Samedy Named B1G Player of the Year; Six Gophers Garner Big Ten Honors

After an outstanding 2021 spring season, senior opposite hitter Stephanie Samedy has been named the Big Ten Player of the Year, announced today by the conference office.

Samedy, along with Regan Pittman and Taylor Landfair, landed spots on the First Team All-Big Ten team. Adanna Rollins was named Second Team All-Big Ten, while Landfair and Melani Shaffmaster were named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Bayley McMenimen garnered Minnesota's Sportsmanship Award.

Samedy finished the regular season averaging a league-best 4.11 kills per set and 4.63 points per set. Hailing from Clermont, Fla., Samedy had a team-best 259 kills and hit .278 in 668 attempts. In 17 matches this year with the Gophers, she led the Minnesota offensive charge in nine matches and produced 20-plus kills in four this season. Samedy had seven double doubles, including a 28-kill, 26 dig performance against Purdue. She became the first person since 2011 to accumulate 20-plus kills and 20-plus digs in a single match. Named an AVCA National Player of the Week and a two-time Big Ten Player of the Week, Samedy also averaged 0.75 blocks per set and 2.51 digs per set. With her First Team All-Big Ten honors this season, Samedy is now a four-time All-Big Ten selection. It marks Samedy's first-ever player of the Year and Minnesota's seventh in school history. Of the seven, four have come under head coach Hugh McCutcheon.

Pittman received unanimous First Team All-Big Ten honors after a stellar redshirt senior season. A Spring Hill, Kan., native, Pittman averaged 1.62 kills per set and 1.40 blocks per set this season. Playing in all 63 sets, Pittman had 102 kills and 88 total blocks. She also served up a team-best 22 aces this year. Named a Defensive Player of the Week once this season, Pittman had two matches where she held double-digit blocks (Nebraska and Illinois). Against the Huskers, she tied a career-high 14 blocks in a single match.

Landfair is a true freshman from Plainfield, Ill., and averaged 3.00 kills per set this year. The rookie led the Gophers in match kills five times this year and held double-digit kills in 11 times. The three-rotation outside hitter also averaged 0.53 blocks per set and had eight aces, including five the last regular series of the year. Her 186 kills this season ranked second on the team. She was named a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree this season.

Rollins is a six-rotation junior outside hitter from Carrollton, Texas. Rollins ranked third on the team with 158 kills as she averaged 2.63 per set. She also accumulated 171 digs, 2.85 per set, and also averaged 0.57 blocks per set. On the year, Rollins has played in 60 of 63 sets this season and also had 11 aces. Rollins led the Gophers in kills once this season and holds the Gophers' most efficient hitting match of the year at .519 (15-1-27) against Michigan State.

Shaffmaster is a true freshman setter running a 5-1 offense for the Gophers. From New Castle, Ind., Shaffmaster averaged 9.61 assists per set. Providing double doubles in eight matches this season, she also averaged 2.86 digs per set. Along with her setting ability, Shaffmaster also had 53 kills and 36 blocks during the regular season. She was a two-time Big Ten Setter of the Week and also garnered Freshman of the Week honors once this year.

Minnesota opens postseason play on Thursday, April 15 and will play the winner of Georgia Tech/Lipscomb at 6 p.m., on ESPN3 (stream).

FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Taylor Kuper, Jr., L, Illinois
Courtney Buzzerio, Jr., S/RS, Iowa
Erika Pritchard, Sr., OH, Maryland
Taylor Landfair, Fr., OH, Minnesota
REGAN PITTMAN, Sr., MB, MINNESOTA
STEPHANIE SAMEDY, Sr., OPP, MINNESOTA
Nicklin Hames, Jr., S, Nebraska
LAUREN STIVRINS, Sr., MB, NEBRASKA
LEXI SUN, Sr., OH, NEBRASKA
Temi Thomas Ailara, So., OPP, Northwestern
EMILY LONDOT, Fr., RS, OHIO STATE
Mac Podraza, So., S, Ohio State
Kaitlyn Hord, Jr., MH, Penn State
Hayley Bush, Jr., S, Purdue
Grace Cleveland, Jr., OH, Purdue
Caitlyn Newton, Sr., OH, Purdue
Jena Otec, Sr., L, Purdue
Inna Balyko, Jr., S, Rutgers
SYDNEY HILLEY, Sr., S, WISCONSIN
Grace Loberg, Sr., OH, Wisconsin
DANA RETTKE, Sr., MB, WISCONSIN
Devyn Robinson, Fr., RS, Wisconsin

ALL CAPS denotes unanimous selection
Additional members named to team due to ties

SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Megan Cooney, Sr., OH, Illinois
Adanna Rollins, Jr., OH, Minnesota
Vanja Bukilic, Jr., OH, Ohio State
Kylie Murr, So., L, Ohio State
Rylee Rader, Fr., MB, Ohio State
Gabby Blossom, Jr., S, Penn State
Jonni Parker, Jr., RS, Penn State
Lauren Barnes, Sr., L, Wisconsin
Molly Haggerty, Sr., OH, Wisconsin
Danielle Hart, Sr., MB, Wisconsin

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Jess Mruzik, OH, Michigan
Taylor Landfair, OH, Minnesota
Melani Shaffmaster, S, Minnesota
Emily Londot, RS, Ohio State
Rylee Rader, MB, Ohio State
Taylor Trammell, MB, Purdue
Devyn Robinson, RS, Wisconsin

Player of the Year: Stephanie Samedy, Sr., Minnesota
Defensive Player of the Year: Jena Otec, Sr., Purdue
Setter of the Year: Sydney Hilley, Sr., Wisconsin
Freshman of the Year: Emily Londot, Ohio State
Coach of the Year (Coaches & Media): Jen Flynn Oldenburg, Ohio State

SPORTSMANSHIP HONOREES
Sophie Gregus, Illinois
Leyla Blackwell, Indiana
Edina Schmidt, Iowa
Chloe Prejean, Maryland
Maddie Dowd, Michigan
Alyssa Chronowski, Michigan State
Bayley McMenimen, Minnesota
Hayley Densberger, Nebraska
Ivey Whalen, Northwestern
Lauren Witte, Ohio State
Jenna Hampton, Penn State
Marissa Hornung, Purdue
Kamila Cieslik, Rutgers
Nicole Shanahan, Wisconsin

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Players Mentioned

Taylor Landfair

Bayley McMenimen

Regan Pittman

Adanna Rollins

Stephanie Samedy

Melani Shaffmaster