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Four Gophers Named to All-Big Ten Teams
11/30/2023 11:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Grote, Landfair, Murr and Shaffmaster were honored
CHICAGO, Ill. -- Minnesota had four players named to the All-Big Ten teams, the conference announced on Thursday morning.
Redshirt junior outside Taylor Landfair and redshirt senior libero Kylie Murr both made the first team while senior setter Melani Shaffmaster and senior opposite Lydia Grote made the second team. Grote also garnered Minnesota's Sportsmanship Award.
A Plainfield, Ill., native, Landfair made the All-Big Ten First Team for the second straight season and for the third time in her career. She averaged 3.20 kills, 2.09 digs (career-high), 0.46 blocks, 0.37 assists (career-high) and 0.30 aces (career-high). She totaled 18 10+ kill matches in 2023 along with a career-best 11 10+ dig matches. Her 10 double doubles on the year ranked second on the team. Her 3.51 kills per set in Big Ten play ranked 10th in the league and she ranks 22nd all-time at Minnesota with 1,112 career kills. Landfair followed up a season that saw her make First Team All-Big Ten, AVCA First Team All-America and earning the Big Ten Player of the Year award.
In her lone season in the Maroon and Gold, libero Kylie Murr did not disappoint. She registered a team-best 4.10 digs per set, tallying 10+ digs in all 28 matches this season, the only player in the Big Ten to do so. Murr also became the second Big Ten player in history to register 2,300 career digs, only trailing former Gopher Paula Gentil (2,791) in that category. Murr posted five 20+ dig matches and 11 15+ dig matches in 2023. She ranked sixth in the league overall (4.10 digs per set) and during conference play (4.00). Murr currently ranks 18th all-time in a single season at Minnesota with 439 digs and has a chance to climb into the top-15 by the end of the weekend.
Senior setter Melani Shaffmaster earned her second consecutive postseason honor from the Big Ten after being named to the second team in 2023. Shaffmaster averaged 8.85 assists, 0.94 kills on .370 hitting (both career-highs), 3.05 digs (career-high), 0.67 blocks and 0.29 aces (career-high) per set. She ranked second among Big Ten setters in kills per set and led all setters in digs and double doubles (18). The New Castle, Ind., native totaled 13 3+ block matches and led all Gophers with nine matches having multiple aces. Overall, this honor is her third postseason accolade from the Big Ten after she was named to the 2020-21 Big Ten All-Freshman team and the 2022 All-Big Ten First Team.
A Burbank, Calif., native, senior opposite Lydia Grote earned her first career postseason honor with a Second Team All-Big Ten selection in 2023. The California transfer made an immediate impact in the Maroon and Gold, posting 2.72 kills per set on .247 hitting (best among Minnesota pins) with 1.04 digs, 0.75 blocks (career-high) and 0.31 aces per set (career-high). Grote totaled 14 10+ kill matches and three 10+ dig matches, including a 20-kill, 13-dig match against Creighton on Sept. 14. She led the team in aces in 2023, posting aces in 16 matches, including seven with multiple aces. Grote had four-or-more aces in a match three times, including a career-best five-ace performance against Northwestern on Oct. 15.
Minnesota opens postseason play on Friday, Dec. 1 at 4 p.m. against No. 6 Utah State. Minnesota would play No. 3 Creighton or Colgate on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. if it wins on Friday. All matches will be streamed on ESPN+.
