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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Samedy, Landfair Named Regional Player and Freshman of the Year; Six Gophers Garner All-Region Honors
4/13/2021 9:23:00 AM | Volleyball
Just one week after being named Big Ten Player of the Year, senior opposite hitter Stephanie Samedy has been named North Region Player of the Year, announced today by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
In addition, Taylor Landfair was named AVCA North Region Freshman of the Year. Samedy and Landfair joined Regan Pittan, Adanna Rollins, CC McGraw and Melani Shaffmaster as All-North Region selections. With the six Gophers receiving all-region honors, they will be in contention for All-America honors. That announcement comes in conjunction with the NCAA Championship, April 22-24.
Samedy, from Clermont, Fla., held a Big Ten-best 4.11 kills per set this past season. Named the Big Ten Player of the Year, Samedy enters the NCAA tournament with 259 kills. In 17 matches this season, she led the Minnesota offensive charge in nine matches and produced 20-plus kills in four this season. Named a two-time Big Ten Player of the Week and an AVCA National Player of the Week once, Samedy averaged 0.75 blocks per set and 2.51 digs per set. It marks Samedy's fourth all-region honors of her career.
Landfair, a freshman outside for Plainfield, Ill., averaged 3.00 kills per set and ranked second on the team in kills at 186. Named a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week, Landfair landed a spot on both the First Team All-Big Ten and Freshman All-Big Ten team last week. It marks her first collegiate AVCA award of her career.
McGraw is a libero from Prior Lake, Minn. Seeing action in 38 sets this season, McGraw averaged 4.39 digs per set before an injury sidelined her the last three weeks of the regular season. McGraw also has 47 assists and 14 aces this year. It is the second straight year McGraw has been named an all-region.
Pittman is a redshirt senior middle blocker from Spring Hill, Kan. Named a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten, Pittman averaged 1.62 kills per set in the regular season and 1.40 blocks per set in the regular season. She also held a team-best 22 aces. Playing in all 63 sets, Pittman had 102 kills and 88 total blocks and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week once this season. A three-time All-Big Ten selection, Pittman is also a three-time AVCA All-Region and All-America honoree.
Rollins hails from Carrollton, Texas and is a six-rotation outside hitter for the Gophers. She ranks third on the team in kills (158) and kills per set (2.63) and was named Second-Team All-Big Ten. In the back row, Rollins also averages 2.63 digs per set and has accumulated 171 digs. On the year, Rollins has played in 60 of 63 sets this season and also had 11 aces. It marks Rollins' second all-region honor of her Gopher career.
A native of New Castle, Ind., Shaffmaster is a true freshman setter. In her rookie season, she averaged 9.61 assists per set. Providing double doubles in eight matches this season, she also averaged 2.86 digs per set. She was a two-time Big Ten Setter of the Week and also garnered Freshman of the Week honors once this year. She garnered a spot on the Freshman All-Big Ten team. This is Shaffmaster's first-ever AVCA collegiate award.
In addition, Taylor Landfair was named AVCA North Region Freshman of the Year. Samedy and Landfair joined Regan Pittan, Adanna Rollins, CC McGraw and Melani Shaffmaster as All-North Region selections. With the six Gophers receiving all-region honors, they will be in contention for All-America honors. That announcement comes in conjunction with the NCAA Championship, April 22-24.
Samedy, from Clermont, Fla., held a Big Ten-best 4.11 kills per set this past season. Named the Big Ten Player of the Year, Samedy enters the NCAA tournament with 259 kills. In 17 matches this season, she led the Minnesota offensive charge in nine matches and produced 20-plus kills in four this season. Named a two-time Big Ten Player of the Week and an AVCA National Player of the Week once, Samedy averaged 0.75 blocks per set and 2.51 digs per set. It marks Samedy's fourth all-region honors of her career.
Landfair, a freshman outside for Plainfield, Ill., averaged 3.00 kills per set and ranked second on the team in kills at 186. Named a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week, Landfair landed a spot on both the First Team All-Big Ten and Freshman All-Big Ten team last week. It marks her first collegiate AVCA award of her career.
McGraw is a libero from Prior Lake, Minn. Seeing action in 38 sets this season, McGraw averaged 4.39 digs per set before an injury sidelined her the last three weeks of the regular season. McGraw also has 47 assists and 14 aces this year. It is the second straight year McGraw has been named an all-region.
Pittman is a redshirt senior middle blocker from Spring Hill, Kan. Named a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten, Pittman averaged 1.62 kills per set in the regular season and 1.40 blocks per set in the regular season. She also held a team-best 22 aces. Playing in all 63 sets, Pittman had 102 kills and 88 total blocks and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week once this season. A three-time All-Big Ten selection, Pittman is also a three-time AVCA All-Region and All-America honoree.
Rollins hails from Carrollton, Texas and is a six-rotation outside hitter for the Gophers. She ranks third on the team in kills (158) and kills per set (2.63) and was named Second-Team All-Big Ten. In the back row, Rollins also averages 2.63 digs per set and has accumulated 171 digs. On the year, Rollins has played in 60 of 63 sets this season and also had 11 aces. It marks Rollins' second all-region honor of her Gopher career.
A native of New Castle, Ind., Shaffmaster is a true freshman setter. In her rookie season, she averaged 9.61 assists per set. Providing double doubles in eight matches this season, she also averaged 2.86 digs per set. She was a two-time Big Ten Setter of the Week and also garnered Freshman of the Week honors once this year. She garnered a spot on the Freshman All-Big Ten team. This is Shaffmaster's first-ever AVCA collegiate award.
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