University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
Middle Blocker
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Middle Blocker
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Outside/Opposite
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Outside
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Libero
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Outside/Opposite
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Setter
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Outside
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Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Gophers Host Athletes Unlimited at the Pav
4/3/2023 4:54:00 PM | Volleyball
First serve is 7 p.m. CT and B1G+ will stream
MINNEAPOLIS-- The University of Minnesota women's volleyball team is set to host Athletes Unlimited on Tuesday, April 4 at Maturi Pavilion. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the 7 p.m. event and tickets are on sale at gophersports.com/tickets.
EVENT INFORMATION
Minnesota vs. Athletes Unlimited
Tuesday, April 4 at 7 p.m.
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV: B1G+
FORMAT
Minnesota and Athletes Unlimited will play the first two sets against one another before mixing up the teams in the final two sets.
ENTRANCE AND PARKING
Guests should enter from the main entrance on 19th Ave SE, which is the typical entrance for Gophers volleyball matches. Campus parking suggestions: University Ave Ramp ($10 event parking) & Lot 37 - more information, please check the map link.
SPRING 2023 IN HAWAII
• Minnesota traveled to Hawai'i for a spring break trip from March 4-10. There, the Gophers played two scrimmages against the University of Hawai'i. Both were extremely competitive matches, with the Gophers taking away 3-2 victories each time. Match stats can be found on our schedule page.
ABOUT ATHLETES UNLIMITED
• Athletes Unlimited is a new model of professional sports where athletes are decision makers and individual players are champions of team sports. They literally change the game with faster play and fluid teams, delivering next-level competition and engagement in which every moment counts. AU Women's Volleyball began in 2021.Their athletes are in charge of their team and league decisions, and of their individual success.
• The AU All-Star team, which Minnesota will be competing against, is in the midst of a nine-stop tour in which they play elite college volleyball teams around the country. The Gophers are stop four on the tour, preceded by Ohio State, Louisville and Kentucky.
• After Minnesota, AU will take on Wisconsin, Texas, Baylor, Howard and Penn State. Its athletes all played college volleyball around the country, spanning from coast to coast.
• Former Gophers All-American middle Taylor Morgan (2015-19), plays for AU and will be back in the Pav for the first time playing since 2019. She earned All-Big Ten honors twice and helped the 'U' to Final Fours in 2015, 2016 and 2019.
SINCE THE END OF THE 2022 SEASON
• The University of Minnesota announced on Dec. 12, 2022 that Keegan Cook had been named head volleyball coach. Cook is the eighth full-time head coach and ninth individual to lead the Gophers, which first competed in 1972. He is just the third full-time head coach to lead the program since 1996, following Hugh McCutcheon (2012-22, 277-74 record) and Mike Hebert (1996-2010, 381-137 record). Laura Bush served as interim head coach in 2011.
• In his eight seasons as Washington's head coach, Cook led the Huskies to four Pac-12 Championships and eight trips to the NCAA Tournament. Washington advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight four times and the Final Four once. Cook posted an overall record of 198-56 at Washington and went 107-33 in conference play. He coached 12 different student-athletes to a combined 18 AVCA All-America honors and earned conference and region Coach of the Year laurels.
• Coach Cook brought in Kristen Kelsay (associate head coach), Eric Barber (assistant coach) and Kylin Munoz (volunteer assistant coach) to complete his coaching staff.
SPRING 2023 NOTES
• Minnesota began practicing in early January for the 2023 spring semester. Minnesota currently holds an 11-player roster this spring.
• The Gophers defeated Hawai'i twice (3-2 in each match) and NDSU (3-0) in their three spring matches so far.
• The Gophers returned seven athletes who started matches last year in the 2022 run to the NCAA Regional Semifinal. First Team All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year Taylor Landfair and First Team All-Big Ten selection Melani Shaffmaster return to pace Minnesota in year one of the Keegan Cook era in Minneapolis.
• Starting middle Arica Davis (1.23 bps) and Freshman All-Big Ten selection Mckenna Wucherer (2.73 kps) will each see increased roles in their second seasons at Minnesota in 2023.
• Three transfers will join the mix this summer as Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Kylie Murr (5th Year Libero, Ohio State), Phoebe Awoleye (Senior Middle, Loyola Marymount) and Lydia Grote (Senior Outside/Opposite, California) come to campus. Each is finishing out the spring semester at their previous school.
• The Gophers added two freshmen spring enrollees in outside/opposite Sydney Schnichels (Willmar, Minn.) and middle blocker Calissa Minatee (Kansas City, Mo.). Each was ranked in the top-50 nationally by multiple recruiting outlets and played in the Under Armour All-American game in early January.
