'U' Closes Regular Season with Illinois, No. 1 Nebraska

MINNEAPOLIS -- The RV Minnesota Golden Gophers (15-11, 11-7 Big Ten) are looking to cement their ninth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 28th all-time with two home matches this weekend to close the regular season. The Gophers will play Illinois (16-12, 11-7 Big Ten) on Friday and No. 1 Nebraska (27-0, 18-0 Big Ten) on Saturday night. Friday's match will be at 5:30 p.m. on B1G+ while Saturday's is set for 8 p.m. on BTN.

ILLINOIS GAME INFORMATION
RV Minnesota vs. Illinois
Friday, Nov. 24
5:30 p.m. CT
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV/Stream: B1G+ - Sam Konstan (Play-By-Play) and Meredith Nelson-Uram (Analyst)
Live Stats

NEBRASKA GAME INFORMATION
RV Minnesota vs. No. 1 Nebraska
Sunday, Nov. 25
8 p.m. CT
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV/Stream: BTN - Sloane Martin (Play-By-Play) and Audrey Flaugh (Analyst)
Live Stats

NOTES TO KNOW
2,300 -- Last Sunday at Indiana, Kylie Murr became the second player in B1G history to reach 2,300 digs (2,341). The only player with more was former Gopher Paula Gentil (2000-05; 2,791)
1,000 -- Minnesota's Taylor Landfair reached 1,000 career kills on Nov. 3 at Ohio State, one of 30 players in Minnesota history to reach the mark. She currently holds 1,083.
213 -- Keegan Cook won his 200th career game as a head coach on Aug. 26 vs. Baylor. He won his 213th game Saturday vs. OSU.
130 -- Minnesota had been ranked in 130 straight AVCA polls, dating back to Sept. 7, 2015, before the Oct. 16 poll. The Gophers are unranked for the sixth straight week, having received 29 votes on Nov. 20.
43 -- Minnesota's RPI heading into the weekend.
28 -- The 'U' clinched its 28th straight winning season with a win over OSU on Saturday. The last time they didn't have a winning season was in 1995 (13-17, 7-13 Big Ten). In the 52 year history of Gopher volleyball, the team has had only five losing seasons.
26 -- Kylie Murr is the only Big Ten player to post double digit digs in every match this season. She's done so 26 times. Dating back to last season, she has 35 straight 10+ dig match games.
24 -- The 'U' will be looking to make its 24th NCAA Tournament in the last 25 seasons in 2023.
15 -- Melani Shaffmaster leads the Big Ten with 17 double doubles this season. She has tallied 57 in her career.
12 -- Minnesota has won 12 of the last 13 in the series against Illinois.
11 -- Phoebe Awoleye ranks No. 11 among active DI players with 1.22 blocks per set. She ranks fourth in the B1G in 2023 (1.33).
10 -- Taylor Landfair ranks 10th in the Big Ten in kills per set during conference play with 3.44.
10 -- Minnesota is 10-3 when posting 10+ blocks in a match in 2023.
9 -- The Gophers have had nine straight seasons winning over half of their B1G games, dating back to 2014 (9-11). Minnesota has had winning conference seasons in 21 of the last 22 seasons.
8 -- Melani Shaffmaster ranks 8th all-time in Gophers history with 3,862 career assists. She ranks 16th among active DI players. Her 10.00 assists per set put her at No. 24.
8 -- Taylor Landfair has hit > .300 in nine of the team's 18 B1G matches, including 11 10+ kill matches. She's totaled double doubles in a career-high eight matches this season, including three of the last six. 10 of her 13 career 10+ dig matches have come in 2023.
5 -- Minnesota has won five of the past eight matches against Nebraska, including a 2-1 record at home.
4 -- Melani Shaffmaster became the fourth Gopher all-time to reach 3,500 career assists and 1,000 digs with her ninth dig of the match on Oct. 22 versus Michigan St.
4 -- Minnesota ranks fourth in the Big Ten in blocks during conference matches with 2.42 bps.
2 -- The Gophers are 2-9 against ranked opponents this season, taking wins over then No. 15 Baylor and No. 6 Oregon. Minnesota is searching for its first ranked win since Sept. 8 vs. Oregon.
2 -- Melani Shaffmaster has posted 40+ assists six times in 2023 (Minnesota is 5-1 when she has 40+).

