University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, August 29
Minneapolis, MN
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Cal Poly
Players Mentioned
Outside
/ Volleyball
Opposite
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ Volleyball
Photo by: Bjorn Franke
No. 11 Minnesota Readies for Golden Gopher Invitational
8/28/2025 11:14:00 AM | Volleyball
Cal Poly, Ball St., and UST come to the Pav
MINNEAPOLIS -- The No. 11 Minnesota Golden Gophers open up their 2025 home slate with the Golden Gopher Invitational this weekend. Cal Poly, Ball State and St. Thomas come to town Friday through Sunday for matches. Each team will play three matches against one another. All six matches are set to be streamed on B1G+ and listening will be available on Gopher Sports Radio.
GAME 1 INFORMATION
No. 11 Minnesota vs. Cal Poly
Friday, Aug. 29
6 p.m.
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV: B1G+ Sam Konstan (Play-By-Play)
Live Stats
GAME 2 INFORMATION
No. 11 Minnesota vs. Ball State
Saturday, Aug. 30
5 p.m.
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV: B1G+ Sam Konstan (Play-By-Play)
Live Stats
GAME 3 INFORMATION
No. 11 Minnesota vs. St. Thomas
Sunday, Aug. 31
3 p.m.
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV: B1G+ Sam Konstan (Play-By-Play)
Live Stats
NOTES TO KNOW
54 -- The 2025 season marks the 54th year of Gopher volleyball.
53 -- Julia Hanson ranked No. 53 in the country and No. 7 in the Big Ten with 4.01 kills per set in 2024.
43 -- Minnesota is 43-10 all-time in home openers. Their last loss was in 2021 against Texas. The Gophers have won 15 of their last 17 home openers.
29 -- The 2024 NCAA Tournament represented the 29th all-time postseason appearance for Minnesota volleyball.
27 -- Julia Hanson had 27 10+ kill matches in 2024 (.871).
26 -- The 'U' came in at No. 26 in the country, holding opponents to just .170 for the year. Only 10 of Minnesota's opponents hit over .200 last season. Four have been below .100.
16 -- Times last season Minnesota posted 10+ blocks as a team.
16 -- Straight wins in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament.
15 -- Straight matches with 10+ kills for Julia Hanson to end 2024. Totaled 11 15+ kill matches and five 20+ kill matches during that span and hit 20+ in five of her last eight contests.
10 -- Last year was Minnesota's 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. They've made 25 of the last 26 (missed 2014). They've made three Final Fours, four Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight since 2015.
10 -- 10 straight matches with double-digit digs for Zeynep Palabiyik to finish the 2024 season.
9 -- Gophers matches went five sets (4-5), 15 sweeps (13-2) and eight were in four sets (4-4) last season.
9 -- Times Minnesota has opened the season against a top-10 opponent (1-8 record).
8 -- Minnesota has made eight Sweet 16 appearances in the last 10 years.
4 -- Minnesota ranked fourth in the Big Ten and 13th nationally with 319.0 total blocks in 2024.
4 -- Gophers head coach Keegan Cook is 4-21 against AVCA Top-25 ranked opponents in two seasons.
2 -- The Gophers were 2-11 against ranked opponents in 2023 and 2-9 in 2024. The 2024 wins were over No. 1 Texas and No. 7 Wisconsin. Losses came against No. 2 Nebraska, No. 3 Penn State, No. 5 Stanford, No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 10 Purdue, No. 11 Kentucky, No. 12 Oregon, No. 21 USC and No. 23 Baylor.
2 -- Minnesota ranked second in the Big Ten (100th in the NCAA) with 15.32 digs per set.
2 -- Julia Hanson and Mckenna Wucherer were named as two of the 20 players in the Big Ten to be named Preseason All-B1G. Hanson was a Unanimous First Team All-B1G selection in 2024.
1 -- Hanson was named as one of the 30 players to the AVCA Preseason Player of the Year Watch List.
