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Taylor Landfair Named Big Ten Player of the Year
11/30/2022 11:00:00 AM | Volleyball
She's Minnesota's sixth winner in eight years
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota redshirt sophomore outside Taylor Landfair has been named the Big Ten Player of the Year, the conference office announced today. Landfair is the sixth Gopher in the last eight seasons to win the award.
Landfair, along with freshman middle Carter Booth and junior setter Melani Shaffmaster, earned First Team All-Big Ten honors. Graduate libero CC McGraw earned her third all-league honor, making the second team. McGraw also garnered Minnesota's Sportsmanship Award. Booth joined fellow rookie Mckenna Wucherer on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
A Plainfield, Ill., native, Landfair had a prolific third season on campus, leading the conference and ranking in the top-20 nationally in both points (4.99) and kills (4.43) per set. She posted 26 10+ kill matches, including 19 15+ kill matches and five 20+ kill matches. She posted a career-high 28 kills in a four-set win over Oregon on Sept. 9. She added three 10+ dig matches and had 10 games with three-or-more blocks. The sophomore sensation also hit .257 for the year. Landfair wins the player of the year award after appearing in just nine games last year, missing the other 23 games due to an ab injury.
It's the ninth time in program history that the Gophers have had the Big Ten Player of the Year. Of the nine, six have come under head coach Hugh McCutcheon. In addition to Samedy winning in 2020-21 and 2021, Samantha Seliger-Swenson took home the award in 2018, Sarah Wilhite won in 2016 and Daly Santana earned player of the year honors in 2015. Only Penn State (14) has had more Big Ten Player of the Year awards all-time than Minnesota.
Freshman middle blocker Carter Booth had one of the great rookie seasons in Minnesota history, leading the team and ranking sixth in the conference in blocks per set (1.41). She played in 26 games, posting 2.78 points and 2.00 kills per set while hitting a scorching .379. Her .379 hitting percentage ranks in the top-15 all-time for a single-season for a Minnesota player. She posted 121 blocks, including 13 solo blocks. She's just the fourth Gophers true freshmen in the past 16 years to post 100 blocks in her rookie season. A list that includes multiple-time All-Americans and Olympians Lauren Gibbemeyer (2007), Tori Dixon (2010) and Hannah Tapp (2014). Booth also made the Big Ten All-Freshman Team for her phenomenal freshman year.
Junior setter Melani Shaffmaster's improvement cannot be understated. After not receiving postseason honors last year, Shaffmaster took her game to another level in 2022. She posted 10.48 assists per set, a figure that ranked second in the Big Ten and 36th nationally. The 2020-21 Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection earned All-Big Ten First Team honors because of her sensational all-around play. She finished first in the Big Ten in double-doubles with 14 matches with 10+ assists and 10+ digs. The New Castle, Ind., native also posted 3+ blocks and 3+ kills 17 times each. She registered a team-best 27 service aces while ranking second on Minnesota with 2.75 digs per set. Her 0.80 blocks per set ranks fifth on the team and first among non-middle blockers.
Graduate libero CC McGraw caps off her illustrious career with her third career All-Big Ten honor. The Prior Lake, Minn., native led the team with 3.31 digs per set on her way to second team all-conference honors. McGraw led the team in digs in 17 of 28 matches, posting 10+ digs 18 different times in 2022. She currently ranks No. 3 all-time at Minnesota with 1,886 digs, and can finish second if she can average 13.67 digs per match throughout the team's next three games. CC also tied for first on the team with 27 service aces while ranking second in assists with 0.84 per set. McGraw's reception percentage of .931 was second highest on Minnesota among players with more than 350 chances.
Brookfield, Wis., native and No. 1 overall 2022 recruit Mckenna Wucherer finishes off a solid rookie campaign with Big Ten All-Freshman Team accolades. Wucherer averaged 2.79 kills per set, a figure that ranked second on the team behind only Taylor Landfair. She posted 10 10+ kill matches and hit .235 for the season. Wucherer also added 0.69 digs and 0.59 blocks per set, while her 3.10 points per set ranks second among all Gophers. Mckenna tallied a career-high 16 kills in a four-set win over a top-15 ranked Purdue team on Oct. 22 at the Pav. She also had 15 kills at Wisconsin on Oct. 29.
