University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, September 4
12:30 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Florida
Players Mentioned
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Outside/Opposite
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ Volleyball
Opposite
/ Volleyball
Setter
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Outside
/ Volleyball
Photo by: Bjorn Franke
No. 4 Gophers Host No. 13 Florida for Home Opener
9/3/2022 12:23:00 AM | Volleyball
Minnesota will look to respond after a loss at Texas
MINNEAPOLIS -- The No. 4 ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) host the No. 13 Florida Gators (3-1, 0-0 SEC) on Sunday in their home opener at Maturi Pavilion. First serve is set for 12:30 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network. The Gophers are coming off a four set loss to No. 1 Texas while Florida dropped a match on Tuesday to No. 12 Stanford.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 13 Florida | 12:30 p.m. CT | Big Ten Network
Sunday, Sept. 4
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
Play-By-Play: Connor Onion
Color Analyst: Emily Ehman
Radio: Gopher Radio Network
NUMBERS TO KNOW:
257 -- Minnesota head coach Hugh McCutcheon holds a 257-66 (.800) collegiate coaching record and has led Minnesota to two Big Ten Championships, three Final Fours, nine trips to the Sweet 16 and five to the Elite Eight. He joins Mike Hebert (1996-2011; 381-136 (.737)) and Stephanie Schleuder (1982-1994; 263-173 (.603)) as the third coach in Minnesota history to win 250 matches. Hebert also led the 'U' to three Final Fours.
26 -- The 2021 season marked the 26th year the Golden Gophers advanced to the NCAA tournament. Minnesota has also advanced to the tournament in seven-straight seasons and nine of 10 seasons under head coach Hugh McCutcheon.
19 -- Of Minnesota's 31 scheduled games are against 2021 NCAA Tournament teams. 12 of those matches are against teams that advanced to the Sweet 16 or further.
16 -- 16 of the Gophers' 31 games are versus teams that finished in the AVCA Top-25. Seven of those matches are against teams that finished in the top-10.
10 -- Minnesota is 10-0 all-time in Big Ten home openers under head coach Hugh McCutcheon. That mark will be put to the test when the 'U' hosts defending national champion Wisconsin to open its conference home slate.
7 -- Of Minnesota's eight non-conference matches are against teams that made the 2021 NCAA Tournament. TCU is the only team that failed to qualify for postseason play.
5 -- Fifth-year senior libero CC McGraw ranks No. 5 all-time at Minnesota with 1,581 career digs. She's just 419 away from becoming the second Gopher and 10th Big Ten player all-time to reach that mark.
3 -- Gophers earned All-Big Ten honors last season. Five-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree Stephanie Samedy departs, but CC McGraw (first team) and Jenna Wenaas (second team) return.
2 -- Conference opponents Minnesota plays twice: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin.
1 -- Conference opponents Minnesota plays once: Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska Northwestern, Penn State, Rutgers.
LAST TIME OUT
• Minnesota began its 2022 season with a four-set win over No. 16 Baylor. After dropping the first set, 23-25, the then No. 5 ranked Golden Gophers stormed back, winning the next three sets, 25-16, 25-23, 25-17, to take the match. Minnesota was led by junior outside Jenna Wenaas, who tallied a team-best 17 kills in her first collegiate match back in her home state of Texas. Taylor Landfair added 15 kills and six digs while freshman Carter Booth added six kills and a team-best 11 blocks in her Minnesota debut.
• The Gophers followed that up with a convincing sweep of host TCU, 25-17, 25-20, 25-18, to capture the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge crown. Wisconsin and Baylor both went 1-1 while TCU went 0-2. Outside Taylor Landfair posted 15 kills and eight digs while Jenna Wenaas added on seven kills, four digs and two blocks while Carter Booth also chipped in seven kills and a pair of blocks.
• The Gophers fell to No. 1 Texas in Austin on Wednesday night in four sets. The Gophers dropped sets one and two before Minnesota took set three and UT took set four. 19 service errors ended up doing the Gophers in. Taylor Landfair led the Gophers with 16 kills while Julia Hanson tallied 14.
GOPHERS IN HOME OPENERS
• In home openers, Minnesota is 9-1 under coach McCutcheon and 40-9 overall. Before last year's loss to No. 1 Texas, Minnesota's last loss in a home opener came on Aug. 31, 2007 against No. 23 ranked Ohio.
SCOUTING FLORIDAÂ
• The Gators are led by 32nd year head coach Mary Wise. In her tenure, the Gators have won 24 SEC championships, have been to eight Final Four's and she's won SEC Coach of the Year 13 times. She's won AVCA Coach of the Year three times, and most recently as 2017.