LAST TIME OUT
• The 'U' has won nine of its last 12 matches entering the final weekend of play. They swept both Iowa (25-19, 25-20, 25-14) and Ohio State (25-14, 25-9, 25-17) last weekend to keep their NCAA hopes alive. Grote, Landfair and Wucherer had 10+ kills to lead the way Friday while Phoebe Awoleye paced a strong defensive attack Saturday (held OSU to .039 hitting) and totaled a career-best 11 blocks in just three sets.

PARKING ADVISORY AND INFO
• Fans who have not obtained a parking pass are encouraged to purchase their parking in advance here.
• Fans who arrive on campus without a parking pass should park in Maroon, Gold, Ski-U-Mah, Victory, or Gopher surface lots east of Huntington Bank Stadium or the Oak Street or Fourth Street Parking Ramps south and west of 3M Arena at Mariucci. Limited ADA space is available at University Avenue Ramp for fans with the appropriate state issued handicap designated tag or pass.
• Gopher Football hosts Wisconsin at Huntington Bank Stadium at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 25. Fans arriving to campus for the 8 p.m. volleyball match vs. Nebraska may encounter traffic congestion due to fans departing campus at the conclusion of the football game. Fans will be permitted into all available parking lots as other vehicles vacate facilities from football parking. The Oak Street and Washington Avenue parking ramps are available parking locations should lots surrounding Maturi Pavilion be unavailable due to the conclusion of the football game.

GOPHERS UNRANKED IN AVCA POLL
• The Gophers entered the 2023 season with a No. 7 overall ranking in the Preseason AVCA poll. Before Oct. 16, the Gophers were ranked in the past 130 AVCA polls (2,965 days), dating back to Sept. 7, 2015. Minnesota was unranked for on Nov. 13 for the fifth week in-a-row. Minnesota is receiving the third most votes of any unranked team with 29.

WHERE THINGS STAND FOR POSTSEASON
• The Gophers clinched their 28th straight winning season (9th straight in B1G play) with Saturday's victory over Ohio State. At 15-11 (11-7 Big Ten), Minnesota is tied for fifth in the Big Ten with Illinois. At 43 in the RPI, the 'U' is right on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament field. The selection show is set for Sunday, Nov. 25 at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN. The Gophers have made eight straight and 23 of the last 24 NCAA Tournaments.

AWOLEYE, MURR TO WALK ON SENIOR NIGHT FRIDAY
• Minnesota will be honoring managers Cade Borman and Gavin Thomas in addition to middle Phoebe Awoleye and libero Kylie Murr on Senior Night in a post match ceremony at the Pav.
• A Marietta, Ga., Awoleye native will graduate with her master's in sports management this spring. After transferring from Loyola Marymount, Phoebe has started in all 26 matches for Minnesota in 2023, leading the team with 1.33 blocks per set. In her career, she's accumulated over 500 kills and 452 blocks. After her time at Minnesota, Phoebe intends to pursue a career as a sports agent.
• In her one season as a Gopher, Murr accumulated over 400 digs and 130 assists. She's totaled over 2,300 career digs, which ranks second all-time in Big Ten history. Murr is pursuing her master's in sports management and will play volleyball professionally after Minnesota. She eventually plans to be a volleyball coach.