LAST TIME OUT
• No. 11 Minnesota fell in four sets to No. 9 Texas A&M on Monday night at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls. A&M, who returns nine seniors, won 23-25, 25-21, 21-25, 21-25. Hanson led the 'U' with 16 kills while Swenson totaled 39 assists, five blocks and four digs. Minatee also had 10 kills.
RECALLING LAST SEASON
• In 2024, the 'U' finished 21-11 (13-7 B1G) and went to the NCAA Tournament's Round of 32 for the second straight year. The Gophers won an NCAA Tournament match for the 10th straight season and finished tied for sixth in the conference standings in year two under head coach Keegan Cook. The program won four more matches than it did in 2023 (17), and increased its conference win total from 12 to 13 games.
• The 'U' earned top-10 wins over then No. 1 Texas and No. 7 Wisconsin, both in five sets. It was the first time Minnesota defeated a No. 1 ranked team since 2019 and the program's second straight home win vs. UW.
• Statistically, Minnesota improved in hitting percentage (.226 to .242), kills per set (12.4 to 13.0), assists per set (11.5 to 11.8), digs per set (14.7 to 15.3) and blocks per set (2.6 to 2.7) from the year prior.
SCOUTING CAL POLY
• Led by sixth-year head coach Caroline Walters, Cal Poly is coming off a season in which they won the Big West Regular Season Title (22-9, 14-4 BWC). They were predicted to finish second in the league this year, behind Hawai'i.
• Facing a significant reload, the Mustangs must replace 48% of their offensive production after graduating all three starting pin hitters. They're anchored by 2025 Big West All-Preseason Team selections Emme Bullis, the starting setter, and middle blocker Chloe Leluge.
SCOUTING BALL ST.
• The Ball State Cardinals are paced by 10th-year head coach Kelli Miller Phillips, the 2021 and 2022 MAC Coach of the Year. Last season. BSU went 22-10 (13-5 MAC), making it to the conference title game before falling to Western Michigan. Ball State has had winning seasons in eight of the last nine years, including a 30-win campaign in 2021.
• Ball State women's volleyball team received 102 points in the league's annual coaches' poll, trailing only defending regular season champion Bowling Green (119). Resenting Ball State as Preseason All-MAC are sophomore outside Carson Tyler and sophomore libero Sophie Ledbetter. Tyler was named the 2024 MAC and AVCA Midwest Region Freshman of the Year after ranking first on the team, seventh in the MAC with 3.34 kills per set.
SCOUTING ST. THOMAS
• The St. Thomas Tommies are led by 23rd-year head coach Thanh Pham. After finishing third in the Summit League standings a season ago, the Tommies were picked to finish third in the 2025 Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll. It's the highest preseason selection since joining the league in 2021.
• Junior setter Morgan Kealy won Summit League Setter of the Year last year, and UST had three first team all-league selections (Kealy, Lauren Galvin and Megan Wetter). They are eligible this year for the first time to make the NCAA Tournament after completing the four-year Division I transition period.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. CAL POLY, BALL STATE AND ST. THOMAS
• The 'U' is 2-1 against Cal Poly, losing 2-0 in 1980, winning in 2006 (3-1) and 2008 (3-1), in the Diet Coke Classic.
• Minnesota is 3-1 all-time vs. Ball State. They lost in 1973 (3-0), the Gophers second eason as a program. Minnesota swept BSU in the first round of the 1993 NCAA Tournament, swept them in 2002 and the 2013 Diet Coke Classic.
• The Gophers are 2-0 all-time against St. Thomas, playing in 2021 and 2024. They played last year for Minnesota's home opener, a 25-20, 25-16, 25-21 win.
GOPHERS RANKED 11TH TO START 2025
• The Gophers entered the 2025 season with a No. 11 overall ranking in the Preseason AVCA poll.
• Minnesota finished 18th in the final AVCA poll last season.
