Gophers Meet Bluejays for Chance at Sweet 16

OMAHA, Neb. -- The Minnesota Golden Gophers (17-12, 12-8 Big Ten) are looking to advance to their 21st NCAA Regional Semifinal in program history on Saturday night. They'll take on the No. 3 seeded Creighton Bluejays (28-4, 16-2 BIG EAST) on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. CT. The match will be at CU's D.J. Sokol Arena and ESPN+ will provide streaming coverage.

CREIGHTON MATCH INFORMATION
Minnesota vs. No. 3 Creighton
Saturday, Dec. 2
6:30 p.m. CT
D.J. Sokol Arena
Omaha, Neb.
TV/Stream: ESPN+ - Jon Schriner (Play-By-Play), Shannon Smolinski (Analyst) and Ana Bellinghausen (Sideline)
Radio: 102.5 FM - Tanner Hoops (Play-By-Play)
Live Stats

SERIES INFORMATION
Minnesota leads Creighton, 5-1
First Meeting: 1980 (3-1 Win)
Last Meeting: Sept. 16, 2023 (3-2 Loss)

NOTES TO KNOW
2,300 -- On Nov. 12 at Indiana, Kylie Murr became the second player in B1G history to reach 2,300 digs (2,391). 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. She currently ranks 22nd all-time at the 'U' with 1,119. She averages 3.17 per set on the year.
1,009 -- Lydia Grote totaled 10 kills to pass 1,000 career kills Friday against Utah State. She posted 727 in her three years at California (282 in 2023).
215 -- Keegan Cook won his 200th career match as a head coach on Aug. 26 vs. Baylor. He won his 215th Friday vs. USU
130 -- Minnesota had been ranked in 130 straight AVCA polls, dating back to Sept. 7, 2015, before the Oct. 16 poll. The 'U' is unranked for the seventh straight week (16 votes received).
28 -- 2023 marks the Gophers' 28th all-time NCAA appearance. Only 10 schools have made more postseason trips than the 'U'.
28 -- The 'U' clinched its 28th straight winning season with a win over OSU on Nov. 18 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.
29 -- Kylie Murr is the only Big Ten player to post double digit digs in every match this season. She's done so 29 times. Dating back to last season, she has 38 straight 10+ dig match games.
24 -- The 'U' is making its 24th NCAA Tournament in the last 25 seasons, including its ninth straight.
21 -- Minnesota is looking to make its 21st NCAA Regional Semifinal in program history.
18 -- Melani Shaffmaster leads the Big Ten with 18 double doubles this season. She has 58 in her career.
14 -- The Gophers have won at least one postseason match in 14 straight NCAA Tournaments. The last time they were eliminated in the first round was in 2007 (3-1 loss to Sacramento State). All-time, the Gophers are 27-1 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
13 -- When making the NCAA Tournament, the 'U' has made at least the Sweet 16 13 straight times.
12 -- Phoebe Awoleye ranks No. 12 among active DI players with 1.20 blocks per set.
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 3,947 career assists. She ranks 16th among active DI players. Her 10.00 assists per set put her at No. 24.
5 -- Minnesota has defeated Creighton five of the six times they've played, including 2-0 in the NCAA's.
5 -- Minnesota and Creighton went to five sets in a 2019 Round of 32 thriller at the Pav. The Gophers came from behind to take the victory. They went on to reach the Final Four in Pittsburgh, Pa.
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.
2 -- The Gophers are 2-10 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+).
1 -- Minnesota is on the road to start an NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009 (Knoxville Regional). The last time they started on the road, they went on to make the Final Four

LAST TIME OUT
• The 'U' defeated No. 6 seeded Utah State in three sets (25-17, 25-14, 25-23) on Friday night in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Lydia Grote led the team with 10 kills while Kylie Murr paced the backcourt with 17 digs. Phoebe Awoleye and Arica Davis posted six blocks each in the sweep.

MINNESOTA QUALIFIES FOR 28TH NCAA APPEARANCE IN PROGRAM HISTORY
• The 2023 season marks the 28th year the Golden Gophers have advanced to the NCAA tournament. Receiving an at-large bid this year, the Gophers have now advanced to the tournament in nine straight seasons and 24 of the last 25 overall. As a program, Minnesota has had 28 straight winning seasons, dating back to 1995.
• Minnesota has hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament each of the past eight years and in 12 of the last 13 seasons (missed NCAA's in 2014). The last time Minnesota made the NCAA's and didn't host the first two rounds was in 2009. Minnesota went on to make the Final Four that season after traveling to Knoxville, Tenn., for the first two rounds before hosting Colorado State and Florida State in a regional at the Pav.
• In the first round of NCAA Tournament's, Minnesota is 27-1 all-time. In the second round Minnesota is 20-6.

