University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, December 13
Austin, TX
5:30 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Florida
Players Mentioned
Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
DS/Libero
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Opposite
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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Head to Austin for NCAA Action
12/11/2019 7:43:00 AM | Volleyball
GOPHERS ADVANCE TO NCAA REGIONAL
The University of Minnesota advanced to the Austin Region in the NCAA Championship and takes on No. 10 seed Florida at 5:30 p.m., CT Friday. Louisville and Texas round out the region and play at 3 p.m. CT Friday. Winners of both the Regional Semifinal advance to the Regional Final Saturday at 7 p.m.
FOLLOW THE GOPHERS
Friday's Minnesota/Florida match will be streamed on ESPN3. Should the Gophers advance to the NCAA Regional, that match will be carried on ESPNU. A game day live page will also be available on gophersports.com.
LAST MATCH RECAP
Facing elimination in the NCAA tournament and reaching Creighton's match point, Minnesota came back in dramatic fashion to defeat the Bluejays, 3-2 at Maturi Pavilion. The Golden Gophers won the first set, 25-13, lost the second and third, 19-25, 15-25, fought off two match points and won the fourth, 26-24, and won the fifth, 15-10. Alexis Hart and Adanna Rollins led the Gophers in kills with 14 each. Hart also had four digs and three blocks, while Rollins had 11 digs and one ace. Stephanie Samedy had a team-best 19 digs, as well as seven kills, five blocks and one ace. Taylor Morgan posted nine blocks and four kills. Regan Pittman had six blocks, three kills, one dig and one ace. Kylie Miller added 38 assists for the Gophers, as well as 11 digs and two aces. CC McGraw had 15 digs and one ace, and Rachel Kilkelly added eight digs.
ABOUT FLORIDA
Florida enters the NCAA Regional Semifinal with a 27-4 overall record, and went 16-2 in conference play. The Gators received the No. 10 and swept Alabama State and Central Florida to get into the Sweet Sixteen. Thayer Hall leads the team in kills with 399, averaging 3.76 kills per set. Lauren Dooley offers up 102 blocks, and Paige Hammons has a team-best 41 aces. Marlie Monserez adds 1,152 assists for the Gators, and Allie Gregory has 472 digs. As a team, Florida is hitting .289 and averages 13.46 kills per set.
ABOUT LOUISVILLE
Louisville enters the Regional Semifinal with a 21-9 overall record, and went 10-6 in league action. The Cardinals swept Samford in the First Round, and then beat No. 15 seed Western Kentucky in five sets to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. Aiko Jones leads the Cardinals in kills with 346, averaging 3.09 kills per set. Anna Stevenson has 135 blocks, and Tori Dilfer has 801 assists. Alexis Hamilton adds 441 digs for the Cardinals, as well as a team-best 29 aces. As a team, Louisville is hitting .223 and averages 12.67 kills per set.
ABOUT TEXAS
Texas received the overall No. 2 seed and enter the Regional Semifinal with a 23-3 overall record, and 15-1 in conference play. The Longhorns swept the Albany in the first round, and then defeated California Santa Barbara in five sets to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. Micaya White has a team-best 372 kills, averaging 4.00 kills per set. Brionne Butler leads the team in blocks with 89, followed by Asjia O'Neal and Skylar Fields with 88 and 87 respectively. Sydney Peterson offers up 316 digs, and Jhenna Gabriel has 966 assists. Logan Eggleston adds 48 aces for the Longhorns. As a team, Texas is hitting .325 and averages 13.87 kills per set.
ALL-TIME SERIES
The Gophers are 4-1 all-time against the Gators. The Gophers defeated Florida in their last meeting earlier this season.
Minnesota and Texas are knotted up at 5-5 in the all-time series. The Longhorns evened the all-time record with a 3-0 win earlier this year against the Gophers. Minnesota's last win over Texas came in Austin in 2017.
Minnesota is 5-4 all-time against Louisville, with the last meeting in 2017. The Gophers won that contest, 3-1, as a part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in Madison, Wis.
LAST TIME AGAINST FLORIDA
Minnesota opened its home slate at Maturi Pavilion with a 3-0 sweep over Florida. The Gophers and Gators played in a tight match, but Minnesota pulled out the victory with set scores of 25-20, 25-17 and 25-22. Minnesota outhit Florida .240 to .147 and tallied 44 kills. Stephanie Samedy led the Gophers and had a double-double with 16 kills and 12 digs and hit .343, along with a service ace. Kylie Miller registered 36 assists and an ace. She also had two kills of her own in three attempts. Adanna Rollins also contributed to the win with eight kills and two blocks assists and senior Alexis Hart added nine kills.