Player of the Year: Sarah Franklin, OH, RJr., Wisconsin
Defensive Player of the Year: Lexi Rodriguez, L, Jr., Nebraska
Setter of the Year: Bergen Reilly, S, Fr., Nebraska
Freshman of the Year: Harper Murray, OH, Fr., Nebraska
Coach of the Year (Coaches & Media): John Cook, Nebraska
FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Raina Terry, Sr., OH, Illinois
CAMRYN HAWORTH, Jr., S, Indiana
Taylor Landfair, RS-Jr., OH, Minnesota
Kylie Murr, Gr., L, Minnesota
MERRITT BEASON, Jr., OPP, Nebraska
Harper Murray, Fr., OH, Nebraska
Bergen Reilly, Fr., S, Nebraska
LEXI RODRIGUEZ, Jr., L, Nebraska
Julia Sangiacomo, Sr., OH, Northwestern
EMILY LONDOT, Sr., OH, Ohio State
JESS MRUZIK, Sr., OH, Penn State
Mac Podraza, Gr., S, Penn State
EVA HUDSON, So., OH, Purdue
Raven Colvin, Jr., MB, Purdue
Chloe Chicoine, Fr., OH, Purdue
SARAH FRANKLIN, Sr., OH, Wisconsin
Carter Booth, So., MB, Wisconsin
Anna Smrek, Jr., OPP, Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Ramsey Gary, Fr., L, Indiana
Kaley Rammelsberg, Gr., MB, Indiana
Amani McArthur, Gr., MB, Michigan State
Taylah Holdem, Fr., OH, Michigan State
Melani Shaffmaster, Sr., S, Minnesota
Lydia Grote, Jr., OPP, Minnesota
Andi Jackson, Fr., MB, Nebraska
Bekka Allick, So., MB, Nebraska
Rylee Rader, Sr., MB, Ohio State
Camryn Hannah, Sr., OH, Penn State
Maddie Schermerhorn, Gr., L, Purdue
Alissa Kinkela, RS-So., OH, Rutgers
Devyn Robinson, Sr., OPP, Wisconsin
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
RAMSEY GARY, L, Indiana
Taylah Holdem, OH, Michigan State
BERGEN REILLY, S, Nebraska
HARPER MURRAY, OH, Nebraska
Andi Jackson, MB, Nebraska
CHLOE CHICOINE, OH, Purdue
Taylor Anderson, S, Purdue
SPORTSMANSHIP HONOREES
Kennedy Collins, Gr., MB, Illinois
Candela Alonso-Corcelles, So., OH, Indiana
Bailey Ortega, Sr., S, Iowa
Zoe Huang, Jr., S, Maryland
Brooke Humphrey, Sr., DS/L, Michigan
Lydia Grote, Jr., OPP, Minnesota
Julia Bishop, Jr., S, Michigan State
Maggie Mendelson, So., MB, Nebraska
Natalie Chizzo, Sr., OH, Northwestern
Sarah Sue Morbitzer, Sr., DS, Ohio State
Macy Van Den Elzen, Sr., OPP, Penn State
Lizzie Carr, R-Fr., MB, Purdue
Kristina Grkovic, Sr., MB, Rutgers
MJ Hammill, Sr., S, Wisconsin
ALL CAPS indicates unanimous selections
Redshirt junior outside Taylor Landfair and redshirt senior libero Kylie Murr both made the first team while senior setter Melani Shaffmaster and senior opposite Lydia Grote made the second team. Grote also garnered Minnesota's Sportsmanship Award.
A Plainfield, Ill., native, Landfair made the All-Big Ten First Team for the second straight season and for the third time in her career. She averaged 3.20 kills, 2.09 digs (career-high), 0.46 blocks, 0.37 assists (career-high) and 0.30 aces (career-high). She totaled 18 10+ kill matches in 2023 along with a career-best 11 10+ dig matches. Her 10 double doubles on the year ranked second on the team. Her 3.51 kills per set in Big Ten play ranked 10th in the league and she ranks 22nd all-time at Minnesota with 1,112 career kills. Landfair followed up a season that saw her make First Team All-Big Ten, AVCA First Team All-America and earning the Big Ten Player of the Year award.
In her lone season in the Maroon and Gold, libero Kylie Murr did not disappoint. She registered a team-best 4.10 digs per set, tallying 10+ digs in all 28 matches this season, the only player in the Big Ten to do so. Murr also became the second Big Ten player in history to register 2,300 career digs, only trailing former Gopher Paula Gentil (2,791) in that category. Murr posted five 20+ dig matches and 11 15+ dig matches in 2023. She ranked sixth in the league overall (4.10 digs per set) and during conference play (4.00). Murr currently ranks 18th all-time in a single season at Minnesota with 439 digs and has a chance to climb into the top-15 by the end of the weekend.
Senior setter Melani Shaffmaster earned her second consecutive postseason honor from the Big Ten after being named to the second team in 2023. Shaffmaster averaged 8.85 assists, 0.94 kills on .370 hitting (both career-highs), 3.05 digs (career-high), 0.67 blocks and 0.29 aces (career-high) per set. She ranked second among Big Ten setters in kills per set and led all setters in digs and double doubles (18). The New Castle, Ind., native totaled 13 3+ block matches and led all Gophers with nine matches having multiple aces. Overall, this honor is her third postseason accolade from the Big Ten after she was named to the 2020-21 Big Ten All-Freshman team and the 2022 All-Big Ten First Team.