SCOUTING ILLINOIS
• Illinois (16-12, 11-7 Big Ten) is led by seventh year head coach Chris Tamas. He led the Ilini to the 2018 Final Four and is looking to get his team into the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in seven years. They missed in 2020/21 and 2022.
• The Illini are led by Raina Terry, who ranks second in the B1G with 4.66 kills per set. Setter Brooke Mosher ranks seventh in assists with 9.19 per set while Cari Bohm ranks 10th in blocks with 1.12 per set.
• UI went just 5-5 in non-conference play and is 1-5 against ranked teams in 2023 (3-1 win vs. No. 16 Purdue). Illinois ranks 85 in RPI heading into the weekend.

SCOUTING NEBRASKA
The No. 1 Nebraska Cornhuskers (27-0, 18-0 Big Ten) are led by 24th year head coach John Cook, who's won four national titles at the helm in Lincoln. The Huskers clinched their first outright Big Ten title since 2017 with a win over Iowa on Sunday afternoon. They're searching for their first undefeated season since 2000.
• NU leads the Big Ten in opponent hitting % (.131), assists (13.02), kills (14.08), and opponent aces (0.71).
• Florida transfer Merritt Beason (3.76 kps) and freshman setter Berger Reilly (10.72 aps, first in B1G), pace a balanced offensive attack while two-time All-American and 2021 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Lexi Rodriguez (3.67 dps) runs the show in the backcourt. Bekka Allick leads the team, ranks fifth in the B1G in blocks (1.32).

MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. ILLINOIS AND NEBRASKA
• The Gophers lead the all-time series vs. Illinois, 44-40-1. Minnesota has won eight in-a-row and 12 of the last 13 against the Illini. The lone loss in that stretch came in 2017. The Gophers defeated Illinois twice in 2022, including a sweep at the Pav. They're 9-0 at home against Illinois since 2012.
• Minnesota is 12-37 all-time against Nebraska. Minnesota has won five of the last eight in the series, including their first sweep in Lincoln since 1980 in 2022. The Gophers played Nebraska just once in each of the last two seasons (3-2 win in 2021 in Minneapolis). The Gophers have won two of the last three at home versus Nebraska. Four of the last five matchups in the series have taken place in Lincoln, however.

SHAFFMASTER SETTING THE TABLE
• A 6-foot-3 setter, Melani Shaffmaster ranked second in the Big Ten last year with 10.44 assists per set. She already ranks No. 8 in program history in assists (3,862).
• With 8.81 assists per set in 2023, Mel ranks 9th in the Big Ten. Her 9.27 ps in conference games, however, are sixth best in the B1G.
• Shaffmaster tallied 30+ assists 25 times, 40+ assists 11 times and 50+ three times in 2022.
• In 2023, she's posted 30+ assists 16 times, 10+ digs 17 times and 3+ blocks 11 times.
• Melani ranks 16th among active Division I players with 3,862 career assists.
• On Oct. 22 vs. MSU, Mel became the fourth Gopher all-time to record 3,500 assists and 1,000 digs. She joined Sharon Oesterling (1986-89), Samantha Seliger-Swenson (2015-18) and Lindsey Taatjes (2001-04) on the list.

AWOLEYE BUILDS A WALL
• A senior LMU transfer originally hailing from Marietta, Ga., Phoebe Awoleye started her Gophers career with a 'bang' on opening weekend. She posted 16 blocks (2.29 bps) and five kills on her way to Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge All-Tournament honors. Awoleye had a career-high 10 blocks in the win over No. 15 Baylor as the Gophers silenced the Bears attack, holding them to .000 hitting.
• She now ranks No. 19 nationally in blocks per set (1.33), including fourth in the Big Ten. Awoleye holds 13 different 5+ block matches and two 10+ block matches this season, a team-best.

