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Gophers Ranked No. 7 in AVCA Preseason Poll
1/5/2021 2:39:00 PM | Volleyball
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota volleyball program enters the 2021 season as the seventh-ranked team in the nation, as announced today by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
It marks the fifth-consecutive season and 107th time in program history in which the Gophers have garnered a top-10 national ranking in the AVCA preseason poll.
In all, six Big Ten teams are ranked in the top-25 with Minnesota facing the other five in the 2021 spring season: No. 13 Purdue (Feb. 5-6), No. 9 Penn State (Feb. 13-14), No. 5 Nebraska (Feb. 19, Feb. 21), No. 24 Michigan (Feb. 26-27) and No. 1 Wisconsin (March 17, March 21).
Last year, Minnesota advanced to the Final Four, finishing the year with a 27-6 overall record and a 17-3 mark in conference play. The Golden Gophers return four starters from the 2019 Final Four team: redshirt senior middle blocker Regan Pittman, senior opposite hitter Stephanie Samedy, junior libero CC McGraw and junior outsider hitter Adanna Rollins. The Gophers also welcome five newcomers to the 2021 roster, including three freshmen and two transfers.
The Maroon & Gold officially open the 2021 campaign with a pair of home contests against Michigan State on Jan. 23 and 24. Their first road game will come the following weekend, as the Gophers travel to Maryland for two games from Jan. 29-30.
It marks the fifth-consecutive season and 107th time in program history in which the Gophers have garnered a top-10 national ranking in the AVCA preseason poll.
In all, six Big Ten teams are ranked in the top-25 with Minnesota facing the other five in the 2021 spring season: No. 13 Purdue (Feb. 5-6), No. 9 Penn State (Feb. 13-14), No. 5 Nebraska (Feb. 19, Feb. 21), No. 24 Michigan (Feb. 26-27) and No. 1 Wisconsin (March 17, March 21).
Last year, Minnesota advanced to the Final Four, finishing the year with a 27-6 overall record and a 17-3 mark in conference play. The Golden Gophers return four starters from the 2019 Final Four team: redshirt senior middle blocker Regan Pittman, senior opposite hitter Stephanie Samedy, junior libero CC McGraw and junior outsider hitter Adanna Rollins. The Gophers also welcome five newcomers to the 2021 roster, including three freshmen and two transfers.
The Maroon & Gold officially open the 2021 campaign with a pair of home contests against Michigan State on Jan. 23 and 24. Their first road game will come the following weekend, as the Gophers travel to Maryland for two games from Jan. 29-30.
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