University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, September 29
Minneapolis, MN
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Michigan
Players Mentioned
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Outside/Opposite
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ Volleyball
Libero
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ Volleyball
Minnesota Hosts Michigan, Penn State on Homecoming Weekend
9/28/2023 9:27:00 AM | Volleyball
Watch Michigan (B1G+)Watch Penn State (BTN)Live StatsCoach Cook, Melani, Kylie Presser (Video)Minnesota Game Notes (PDF)Michigan Game Notes (PDF)
Friday night's game starts at 6 p.m., Saturday's starts at 8 p.m.
MINNEAPOLIS -- The No. 13 Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-5, 1-1 Big Ten) are getting set to play their first Big Ten home games of 2023 when Michigan (2-9, 0-2 Big Ten) and No. 15 Penn State (8-3, 2-0 Big Ten) come to town this weekend. B1G+ will stream the match Friday while BTN will televise Saturday's bout.
MICHIGAN GAME GAME INFORMATION
No. 13 Minnesota vs. Michigan
Friday, Sept. 29
6 p.m. CT
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV/Stream: B1G+ - Emma Carpenter (Play-By-Play) and Kyra Schwanz (Analyst)
Live Stats
PENN STATE GAME GAME INFORMATION
No. 13 Minnesota vs. No. 15 Penn State
Saturday, Sept. 30
8 p.m. CT
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV/Stream: BTN - Sloane Martin (Play-By-Play) and Emily Ehman (Analyst)
Live Stats
PARKING ADVISORY
Please be prepared for additional traffic & parking congestion due to the University of Minnesota Homecoming parade on Friday, September 29. University Avenue will be closed from approximately 6pm - 8pm for the parade. University Avenue Ramp will operate as normal with parking based on availability outside of those hours. Individuals with a parking pass in University Avenue Ramp can also choose to utilize the Fourth Street Ramp to avoid the road closure. Individuals are encouraged to arrive to campus via I94 exiting at Huron Blvd. After University Avenue closes, individuals arriving via 35W will be directed to SE 8th St., turning onto 15th Ave SE, and finally onto 5th St SE to park in the 4th Street Ramp.
TROPICAL NIGHT
Break out your favorite tropical attire and join the Maroon & Gold as we celebrate Tropical Night on Friday! All fans in attendance will have a chance to enter to win a 'Beach Bundle' Giveaway, including a Yeti Cooler, Stanley Tumbler & more.
NOTES TO KNOW
203 -- Keegan Cook won his 200th career game as a head coach on Aug. 26 vs. Baylor. His 203rd and latest win came last Thursday at Iowa in five sets.
15 -- The Gophers are one of three teams to have seven of their first 10 matches against top-15 ranked teams, joining Florida and Stanford. Five of those have been vs. top-10 teams.
13 -- Minnesota's current rank in the AVCA poll. The Gophers started the season at seven and moved up to as high as fifth after the first week of 2023.
11 -- Sophomore outside Mckenna Wucherer has had a breakout campaign in year two, leading the team and ranking 11th in the Big Ten with 3.35 kills per set.
10 -- Minnesota has won 10 of the last 11 games versus Michigan.
8 -- Melani Shaffmaster ranks 8th all-time in Minnesota history with 3,365 career assists.
8 -- Minnesota will go on a stretch of eight games where it will play just one ranked opponent after playing seven in the first 10 matches of the 2023 season.
4 -- In conference games, Minnesota ranks fourth in the league in hitting percentage (.253), assists per set (12.13) and opponent kills (11.13).
3 -- Minnesota's strength of schedule ranks as the third hardest in the nation so far through 10 games. Its opponents have gone 83-27 (.755). The Gophers trail only Marquette (129-32, .801) and Penn St. (98-31, .760) for past opponent win percentage.
3 -- Fifth year libero Kylie Murr ranks third in the Big Ten in digs per set through five weeks of play with 4.20. She's one of two players in the league to tally two 20+ dig matches in 2023. She had 27 vs. TCU (Aug. 25) and 22 vs. Oregon (Sep. 8).