• Minnesota was ranked as high as 12 last year (Sept. 30) and as low as 19 (Sept. 9).
GOPHERS IN SEASON OPENERS
• The Gophers are 42-12 all-time in season-opening games. They fell in this year's opener to No. 9 Texas A&M, 3-1.
• All-time, the Gophers are 43-10 in home openers. Their last loss came in 2021 against No. 1 Texas (3-1). Before that, it was in 2007 against No. 23 Ohio State. Minnesota has won 15 of its last 17 home openers.
RETURNING PRODUCTION
• In 2025, Minnesota returns 62% of its kills, 68% of their digs, 43% of its blocks and 56% of its aces.
• Four players who had significant starting experience are back this season. Senior outsides Julia Hanson and Mckenna Wucherer, both Preseason All-Big Ten honorees, have combined to play in almost 150 matches in their careers and have nearly 1,400 kills.
• Junior libero Zeynep Palabiyik is back for her second year as a regular after starting in all 32 matches a year ago. She averaged 3.86 digs per set, a figure that put her at seventh in the Big Ten Conference.
• Junor middle blocker Calissa Minatee hit over .300 in extended action as a starter in 2024, going for 1.52 kills and 0.98 blocks per set. She's expected to be a big contributor once again this season.
2025 ROSTER MAKEUP FEATURES PLENTY OF YOUTH
• Seven of Minnesota's 16 rostered players have three or more years of eligibility remaining. The Gophers brought in a four-player true freshman class while Olivia and Stella Swenson (redshirt freshmen) sat out last year. Alex Acevedo, who played in 30 matches last year, is a redshirt sophomore in 2025.
• The Gophers have a four-player senior class, led by senior outsides Julia Hanson and Mckenna Wucherer, who have combined to play in 149 matches.
• Redshirt senior Lauren Crowl has played in 54 matches across the last three seasons while Lourdes Myers (Purdue transfer) has played in 83 matches.
• Zeynep Palabiyik (libero), Kate Thibault (DS) and Calissa Minatee (middle) are the most experienced juniors.
UP NEXT
Minnesota travels to Vanderbilt and Lipscomb to play two matches next Friday and Saturday in Nashville, Tenn.
GAME 1 INFORMATION
No. 11 Minnesota vs. Cal Poly
Friday, Aug. 29
6 p.m.
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV: B1G+ Sam Konstan (Play-By-Play)
Live Stats
GAME 2 INFORMATION
No. 11 Minnesota vs. Ball State
Saturday, Aug. 30
5 p.m.
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV: B1G+ Sam Konstan (Play-By-Play)
Live Stats
GAME 3 INFORMATION
No. 11 Minnesota vs. St. Thomas
Sunday, Aug. 31
3 p.m.
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV: B1G+ Sam Konstan (Play-By-Play)
Live Stats
NOTES TO KNOW
54 -- The 2025 season marks the 54th year of Gopher volleyball.
53 -- Julia Hanson ranked No. 53 in the country and No. 7 in the Big Ten with 4.01 kills per set in 2024.
43 -- Minnesota is 43-10 all-time in home openers. Their last loss was in 2021 against Texas. The Gophers have won 15 of their last 17 home openers.
29 -- The 2024 NCAA Tournament represented the 29th all-time postseason appearance for Minnesota volleyball.
27 -- Julia Hanson had 27 10+ kill matches in 2024 (.871).
26 -- The 'U' came in at No. 26 in the country, holding opponents to just .170 for the year. Only 10 of Minnesota's opponents hit over .200 last season. Four have been below .100.
16 -- Times last season Minnesota posted 10+ blocks as a team.
16 -- Straight wins in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament.
15 -- Straight matches with 10+ kills for Julia Hanson to end 2024. Totaled 11 15+ kill matches and five 20+ kill matches during that span and hit 20+ in five of her last eight contests.
10 -- Last year was Minnesota's 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. They've made 25 of the last 26 (missed 2014). They've made three Final Fours, four Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight since 2015.