Minnesota opens postseason play on Friday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. Central time against SE Louisiana. The Gophers would play the winner of No. 7 Florida State and Northern Iowa in the second round on Saturday at 7 p.m. CT if they're able to get past SEL.
GOPHERS TO WIN BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
1983: Martie Larsen
2000: Nicole Branagh
2003: Cassie Busse
2015: Daly Santana
2016: Sarah Wilhite
2018: Samantha Seliger-Swenson
2020-21: Stephanie Samedy
2021: Stephanie Samedy
2022: Taylor Landfair
BIG TEN PLAYERS OF THE YEAR BY SCHOOL (SINCE 1983):
Penn State: 14
Minnesota: 9
Ohio State: 6
Wisconsin: 5
Illinois: 4
Purdue: 3
Nebraska: 1
Player of the Year: Taylor Landfair, RS-So., OH, Minnesota
Defensive Player of the Year: Kylie Murr, Sr., L, Ohio State
Setter of the Year: Mac Podraza, Sr., Ohio State
Freshman of the Year: Eva Hudson, OH, Purdue
Coach of the Year (Coaches & Media): Kelly Sheffield, Wisconsin
FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
RAINA TERRY, Jr., OH, Illinois
Camryn Haworth, So., S, Indiana
Jess Mruzik, Jr., OH, Michigan
Carter Booth, Fr., MB, Minnesota
TAYLOR LANDFAIR, RS-So., OH, Minnesota
Melani Shaffmaster, Jr., S, Minnesota
MADI KUBIK, Sr., OH, Nebraska
LEXI RODRIGUEZ, So., L, Nebraska
TEMI THOMAS-AILARA, Sr., OH, Northwestern
EMILY LONDOT, Jr., OPP, Ohio State
Kylie Murr, Sr., L, Ohio State
MAC PODRAZA, Sr., S, Ohio State
Allie Holland, Jr., MB, Penn State
Kashauna Williams, Sr., OH, Penn State
Eva Hudson, Fr., OH, Purdue
DANIELLE HART, Sr., MB, Wisconsin
SARAH FRANKLIN, Jr., OH, Wisconsin
DEVYN ROBINSON, Jr., RS, Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Rainelle Jones, Grad., MB, Maryland
Anastasia Russ, RS-Jr., MB, Maryland
Hannah Grant, Jr., L, Michigan
CC McGraw, Grad., L, Minnesota
Bekka Allick, Fr., MB, Nebraska
Kaitlyn Hord, Sr., MB, Nebraska
Gabby Gonzales, Sr., OH, Ohio State
Rylee Rader, Jr., MB, Ohio State
Seleisa Elisaia, Sr., S, Penn State
Raven Colvin, So., MB, Purdue
Maddie Schermerhorn, Sr., L, Purdue
Julia Orzoł, So., OH, Wisconsin
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Brooke Mosher, OH/OPP, Illinois
Carter Booth, MB, Minnesota
Mckenna Wucherer, OH, Minnesota
BEKKA ALLICK, MB, Nebraska
Katelyn Randorf, OPP, Northwestern
Alexa Markley, OH, Penn State
EVA HUDSON, OH, Purdue
SPORTSMANSHIP HONOREES
Diana Brown, RS-Sr., S, Illinois
Grae Gosnell, Jr., OH, Indiana
Bailey Ortega, Jr., S, Iowa
Lexy Finnerty, Sr., DS, Maryland
Maddie Dowd, Sr., S, Michigan
Zoe Nunez, Grad., S, Michigan State
CC McGraw, Grad., L, Minnesota
Anni Evans, Jr., S, Nebraska
Grace Reininga, Jr., L, Northwestern
Mia Grunze, RS-Sr., Ohio State
Katie Clark, Grad., MB/RS, Penn State
Maddie Schermerhorn, Sr., L, Purdue
Madyson Chitty, Jr., L/DS, Rutgers
Anna MacDonald, Sr., L/DS, Wisconsin
ALL CAPS indicates unanimous selections
Landfair, along with freshman middle Carter Booth and junior setter Melani Shaffmaster, earned First Team All-Big Ten honors. Graduate libero CC McGraw earned her third all-league honor, making the second team. McGraw also garnered Minnesota's Sportsmanship Award. Booth joined fellow rookie Mckenna Wucherer on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
A Plainfield, Ill., native, Landfair had a prolific third season on campus, leading the conference and ranking in the top-20 nationally in both points (4.99) and kills (4.43) per set. She posted 26 10+ kill matches, including 19 15+ kill matches and five 20+ kill matches. She posted a career-high 28 kills in a four-set win over Oregon on Sept. 9. She added three 10+ dig matches and had 10 games with three-or-more blocks. The sophomore sensation also hit .257 for the year. Landfair wins the player of the year award after appearing in just nine games last year, missing the other 23 games due to an ab injury.