• After kicking the 2022 season off with a 3-0 record, the Gators moved up two spots to No. 13 in this week's AVCA Top-25 poll. The Gators lost a five-set thriller to No. 12 Stanford on Tuesday night.
• The Gators lost five seniors to graduation after the 2021 season: four-time All-American Thayer Hall, two-time All-American Lauren Forte and one-time All-Americans T'ara Ceasar and Marlie Monserez. Rising sophomore Merritt Beason returns as UF's standout, she was tabbed as a Preseason All-SEC selection.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VERSUS FLORIDA
• Minnesota is 5-2 all-time against Florida.
• Last Meeting: 2021; First Meeting: 1984
• Minnesota fell in four sets to Florida last year in Gainesville. Stephanie Samedy led the 'U' with 31 kills.
• They last played in the NCAA Tournament in 2019 in the Sweet 16 in Austin, Texas. The Gophers won in five sets despite trailing 2-1 after three.
• Minnesota also beat UF in the 2006 NCAA Tournament. The Gators only win over the Gophers was in 2003, a home game in which Florida won in three sets.
LANDFAIR LEADS GOPHERS IN THIRD YEAR ON CAMPUS
• The No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2020, Taylor Landfair had an excellent true freshman season in the spring of 2021. She ranked second on the Gophers in kills per set and made First Team All-Big Ten and AVCA All-America honorable mention.
• Last fall wasn't quite as fun for Landfair as she sat out most of the year (played just nine games) with an abdominal injury.
• She's back and better than ever in 2022, leading the 'U' in kills with 4.18 per set so far this year. She's also averaging 1.91 digs and 0.73 blocks per set, playing all six rotations. Landfair was named MVP of the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge after leading all players in points and kills.
MCGRAW MOVES HER WAY UP RECORD BOOKS
• CC McGraw ranks No. 5 in Gophers history with 1,581 digs. Heading into her final season, CC is 419 digs away from becoming just the 10th player in B1G Volleyball history to reach 2,000 in her career.
• In three of her four seasons, McGraw has made Minnesota's top-20 list for most digs in the season. In 2018, she had 428 (18th), 450 (16th) in 2019 and a career-best 510 in 2021 (12th). She's the second Gopher to have three-or-more seasons with 400-or-more digs.
BLOCK PARTY IN MINNESOTA
• The Gophers ranked No. 7 in the Big Ten and No. 40 nationally in blocks with 289.5 as a team and 2.47 per set.
• Ellie Husemann ranked seventh in the conference with 1.27 blocks per set while incoming transfers Naya Gros (1.31) and Arica Davis (1.28) ranked fifth and sixth, respectively. Those three and freshman Carter Booth will look to form one of the most lethal blocks in the Big Ten this fall.
• So far in 2022, Minnesota ranks No. 7 in the Big Ten and No. 45 nationally with 2.64 blocks per set. Carter Booth ranks No. 24 in the country individually with 1.64 per set.
BOOTH BLOCKS OUT THE NOISE
• The No. 14 overall recruit in the class of 2022, middle blocker Carter Booth has made an immediate impact in the Gophers lineup. In her first collegiate match, she posted a Minnesota freshman record with 11 blocks against Baylor.
• She's had multiple blocks in all three matches and leads the 'U' with 18 (1.64 ps) thus far. She ranks No. 24 in the nation and No. 5 in the Big Ten in blocks per set.
HANSON HAS THE RIGHT STUFF
• Freshman Julia Hanson (Prior Lake, Minn.) stepped up big when Minnesota needed her most at No. 1 Texas. In a hostile environment, Hanson delivered a career-best 14 kills as the Gophers pushed the Longhorns to the brink.
• She has multiple kills in all three matches thus far, but Wednesday was her first double digit kill match.
SHAFFMASTER SETTINGÂ THE TABLE
• A rare 6-foot-3 setter, Melani Shaffmaster averaged 10.68 assists per set last year, a feat that ranks third among all returning Big Ten setters.
• In just her third season this year, Mel already ranks No. 12 in program history in assists (1,996).
• The No. 1 setter recruit in the class of 2020, Shaffmaster committed to Minnesota as an eighth grader in April of 2016 and shut down her recruitment.
• She set a career-best with 58 assists in a five-set thrilled against Wisconsin on Nov. 21, 2021. Mel tallied 40+ assists in 13 matches last year and 10+ digs in 17 matches. She also tallied 3+ blocks on nine occasions.