10 -- 10 straight matches with double-digit digs for Zeynep Palabiyik to finish the 2024 season.
9 -- Gophers matches went five sets (4-5), 15 sweeps (13-2) and eight were in four sets (4-4) last season.
9 -- Times Minnesota has opened the season against a top-10 opponent (1-8 record).
8 -- Minnesota has made eight Sweet 16 appearances in the last 10 years.
4 -- Minnesota ranked fourth in the Big Ten and 13th nationally with 319.0 total blocks in 2024.
4 -- Gophers head coach Keegan Cook is 4-21 against AVCA Top-25 ranked opponents in two seasons.
2 -- The Gophers were 2-11 against ranked opponents in 2023 and 2-9 in 2024. The 2024 wins were over No. 1 Texas and No. 7 Wisconsin. Losses came against No. 2 Nebraska, No. 3 Penn State, No. 5 Stanford, No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 10 Purdue, No. 11 Kentucky, No. 12 Oregon, No. 21 USC and No. 23 Baylor.
2 -- Minnesota ranked second in the Big Ten (100th in the NCAA) with 15.32 digs per set.
2 -- Julia Hanson and Mckenna Wucherer were named as two of the 20 players in the Big Ten to be named Preseason All-B1G. Hanson was a Unanimous First Team All-B1G selection in 2024.
1 -- Hanson was named as one of the 30 players to the AVCA Preseason Player of the Year Watch List.
LAST TIME OUT
• No. 11 Minnesota fell in four sets to No. 9 Texas A&M on Monday night at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls. A&M, who returns nine seniors, won 23-25, 25-21, 21-25, 21-25. Hanson led the 'U' with 16 kills while Swenson totaled 39 assists, five blocks and four digs. Minatee also had 10 kills.
RECALLING LAST SEASON
• In 2024, the 'U' finished 21-11 (13-7 B1G) and went to the NCAA Tournament's Round of 32 for the second straight year. The Gophers won an NCAA Tournament match for the 10th straight season and finished tied for sixth in the conference standings in year two under head coach Keegan Cook. The program won four more matches than it did in 2023 (17), and increased its conference win total from 12 to 13 games.
• The 'U' earned top-10 wins over then No. 1 Texas and No. 7 Wisconsin, both in five sets. It was the first time Minnesota defeated a No. 1 ranked team since 2019 and the program's second straight home win vs. UW.
• Statistically, Minnesota improved in hitting percentage (.226 to .242), kills per set (12.4 to 13.0), assists per set (11.5 to 11.8), digs per set (14.7 to 15.3) and blocks per set (2.6 to 2.7) from the year prior.
SCOUTING CAL POLY
• Led by sixth-year head coach Caroline Walters, Cal Poly is coming off a season in which they won the Big West Regular Season Title (22-9, 14-4 BWC). They were predicted to finish second in the league this year, behind Hawai'i.
• Facing a significant reload, the Mustangs must replace 48% of their offensive production after graduating all three starting pin hitters. They're anchored by 2025 Big West All-Preseason Team selections Emme Bullis, the starting setter, and middle blocker Chloe Leluge.
SCOUTING BALL ST.
• The Ball State Cardinals are paced by 10th-year head coach Kelli Miller Phillips, the 2021 and 2022 MAC Coach of the Year. Last season. BSU went 22-10 (13-5 MAC), making it to the conference title game before falling to Western Michigan. Ball State has had winning seasons in eight of the last nine years, including a 30-win campaign in 2021.
• Ball State women's volleyball team received 102 points in the league's annual coaches' poll, trailing only defending regular season champion Bowling Green (119). Resenting Ball State as Preseason All-MAC are sophomore outside Carson Tyler and sophomore libero Sophie Ledbetter. Tyler was named the 2024 MAC and AVCA Midwest Region Freshman of the Year after ranking first on the team, seventh in the MAC with 3.34 kills per set.
