University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Welcome Four to 2020 Roster
11/13/2019 4:39:00 PM | Volleyball
The University of Minnesota volleyball program has announced four additions to the 2020 roster. The Golden Gophers welcome Cami Appiani (San Diego, Calif.), Taylor Landfair (Plainfield, Ill.), Melani Shaffmaster (New Castle, Ind.) and Jenna Wenaas (Frisco, Texas) to the program. Landfair and Shaffmaster are scheduled to join the Gophers in January of 2020, while Appiani and Wenaas will join the team before the 2020 fall season.
"This 2020 class is a special group," head coach Hugh McCutcheon said. "They all can play at an extremely high level and have enjoyed as significant amount of competitive success already. They also know the value of hard work and they've developed a great capacity for it. This group has an uncommon drive and want to become the best they can be – on and off the court. Equally as important for us, they are people of character and know how to get it done it in the classroom. We could not be more excited to have them join our program."
Appiani, a 5-foot, 8-inch defensive specialist plays for Torrey Pines High School and Wave Volleyball Club in San Diego, Calif. A starting libero for Torrey Pines, Appiani's team is ranked first in the state of California and second nationally. Her team went 33-4 in 2018, where they finished first in two championships and was the CIF San Diego champions. In her senior year, Appiani has 75 aces and has 180 digs. Her 75 aces ranks first in the conference. This year, she just became the school record holder in single season aces at Torrey Pines. A three-year letterwinner in indoor volleyball, she also earned a letter in beach volleyball. Appiani has played six years of club volleyball. She is ranked as a top 110 Senior Ace by Prep Volleyball. The daughter of Maddalena and Alessandro, Cami will graduate in the spring of 2020. She holds a 4.67 grade point average, is an AP Scholar with Distinction honoree and a National Merit Commended Scholar. She is interested in majoring in engineering.
"Cami Appiani can pass and defend with the best of them, and she's got a great arm," McCutcheon said. "Her ball control and her ability to generate points from the service line is truly unique."
"I chose the University of Minnesota because of the outstanding group of players, coaches, and enthusiastic fans that make up the elite Gopher volleyball program," Appiani said. "The University's world class innovative research and engineering program are also equally important reasons for my choice. Finally, I love the vibrant Twin Cities campus in a metropolitan location, all while still feeling part of a community. I think the University of Minnesota will allow me to reach my full potential as a student, athlete and person."
Landfair, a 6-foot, 4-inch outside hitter, plays for Plainfield Central High and Sports Performance Volleyball. Ranked as the No. 1 overall recruit in this year's recruiting class by Prep Volleyball, Landfair was recently named an Under Armour First
Team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. With Plainfield High School this year, Landfair has had over 479 kills, hit .336, has 326 digs, 38 blocks and 39 aces. In 2018 alone, Landfair was named the Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year, a two-time All-American by AAU and Prep Volleyball and the News-Gazette All-State Player of the Year. With Sports Performance, she helped her team to the 18 Open national championship in 2018 where she was named the Most Valuable Player. Earning All-America honors in 2016, 2018 and 2019, Landfair has played with Sports Performance's 18 Elite Team since her freshman year in high school. She was also a part of USA Volleyball's Youth National team and was the youngest player on USA Volleyball's 2017 FIVB 18U World Championship team. The daughter of Tonya and Alexis Sr., Taylor is a part of the National Honor Society and an honor roll student all four years.
"Taylor Landfair is a special talent," McCutcheon said. "She's got length, she's physical and she can play the whole game. It's a rare combination of skills, but it's these factors combined with her work ethic and her constant drive to improve that really set her apart."
"I chose Minnesota because I absolutely love the coaches and their coaching styles," Landfair said. "I feel like I'll really fit in to the environment and cultural aspect of the program because I know Minnesota is about building relationships, which I value a lot, yet still working extremely hard to win every match. I love the culture of Minnesota volleyball and the way they run their program is something I want to be a part of."
Shaffmaster, a 6-foot, 3-inch setter, plays for New Castle High School and Munciana Volleyball. Shaffmaster has been named an All-American every year since 2015, most recently as an Under Armour First Team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. She comes to Minnesota as Prep Volleyball's No. 16 recruit on the Senior Aces list. Named Indiana's Gatorade Player of the Year (2017), Shaffmaster was named the Prep Volleyball and Maxpreps National Sophomore of the Year (2017) and Maxpreps National Freshman of the Year (2016). A three-time state champion with New Castle, Shaffmaster is a three-time all-state selection and four-time all-conference honoree. Helping her team to a 35-1 record this year and No. 1 national ranking, Shaffmaster finished her senior season with 280 kills, 948 assists, 51 aces, 267 digs and 47 blocks. A 12-year member of Munciana club volleyball and USA high performance training, Shaffmaster was an AAU champion in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Her teams were also runner-up in 2013 and 2018 and third place in 2019. The daughter of Patrick and Wendi Shaffmaster, Melani is a member of the National Honors Society, is in the top 25 of her class and is an academic all-state selection.