It's the ninth time in program history that the Gophers have had the Big Ten Player of the Year. Of the nine, six have come under head coach Hugh McCutcheon. In addition to Samedy winning in 2020-21 and 2021, Samantha Seliger-Swenson took home the award in 2018, Sarah Wilhite won in 2016 and Daly Santana earned player of the year honors in 2015. Only Penn State (14) has had more Big Ten Player of the Year awards all-time than Minnesota.
Freshman middle blocker Carter Booth had one of the great rookie seasons in Minnesota history, leading the team and ranking sixth in the conference in blocks per set (1.41). She played in 26 games, posting 2.78 points and 2.00 kills per set while hitting a scorching .379. Her .379 hitting percentage ranks in the top-15 all-time for a single-season for a Minnesota player. She posted 121 blocks, including 13 solo blocks. She's just the fourth Gophers true freshmen in the past 16 years to post 100 blocks in her rookie season. A list that includes multiple-time All-Americans and Olympians Lauren Gibbemeyer (2007), Tori Dixon (2010) and Hannah Tapp (2014). Booth also made the Big Ten All-Freshman Team for her phenomenal freshman year.
Junior setter Melani Shaffmaster's improvement cannot be understated. After not receiving postseason honors last year, Shaffmaster took her game to another level in 2022. She posted 10.48 assists per set, a figure that ranked second in the Big Ten and 36th nationally. The 2020-21 Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection earned All-Big Ten First Team honors because of her sensational all-around play. She finished first in the Big Ten in double-doubles with 14 matches with 10+ assists and 10+ digs. The New Castle, Ind., native also posted 3+ blocks and 3+ kills 17 times each. She registered a team-best 27 service aces while ranking second on Minnesota with 2.75 digs per set. Her 0.80 blocks per set ranks fifth on the team and first among non-middle blockers.
Graduate libero CC McGraw caps off her illustrious career with her third career All-Big Ten honor. The Prior Lake, Minn., native led the team with 3.31 digs per set on her way to second team all-conference honors. McGraw led the team in digs in 17 of 28 matches, posting 10+ digs 18 different times in 2022. She currently ranks No. 3 all-time at Minnesota with 1,886 digs, and can finish second if she can average 13.67 digs per match throughout the team's next three games. CC also tied for first on the team with 27 service aces while ranking second in assists with 0.84 per set. McGraw's reception percentage of .931 was second highest on Minnesota among players with more than 350 chances.
Brookfield, Wis., native and No. 1 overall 2022 recruit Mckenna Wucherer finishes off a solid rookie campaign with Big Ten All-Freshman Team accolades. Wucherer averaged 2.79 kills per set, a figure that ranked second on the team behind only Taylor Landfair. She posted 10 10+ kill matches and hit .235 for the season. Wucherer also added 0.69 digs and 0.59 blocks per set, while her 3.10 points per set ranks second among all Gophers. Mckenna tallied a career-high 16 kills in a four-set win over a top-15 ranked Purdue team on Oct. 22 at the Pav. She also had 15 kills at Wisconsin on Oct. 29.