GOPHERS IN THE NCAA TOURNEY
The 2019 season marks the 24th year the Golden Gophers have advanced to the NCAA tournament. Minnesota has had a top 10 seed the past five seasons. The Gophers were the No. 2 seed in 2015, 2016 and 2018 and now the No. 7 seed in both 2017 and 2019. In all, Minnesota has been to five Final Fours, nine Sweet 16 berths and two Elite 8 appearances. With Minnesota's win over Fairfield last week, the Gophers moved to 23-1 all-time in NCAA first round appearances. With the win over Creighton, Minnesota is now 17-6 all time in the Second Round. Head coach Hugh McCutcheon remains undefeated in the First Round during his tenure at Minnesota with a record of 7-0. The Gophers are also 7-0 in the NCAA Second Round in McCutcheon's tenure.
FIVE-STRAIGHT REGIONAL APPEARANCE
Minnesota is advancing to its fifth-straight regional appearance and its 10th Regional Semifinal appearance in 11 years. After missing the tournament in 2014, Minnesota has now made an appearance in the NCAA Regional Semifinal the past five seasons. Under McCutcheon, the Gophers have gone to a Regional Semifinal in both 2012 and 2013, and now 2015-2019. Minnesota is 3-3 in the NCAA Regional Semfinal under McCutcheon, winning in 2012, 2015 and 2015. The Gophers fell in the Regional Semifinal in 2013, 2017 and 2018.
GOPHERS AND AVCA ALL-REGION HONORS
The American Volleyball Coaches Association has announced that the University of Minnesota volleyball program garnered six all-region honors. Alexis Hart, CC McGraw, Regan Pittman and Stephanie Samedy all were named AVCA All-North Region, while Taylor Morgan received honorable mention recognition. In addition, head coach Hugh McCutcheon was named North Region Coach of the Year. It marks Hart's fourth honor, Samedy's third, Pittman and Morgan's second and McGraw's first. McCutcheon added his fourth All-Region coach award, after his previous three came in 2013, 2015 and 2018.
The University of Minnesota advanced to the Austin Region in the NCAA Championship and takes on No. 10 seed Florida at 5:30 p.m., CT Friday. Louisville and Texas round out the region and play at 3 p.m. CT Friday. Winners of both the Regional Semifinal advance to the Regional Final Saturday at 7 p.m.
FOLLOW THE GOPHERS
Friday's Minnesota/Florida match will be streamed on ESPN3. Should the Gophers advance to the NCAA Regional, that match will be carried on ESPNU. A game day live page will also be available on gophersports.com.
LAST MATCH RECAP
Facing elimination in the NCAA tournament and reaching Creighton's match point, Minnesota came back in dramatic fashion to defeat the Bluejays, 3-2 at Maturi Pavilion. The Golden Gophers won the first set, 25-13, lost the second and third, 19-25, 15-25, fought off two match points and won the fourth, 26-24, and won the fifth, 15-10. Alexis Hart and Adanna Rollins led the Gophers in kills with 14 each. Hart also had four digs and three blocks, while Rollins had 11 digs and one ace. Stephanie Samedy had a team-best 19 digs, as well as seven kills, five blocks and one ace. Taylor Morgan posted nine blocks and four kills. Regan Pittman had six blocks, three kills, one dig and one ace. Kylie Miller added 38 assists for the Gophers, as well as 11 digs and two aces. CC McGraw had 15 digs and one ace, and Rachel Kilkelly added eight digs.
ABOUT FLORIDA
Florida enters the NCAA Regional Semifinal with a 27-4 overall record, and went 16-2 in conference play. The Gators received the No. 10 and swept Alabama State and Central Florida to get into the Sweet Sixteen. Thayer Hall leads the team in kills with 399, averaging 3.76 kills per set. Lauren Dooley offers up 102 blocks, and Paige Hammons has a team-best 41 aces. Marlie Monserez adds 1,152 assists for the Gators, and Allie Gregory has 472 digs. As a team, Florida is hitting .289 and averages 13.46 kills per set.