3 -- Melani Shaffmaster ranks third in the Big Ten with 9.75 assists per set against B1G teams.
2 -- The Gophers are 2-5 against ranked opponents this season, taking wins over then No. 15 Baylor and No. 6 Oregon. The 'U' has lost ranked tilts to now No. 10 Texas, No. 4 Florida, No. 3 Stanford, No. 16 Creighton and No. 2 Nebraska.
1 -- Middle Phoebe Awoleye ranked No. 1 in the nation in blocks per set after the first weekend (2.29). She now ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten and No. 7 nationally with 1.54 per set after 10 games.
LAST TIME OUT
• The 'U' fell to No. 2 Nebraska in three sets (23-25, 20-25, 22-25) Sunday night in Lincoln. Mckenna Wucherer had 11 kills while Kylie Murr anchored the backcourt with 11 digs. Phoebe Awoleye had seven blocks for her eighth 5+ block match of the season.
HEADING INTO CONFERENCE PLAY
• For the first time since 2006, the Gophers headed into Big Ten play with four losses in the preseason. The 2006 team ended up finishing 26-8 (17-3 Big Ten), finishing second in the league and making the Elite Eight.
• Minnesota went 5-3 in non-conference play in each of the past two seasons before making the Elite Eight and Sweet 16 in each year, respectively.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
• Michigan is led by first year head coach Erin Virtue, who was as announced as the seventh head coach in Michigan volleyball history on Jan. 17, 2023. She returns to Ann Arbor after spending five seasons (2011-15) with the Maize and Blue as an assistant. She is currently a member of the USA Women's National Team program, where she serves as offensive coordinator.
• The Wolverines two wins came against Sacred Heart and North Carolina (both sweeps).
• Senior opposite Kendall Murray leads the team with 2.70 kills per set while Lydia Johnson paces the team on the service line with 0.48 aces per set (ranks third in the Big Ten).
SCOUTING PENN ST.
• Penn State is led by second-year head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, a two-time All-American and a member of Penn State's 1999 National Championship team, Schumacher-Cawley took over the program after spending four seasons as an assistant under legendary head coach Russ Rose.
• The Nittany Lions are 1-3 versus ranked opponents, falling to then No. 11 Florida, No. 20 Ga Tech. and No. 2 Louisville. They defeated No. 22 WKU for their lone top-25 win of 2023.
• PSU is led by Michigan transfer Jess Mruzik (4.56 kps) on the pin while OSU transfer and 2022 Big Ten Setter of the Year Mac Podraza (10.14 aps) runs the show on offense. PSU leads the Big Ten in blocks per set with 2.97, paced by First Team All-Big Ten selection Allie Holland (1.26 bps) and Taylor Trammell (1.24 bps).
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. MICHIGAN AND PENN ST.
• Minnesota is 61-16 (33-4 at home) all-time against Michigan. The Gophers have won 10 of the last 11 in the series versus the Wolverines, including seven in-a-row at the Pav. Michigan last won at the Pav in 2011.
• Minnesota is 15-46 all-time against Penn St. The Gophers have won seven of the past 12, however, including four of the last six. Minnesota has won five of the last seven against PSU at the Pav (10-20 all-time at home).
BIG TEN BESTS
• The Gophers hit a Big Ten season-best .323 for a five set match in a win over No. 6 Oregon on Sep. 8. They hit .313 in a five-setter against Iowa on Sep. 21. Minnesota's 76 kills in the Iowa match are the most by any Big Ten team this season. Only one other Big Ten team has hit over .300 in a five-setter this season (Wisconsin vs. Tennessee, .306, 9/3/23).
• Phoebe Awoleye is one of six Big Ten players to post 10 blocks in a match (Aug. 26 vs. Baylor). She's the only one to produce 10 blocks in a three set match, however. She ranks second in bps in the Big Ten (1.53).
• Kylie Murr's 27 digs on Sept. 25 vs. TCU were tied for the second most digs in a match by a Big Ten player in 2023. Amanda Darling (Iowa) and Sydney Dennis (Iowa) both have a 28-dig match this year. Murr is one of two Big Ten players to have two 20+ dig matches this season.
