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University of Minnesota Athletics
2019 Final Four
In a season of injuries as well as ever-changing lineups, the Golden Gopher volleyball team came together at just the right time. The 2019 campaign resulted in another Final Four appearance for the Golden Gophers, the sixth in program history and third in five years.
Minnesota returned six starters to the 2019 campaign, and added senior setter Kylie Miller, who transferred from UCLA. Ranked third in the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s preseason poll, Minnesota fell early to Florida State and Texas to open the non-conference season. However, the Gophers responded back and won the remaining five non-conference matches, including matches against ranked Oregon and No. 1 ranked Stanford. The Stanford win proved to be Minnesota’s first win over the Cardinal in program history.
It looked as though the Gophers were hitting their stride heading into conference season. However, Miller suffered an injury that would sideline her for 13 matches during the Big Ten Conference season. In fact, Minnesota was without two of their seven starters for four matches during league play. Running 5-1 and 6-2 offenses, while subbing out setters for blocking subs, the Golden Gophers showed their resiliency during B1G play when they still managed to put together a 17-3 conference record, which tied them for second place in league standings.
With a healthy squad intact for the end of the regular season, Minnesota closed out conference action at Penn State. Despite dropping the first set to the Nittany Lions, 19-25, Minnesota went on to win the next three sets, 25-20, 25-20, 25-23. It marked the Gophers’ first win in Happy Valley since 2004.
Six Golden Gophers received All-Big Ten recognition: CC McGraw, Regan Pittman and Stephanie Samedy were named First Team All-Big Ten, while Alexis Hart and Taylor Morgan garnered Second Team honors.
The end-of-the-season momentum carried into NCAA postseason action when the Gophers received the No. 7 seed in the tournament. With that seed, the Gophers hosted Fairfield, Creighton and Iowa State for the NCAA First and Second Round. Minnesota advanced to the NCAA Second Round with a 3-0 win over Fairfield (25-13, 25-14, 25-11). Resiliency and determination was needed for the Gophers to advance in the Second Round against No. 15-ranked Creighton. Facing elimination in the NCAA tournament and reaching Creighton's match point, Minnesota came back in dramatic fashion to defeat the Bluejays, 3-2 (25-13, 19-25, 15-25, 26-24, 15-10). As Creighton held match point at 24-22, Minnesota stormed back and scored four-straight, when it provided a block, a Creighton attack error, an ace and another block to force game five. The two teams were tied through eight before Minnesota pulled away with a 7-2 run and solidified the win to advance to the NCAA Regional Semifinal.
The Gophers drew Florida in the Sweet 16, a team they were already familiar with as the two teams played earlier that season at the Pav. Another battle between two top-team ensued as the Gophers won a five-set decision against the Gators. Down 2-1 to Florida, Minnesota’s tenacity showed as the Gophers won the final two sets with a 25-15 fourth-set win and a 15-11 five-set decision to advance to the Regional Final. As Louisville knocked off the No. 2 seed and host Texas, the two teams faced each other. The Gophers, however, punched its ticket to the Final Four with a 3-0 win over the Cardinals, 25-21, 25-14, 25-16, en route to the program’s sixth school appearance.
Despite a National Semifinal loss to Stanford, the eventual national champion, Minnesota garnered three All-America honors in Regan Pittman (First Team), Stephanie Samedy (Second Team) and Alexis Hart (Third Team). The Golden Gophers capped off the season with a 27-6 overall record and finished as the No. 4 ranked team in the final AVCA polls.