ABOUT LOUISVILLE
Louisville enters the Regional Semifinal with a 21-9 overall record, and went 10-6 in league action. The Cardinals swept Samford in the First Round, and then beat No. 15 seed Western Kentucky in five sets to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. Aiko Jones leads the Cardinals in kills with 346, averaging 3.09 kills per set. Anna Stevenson has 135 blocks, and Tori Dilfer has 801 assists. Alexis Hamilton adds 441 digs for the Cardinals, as well as a team-best 29 aces. As a team, Louisville is hitting .223 and averages 12.67 kills per set.
ABOUT TEXAS
Texas received the overall No. 2 seed and enter the Regional Semifinal with a 23-3 overall record, and 15-1 in conference play. The Longhorns swept the Albany in the first round, and then defeated California Santa Barbara in five sets to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. Micaya White has a team-best 372 kills, averaging 4.00 kills per set. Brionne Butler leads the team in blocks with 89, followed by Asjia O'Neal and Skylar Fields with 88 and 87 respectively. Sydney Peterson offers up 316 digs, and Jhenna Gabriel has 966 assists. Logan Eggleston adds 48 aces for the Longhorns. As a team, Texas is hitting .325 and averages 13.87 kills per set.
ALL-TIME SERIES
The Gophers are 4-1 all-time against the Gators. The Gophers defeated Florida in their last meeting earlier this season.
Minnesota and Texas are knotted up at 5-5 in the all-time series. The Longhorns evened the all-time record with a 3-0 win earlier this year against the Gophers. Minnesota's last win over Texas came in Austin in 2017.
Minnesota is 5-4 all-time against Louisville, with the last meeting in 2017. The Gophers won that contest, 3-1, as a part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in Madison, Wis.
LAST TIME AGAINST FLORIDA
Minnesota opened its home slate at Maturi Pavilion with a 3-0 sweep over Florida. The Gophers and Gators played in a tight match, but Minnesota pulled out the victory with set scores of 25-20, 25-17 and 25-22. Minnesota outhit Florida .240 to .147 and tallied 44 kills. Stephanie Samedy led the Gophers and had a double-double with 16 kills and 12 digs and hit .343, along with a service ace. Kylie Miller registered 36 assists and an ace. She also had two kills of her own in three attempts. Adanna Rollins also contributed to the win with eight kills and two blocks assists and senior Alexis Hart added nine kills.
GOPHERS IN THE NCAA TOURNEY
The 2019 season marks the 24th year the Golden Gophers have advanced to the NCAA tournament. Minnesota has had a top 10 seed the past five seasons. The Gophers were the No. 2 seed in 2015, 2016 and 2018 and now the No. 7 seed in both 2017 and 2019. In all, Minnesota has been to five Final Fours, nine Sweet 16 berths and two Elite 8 appearances. With Minnesota's win over Fairfield last week, the Gophers moved to 23-1 all-time in NCAA first round appearances. With the win over Creighton, Minnesota is now 17-6 all time in the Second Round. Head coach Hugh McCutcheon remains undefeated in the First Round during his tenure at Minnesota with a record of 7-0. The Gophers are also 7-0 in the NCAA Second Round in McCutcheon's tenure.
FIVE-STRAIGHT REGIONAL APPEARANCE
Minnesota is advancing to its fifth-straight regional appearance and its 10th Regional Semifinal appearance in 11 years. After missing the tournament in 2014, Minnesota has now made an appearance in the NCAA Regional Semifinal the past five seasons. Under McCutcheon, the Gophers have gone to a Regional Semifinal in both 2012 and 2013, and now 2015-2019. Minnesota is 3-3 in the NCAA Regional Semfinal under McCutcheon, winning in 2012, 2015 and 2015. The Gophers fell in the Regional Semifinal in 2013, 2017 and 2018.
GOPHERS AND AVCA ALL-REGION HONORS
The American Volleyball Coaches Association has announced that the University of Minnesota volleyball program garnered six all-region honors. Alexis Hart, CC McGraw, Regan Pittman and Stephanie Samedy all were named AVCA All-North Region, while Taylor Morgan received honorable mention recognition. In addition, head coach Hugh McCutcheon was named North Region Coach of the Year. It marks Hart's fourth honor, Samedy's third, Pittman and Morgan's second and McGraw's first. McCutcheon added his fourth All-Region coach award, after his previous three came in 2013, 2015 and 2018.
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