University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, August 30
Chapel Hill, NC
5:30 PM
University of Minnesota
at
North Carolina
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Photo by: Eric Miller
Gophers Open Season at ACC/Big Ten Challenge
8/27/2019 4:22:00 PM | Volleyball
GOPHERS READY TO START THE SEASON
The University of Minnesota is set to start the season, Aug. 30-31 at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in Chapel Hill, N.C. Minnesota takes on host North Carolina, Aug. 30 at 5:30 p.m. CT, followed by Florida State, Sat., Aug. 31 at 2:30 p.m. CT.
FOLLOW THE GOPHERS
Both matches will be streamed on the ACC Network Extra. Game Day Live pages will also be located on gophersports.com.
PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN
The University of Minnesota had three representatives selected to the 2019 Preaseason All-Big Ten team, announced Monday by the Big Ten Conference. Alexis Hart, Taylor Morgan and Stephanie Samedy were three of 14 members selected. It marks the third honor for Hart, the second of Samedy and the first for Morgan. In addition, Minnesota was picked to finish third in the Big Ten Preseason poll, voted on by the league coaches.
Hart was an All-America honorable mention last season and a Second Team All-Big Ten. Hailing from Kansas City, Mo., Hart was also an AVCA All-North Region honoree last season. She ranked second on the team with 296 kills and averaged 3.02 kills per set.
Morgan was an All-America honorable mention and a Second Team All-Big Ten selection In her first year as a starter, the Blaine, Minn., native had 249 kills, averaged 2.42 kills per set, and 113 blocks. She also hit .379 and average 1.10 blocks per set last season.
Samedy earned her second First Team All-America last year. A First Team All-Big Ten selection, the Clermont, Fl., native led the team with 359 kills and averaged 3.49 kills per set in 921 attempts. She also ranked second on the team in digs and third in blocks per set at 0.82.
ABOUT FLORIDA STATE
Florida State went 19-10 last year and 15-3 in the ACC last season. The ACC coaches picked FSU to finish second in the preseason coaches poll, while junior Taryn Knuth and senior Payton Caffrey were named to the 2019 Preseason All-ACC Team. It is the second year in a row that both Knuth and Caffrey have earned preseason accolades from the conference. Caffrey established a team-best 476 kills in 2018 and 25 aces, while Knuth added 264 kills and a team-best 1.72 blocks per set.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina went 8-19 overall in 2018 and 4-14 in conference play. With 12 returners and six newcomers, North Carolina was tabbed fifth in the preseason Atlantic Coast Conference poll. As a freshman last year, Destiny Cox led the Tar Heels with 290 kills and 3.19 kills per set. Libero Mia Fradenburg led the Tar Heels with 359 digs and 19 aces as a junior last season.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Minnesota is 10-1 all time against the North Carolina Tar Heels. Minnesota played North Carolina last season and won, 3-1, at Target Center in Minneapolis. The Gophers rallied from a 19-22 deficit in the fourth set to win, 25-23 to take the match, 3-1. Stephanie Samedy had a team-best 20 kills.
The Gophers are 11-5 against Florida State, all time, with the last appearance against the Seminoles in 2018. Minnesota opened last year's campaign against FSU and won, 3-0. Samedy had a team-best 14 kills in the win.
GOPHERS RANKED THIRD in AVCA PRESEASON POLL
Minnesota volleyball enters the 2019 campaign as the third-ranked team in the nation, released earlier this month by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). In all, seven Big Ten Conference teams are ranked in the preseason top 25. Nebraska holds the No. 2 spot, while Minnesota is followed by Wisconsin (5), Illinois (6), Penn State (8), Michigan (15) and Purdue (17).
ACC/BIG TEN CHALLENGE HISTORY
The 2019 season marks the sixth year of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, dating back to the 2014 season. Minnesota hosted the first tournament in 2014, and again last year. Louisville was a part of the initial tournament and hosted in 2015, while North Carolina followed in 2016 and Wisconsin in 2017. Minnesota and Wisconsin have participated in the event the previous five years. Notre Dame competed in the 2014 tournament, while North Carolina took its place the following three. Florida State joined the event last season. Since its inception, Minnesota has gone 9-1, as it dropped one match to Louisville in 2014.
