Crosson is an outside hitter from San Jose, Calif.
A 6-foor-3 outside hitter, Crosson comes to the Midwest after completing a stellar high school career in California. Crosson was named a MaxPreps All-American as a sophomore in 2023 and earned a MaxPreps Player of the Year Watch List nod in 2025. A two-time WCAL Second Team All-League honoree, Crosson was named the WCAL Player of the Year as a senior.
GS: Take us through your background and childhood. MC: My dad is a volleyball coach and there are pictures of me sitting in ball carts as a little kid in the Cal Poly gym. I've always been around a gym, starting when I was three or four years old. I played on a 10U team when I was eight. My parents both played volleyball in college at the University of the Pacific, which is where they met. I have a younger sister, Logan, as well, and she's going into ninth grade. My dad has coached at Califnornia-Berkeley, Cal Poly, St. Mary's and West Valley Community College. When I was born, he was an assistant at Cal. We've lived all around the Bay Area and San Luis Obispo. His dream was to be the head coach at UC-Berkeley, but once he got there, he was never home. Once I got into high school I wanted him to come to more of my games and to be home more. That's when I transferred from my public school to Archbishop Mitty. I wanted a better volleyball and academic experience. My dad then took a different job at West Valley CC. All of my family lives in California, including my grandparents. They came to all of my games for the last three years. My mom was a volleyball player and she was an opposite. She now works at Stanford as a compliance manager for the FDA research department.
Makenna (R) with her sister, Logan, mom, Courtney, and dad, SamGS: When did you know that you were really starting to improve and that you could have a future in this sport? MC: When I was a 14 year old playing on a 17's team. I was a freshman in high school playing a bunch of juniors on the club circuit. I started having a lot of success and really got serious about going to play in college.
GS: When you started getting recruited, what were the things you really wanted in the school of your choice? MC: Location, safety, closest to a city but not in a downtown area. Culture of the program, coaching styles, conference prestige and prominence of the program.
Makenna and her dad after a club tournamentGS: What was your experience like on June 15 of your junior year when your recruitment was able to start? MC: I stayed up until midnight and heard from then Gophers assistant Kristen Kelsay right away. I got an overnight letter from Keegan [Cook] as well. Also heard from several other schools, Power Four and Mid-Majors.
GS: What made Minnesota stand out in your recruitment? MC: Minnesota has always been number one for me. I was on campus in the fall of 2023 and saw the Penn State match that year. It was so nice outside and loved the campus in addition to the experience at the game. From there, it was always my favorite.
GS: What made you want to come visit Minnesota unofficially in 2023? MC: I had wanted to come see school's in the Midwest, and my dad has known Keegan for a long time since their days as assistant coaches at St. Mary's. It was his first year at Minnesota and we wanted to see what it was all about. I was really attracted to schools in the Power Four conferences, so it seemed like a great place to start visits at Minnesota.
Makenna with her sister and mom on her visitGS: How did your recruitment to Minnesota go? MC: My sophomore year of club, I was injured and not playing, but Minnesota's coaching staff was there to watch. Since I was out, they wanted to see me play at nationals before offering. They offered after nationals, we had a Zoom call the next day. Keegan just let me know he wanted me to be a Gopher and I said 'yes, of course.' I just committed on the spot because I knew what I wanted. It was July 8 of that summer when I became a Golden Gopher.
GS: What were your favorite memories from high school volleyball? MC: We went to state in two of my three years at Archbishop Mitty and it was so fun to make those runs. Jon Wallace was our head coach there after he coached at Santa Clara.
GS: What's it been like transitioning into college life? MC: In high school it was like 'you have to do the work' where as in college everything is up to you. Obviously I go to class and do the work, but it's interesting to see how other students go about going to class and preparing for exams. Volleyball-wise, everything is faster. The pace, sets, speed of the game. Plus everyone is older, I'm still 17 and I'm going against 22 and 23 year olds.
GS: What's been your favorite part of being at Minnesota here in the spring? MC: Just getting to know all the girls. We have such a good culture at Minnesota and everyone is so easy to be around on and off the court. Those relationships are everything and we're off to a great start. I can't wait to keep building those with my teammates this summer. My roommate is [fellow freshman] Elena Hoecke so we've gotten to go through this whole spring semester together. It's been awesome.
GS: A couple of your biggest takeaways from spring ball? MC: I'm glad I was able to come in January to figure out what college is like before having to do all of that in the fall. If I came in the summer or fall, it would have been a struggle trying to adjust to everything while fighting for a starting spot. I've been working on a number of different skills, my blocking, hitting, passing, really everything. It was fun getting to play in exhibitions too.
Makenna with her sister growing up in CaliforniaGS: What are you most looking forward to this fall? MC: I'm excited to see all the gyms. It's going to be much different than seeing them on TV. I've never been in a college gym outside of California besides Minnesota outside of the ones my dad coached at. Minnesota was the only official visit I took. So just going around the country and being in those spaces is exciting.
GS: Where are you most looking forward to competing at? MC: Penn State and Nebraska. Playing in those types of environments is going to be so cool. I'm excited to go to Wisconsin as well.
GS: For someone who has never seen you play before, how would you give a scouting report on yourself? MC: I'm a passer, for the most part. It's something I really pride myself on. Attacking-wise, I feel like I can hit everything and have big range. Just finding ways to score, whether it's going high hands of a roll shot to open space. I like to go high corner too.
GS: Were you a big college volleyball watcher growing up? Who did you like to watch? MC: I am such a volleyball nerd, it's ridiculous. I was a very big Stanford fan when I was younger. When I committed to Minnesota, it was all-Gophers everything. If they were on TV, I was turning it on.
GS: Do you have a favorite Gopher of all-time? MC: I am biased towards Lydia Grote, she played for my dad at Cal. Also Stephanie Samedy, Jenna Wenaas and Julia Hanson.
GS: What's it going to be like playing your first match at the Pav? MC: I am so excited! The Penn State match I went to in 2023 was sold out and it was the coolest experience I could comprehend. I can't wait for that first home match.
GS: What goals do you have for the team and yourself this season? MC: I want us to win a national title. We have the drive and competitiveness to do so. Especially now with [Mckenna] Wucherer back. For myself, Big Team All-Freshman Team would be great. The amount of work that goes into that is a lot, so I'm just going to work as hard as I can.
GS: What do you like to do outside of volleyball? MC: Bed rot. I like to relax. But spend time on the lake and with friends. I'm a big reader as well. I read 137 books last year.
Rapid Fire:
Favorite Food: Anything with chocolate. Cake, brownies, etc.
Fun Fact: I am double jointed in my thumbs and elbows
Hidden Talent: I can hold a handstand for a minute (used to be a gymnast)
Favorite Sport To Watch: Hockey
Pro Sports Team: Golden State Warriors
Favorite Vacation Spot: Amsterdam
TV Shows: The Rookie
Biggest Inspirations: My parents