GOPHERS THRIVE IN BIG TEN PLAY
• Since 2012, Minnesota is 172-54 (.761) in B1G play, including 11 seasons over .500 in league play.
• In 10 of those seasons, the 'U' went 15-5 or better in B1G play, with the best being 19-1 in 2018. The Gophers are the only Big Ten team to have 15+ conference wins in each of the past eight seasons.
• This will be the first season since 2014 (9-11 Big Ten) that Minnesota will have won less than 15 of its conference matches. However, it clinched its ninth straight winning B1G season on Saturday against Ohio State. Minnesota had won 15-or-more B1G bouts in 10 of the last 11 seasons.
• The Gophers won Big Ten titles in 2016 and 2018 and have finished either first, second or third in 10 of the last 11 seasons. The Gophers tied with Ohio State for third place last season. The last time Minnesota won 10-or-less conference games in a season was in 2014 (9-11 Big Ten).

GOPHERS IN NOVEMBER
• Minnesota has won five of its six matches in November as it starts to play its best volleyball of the season when it matters the most.
• In the last 12 years, the Gophers are 70-20 (.778) in the month of November. Since 2015, Minnesota is 51-11 (.800) in November, including a 24-6 (.815) record at home and a 27-5 (.844) record on the road.

ATTENDANCE NUMBERS SHINING AMONG NATION'S BEST
• In 2023, Minnesota ranks fourth in the nation in average attendance so far with 4,990 fans per match. Only Nebraska, Wisconsin and Hawaii have averaged more fans per game. Both matches this weekend against Illinois and Nebraska are completely sold out.

'U' HOLDING FIRM AT HOME
• Since 2015, Minnesota holds a 113-18 (.863) record at home. This includes a 36-6 (.857) non-conference mark. The only non-conference losses home losses during that time were in 2018 to Oregon, 2021/2023 to Texas, 2022 to Pepperdine and Stanford and in 2023 to Creighton.

SERVING STEPS UP FOR THE MAROON AND GOLD
• One of head coach Keegan's Cook's points of emphasis is to be a tough serving team to compete against. In their first six games, Minnesota had five-or-less service aces in each match (21 total).
• In their last 20 matches, however, the 'U' has tallied 130 service aces, an average of 6.5 per match. The Gophers tied a season-best with 12 on Oct. 15 versus Northwestern.
• The Gophers have had four matches with 10+ aces this season, including two in the last nine games (12 vs. Northwestern on Oct. 15); (10 vs. MSU on Oct. 22).
• Minnesota ranks tied for fifth in the Big Ten in service aces (1.51 aces per set). In Big Ten play only, the Gophers are tied for third at 1.57 ps.

LANDFAIR ROUNDING INTO FORM IN BIG TEN PLAY
• 2022 Big Ten Player of the Year and First Team All-American Taylor Landfair had her best showing of the season to kick off Big Ten play on Sept. 21 at Iowa. She led the team with 18 kills (tied her season-high) on a 2023-best .405 hitting. She also totaled season-bests in digs (11), assists (6) and blocks (4).
• In conference play (18 games), Landfair is hitting .274 with 3.44 kills, 2.24 digs and 0.49 blocks per set. She's hit double digits in kills in 13 B1G games, hitting over .300 in nine of the 18 matches. In eight preseason games, Landfair hit just .123 with 2.47 kills, 1.66 digs and 0.44 blocks per set.
• Landfair holds 1,083 career kills after reaching 1,000 on Nov. 3 at Ohio State. She's one of 30 players all-time to hit the mark at Minnesota. Among active Big Ten players, she ranks ninth in career kills.
• Taylor posted a season-best 25 kills with nine digs on .392 hitting in a four-set win over Northwestern on Nov. 5 in her return to her home state of Illinois.

GOPHERS PLAY IN MOST-WATCHED COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL MATCH OF ALL-TIME
• On Sunday, Oct. 29, the matchup between Minnesota and Wisconsin on FOX drew 1.659 million viewers, making it the most-watched college volleyball game of all time.

UP NEXT
The 2023 NCAA Volleyball Tournament Selection Show is on Sunday, Nov. 26 at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN. Minnesota will find out its postseason fate there.

Upcoming Events

Players Mentioned

Phoebe Awoleye

Taylor Landfair

Kylie Murr

Melani Shaffmaster