University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Gain Six All-Region Accolades
12/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Dec. 8, 2015
The University of Minnesota had four representatives on the American Volleyball Coaches Association's All-North Region Team, announced today by the AVCA. Daly Santana, Samantha Seliger-Swenson, Hannah Tapp and Paige Tapp were all-region selections.
Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon was named the North Region's Coach of the Year, while Seliger-Swenson was named the North Region's Freshman of the Year.
Santana, a senior outside hitter from Corozal, Puerto Rico, receives region honors after being named the Big Ten Player of the Year. Entering the NCAA Sweet 16 this weekend, Santanahas 520 kills and leads the Big Ten in kills per set (4.41). In the first weekend of NCAA postseason play, Santana had a team-high 23 kills and averaged 3.83 kills per set. A two-time Big Ten Player of the Week, Santana was also the NCAA leader in kills in a single match with 39 against Louisville earlier this year. With 1,580 career kills, Santana ranks seventh in school history and 14th among active NCAA leaders. Recording a team-best 19 double-doubles this season, Santana has also hit over .300 in 12 matches and has led the Gophers in kills 26 times.
Seliger-Swenson, a freshman setter from Minnetonka, Minn., hauls in her second Freshman of the Year honor after being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year last week. In her first weekend of NCAA competition, Seliger-Swenson established 76 assists and helped Minnesota hit .362 in the First and Second Round of the tournament. On the season, Seliger-Swenson has started in all 32 matches this year. A six-time Big Ten Player of the Week and two-time Setter of the Week, Seliger-Swenson has helped Minnesota to a .266 hitting clip in her rookie campaign. She ranks second in the Big Ten in assists-per-set (11.53), which also ranks 12th nationally.
Hannah Tapp, a junior right-side/middle blocker from Stewartville, Minn., is hitting .332 during her junior campaign and was named a unanimous All-Big Ten selection. In the first weekend of NCAA post-season, Tapp had 20 kills and 10 blocks, all while hitting .359 in the first two rounds. Tapp was named the AVCA Division I Player of the Week once this season and received two weekly Big Ten awards this season. Tapp ranked second on the team in kills (317), kills per set (2.76) and third in blocks-per-set (1.09). A marketing major in the Carlson School of Management, she was also named a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.
Paige Tapp, a junior middle blocker from Stewartville, Minn., received All-Big Ten honorable mention accolades last week. In the opening weekend of NCAA competition, Tapp hit .591 when she had 14 kills, committed just one error in 22 attempts. She also accomplished seven blocks. On the year, Tapp ranks third on the team with 275 kills, is hitting .328. She ranks second on the team in blocks per set at .1.19 and ninth among Big Ten student-athletes. Earning one Big Ten weekly accolade, Tapp was named a Preseason All-Big Ten selection. A marketing major in the Carlson School of Management, she was also named a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.
The 2015 award marks the second time McCutcheon has been named an AVCA Region Coach of the Year, with the first honor in 2013. The Golden Gophers went 18-2 in the Big Ten season and enters the NCAA Regional Semifinals with a 28-4 record. Minnesota won an impressive 15 straight matches during conference play from Sept. 30 to Nov. 21, which included seven wins against ranked teams. Minnesota was 9-11 in 2014 and was predicted to finish fifth in the conference this year. Instead, the Golden Gophers won their first Big Ten title since 2002. In the 3-2 win over Ohio State on Nov. 25, McCutcheon earned his 100th career win at Minnesota and is now 103-31 since leading the Golden Gophers.