• Taylor Landfair is one of 11 Big Ten players to post 5+ aces in a match this season (Sep. 16 vs. Creighton).
• Melani Shaffmaster posted a Big Ten season-best 57 assists on Sep. 21 at Iowa.
GOPHERS IN BIG TEN COMPETITION
• Since 2012, Minnesota is 162-48 (.771) in B1G play, including 10 seasons over .500 in league games.
• In all of 10 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 win 15+ conference wins in each of the past eight 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.
GROTE KEEPS GROWING ON GOPHER NATION
• A transfer from California, Lydia Grote has stepped up in a big way at the opposite position for the Maroon and Gold. She ranks second on the team in kills per set (2.65) and first in pin hitters in hitting percentage (.305). She places third in aces per set (0.22) and fourth in blocks per set (0.57).
• The Burbank, Calif., native is one of two Gophers, joining Mckenna Wucherer, to tally double digit kills in five-or-more matches this fall. She's posted 13-more-more kills in four of her last six matches, including a season-best 20 kills with 13 digs and two aces on Sept. 16 versus Creighton.
SERVING STEPS UP FOR THE MAROON AND GOLD
• One of head coach Keegan's Cook's points of emphasis is for Minnesota 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 four matches, however, the 'U' has tallied 34 service aces, an average of 8.5 per match. The Gophers totaled a season-best 12 on Sept. 14 against High Point and added 11 versus Creighton on Saturday before putting down eight the other day at Iowa.
GOPHERS CLIMB THE LADDER IN B1G CATEGORIES
• Through their first two Big Ten games in 2023, the Gophers rank in the top-five of the conference in points (17.00 ps, 5th), hitting percentage (.253, 4th), kills (13.50 ps, 3rd), opponent kills (11.13 ps) and opponent blocks (1.75 ps).
MINNESOTA HOLDS FIRM AT HOME
• Since 2015, Minnesota holds a 107-16 (.870) 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.
LANDFAIR COMING INTO FORM TO BEGIN BIG 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 Thursday night 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).
UP NEXT
Minnesota hits the road to play at Maryland next Friday, Oct. 6 (7 p.m. CT, BTN), and Rutgers on Saturday, Oct. 7 (6 p.m., B1G+).
MICHIGAN GAME GAME INFORMATION
No. 13 Minnesota vs. Michigan
Friday, Sept. 29
6 p.m. CT
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV/Stream: B1G+ - Emma Carpenter (Play-By-Play) and Kyra Schwanz (Analyst)
Live Stats
PENN STATE GAME GAME INFORMATION
No. 13 Minnesota vs. No. 15 Penn State
Saturday, Sept. 30
8 p.m. CT
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV/Stream: BTN - Sloane Martin (Play-By-Play) and Emily Ehman (Analyst)
Live Stats
PARKING ADVISORY
Please be prepared for additional traffic & parking congestion due to the University of Minnesota Homecoming parade on Friday, September 29. University Avenue will be closed from approximately 6pm - 8pm for the parade. University Avenue Ramp will operate as normal with parking based on availability outside of those hours. Individuals with a parking pass in University Avenue Ramp can also choose to utilize the Fourth Street Ramp to avoid the road closure. Individuals are encouraged to arrive to campus via I94 exiting at Huron Blvd. After University Avenue closes, individuals arriving via 35W will be directed to SE 8th St., turning onto 15th Ave SE, and finally onto 5th St SE to park in the 4th Street Ramp.
TROPICAL NIGHT
Break out your favorite tropical attire and join the Maroon & Gold as we celebrate Tropical Night on Friday! All fans in attendance will have a chance to enter to win a 'Beach Bundle' Giveaway, including a Yeti Cooler, Stanley Tumbler & more.
NOTES TO KNOW
203 -- Keegan Cook won his 200th career game as a head coach on Aug. 26 vs. Baylor. His 203rd and latest win came last Thursday at Iowa in five sets.