The University of Minnesota is set to start the season, Aug. 30-31 at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in Chapel Hill, N.C. Minnesota takes on host North Carolina, Aug. 30 at 5:30 p.m. CT, followed by Florida State, Sat., Aug. 31 at 2:30 p.m. CT.
FOLLOW THE GOPHERS
Both matches will be streamed on the ACC Network Extra. Game Day Live pages will also be located on gophersports.com.
Check out what Hugh McCutcheon had to say out at the Minnesota State Fair! pic.twitter.com/cB2Pv9nozG
— Minnesota Volleyball (@GopherVBall) August 26, 2019
PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN
The University of Minnesota had three representatives selected to the 2019 Preaseason All-Big Ten team, announced Monday by the Big Ten Conference. Alexis Hart, Taylor Morgan and Stephanie Samedy were three of 14 members selected. It marks the third honor for Hart, the second of Samedy and the first for Morgan. In addition, Minnesota was picked to finish third in the Big Ten Preseason poll, voted on by the league coaches.
Hart was an All-America honorable mention last season and a Second Team All-Big Ten. Hailing from Kansas City, Mo., Hart was also an AVCA All-North Region honoree last season. She ranked second on the team with 296 kills and averaged 3.02 kills per set.
Morgan was an All-America honorable mention and a Second Team All-Big Ten selection In her first year as a starter, the Blaine, Minn., native had 249 kills, averaged 2.42 kills per set, and 113 blocks. She also hit .379 and average 1.10 blocks per set last season.
Samedy earned her second First Team All-America last year. A First Team All-Big Ten selection, the Clermont, Fl., native led the team with 359 kills and averaged 3.49 kills per set in 921 attempts. She also ranked second on the team in digs and third in blocks per set at 0.82.
ABOUT FLORIDA STATE
Florida State went 19-10 last year and 15-3 in the ACC last season. The ACC coaches picked FSU to finish second in the preseason coaches poll, while junior Taryn Knuth and senior Payton Caffrey were named to the 2019 Preseason All-ACC Team. It is the second year in a row that both Knuth and Caffrey have earned preseason accolades from the conference. Caffrey established a team-best 476 kills in 2018 and 25 aces, while Knuth added 264 kills and a team-best 1.72 blocks per set.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina went 8-19 overall in 2018 and 4-14 in conference play. With 12 returners and six newcomers, North Carolina was tabbed fifth in the preseason Atlantic Coast Conference poll. As a freshman last year, Destiny Cox led the Tar Heels with 290 kills and 3.19 kills per set. Libero Mia Fradenburg led the Tar Heels with 359 digs and 19 aces as a junior last season.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Minnesota is 10-1 all time against the North Carolina Tar Heels. Minnesota played North Carolina last season and won, 3-1, at Target Center in Minneapolis. The Gophers rallied from a 19-22 deficit in the fourth set to win, 25-23 to take the match, 3-1. Stephanie Samedy had a team-best 20 kills.
The Gophers are 11-5 against Florida State, all time, with the last appearance against the Seminoles in 2018. Minnesota opened last year's campaign against FSU and won, 3-0. Samedy had a team-best 14 kills in the win.
GOPHERS RANKED THIRD in AVCA PRESEASON POLL
Minnesota volleyball enters the 2019 campaign as the third-ranked team in the nation, released earlier this month by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). In all, seven Big Ten Conference teams are ranked in the preseason top 25. Nebraska holds the No. 2 spot, while Minnesota is followed by Wisconsin (5), Illinois (6), Penn State (8), Michigan (15) and Purdue (17).
ACC/BIG TEN CHALLENGE HISTORY
The 2019 season marks the sixth year of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, dating back to the 2014 season. Minnesota hosted the first tournament in 2014, and again last year. Louisville was a part of the initial tournament and hosted in 2015, while North Carolina followed in 2016 and Wisconsin in 2017. Minnesota and Wisconsin have participated in the event the previous five years. Notre Dame competed in the 2014 tournament, while North Carolina took its place the following three. Florida State joined the event last season. Since its inception, Minnesota has gone 9-1, as it dropped one match to Louisville in 2014.
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