SCOUTING CREIGHTON
• The No. 3 seeded Creighton Bluejays are led by 21st-year head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth. Under Booth, the team has made 12 straight NCAA Tournaments and they're the 10-time defending BIG EAST regular season champions. The Bluejays took home their fourth straight BIG EAST Tournament title this year as well.
• Creighton enters Saturday's match on a 16-match winning streak as they look to make their fourth Sweet 16 in program history. The Bluejays are 12-0 at home this season at D.J. Sokol Arena.
• CU's staff was named the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year in 2023. Setter Kendra Wait was named both BIG EAST Setter and Player of the Year. Outsides Norah Sis and Ava Martin also earned All-BIG EAST honors.

SERIES HISTORY
• The Gophers are 5-1 all-time against Creighton, playing just once (Aug. 29, 2008) on Creighton's campus. The Gophers emerged with a sweep in that meeting. The match was played at Omaha Civic Auditorium (9,377) in Omaha, Neb.
• Minnesota and CU have met three times in the NCAA Tournament, all at Maturi Pavilion. The Gophers won in three (25-19, 30-28, 25-20) on Dec. 4, 2010 (second round), in four on Dec. 1, 2012 (20-25, 25-17, 25-23, 25-17) and in five on Dec. 7, 2019 (25-13, 19-25, 15-25, 26-24, 15-10).
• The 'U' fell to Creighton in five sets at the Pav on Sept. 16 in the Diet Coke Classic (15-25, 25-16, 20-25, 25-22, 9-15). It was the first time in history that the Bluejays defeated the Gophers.

TWO GOPHERS ON THEIR LAST GO-AROUND
• Minnesota honored middle Phoebe Awoleye and libero Kylie Murr on Senior Night against Illinois.
• 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 29 matches for Minnesota in 2023, leading the team with 1.32 blocks per set. In her career, she's accumulated over 500 kills and 460 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.

GOPHERS AND NCAA TOURNAMENT EXPERIENCE
• Minnesota has five returning players that have played in NCAA Tournament games for the Gophers. Overall, seven players have had postseason experience. Senior setter Melani Shaffmaster leads the bunch with 10 NCAA games played at Minnesota, followed by Taylor Landfair (6), Arica Davis (4), Elise McGhie (4) and Mckenna Wucherer (4). Davis, an OSU transfer, also played in three tournament matches in 2021 as a Buckeye.
• OSU transfer Kylie Murr racked up nine NCAA Tournament matches played from 2020-22 in Columbus. LMU transfer Phoebe Awoleye played in one postseason match in 2022.
• Minnesota returners Lauren Crowl (2021-22) and Chloe Ng (2022) have yet to appear in an NCAA Tournament match. Julia Hanson appeared in her first last night. California transfer Lydia Grote and freshmen Calissa Minatee, Zeynep Palabiyik and Sydney Schnichels are also getting their first taste of the NCAA Tournament this weekend.

'U' TESTED AGAINST NCAA COMPETITION
• Of Minnesota's 28 regular season matches, 14 of them came against teams that made the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The Gophers held a 4-10 record this season against teams that made the postseason..

NCAA TOURNAMENT STREAK
• Minnesota has made nine straight NCAA Tournaments. The only other teams in the Minnesota Athletic Department to make the NCAA Tourmament every year from 2015-23 are women's hockey (16 straight) and softball (10).
• Since 1999, volleyball has made 24 NCAA Tournaments. In that same time, women's soccer (7) and men's (7) and women's (9) basketball have combined for 23 trips.
• Since 1999, men's hockey has made 16 NCAA appearances while women's has made 20.
• There are 13 schools that have appeared in 13 of the last 14 NCAA Tournaments, a group that includes Minnesota, Creighton, Florida State, Hawai'i, Purdue, San Diego, Stanford and Washington.

FIRST YEAR COACHES IN NCAA TOURNAMENT
• Keegan Cook is the eighth full-time volleyball head coach at the University of Minnesota. Of that group, just three led their team to the NCAA Tournament in their first year.
• Mike Hebert (1996) led the team to a 24-11 (14-6 Big Ten) record in year one. The Gophers fell in the second round of the NCAA Tournament that season. Hugh McCutcheon (2012) led Minnesota to a 27-8 (15-5 Big Ten) season in his inaugural year. The Gophers fell to Penn State in four sets in the Elite Eight.
• Combined, the first year head coaches are 5-2 in the NCAA Tournament at Minnesota with the Gophers win over Utah State on Friday night.