15 -- The Gophers are one of three teams to have seven of their first 10 matches against top-15 ranked teams, joining Florida and Stanford. Five of those have been vs. top-10 teams.
13 -- Minnesota's current rank in the AVCA poll. The Gophers started the season at seven and moved up to as high as fifth after the first week of 2023.
11 -- Sophomore outside Mckenna Wucherer has had a breakout campaign in year two, leading the team and ranking 11th in the Big Ten with 3.35 kills per set.
10 -- Minnesota has won 10 of the last 11 games versus Michigan.
8 -- Melani Shaffmaster ranks 8th all-time in Minnesota history with 3,365 career assists.
8 -- Minnesota will go on a stretch of eight games where it will play just one ranked opponent after playing seven in the first 10 matches of the 2023 season.
4 -- In conference games, Minnesota ranks fourth in the league in hitting percentage (.253), assists per set (12.13) and opponent kills (11.13).
3 -- Minnesota's strength of schedule ranks as the third hardest in the nation so far through 10 games. Its opponents have gone 83-27 (.755). The Gophers trail only Marquette (129-32, .801) and Penn St. (98-31, .760) for past opponent win percentage.
3 -- Fifth year libero Kylie Murr ranks third in the Big Ten in digs per set through five weeks of play with 4.20. She's one of two players in the league to tally two 20+ dig matches in 2023. She had 27 vs. TCU (Aug. 25) and 22 vs. Oregon (Sep. 8).
3 -- Melani Shaffmaster ranks third in the Big Ten with 9.75 assists per set against B1G teams.
2 -- The Gophers are 2-5 against ranked opponents this season, taking wins over then No. 15 Baylor and No. 6 Oregon. The 'U' has lost ranked tilts to now No. 10 Texas, No. 4 Florida, No. 3 Stanford, No. 16 Creighton and No. 2 Nebraska.
1 -- Middle Phoebe Awoleye ranked No. 1 in the nation in blocks per set after the first weekend (2.29). She now ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten and No. 7 nationally with 1.54 per set after 10 games.
LAST TIME OUT
• The 'U' fell to No. 2 Nebraska in three sets (23-25, 20-25, 22-25) Sunday night in Lincoln. Mckenna Wucherer had 11 kills while Kylie Murr anchored the backcourt with 11 digs. Phoebe Awoleye had seven blocks for her eighth 5+ block match of the season.
HEADING INTO CONFERENCE PLAY
• For the first time since 2006, the Gophers headed into Big Ten play with four losses in the preseason. The 2006 team ended up finishing 26-8 (17-3 Big Ten), finishing second in the league and making the Elite Eight.
• Minnesota went 5-3 in non-conference play in each of the past two seasons before making the Elite Eight and Sweet 16 in each year, respectively.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
• Michigan is led by first year head coach Erin Virtue, who was as announced as the seventh head coach in Michigan volleyball history on Jan. 17, 2023. She returns to Ann Arbor after spending five seasons (2011-15) with the Maize and Blue as an assistant. She is currently a member of the USA Women's National Team program, where she serves as offensive coordinator.
• The Wolverines two wins came against Sacred Heart and North Carolina (both sweeps).
• Senior opposite Kendall Murray leads the team with 2.70 kills per set while Lydia Johnson paces the team on the service line with 0.48 aces per set (ranks third in the Big Ten).
SCOUTING PENN ST.
• Penn State is led by second-year head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, a two-time All-American and a member of Penn State's 1999 National Championship team, Schumacher-Cawley took over the program after spending four seasons as an assistant under legendary head coach Russ Rose.
• The Nittany Lions are 1-3 versus ranked opponents, falling to then No. 11 Florida, No. 20 Ga Tech. and No. 2 Louisville. They defeated No. 22 WKU for their lone top-25 win of 2023.
• PSU is led by Michigan transfer Jess Mruzik (4.56 kps) on the pin while OSU transfer and 2022 Big Ten Setter of the Year Mac Podraza (10.14 aps) runs the show on offense. PSU leads the Big Ten in blocks per set with 2.97, paced by First Team All-Big Ten selection Allie Holland (1.26 bps) and Taylor Trammell (1.24 bps).