Minnesota opens postseason play on Friday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. Central time against SE Louisiana. The Gophers would play the winner of No. 7 Florida State and Northern Iowa in the second round on Saturday at 7 p.m. CT if they're able to get past SEL.
GOPHERS TO WIN BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
1983: Martie Larsen
2000: Nicole Branagh
2003: Cassie Busse
2015: Daly Santana
2016: Sarah Wilhite
2018: Samantha Seliger-Swenson
2020-21: Stephanie Samedy
2021: Stephanie Samedy
2022: Taylor Landfair
BIG TEN PLAYERS OF THE YEAR BY SCHOOL (SINCE 1983):
Penn State: 14
Minnesota: 9
Ohio State: 6
Wisconsin: 5
Illinois: 4
Purdue: 3
Nebraska: 1
Player of the Year: Taylor Landfair, RS-So., OH, Minnesota
Defensive Player of the Year: Kylie Murr, Sr., L, Ohio State
Setter of the Year: Mac Podraza, Sr., Ohio State
Freshman of the Year: Eva Hudson, OH, Purdue
Coach of the Year (Coaches & Media): Kelly Sheffield, Wisconsin
FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
RAINA TERRY, Jr., OH, Illinois
Camryn Haworth, So., S, Indiana
Jess Mruzik, Jr., OH, Michigan
Carter Booth, Fr., MB, Minnesota
TAYLOR LANDFAIR, RS-So., OH, Minnesota
Melani Shaffmaster, Jr., S, Minnesota
MADI KUBIK, Sr., OH, Nebraska
LEXI RODRIGUEZ, So., L, Nebraska
TEMI THOMAS-AILARA, Sr., OH, Northwestern
EMILY LONDOT, Jr., OPP, Ohio State
Kylie Murr, Sr., L, Ohio State
MAC PODRAZA, Sr., S, Ohio State
Allie Holland, Jr., MB, Penn State
Kashauna Williams, Sr., OH, Penn State
Eva Hudson, Fr., OH, Purdue
DANIELLE HART, Sr., MB, Wisconsin
SARAH FRANKLIN, Jr., OH, Wisconsin
DEVYN ROBINSON, Jr., RS, Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Rainelle Jones, Grad., MB, Maryland
Anastasia Russ, RS-Jr., MB, Maryland
Hannah Grant, Jr., L, Michigan
CC McGraw, Grad., L, Minnesota
Bekka Allick, Fr., MB, Nebraska
Kaitlyn Hord, Sr., MB, Nebraska
Gabby Gonzales, Sr., OH, Ohio State
Rylee Rader, Jr., MB, Ohio State
Seleisa Elisaia, Sr., S, Penn State
Raven Colvin, So., MB, Purdue
Maddie Schermerhorn, Sr., L, Purdue
Julia Orzoł, So., OH, Wisconsin
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Brooke Mosher, OH/OPP, Illinois
Carter Booth, MB, Minnesota
Mckenna Wucherer, OH, Minnesota
BEKKA ALLICK, MB, Nebraska
Katelyn Randorf, OPP, Northwestern
Alexa Markley, OH, Penn State
EVA HUDSON, OH, Purdue
SPORTSMANSHIP HONOREES
Diana Brown, RS-Sr., S, Illinois
Grae Gosnell, Jr., OH, Indiana
Bailey Ortega, Jr., S, Iowa
Lexy Finnerty, Sr., DS, Maryland
Maddie Dowd, Sr., S, Michigan
Zoe Nunez, Grad., S, Michigan State
CC McGraw, Grad., L, Minnesota
Anni Evans, Jr., S, Nebraska
Grace Reininga, Jr., L, Northwestern
Mia Grunze, RS-Sr., Ohio State
Katie Clark, Grad., MB/RS, Penn State
Maddie Schermerhorn, Sr., L, Purdue
Madyson Chitty, Jr., L/DS, Rutgers
Anna MacDonald, Sr., L/DS, Wisconsin
ALL CAPS indicates unanimous selections
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