• Mel earned Big Ten Setter of the Week and the Best Setter Award at the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge after tallying 74 assists in two matches, averaging nearly 11 per set.
Follow along with the Gophers this season on Twitter (@GopherVBall), Instagram and TikTok (@gophervball).
BROADCAST INFORMATION
No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 13 Florida | 12:30 p.m. CT | Big Ten Network
Sunday, Sept. 4
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
Play-By-Play: Connor Onion
Color Analyst: Emily Ehman
Radio: Gopher Radio Network
NUMBERS TO KNOW:
257 -- Minnesota head coach Hugh McCutcheon holds a 257-66 (.800) collegiate coaching record and has led Minnesota to two Big Ten Championships, three Final Fours, nine trips to the Sweet 16 and five to the Elite Eight. He joins Mike Hebert (1996-2011; 381-136 (.737)) and Stephanie Schleuder (1982-1994; 263-173 (.603)) as the third coach in Minnesota history to win 250 matches. Hebert also led the 'U' to three Final Fours.
26 -- The 2021 season marked the 26th year the Golden Gophers advanced to the NCAA tournament. Minnesota has also advanced to the tournament in seven-straight seasons and nine of 10 seasons under head coach Hugh McCutcheon.
19 -- Of Minnesota's 31 scheduled games are against 2021 NCAA Tournament teams. 12 of those matches are against teams that advanced to the Sweet 16 or further.
16 -- 16 of the Gophers' 31 games are versus teams that finished in the AVCA Top-25. Seven of those matches are against teams that finished in the top-10.
10 -- Minnesota is 10-0 all-time in Big Ten home openers under head coach Hugh McCutcheon. That mark will be put to the test when the 'U' hosts defending national champion Wisconsin to open its conference home slate.
7 -- Of Minnesota's eight non-conference matches are against teams that made the 2021 NCAA Tournament. TCU is the only team that failed to qualify for postseason play.
5 -- Fifth-year senior libero CC McGraw ranks No. 5 all-time at Minnesota with 1,581 career digs. She's just 419 away from becoming the second Gopher and 10th Big Ten player all-time to reach that mark.
3 -- Gophers earned All-Big Ten honors last season. Five-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree Stephanie Samedy departs, but CC McGraw (first team) and Jenna Wenaas (second team) return.
2 -- Conference opponents Minnesota plays twice: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin.
1 -- Conference opponents Minnesota plays once: Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska Northwestern, Penn State, Rutgers.
LAST TIME OUT
• Minnesota began its 2022 season with a four-set win over No. 16 Baylor. After dropping the first set, 23-25, the then No. 5 ranked Golden Gophers stormed back, winning the next three sets, 25-16, 25-23, 25-17, to take the match. Minnesota was led by junior outside Jenna Wenaas, who tallied a team-best 17 kills in her first collegiate match back in her home state of Texas. Taylor Landfair added 15 kills and six digs while freshman Carter Booth added six kills and a team-best 11 blocks in her Minnesota debut.
• The Gophers followed that up with a convincing sweep of host TCU, 25-17, 25-20, 25-18, to capture the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge crown. Wisconsin and Baylor both went 1-1 while TCU went 0-2. Outside Taylor Landfair posted 15 kills and eight digs while Jenna Wenaas added on seven kills, four digs and two blocks while Carter Booth also chipped in seven kills and a pair of blocks.
• The Gophers fell to No. 1 Texas in Austin on Wednesday night in four sets. The Gophers dropped sets one and two before Minnesota took set three and UT took set four. 19 service errors ended up doing the Gophers in. Taylor Landfair led the Gophers with 16 kills while Julia Hanson tallied 14.
GOPHERS IN HOME OPENERS
• In home openers, Minnesota is 9-1 under coach McCutcheon and 40-9 overall. Before last year's loss to No. 1 Texas, Minnesota's last loss in a home opener came on Aug. 31, 2007 against No. 23 ranked Ohio.
SCOUTING FLORIDAÂ
• The Gators are led by 32nd year head coach Mary Wise. In her tenure, the Gators have won 24 SEC championships, have been to eight Final Four's and she's won SEC Coach of the Year 13 times. She's won AVCA Coach of the Year three times, and most recently as 2017.
• After kicking the 2022 season off with a 3-0 record, the Gators moved up two spots to No. 13 in this week's AVCA Top-25 poll. The Gators lost a five-set thriller to No. 12 Stanford on Tuesday night.