A Burbank, Calif., native, senior opposite Lydia Grote earned her first career postseason honor with a Second Team All-Big Ten selection in 2023. The California transfer made an immediate impact in the Maroon and Gold, posting 2.72 kills per set on .247 hitting (best among Minnesota pins) with 1.04 digs, 0.75 blocks (career-high) and 0.31 aces per set (career-high). Grote totaled 14 10+ kill matches and three 10+ dig matches, including a 20-kill, 13-dig match against Creighton on Sept. 14. She led the team in aces in 2023, posting aces in 16 matches, including seven with multiple aces. Grote had four-or-more aces in a match three times, including a career-best five-ace performance against Northwestern on Oct. 15.
Minnesota opens postseason play on Friday, Dec. 1 at 4 p.m. against No. 6 Utah State. Minnesota would play No. 3 Creighton or Colgate on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. if it wins on Friday. All matches will be streamed on ESPN+.
Player of the Year: Sarah Franklin, OH, RJr., Wisconsin
Defensive Player of the Year: Lexi Rodriguez, L, Jr., Nebraska
Setter of the Year: Bergen Reilly, S, Fr., Nebraska
Freshman of the Year: Harper Murray, OH, Fr., Nebraska
Coach of the Year (Coaches & Media): John Cook, Nebraska
FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Raina Terry, Sr., OH, Illinois
CAMRYN HAWORTH, Jr., S, Indiana
Taylor Landfair, RS-Jr., OH, Minnesota
Kylie Murr, Gr., L, Minnesota
MERRITT BEASON, Jr., OPP, Nebraska
Harper Murray, Fr., OH, Nebraska
Bergen Reilly, Fr., S, Nebraska
LEXI RODRIGUEZ, Jr., L, Nebraska
Julia Sangiacomo, Sr., OH, Northwestern
EMILY LONDOT, Sr., OH, Ohio State
JESS MRUZIK, Sr., OH, Penn State
Mac Podraza, Gr., S, Penn State
EVA HUDSON, So., OH, Purdue
Raven Colvin, Jr., MB, Purdue
Chloe Chicoine, Fr., OH, Purdue
SARAH FRANKLIN, Sr., OH, Wisconsin
Carter Booth, So., MB, Wisconsin
Anna Smrek, Jr., OPP, Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Ramsey Gary, Fr., L, Indiana
Kaley Rammelsberg, Gr., MB, Indiana
Amani McArthur, Gr., MB, Michigan State
Taylah Holdem, Fr., OH, Michigan State
Melani Shaffmaster, Sr., S, Minnesota
Lydia Grote, Jr., OPP, Minnesota
Andi Jackson, Fr., MB, Nebraska
Bekka Allick, So., MB, Nebraska
Rylee Rader, Sr., MB, Ohio State
Camryn Hannah, Sr., OH, Penn State
Maddie Schermerhorn, Gr., L, Purdue
Alissa Kinkela, RS-So., OH, Rutgers
Devyn Robinson, Sr., OPP, Wisconsin
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
RAMSEY GARY, L, Indiana
Taylah Holdem, OH, Michigan State
BERGEN REILLY, S, Nebraska
HARPER MURRAY, OH, Nebraska
Andi Jackson, MB, Nebraska
CHLOE CHICOINE, OH, Purdue
Taylor Anderson, S, Purdue
SPORTSMANSHIP HONOREES
Kennedy Collins, Gr., MB, Illinois
Candela Alonso-Corcelles, So., OH, Indiana
Bailey Ortega, Sr., S, Iowa
Zoe Huang, Jr., S, Maryland
Brooke Humphrey, Sr., DS/L, Michigan
Lydia Grote, Jr., OPP, Minnesota
Julia Bishop, Jr., S, Michigan State
Maggie Mendelson, So., MB, Nebraska
Natalie Chizzo, Sr., OH, Northwestern
Sarah Sue Morbitzer, Sr., DS, Ohio State
Macy Van Den Elzen, Sr., OPP, Penn State
Lizzie Carr, R-Fr., MB, Purdue
Kristina Grkovic, Sr., MB, Rutgers
MJ Hammill, Sr., S, Wisconsin
ALL CAPS indicates unanimous selections
Highlights: Gophers 3, Ohio State 0
Sunday, October 12
Highlights: Gophers 0, UCLA 3
Wednesday, October 08
Highlights: Gophers 3, Northwestern 1
Sunday, October 05
Highlights: Gophers 1, Michigan 3
Wednesday, October 01