't even know Bush was an interim coach. Plus he/she constantly seems to think I have said things I did not.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned, in terms of creativity, is playing Crowl at middle. Yes, she is left-handed, but they could make it work. Especially if she plays next to Grote, allowing them to switch at times.
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I like that idea. She is a strong blocker and at 6’4 adds height to the front line.
 

Right now KCook needs a back court that can pass.

I can see where you might be thinking how we could be going back to the Mike Hebert days, when it comes to recruiting. However, I would love to have two of his DS/L's on this team right now...Gentil, Peniata, Tan, and Granquist. I will take MB Lauren Gibbemeyer and S Lindsey Berg too.

Mike Hebert was at Illinois and that connection allowed him to successfully recruit players in and around the Midwest. In hind sight, the KCook hire might not have been the one to make for that reason.

KCook and KK need to keep these 2025 recruits and keep building from there. The players from 2026 will soon start committing and they need to hit it hard. Now that this December Portal is closed we definitely need more surprise transfers for the DS/L and MB opened positions for 2024. Maybe we can still land a Grad Transfer or two by Spring.
 

The portal "windows" do not apply to grad transfers. They can enter the portal any time they want.
 



Mpls, are you able to get your points across without insulting others? I'm not sure why you have beef with Ruffda (in my opinion, the most respected person on this board), but please let it go and try to just express your ideas without insults and name-calling. I'd enjoy reading your opinions if you can leave that junk out.
 

I haven’t insulted anyone. An insult is against the person.

Criticizing the content of a post can never validly be misconstrued as attacking the person.

I have only ever criticized the content.


His claim was silly and absurd. (And insulting to Hebert.) It said absolutely zero about him personally.
 

Quite frankly, I'd take a year of creativity, growth and rebuilding versus getting into the routine of plugging holes with whichever transfer is willing to come.

I think once the dust settles on the Covid era and the transfer portal becomes "less new" there will be real value in being known as a team that recruits high schoolers with intent to use them. Plus team chemistry built up over the years.
 

NateDawgUM said:
Quite frankly, I'd take a year of creativity, growth and rebuilding versus getting into the routine of plugging holes with whichever transfer is willing to come.

I think once the dust settles on the Covid era and the transfer portal becomes "less new" there will be real value in being known as a team that recruits high schoolers with intent to use them. Plus team chemistry built up over the years.
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*Assuming they don't just transfer away with a couple years left to an all-star team ...
 



"Insulting to Hebert" he says, proving 1) he didn't read what I said and 2) that his definition of an insult was hypocritical.

For the record, Mike was a great coach, the best Minnesota ever had. He won IN SPITE of not landing the top out-of-state recruits. For my money, the 2004 Gopher team was the best one the program has had.
 

Also, for the record, Hugh landed some big names, but he was also extremely creative -- forced to be due to all the unfortunate injuries after the SSS years. He also developed a LOT of players.
 

😂😂😂

“Yeah he won a lot, but so what??? Couldn’t land ‘top’ out of state recruits!! Loser!”


We won a lot with two #1 ranked out of state recruits last season!! Bigly


If you’re going to be stubborn about being wrong with your absurd, silly take, might as quadruple down on it! 🤣
 

When is the spring roster typically released?


Need something positive to talk about
 

I agree with (R)uffda about that 2004 team, which is the only Gopher team to ever make it to the final match. They ran an true 6-2 where the setters also hit OPP. Lyndsey Taajes had never been a hitter before either and received the MVP in the regionals for her 2 triple doubles in those matches. It was unfortunate that Stanford was on the upswing that year. Like Texas this year, they almost lost earlier in the tourney to Florida so would have been interesting to see how things would have gone if Stanford didn't make that Final Four. The 2003 team was fun too to see them start off so badly but Cassie Bussey carried them on her back to their first FF - she was something special too and came to the program as a raw talent but was developed by Hebert and company into a force by her Senior year!
 

I covered the 2004 for this very website, miss those good old days!

This was probably my favorite match ever:
Erin Martin's name doesn't come up enough when discussing that era.
 

MplsGopher said:
😂😂😂

“Yeah he won a lot, but so what??? Couldn’t land ‘top’ out of state recruits!! Loser!”


We won a lot with two #1 ranked out of state recruits last season!! Bigly


If you’re going to be stubborn about being wrong with your absurd, silly take, might as quadruple down on it! 🤣
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Troll someone else. TIA.
 

jham13 said:
I agree with (R)uffda about that 2004 team, which is the only Gopher team to ever make it to the final match. They ran a true 6-2 where the setters also hit OPP. Lyndsey Taajes had never been a hitter before either and received the MVP in the regionals for her 2 triple doubles in those matches. It was unfortunate that Stanford was on the upswing that year. Like Texas this year, they almost lost earlier in the tourney to Florida so would have been interesting to see how things would have gone if Stanford didn't make that Final Four. The 2003 team was fun too to see them start off so badly but Cassie Bussey carried them on her back to their first FF - she was something special too and came to the program as a raw talent but was developed by Hebert and company into a force by her Senior year!
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Does anyone actually run a true 6-2 these days?

I only know the double-sub variety.
 

NateDawgUM said:
I covered the 2004 for this very website, miss those good old days!

This was probably my favorite match ever:
Erin Martin's name doesn't come up enough when discussing that era.
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I remember that match. Stacy Gordon for OSU was almost unstopable. The Gophers got to the finals of the regional following a long, hard fought battle against GA Tech. Erin Martin was special that weekend.
 

MplsGopher said:
Does anyone actually run a true 6-2 these days?

I only know the double-sub variety.
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I haven’t heard of any team that has both setters hit. As a matter of fact, other than Stanford before the Gopher team, I can’t name another team that did it after 1990 or so. I’m sure there have been. but no top teams. It was really a bold move by Hebert, especially considering Lindsey had never hit before. That team, with the 3 amigos and both setters, could really play defense.

My favorite Gopher team.
 

Seems like an old-school thing.

There's way too much specialization now? Setters probably go to setting camp from like age 2 onward ...
 

MplsGopher said:
Seems like an old-school thing.

There's way too much specialization now? Setters probably go to setting camp from like age 2 onward ...
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True, but the taller and more athletic they are, you'd think they'd also want to hit. But then I don't know why middles are automatically pigeon-holed as non-passers, non-back row players. Still remember Cacciamani at Penn State.
 


One middle in the spring roster.

They’ll have to use, what men’s club players, just so they can have practice??

No idea what you do for exhibition matches. Maybe they cancel those for this year? Or maybe they borrow a middle from whomever they’re scrimmaging? Like with the one vs the pros last year?
 

MplsGopher said:
One middle in the spring roster.

They’ll have to use, what men’s club players, just so they can have practice??

No idea what you do for exhibition matches. Maybe they cancel those for this year? Or maybe they borrow a middle from whomever they’re scrimmaging? Like with the one vs the pros last year?
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Maybe they can convert either Crowl or Schnichels to play middle for the time being.
 

Or just let Minatee play the whole time. It would help her development if she stays healthy.
 

1 middle and 5 listed opposites...lol

They'll make it work
 

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