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. MICHIGAN AND PENN ST.
• Minnesota is 61-16 (33-4 at home) all-time against Michigan. The Gophers have won 10 of the last 11 in the series versus the Wolverines, including seven in-a-row at the Pav. Michigan last won at the Pav in 2011.
• Minnesota is 15-46 all-time against Penn St. The Gophers have won seven of the past 12, however, including four of the last six. Minnesota has won five of the last seven against PSU at the Pav (10-20 all-time at home).
BIG TEN BESTS
• The Gophers hit a Big Ten season-best .323 for a five set match in a win over No. 6 Oregon on Sep. 8. They hit .313 in a five-setter against Iowa on Sep. 21. Minnesota's 76 kills in the Iowa match are the most by any Big Ten team this season. Only one other Big Ten team has hit over .300 in a five-setter this season (Wisconsin vs. Tennessee, .306, 9/3/23).
• Phoebe Awoleye is one of six Big Ten players to post 10 blocks in a match (Aug. 26 vs. Baylor). She's the only one to produce 10 blocks in a three set match, however. She ranks second in bps in the Big Ten (1.53).
• Kylie Murr's 27 digs on Sept. 25 vs. TCU were tied for the second most digs in a match by a Big Ten player in 2023. Amanda Darling (Iowa) and Sydney Dennis (Iowa) both have a 28-dig match this year. Murr is one of two Big Ten players to have two 20+ dig matches this season.
• Taylor Landfair is one of 11 Big Ten players to post 5+ aces in a match this season (Sep. 16 vs. Creighton).
• Melani Shaffmaster posted a Big Ten season-best 57 assists on Sep. 21 at Iowa.
GOPHERS IN BIG TEN COMPETITION
• Since 2012, Minnesota is 162-48 (.771) in B1G play, including 10 seasons over .500 in league games.
• In all of 10 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 win 15+ conference wins in each of the past eight 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.
GROTE KEEPS GROWING ON GOPHER NATION
• A transfer from California, Lydia Grote has stepped up in a big way at the opposite position for the Maroon and Gold. She ranks second on the team in kills per set (2.65) and first in pin hitters in hitting percentage (.305). She places third in aces per set (0.22) and fourth in blocks per set (0.57).
• The Burbank, Calif., native is one of two Gophers, joining Mckenna Wucherer, to tally double digit kills in five-or-more matches this fall. She's posted 13-more-more kills in four of her last six matches, including a season-best 20 kills with 13 digs and two aces on Sept. 16 versus Creighton.
SERVING STEPS UP FOR THE MAROON AND GOLD
• One of head coach Keegan's Cook's points of emphasis is for Minnesota 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 four matches, however, the 'U' has tallied 34 service aces, an average of 8.5 per match. The Gophers totaled a season-best 12 on Sept. 14 against High Point and added 11 versus Creighton on Saturday before putting down eight the other day at Iowa.
GOPHERS CLIMB THE LADDER IN B1G CATEGORIES
• Through their first two Big Ten games in 2023, the Gophers rank in the top-five of the conference in points (17.00 ps, 5th), hitting percentage (.253, 4th), kills (13.50 ps, 3rd), opponent kills (11.13 ps) and opponent blocks (1.75 ps).
MINNESOTA HOLDS FIRM AT HOME
• Since 2015, Minnesota holds a 107-16 (.870) 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.
LANDFAIR COMING INTO FORM TO BEGIN BIG 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 Thursday night 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).
UP NEXT
Minnesota hits the road to play at Maryland next Friday, Oct. 6 (7 p.m. CT, BTN), and Rutgers on Saturday, Oct. 7 (6 p.m., B1G+).
Best of Julia Hanson
Monday, December 22
Gophers Preview NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Tuesday, December 09
Cinematic Recap: Gophers Reach Sweet Sixteen
Tuesday, December 09
NCAA Postgame Reaction
Sunday, December 07