"There are very few setters that have the length and skill of Melani Shaffmaster," McCutcheon said. "She can flat out dish the rock, but she can also play the whole game at a really high level. Her serve and defense are solid and she'll bring an offensive and blocking presence at the net that we've never had from a setter."
"I chose to attend the University of Minnesota because of the amazing team culture, and the dedication the coaches make to the players," Shaffmaster said. "Everyone is committed to getting better each day while enjoying the process. On top of that, the amount of support shown by the community is an amazing aspect of getting to play for this program. I want to be a part of this type of culture and community."
Wenaas, a 6-foot, 1-inch outside hitter plays with Frisco Liberty High School and Texas Advantage Volleyball (TAV). Wenaas recently was named an Under Armour First Team All-American and ranked as the No. 3 recruit on Prep Volleyball's Senior Aces. She was a part of the USA Junior National team that played in the U20 World Championships in Mexico. With TAV, she led her team to win the 2019 18 Open National championship, and was named the Most Valuable Player. Named a Prep Volleyball's 18's First Team All-American, Wenaas became the all-time kill leader at Frisco Liberty high school. During her high school career, Wenaas established over 2,073 career kills, hit .296, has 183 blocks, 1,484 digs and 140 aces. Her high school team finished the season as district champions and held a 33-6 record. During her high school career, Wenaas was named the District Newcomer of the Year (2016), District MVP (2017) and District Hitter of the Year (2018). The daughter of Christopher & Paige Wenaas, Jenna is a member of National Honor Society and a four-year Academic All-District from 2016- 2019.
"Jenna Wenaas brings strength and skill to the outside hitting position," McCutcheon said. "She absolutely knows how to work, learn and compete. She is phenomenal at the net, she hits with a ton of heat and range, and she's developed a great all-around game to compliment that."
"I chose the University of Minnesota because the atmosphere surrounding the University is unlike any other," Wenaas said. "I always loved traveling to Minneapolis for volleyball tournaments as I was able to see everything the city had to offer, and the University of Minnesota will give me the opportunity to explore it further. Playing in the Big Ten quickly became something I desired, as every game is a big game, especially in the Pav where we can rally off of huge crowds. I believe that kind of atmosphere cannot be found anywhere else. When I first visited the university, I felt very welcomed by the team. Once I entered the gym for practice, their hard work and drive to be better was clearly apparent. The coaches design practice in a way that every player has a chance to compete for their position, but at the same time produce a great team environment."
"This 2020 class is a special group," head coach Hugh McCutcheon said. "They all can play at an extremely high level and have enjoyed as significant amount of competitive success already. They also know the value of hard work and they've developed a great capacity for it. This group has an uncommon drive and want to become the best they can be – on and off the court. Equally as important for us, they are people of character and know how to get it done it in the classroom. We could not be more excited to have them join our program."
Appiani, a 5-foot, 8-inch defensive specialist plays for Torrey Pines High School and Wave Volleyball Club in San Diego, Calif. A starting libero for Torrey Pines, Appiani's team is ranked first in the state of California and second nationally. Her team went 33-4 in 2018, where they finished first in two championships and was the CIF San Diego champions. In her senior year, Appiani has 75 aces and has 180 digs. Her 75 aces ranks first in the conference. This year, she just became the school record holder in single season aces at Torrey Pines. A three-year letterwinner in indoor volleyball, she also earned a letter in beach volleyball. Appiani has played six years of club volleyball. She is ranked as a top 110 Senior Ace by Prep Volleyball. The daughter of Maddalena and Alessandro, Cami will graduate in the spring of 2020. She holds a 4.67 grade point average, is an AP Scholar with Distinction honoree and a National Merit Commended Scholar. She is interested in majoring in engineering."Cami Appiani can pass and defend with the best of them, and she's got a great arm," McCutcheon said. "Her ball control and her ability to generate points from the service line is truly unique."
"I chose the University of Minnesota because of the outstanding group of players, coaches, and enthusiastic fans that make up the elite Gopher volleyball program," Appiani said. "The University's world class innovative research and engineering program are also equally important reasons for my choice. Finally, I love the vibrant Twin Cities campus in a metropolitan location, all while still feeling part of a community. I think the University of Minnesota will allow me to reach my full potential as a student, athlete and person."
