University of Minnesota Athletics
Three Gophers Named All-Big Ten
11/28/2017 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Alexis Hart (Kansas City, Mo.), Stephanie Samedy (Clermont, Fla.) and Samantha Seliger-Swenson (Minnetonka, Minn.) were named All-Big Ten, announced today by the conference office. It's the third-straight All-Big Ten honor for Seliger-Swenson and the first for both Hart and Samedy. Seliger-Swenson and Samedy were also unanimous selections. Samedy was also named to the All-Freshman Team. Molly Lohman was also honored with Minnesota's Sportsmanship Award.
Hart, a sophomore outside hitter, was on the Big Ten's All-Freshman team a year ago. As a three-rotation outside hitter, Hart ranks second on the team in kills (403) and kills per set (3.73). In her sophomore season, Hart also has 23 aces, 113 digs and 47 blocks. A 2017 Preseason All-Big Ten selection, Hart averaged 4.10 kills per set against Big Ten opponents this season, hit .302 and had 287 kills against league teams. She was a part of two all-tournament teams in the preseason and was named the Big Ten Player of the Week once this year.
Samedy, a freshman opposite hitter, led the Big Ten in kills per set this season, averaging 4.14 kills per set. In her rookie season, the six-rotation student-athlete is hitting .312 and provided a team-best 15 double-doubles. She also ranks second on the team in digs (310) and has 11 aces and 77 blocks. In conference action, she had 274 kills, averaged 3.91 kills per set, hit .302 and had 204 digs. She was named the Most Valuable Player in two preseason tournaments this year, and received all-tournament team honors in three. In just four months with the Gophers, Samedy was the ESPNW National Player of the Week once and the Big Ten and Freshman of the Week twice this season. The last Gopher freshman to land a spot on the All-Big Ten Team was Seliger-Swenson.
Seliger-Swenson, a junior setter, is the first Gopher to earn three All-Big Ten honors since Tori Dixon accomplished the feat in 2013. Seliger-Swenson averages 12.20 assists per set, which ranks second in the nation. In 2017, she has guided the Gophers to a 28.2 percent hitting clip this season. Leading the team in aces (32), Seliger-Swenson also produced 272 digs in 31 matches and has 12 double-doubles on the season. A five-time Big Ten Setter of the Week, Seliger-Swenson averaged 12.23 assists per set in conference play and helped the Gophers hit .280 in league action. The only current junior to hold over 4,000 in all of Division I NCAA, Seliger-Swenson hold 4,297 career assists. This season, Seliger-Swenson was named to three all-tournament teams and was also a Preseason All-Big Ten.
2017 Big Ten Postseason Volleyball Honors
ALL-BIG TEN*
Ali Bastianelli, Jr., MB, ILL
Jordyn Poulter, Jr., S, ILL
Carly Skjodt, Jr., OH, MICH
AUTUMN BAILEY, Sr., OH, MSU
Alyssa Garvelink, Sr., MB, MSU
Alexis Hart, So., OH, MINN
STEPHANIE_SAMEDY, Fr., OPP, MINN
SAMANTHA_SELIGER-SWENSON, Jr., S, MINN
Annika Albrecht, Sr., OH, NEB
MIKAELA FOECKE, Jr., OH, NEB
KELLY HUNTER, Sr., S, NEB
Symone Abbott, Sr., OH, NU
SIMONE LEE, Sr., OH, PSU
HALEIGH WASHINGTON, Sr., MB, PSU
Kendall White, So., L, PSU
SHERRIDAN ATKINSON, Jr., OPP, PUR
DANIELLE CUTTINO, Sr., OH, PUR
DANA RETTKE, Fr., MB, WIS
Tionna Williams, Jr., MB, WIS
*Additional honorees due to ties
HONORABLE MENTION
Jess Janota, Sr., MB, IOWA
Taylor Louis, Jr., OH, IOWA
Annika Olsen, Sr., L, IOWA
Hailey Murray, Sr., MB, MD
Claire Kieffer-Wright, Sr., MB, MICH
Rachel Minarick, Sr., S, MSU
Holly Toliver, Sr., OPP, MSU
Briana Holman, Sr., MB, NEB
Ashley Wenz, Sr., OH, OSU
Heidi Thelen, Sr., RS, PSU
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Megan Cooney, OH, ILL
STEPHANIE_SAMEDY, OPP, MINN
Jazz Sweet, OH, NEB
Lauren Stivrins, MB, NEB
Nia Robinson, OH, NU
Sydney Hilley, S, WIS
DANA RETTKE, MB, WIS
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Simone Lee, PSU
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Haleigh Washington, PSU
SETTER OF THE YEAR
Kelly Hunter, NEB
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Dana Rettke, WIS
COACH OF THE YEAR (COACHES)
John Cook, NEB
COACH OF THE YEAR (MEDIA)
Russ Rose, PSU
