University of Minnesota Athletics
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Five Gophers Earn AVCA All-North Region Honors
12/5/2023 10:10:00 AM | Volleyball
Grote, Landfair, Murr, Shaffmaster and Wucherer were honored
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota had five players earn all-region accolades, the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced this morning.
Lydia Grote, Taylor Landfair, Kylie Murr and Melani Shaffmaster were all named AVCA All-North Region while sophomore outside Mckenna Wucherer earned AVCA All-North Region Honorable Mention.
A Burbank, Calif., native, senior opposite Lydia Grote earns her second postseason accolade after being named a Second Team All-Big Ten selection in 2023. The California transfer made an immediate impact in the Maroon and Gold, posting 2.68 kills per set on .245 hitting (best among Minnesota pins) with 1.03 digs, 0.79 blocks (career-high) and 0.31 aces per set (career-high). Grote totaled 15 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 17 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.
A Plainfield, Ill., native, Landfair made the AVCA All-North Region team for the third time in her career. She averaged 3.19 kills, 2.03 digs (career-high), 0.48 blocks, 0.37 assists (career-high) and 0.31 aces (career-high). She totaled 19 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 1,131 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 4.18 digs per set, tallying 10+ digs in all 30 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 2,400 career digs, only trailing former Gopher Paula Gentil (2,791) in that category. Murr posted five 20+ dig matches and 13 15+ dig matches in 2023. She ranked fourth in the league overall (4.18 digs per set) and during conference play (4.00). Murr currently ranked 17th all-time in a single season at Minnesota with 472 digs and tied for 13th all-time in digs per set (4.18).
Senior setter Melani Shaffmaster earned her fourth career AVCA All-North Region honor in 2023. Shaffmaster averaged 8.78 assists, 0.97 kills on .376 hitting (both career-highs), 3.07 digs (career-high), 0.68 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 (19). The New Castle, Ind., native totaled 14 3+ block matches and led all Gophers with 10 matches having multiple aces. Shaffmaster ranked 10th in the Big Ten in assists per set, but seventh in conference play (9.29 aps). Shaffmaster was also named Second Team All-Big Ten for her third career all-league honor.
Sophomore outside Mckenna Wucherer earned her second consecutive AVCA All-North Region Honorable Mention after leading the team with 3.24 kills per set (career-high). Wucherer also posted career-bests in digs (1.78), assists (0.28) and aces (0.08) per set while leading Minnesota with 22 10+ kill matches. She was named MVP of the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge on Aug. 26 after going for 30 kills, 11 digs and two aces on over .450 hitting in wins over TCU and No. 15 Baylor. She was also named to the Diet Coke Classic All-Tournament Team on Sept. 16. Wucherer posted four double doubles on the season, including a 21-kill, 10-dig match in a five set win over No. 6 Oregon on Sept. 8.
Minnesota's season ended on Saturday to No. 3 seeded Creighton in the NCAA Tournament's Round of 32. The Gophers have made nine straight tournaments and 24 of the last 25 overall.
Lydia Grote, Taylor Landfair, Kylie Murr and Melani Shaffmaster were all named AVCA All-North Region while sophomore outside Mckenna Wucherer earned AVCA All-North Region Honorable Mention.
A Burbank, Calif., native, senior opposite Lydia Grote earns her second postseason accolade after being named a Second Team All-Big Ten selection in 2023. The California transfer made an immediate impact in the Maroon and Gold, posting 2.68 kills per set on .245 hitting (best among Minnesota pins) with 1.03 digs, 0.79 blocks (career-high) and 0.31 aces per set (career-high). Grote totaled 15 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 17 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.
A Plainfield, Ill., native, Landfair made the AVCA All-North Region team for the third time in her career. She averaged 3.19 kills, 2.03 digs (career-high), 0.48 blocks, 0.37 assists (career-high) and 0.31 aces (career-high). She totaled 19 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 1,131 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 4.18 digs per set, tallying 10+ digs in all 30 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 2,400 career digs, only trailing former Gopher Paula Gentil (2,791) in that category. Murr posted five 20+ dig matches and 13 15+ dig matches in 2023. She ranked fourth in the league overall (4.18 digs per set) and during conference play (4.00). Murr currently ranked 17th all-time in a single season at Minnesota with 472 digs and tied for 13th all-time in digs per set (4.18).
Senior setter Melani Shaffmaster earned her fourth career AVCA All-North Region honor in 2023. Shaffmaster averaged 8.78 assists, 0.97 kills on .376 hitting (both career-highs), 3.07 digs (career-high), 0.68 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 (19). The New Castle, Ind., native totaled 14 3+ block matches and led all Gophers with 10 matches having multiple aces. Shaffmaster ranked 10th in the Big Ten in assists per set, but seventh in conference play (9.29 aps). Shaffmaster was also named Second Team All-Big Ten for her third career all-league honor.
Sophomore outside Mckenna Wucherer earned her second consecutive AVCA All-North Region Honorable Mention after leading the team with 3.24 kills per set (career-high). Wucherer also posted career-bests in digs (1.78), assists (0.28) and aces (0.08) per set while leading Minnesota with 22 10+ kill matches. She was named MVP of the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge on Aug. 26 after going for 30 kills, 11 digs and two aces on over .450 hitting in wins over TCU and No. 15 Baylor. She was also named to the Diet Coke Classic All-Tournament Team on Sept. 16. Wucherer posted four double doubles on the season, including a 21-kill, 10-dig match in a five set win over No. 6 Oregon on Sept. 8.
Minnesota's season ended on Saturday to No. 3 seeded Creighton in the NCAA Tournament's Round of 32. The Gophers have made nine straight tournaments and 24 of the last 25 overall.
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