Landfair, a 6-foot, 4-inch outside hitter, plays for Plainfield Central High and Sports Performance Volleyball. Ranked as the No. 1 overall recruit in this year's recruiting class by Prep Volleyball, Landfair was recently named an Under Armour First
Team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. With Plainfield High School this year, Landfair has had over 479 kills, hit .336, has 326 digs, 38 blocks and 39 aces. In 2018 alone, Landfair was named the Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year, a two-time All-American by AAU and Prep Volleyball and the News-Gazette All-State Player of the Year. With Sports Performance, she helped her team to the 18 Open national championship in 2018 where she was named the Most Valuable Player. Earning All-America honors in 2016, 2018 and 2019, Landfair has played with Sports Performance's 18 Elite Team since her freshman year in high school. She was also a part of USA Volleyball's Youth National team and was the youngest player on USA Volleyball's 2017 FIVB 18U World Championship team. The daughter of Tonya and Alexis Sr., Taylor is a part of the National Honor Society and an honor roll student all four years. "Taylor Landfair is a special talent," McCutcheon said. "She's got length, she's physical and she can play the whole game. It's a rare combination of skills, but it's these factors combined with her work ethic and her constant drive to improve that really set her apart."
"I chose Minnesota because I absolutely love the coaches and their coaching styles," Landfair said. "I feel like I'll really fit in to the environment and cultural aspect of the program because I know Minnesota is about building relationships, which I value a lot, yet still working extremely hard to win every match. I love the culture of Minnesota volleyball and the way they run their program is something I want to be a part of."
Shaffmaster, a 6-foot, 3-inch setter, plays for New Castle High School and Munciana Volleyball. Shaffmaster has been named an All-American every year since 2015, most recently as an Under Armour First Team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. She comes to Minnesota as Prep Volleyball's No. 16 recruit on the Senior Aces list. Named Indiana's Gatorade Player of the Year (2017), Shaffmaster was named the Prep Volleyball and Maxpreps National Sophomore of the Year (2017) and Maxpreps National Freshman of the Year (2016). A three-time state champion with New Castle, Shaffmaster is a three-time all-state selection and four-time all-conference honoree. Helping her team to a 35-1 record this year and No. 1 national ranking, Shaffmaster finished her senior season with 280 kills, 948 assists, 51 aces, 267 digs and 47 blocks. A 12-year member of Munciana club volleyball and USA high performance training, Shaffmaster was an AAU champion in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Her teams were also runner-up in 2013 and 2018 and third place in 2019. The daughter of Patrick and Wendi Shaffmaster, Melani is a member of the National Honors Society, is in the top 25 of her class and is an academic all-state selection."There are very few setters that have the length and skill of Melani Shaffmaster," McCutcheon said. "She can flat out dish the rock, but she can also play the whole game at a really high level. Her serve and defense are solid and she'll bring an offensive and blocking presence at the net that we've never had from a setter."
"I chose to attend the University of Minnesota because of the amazing team culture, and the dedication the coaches make to the players," Shaffmaster said. "Everyone is committed to getting better each day while enjoying the process. On top of that, the amount of support shown by the community is an amazing aspect of getting to play for this program. I want to be a part of this type of culture and community."
Wenaas, a 6-foot, 1-inch outside hitter plays with Frisco Liberty High School and Texas Advantage Volleyball (TAV). Wenaas recently was named an Under Armour First Team All-American and ranked as the No. 3 recruit on Prep Volleyball's Senior Aces. She was a part of the USA Junior National team that played in the U20 World Championships in Mexico. With TAV, she led her team to win the 2019 18 Open National championship, and was named the Most Valuable Player. Named a Prep Volleyball's 18's First Team All-American, Wenaas became the all-time kill leader at Frisco Liberty high school. During her high school career, Wenaas established over 2,073 career kills, hit .296, has 183 blocks, 1,484 digs and 140 aces. Her high school team finished the season as district champions and held a 33-6 record. During her high school career, Wenaas was named the District Newcomer of the Year (2016), District MVP (2017) and District Hitter of the Year (2018). The daughter of Christopher & Paige Wenaas, Jenna is a member of National Honor Society and a four-year Academic All-District from 2016- 2019.
"Jenna Wenaas brings strength and skill to the outside hitting position," McCutcheon said. "She absolutely knows how to work, learn and compete. She is phenomenal at the net, she hits with a ton of heat and range, and she's developed a great all-around game to compliment that."
"I chose the University of Minnesota because the atmosphere surrounding the University is unlike any other," Wenaas said. "I always loved traveling to Minneapolis for volleyball tournaments as I was able to see everything the city had to offer, and the University of Minnesota will give me the opportunity to explore it further. Playing in the Big Ten quickly became something I desired, as every game is a big game, especially in the Pav where we can rally off of huge crowds. I believe that kind of atmosphere cannot be found anywhere else. When I first visited the university, I felt very welcomed by the team. Once I entered the gym for practice, their hard work and drive to be better was clearly apparent. The coaches design practice in a way that every player has a chance to compete for their position, but at the same time produce a great team environment."
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