University of Minnesota Athletics
Big Ten Players of the Year
The Minnesota volleyball program is in the midst of an outstanding run of sensational talent. One of three programs in the country (Nebraska, Texas) to finish in the AVCA Top-10 for each of the past eight seasons, the Gophers have also had terrific individual performers. In six of the past eight seasons dating back to 2015, a Minnesota player earned the Big Ten Player of the Year award. All-time, nine times Gophers have won Big Ten Player of the Year since its debut in 1983. Martie Larsen (1983), Nicole Branagh (2000) and Cassie Busse (2003) were the others.
Award Winners Since 2015:
2015: Daly Santana
2016: Sarah Wilhite
2018: Samantha Seliger-Swenson
2020-21: Stephanie Samedy
2021: Stephanie Samedy
2022: Taylor Landfair
2015 - Daly Santana; Outside, Cortozal, Puerto Rico
A four-year standout for Minnesota, Santana saved her best for last as a Gopher. The 2015 Big Ten Player of the Year was both an AVCA First Team All-American and an All-Region selection. She finished her decorated career with 1,644 kills, 182 aces and 1,280 digs, all of which ranks in Minnesota's top 10 all-time. In her senior year, she won Big Ten Player of the Week twice while ranking first on team in kills (584), points (654.5), and service aces (39). She ranked second on team in digs (375). Santana played a huge part in helping the Gophers get to their first Final Four since the 2009 season. The Gophers bounced back from a difficult 2014 season to finish with a 30-5 overall record, a Big Ten championship and and coach McCutcheon's first Final Four appearance at Minnesota. None of that would have been possible without the play of Santana.
Season Highlights:
In leading the Gophers to consecutive Final Four appearances, Sarah Wilhite played her way to one of the best single-season performances in Gophers history. In addition to winning Big Ten Player of the Year, Wilhite earned both AVCA and ESPNW National Player of the Year honors, becoming the first Gopher ever to win either award. Going from never receiving even an all-conference honorable mention award, Wilhite really burst onto the scene as a senior. She was named a four-time Big Ten Player of the Week and the AVCA National Player of the Week once and the unanimous All-Big Ten also made the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team. During the season, she averaged a Big Ten best 4.20 kills per set and finished her career with 1,182 kills. In 2016, she led the team in kills (537), kills per set (4.26) and attempts (1385). She also tallied 29 aces and averaged 0.49 blocks per set. As a team, Minnesota went 29-5 (17-3 Big Ten), earning the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. Minnesota fell to Stanford in the Final Four.
Season Highlights:
A four-time AVCA All-Amerian, Seliger-Swenson paced the Gophers to one of the best regular seasons in program history. After starting the season 3-2, Minnesota won 19 consecutive matches and won the Big Ten regular season title convincingly with a 19-1 conference record. The Gophers once again earned the No. 2 overall seed before falling in the NCAA Regional Semifinals to Oregon. Individually, the First Team All-American was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Co-Setter of the Year in addition to winning AVCA North Region Player of the Year. She finished her career with 5,674 assists, which ranks fourth in school history and first in the rally scoring era. During the 2018 season, Seliger-Swenson was a seven-time Big Ten Setter of the Week award winner.
Season Highlights:
The first of her two Big Ten Player of the Year awards, Samedy had a sensational spring 2020-21 season in the maroon and gold. The 2021 Senior CLASS Volleyball Player of the Year, which excels in the classroom, community, character and competition, was named an AVCA First Team All-American, her fourth All-America honor and third First Team honor. The unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection was also the AVCA North Region Player of the Year and a Honda Award Finalist. She was the two-time Big Ten Player of the Week and once the AVCA National Player of the Week. Samedy became the first Gopher since 2011 to accomplish 20 kills and 20 digs in a match and had 20-plus kills in five matches. She averaged a league-best 4.11 kills per set in Big Ten play and finished the year with 4.15 kills per set. Overall, she averaged 4.69 points per set when she had a team-best 295 kills and 333 points. Samedy led the Gophers to a 16-3 (15-2 Big Ten) record and a second place finish in the conference. Minnesota made the NCAA Regional Semifinals before falling to Pittsburgh in five sets.