• The Gators lost five seniors to graduation after the 2021 season: four-time All-American Thayer Hall, two-time All-American Lauren Forte and one-time All-Americans T'ara Ceasar and Marlie Monserez. Rising sophomore Merritt Beason returns as UF's standout, she was tabbed as a Preseason All-SEC selection.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VERSUS FLORIDA
• Minnesota is 5-2 all-time against Florida.
• Last Meeting: 2021; First Meeting: 1984
• Minnesota fell in four sets to Florida last year in Gainesville. Stephanie Samedy led the 'U' with 31 kills.
• They last played in the NCAA Tournament in 2019 in the Sweet 16 in Austin, Texas. The Gophers won in five sets despite trailing 2-1 after three.
• Minnesota also beat UF in the 2006 NCAA Tournament. The Gators only win over the Gophers was in 2003, a home game in which Florida won in three sets.
LANDFAIR LEADS GOPHERS IN THIRD YEAR ON CAMPUS
• The No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2020, Taylor Landfair had an excellent true freshman season in the spring of 2021. She ranked second on the Gophers in kills per set and made First Team All-Big Ten and AVCA All-America honorable mention.
• Last fall wasn't quite as fun for Landfair as she sat out most of the year (played just nine games) with an abdominal injury.
• She's back and better than ever in 2022, leading the 'U' in kills with 4.18 per set so far this year. She's also averaging 1.91 digs and 0.73 blocks per set, playing all six rotations. Landfair was named MVP of the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge after leading all players in points and kills.
MCGRAW MOVES HER WAY UP RECORD BOOKS
• CC McGraw ranks No. 5 in Gophers history with 1,581 digs. Heading into her final season, CC is 419 digs away from becoming just the 10th player in B1G Volleyball history to reach 2,000 in her career.
• In three of her four seasons, McGraw has made Minnesota's top-20 list for most digs in the season. In 2018, she had 428 (18th), 450 (16th) in 2019 and a career-best 510 in 2021 (12th). She's the second Gopher to have three-or-more seasons with 400-or-more digs.
BLOCK PARTY IN MINNESOTA
• The Gophers ranked No. 7 in the Big Ten and No. 40 nationally in blocks with 289.5 as a team and 2.47 per set.
• Ellie Husemann ranked seventh in the conference with 1.27 blocks per set while incoming transfers Naya Gros (1.31) and Arica Davis (1.28) ranked fifth and sixth, respectively. Those three and freshman Carter Booth will look to form one of the most lethal blocks in the Big Ten this fall.
• So far in 2022, Minnesota ranks No. 7 in the Big Ten and No. 45 nationally with 2.64 blocks per set. Carter Booth ranks No. 24 in the country individually with 1.64 per set.
BOOTH BLOCKS OUT THE NOISE
• The No. 14 overall recruit in the class of 2022, middle blocker Carter Booth has made an immediate impact in the Gophers lineup. In her first collegiate match, she posted a Minnesota freshman record with 11 blocks against Baylor.
• She's had multiple blocks in all three matches and leads the 'U' with 18 (1.64 ps) thus far. She ranks No. 24 in the nation and No. 5 in the Big Ten in blocks per set.
HANSON HAS THE RIGHT STUFF
• Freshman Julia Hanson (Prior Lake, Minn.) stepped up big when Minnesota needed her most at No. 1 Texas. In a hostile environment, Hanson delivered a career-best 14 kills as the Gophers pushed the Longhorns to the brink.
• She has multiple kills in all three matches thus far, but Wednesday was her first double digit kill match.
SHAFFMASTER SETTINGÂ THE TABLE
• A rare 6-foot-3 setter, Melani Shaffmaster averaged 10.68 assists per set last year, a feat that ranks third among all returning Big Ten setters.
• In just her third season this year, Mel already ranks No. 12 in program history in assists (1,996).
• The No. 1 setter recruit in the class of 2020, Shaffmaster committed to Minnesota as an eighth grader in April of 2016 and shut down her recruitment.
• She set a career-best with 58 assists in a five-set thrilled against Wisconsin on Nov. 21, 2021. Mel tallied 40+ assists in 13 matches last year and 10+ digs in 17 matches. She also tallied 3+ blocks on nine occasions.
• Mel earned Big Ten Setter of the Week and the Best Setter Award at the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge after tallying 74 assists in two matches, averaging nearly 11 per set.
Follow along with the Gophers this season on Twitter (@GopherVBall), Instagram and TikTok (@gophervball).
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Highlights: Gophers 3, Lipscomb 0
Saturday, September 06
Highlights: Gophers 3, Vanderbilt 0
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Highlights: Gophers 3, St. Thomas 1
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