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 23 matches, however, the 'U' has tallied 145 service aces, an average of 6.3 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 ranked fifth in the Big Ten in service aces (1.47 aces per set). In Big Ten play only, the Gophers ranked fourth with 1.51. Minnesota tallied nine in a three set sweep over Utah State on Friday, which tied for a season-high in a three set match.

WE WANT MURR
• 2022 Big Ten Defensive POY Kylie Murr came to Dinkytown for her fifth year of college volleyball after spending the first four at Ohio State. She currently ranks second in BIG TEN HISTORY with 2,391 career digs. Only Minnesota's Paula Gentil (2000-05) had more digs in her career with 2,721.
• She led the Big Ten in both total digs (530) and digs per set (4.69) last year and stepped into the Gophers libero position that two-time All-American CC McGraw departed from due to graduation.
• Murr started 2023 strong, winning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after posting 40 digs (5.71 dps) and 15 assists on her way to Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge All-Tournament honors on Aug. 26.
• Murr ranks sixth in the B1G with 4.15 digs per set in 2023 and is one of three players in the league to have two 25+ dig matches this season. In conference play only, Murr ranked sixth with 4.00 dps.
• Murr is the only player in the Big Ten to record 10+ digs in every match this season. Dating back to last season she's recorded 38 straight 10+ dig matches (second longest active streak in the country).

ALL-TIME NCAA APPEARANCES
• 43: Penn State - 42: Stanford, Nebraska - 41: Hawaii - 40: Texas - 39: USC - 36: BYU -34: Florida
• 32: Louisville - 30: UC Santa Barbara - 28: Minnesota - 27: Pepperdine, Wisconsin

FOUR NAMED TO ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS
• Minnesota had four players named to the All-Big Ten teams in 2023. Redshirt junior outside Taylor Landfair and senior libero Kylie Murr made the first team while senior opposite Lydia Grote and senior setter Melani Shaffmaster made the second team. Grote also earned the 'U's Sportsmanship Award.
• It's the third First Team All-Big Ten selection for Landfair, who averaged 3.20 kills per set along with career-highs in both digs 2.09 and aces 0.30 per set. Murr earned her second career First Team All-Big Ten honor after posting 4.10 digs and 1.34 assists per set. It's her fourth career All-B1G honor.
• Shaffmaster earned her second straight All-Big Ten honor (first team in 2022) after posting 8.85 assists, 0.94 kills (career-high), 3.05 digs (career-high) and 0.29 aces (career-high) per set. Grote earns her first career postseason recognition after a season in which she averaged 2.72 kills (.247 hitting), 1.04 digs, 0.75 blocks and 0.31 aces (career-high) per set.

GOPHERS MAKE IT THROUGH DAUNTING SCHEDULE IN 2023
• The Gophers went through a gauntlet of schedule once again. In addition to playing 20 conference games in the always difficult Big Ten slate, they played in eight non-conference matches. All eight of the Gophers non-conference opponents made the 2023 NCAA Tournament. They played ranked opponents in six of their eight non-conference matchups, which is the most ranked teams that any team in the country played in the preseason. They went 2-4 in those matches and 0-6 versus ranked teams in B1G play. The Gophers fell to No. 1 Nebraska (2x), No. 15 Penn State, No. 16 Purdue (2x) and No. 2 Wisconsin. The 'U' is 2-10 against ranked opponents so far in 2023.
• Eight of the first 12 games were against teams ranked in the top-15.
• Record against NCAA Top 100: 13-11 - Record against NCAA Top 50: 6-10

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 Gophers season continues with a trip to the NCAA Regionals next weekend with a win. They would take on No. 2 seeded Louisville in either Pittsburgh (if the Panthers win today) or Louisville (if Panthers loss). With a loss, their season comes to a close.

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Players Mentioned

Phoebe Awoleye

Lauren Crowl

Arica Davis

Lydia Grote

Julia Hanson

Taylor Landfair

Elise McGhie

CC McGraw

Calissa Minatee

Kylie Murr

Chloe Ng

Zeynep Palabiyik

Sydney Schnichels

Melani Shaffmaster

Mckenna Wucherer