SCOUTING ST. THOMAS
• The St. Thomas Tommies are led by 23rd-year head coach Thanh Pham. After finishing third in the Summit League standings a season ago, the Tommies were picked to finish third in the 2025 Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll. It's the highest preseason selection since joining the league in 2021.
• Junior setter Morgan Kealy won Summit League Setter of the Year last year, and UST had three first team all-league selections (Kealy, Lauren Galvin and Megan Wetter). They are eligible this year for the first time to make the NCAA Tournament after completing the four-year Division I transition period.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. CAL POLY, BALL STATE AND ST. THOMAS
• The 'U' is 2-1 against Cal Poly, losing 2-0 in 1980, winning in 2006 (3-1) and 2008 (3-1), in the Diet Coke Classic.
• Minnesota is 3-1 all-time vs. Ball State. They lost in 1973 (3-0), the Gophers second eason as a program. Minnesota swept BSU in the first round of the 1993 NCAA Tournament, swept them in 2002 and the 2013 Diet Coke Classic.
• The Gophers are 2-0 all-time against St. Thomas, playing in 2021 and 2024. They played last year for Minnesota's home opener, a 25-20, 25-16, 25-21 win.
GOPHERS RANKED 11TH TO START 2025
• The Gophers entered the 2025 season with a No. 11 overall ranking in the Preseason AVCA poll.
• Minnesota finished 18th in the final AVCA poll last season.
• Minnesota was ranked as high as 12 last year (Sept. 30) and as low as 19 (Sept. 9).
GOPHERS IN SEASON OPENERS
• The Gophers are 42-12 all-time in season-opening games. They fell in this year's opener to No. 9 Texas A&M, 3-1.
• All-time, the Gophers are 43-10 in home openers. Their last loss came in 2021 against No. 1 Texas (3-1). Before that, it was in 2007 against No. 23 Ohio State. Minnesota has won 15 of its last 17 home openers.
RETURNING PRODUCTION
• In 2025, Minnesota returns 62% of its kills, 68% of their digs, 43% of its blocks and 56% of its aces.
• Four players who had significant starting experience are back this season. Senior outsides Julia Hanson and Mckenna Wucherer, both Preseason All-Big Ten honorees, have combined to play in almost 150 matches in their careers and have nearly 1,400 kills.
• Junior libero Zeynep Palabiyik is back for her second year as a regular after starting in all 32 matches a year ago. She averaged 3.86 digs per set, a figure that put her at seventh in the Big Ten Conference.
• Junor middle blocker Calissa Minatee hit over .300 in extended action as a starter in 2024, going for 1.52 kills and 0.98 blocks per set. She's expected to be a big contributor once again this season.
2025 ROSTER MAKEUP FEATURES PLENTY OF YOUTH
• Seven of Minnesota's 16 rostered players have three or more years of eligibility remaining. The Gophers brought in a four-player true freshman class while Olivia and Stella Swenson (redshirt freshmen) sat out last year. Alex Acevedo, who played in 30 matches last year, is a redshirt sophomore in 2025.
• The Gophers have a four-player senior class, led by senior outsides Julia Hanson and Mckenna Wucherer, who have combined to play in 149 matches.
• Redshirt senior Lauren Crowl has played in 54 matches across the last three seasons while Lourdes Myers (Purdue transfer) has played in 83 matches.
• Zeynep Palabiyik (libero), Kate Thibault (DS) and Calissa Minatee (middle) are the most experienced juniors.
UP NEXT
Minnesota travels to Vanderbilt and Lipscomb to play two matches next Friday and Saturday in Nashville, Tenn.
Cinematic Recap: Diet Coke Classic
Wednesday, September 17
Highlights: Gophers 3, SDSU 1
Sunday, September 14
Highlights: Gophers 3, Dayton 0
Saturday, September 13
Highlights: Gophers 3, South Florida 0
Friday, September 12