Season Highlights:
The first Gopher ever to win consecutive Big Ten Player of the Year awards, Samedy capped her career at Minnesota off in spectacular fashion. She earned her fifth AVCA All-America award, including her fourth first team selection. The AVCA North Region Player of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten selection led Big Ten and ranked in top-10 nationally in both points (5.32) and kills (4.75) pet set. She also became the first Gopher ever and second Big Ten player in history to record 2,000 career kills and 1,500 career digs. Samedy posted an unbelievable 12 matches with 20+ kills and three with 30-or-more kills. She posted three 20-20 efforts, which is the most in a single season in Gophers history. As a team, the Gophers went 22-9 (14-5 Big Ten) and finished tied for third in the conference. They earned the No. 12 seed nationally and made the NCAA Regional Finals before falling to the eventual national champion. Samedy earned a spot on the All-Regional Team after posting 28 kills and 23 digs in two matches.
Season Highlights:
Landfair had a remarkable redshirt sophomore season after missing almost the whole 2021 season due to an abdominal injury. The former No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2020, Taylor was named Big Ten Player of the Year in addition to an AVCA and VolleyballMag.com First Team All-American. The AVCA North Region Player of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten selection was the only Big Ten player to earn AVCA First Team All-America honors. Landfair led the Gophers to a 22-9 (15-5 Big Ten) season, finishing tied for third in the Big Ten. The 'U' hosted a regional for the ninth time in 10 years and advanced to its eighth-straight Sweet 16 after defeating SE Louisiana and Northern Iowa at the Pav. The Gophers fell in the Sweet 16 to Ohio State.
Season Highlights:
Award Winners Since 2015:
2015: Daly Santana
2016: Sarah Wilhite
2018: Samantha Seliger-Swenson
2020-21: Stephanie Samedy
2021: Stephanie Samedy
2022: Taylor Landfair
2015 - Daly Santana; Outside, Cortozal, Puerto Rico
A four-year standout for Minnesota, Santana saved her best for last as a Gopher. The 2015 Big Ten Player of the Year was both an AVCA First Team All-American and an All-Region selection. She finished her decorated career with 1,644 kills, 182 aces and 1,280 digs, all of which ranks in Minnesota's top 10 all-time. In her senior year, she won Big Ten Player of the Week twice while ranking first on team in kills (584), points (654.5), and service aces (39). She ranked second on team in digs (375). Santana played a huge part in helping the Gophers get to their first Final Four since the 2009 season. The Gophers bounced back from a difficult 2014 season to finish with a 30-5 overall record, a Big Ten championship and and coach McCutcheon's first Final Four appearance at Minnesota. None of that would have been possible without the play of Santana.
Season Highlights:
- Became the first Gopher to have 39 kills in a single match since 1999 when she accomplished it vs. Louisville on Sept. 4.
- Named All-Tournament and MVP of the Diet Coke Classic.
- Named MVP at the Charleston Classic, earning two MVP awards in consecutive weeks.
- Had a double-double with 21 kills and 16 digs against Purdue.
- Earned her 20th double-double of the season with 17 kills and 15 digs in the Regional Semifinal against Illinois.
- Posted a double-double with 23 kills and 12 digs in the Regional Final against Hawaii.
In leading the Gophers to consecutive Final Four appearances, Sarah Wilhite played her way to one of the best single-season performances in Gophers history. In addition to winning Big Ten Player of the Year, Wilhite earned both AVCA and ESPNW National Player of the Year honors, becoming the first Gopher ever to win either award. Going from never receiving even an all-conference honorable mention award, Wilhite really burst onto the scene as a senior. She was named a four-time Big Ten Player of the Week and the AVCA National Player of the Week once and the unanimous All-Big Ten also made the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team. During the season, she averaged a Big Ten best 4.20 kills per set and finished her career with 1,182 kills. In 2016, she led the team in kills (537), kills per set (4.26) and attempts (1385). She also tallied 29 aces and averaged 0.49 blocks per set. As a team, Minnesota went 29-5 (17-3 Big Ten), earning the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. Minnesota fell to Stanford in the Final Four.