• In 2022, the 'U' finished No. 10 in the final AVCA Poll, its eighth straight top-10 finish nationally.
UP NEXT
Minnesota will close out the spring slate with an exhibition at Simpson College (Indianola, Iowa) on Saturday, April 22 against Kansas State.
EVENT INFORMATION
Minnesota vs. Athletes Unlimited
Tuesday, April 4 at 7 p.m.
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV: B1G+
FORMAT
Minnesota and Athletes Unlimited will play the first two sets against one another before mixing up the teams in the final two sets.
ENTRANCE AND PARKING
Guests should enter from the main entrance on 19th Ave SE, which is the typical entrance for Gophers volleyball matches. Campus parking suggestions: University Ave Ramp ($10 event parking) & Lot 37 - more information, please check the map link.
SPRING 2023 IN HAWAII
• Minnesota traveled to Hawai'i for a spring break trip from March 4-10. There, the Gophers played two scrimmages against the University of Hawai'i. Both were extremely competitive matches, with the Gophers taking away 3-2 victories each time. Match stats can be found on our schedule page.
ABOUT ATHLETES UNLIMITED
• Athletes Unlimited is a new model of professional sports where athletes are decision makers and individual players are champions of team sports. They literally change the game with faster play and fluid teams, delivering next-level competition and engagement in which every moment counts. AU Women's Volleyball began in 2021.Their athletes are in charge of their team and league decisions, and of their individual success.
• The AU All-Star team, which Minnesota will be competing against, is in the midst of a nine-stop tour in which they play elite college volleyball teams around the country. The Gophers are stop four on the tour, preceded by Ohio State, Louisville and Kentucky.
• After Minnesota, AU will take on Wisconsin, Texas, Baylor, Howard and Penn State. Its athletes all played college volleyball around the country, spanning from coast to coast.
• Former Gophers All-American middle Taylor Morgan (2015-19), plays for AU and will be back in the Pav for the first time playing since 2019. She earned All-Big Ten honors twice and helped the 'U' to Final Fours in 2015, 2016 and 2019.
SINCE THE END OF THE 2022 SEASON
• The University of Minnesota announced on Dec. 12, 2022 that Keegan Cook had been named head volleyball coach. Cook is the eighth full-time head coach and ninth individual to lead the Gophers, which first competed in 1972. He is just the third full-time head coach to lead the program since 1996, following Hugh McCutcheon (2012-22, 277-74 record) and Mike Hebert (1996-2010, 381-137 record). Laura Bush served as interim head coach in 2011.
• In his eight seasons as Washington's head coach, Cook led the Huskies to four Pac-12 Championships and eight trips to the NCAA Tournament. Washington advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight four times and the Final Four once. Cook posted an overall record of 198-56 at Washington and went 107-33 in conference play. He coached 12 different student-athletes to a combined 18 AVCA All-America honors and earned conference and region Coach of the Year laurels.
• Coach Cook brought in Kristen Kelsay (associate head coach), Eric Barber (assistant coach) and Kylin Munoz (volunteer assistant coach) to complete his coaching staff.
SPRING 2023 NOTES
• Minnesota began practicing in early January for the 2023 spring semester. Minnesota currently holds an 11-player roster this spring.
• The Gophers defeated Hawai'i twice (3-2 in each match) and NDSU (3-0) in their three spring matches so far.
• The Gophers returned seven athletes who started matches last year in the 2022 run to the NCAA Regional Semifinal. First Team All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year Taylor Landfair and First Team All-Big Ten selection Melani Shaffmaster return to pace Minnesota in year one of the Keegan Cook era in Minneapolis.
• Starting middle Arica Davis (1.23 bps) and Freshman All-Big Ten selection Mckenna Wucherer (2.73 kps) will each see increased roles in their second seasons at Minnesota in 2023.
• Three transfers will join the mix this summer as Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Kylie Murr (5th Year Libero, Ohio State), Phoebe Awoleye (Senior Middle, Loyola Marymount) and Lydia Grote (Senior Outside/Opposite, California) come to campus. Each is finishing out the spring semester at their previous school.
• The Gophers added two freshmen spring enrollees in outside/opposite Sydney Schnichels (Willmar, Minn.) and middle blocker Calissa Minatee (Kansas City, Mo.). Each was ranked in the top-50 nationally by multiple recruiting outlets and played in the Under Armour All-American game in early January.
• In 2022, the 'U' finished No. 10 in the final AVCA Poll, its eighth straight top-10 finish nationally.
UP NEXT
Minnesota will close out the spring slate with an exhibition at Simpson College (Indianola, Iowa) on Saturday, April 22 against Kansas State.
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