Season Highlights:
- Named Big Ten Player of the Week after earning 30 kills and hitting .311 over the weekend against Maryland and No.17 Ohio State.
- Earned a career-high 26 kills against No. 18 Michigan, also earning a double-double with 13 digs.
- Had a team-best 19 kills and career 25 digs in the Nebraska win.
- Tallied her 11th double-double of the season with 23 kills and 19 digs against No. 3 Wisconsin.
- Big Ten and National Player of the Week after the Nebraska and Wisconsin wins.
- Regional Most Outstanding Player after producing 31 kills and 4.43 kills per set.
A four-time AVCA All-Amerian, Seliger-Swenson paced the Gophers to one of the best regular seasons in program history. After starting the season 3-2, Minnesota won 19 consecutive matches and won the Big Ten regular season title convincingly with a 19-1 conference record. The Gophers once again earned the No. 2 overall seed before falling in the NCAA Regional Semifinals to Oregon. Individually, the First Team All-American was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Co-Setter of the Year in addition to winning AVCA North Region Player of the Year. She finished her career with 5,674 assists, which ranks fourth in school history and first in the rally scoring era. During the 2018 season, Seliger-Swenson was a seven-time Big Ten Setter of the Week award winner.
Season Highlights:
- Averaged 11.57 assists per set had 81 assists and five aces in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
- Named Diet Coke Classic All-Tournament Team when she had 86 assists, eight kills and helped the team hit .368.
- Named Big Ten Setter of the Week after averaging 13.5 assists per set against Illinois and Northwestern.
- During the season she was the only active NCAA student-athlete to have over 5,000 assists, a feat she accomplished against the Wildcats.
- Posted 56 assists and added six digs in a win at Wisconsin.
- Had a season-high 63 assists and 10 digs against Penn State.
The first of her two Big Ten Player of the Year awards, Samedy had a sensational spring 2020-21 season in the maroon and gold. The 2021 Senior CLASS Volleyball Player of the Year, which excels in the classroom, community, character and competition, was named an AVCA First Team All-American, her fourth All-America honor and third First Team honor. The unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection was also the AVCA North Region Player of the Year and a Honda Award Finalist. She was the two-time Big Ten Player of the Week and once the AVCA National Player of the Week. Samedy became the first Gopher since 2011 to accomplish 20 kills and 20 digs in a match and had 20-plus kills in five matches. She averaged a league-best 4.11 kills per set in Big Ten play and finished the year with 4.15 kills per set. Overall, she averaged 4.69 points per set when she had a team-best 295 kills and 333 points. Samedy led the Gophers to a 16-3 (15-2 Big Ten) record and a second place finish in the conference. Minnesota made the NCAA Regional Semifinals before falling to Pittsburgh in five sets.
Season Highlights:
- Had 23 kills against Michigan State to open the season.
- Totaled 48 kills and 36 digs in the weekend series against Maryland.
- Became the first Gopher to earn 20 kills (28) and 20 digs (26) in a single match in over a decade when she did so in a five set win at Purdue.
- Averaged 4.67 kills per set against Penn State and had 42 kills; was named Big Ten Player for the second consecutive week.
- Had 24 kills and hit .396 in two wins against Northwestern.
- Posted 23 kills in the Regional Semifinal against Pitt.
The first Gopher ever to win consecutive Big Ten Player of the Year awards, Samedy capped her career at Minnesota off in spectacular fashion. She earned her fifth AVCA All-America award, including her fourth first team selection. The AVCA North Region Player of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten selection led Big Ten and ranked in top-10 nationally in both points (5.32) and kills (4.75) pet set. She also became the first Gopher ever and second Big Ten player in history to record 2,000 career kills and 1,500 career digs. Samedy posted an unbelievable 12 matches with 20+ kills and three with 30-or-more kills. She posted three 20-20 efforts, which is the most in a single season in Gophers history. As a team, the Gophers went 22-9 (14-5 Big Ten) and finished tied for third in the conference. They earned the No. 12 seed nationally and made the NCAA Regional Finals before falling to the eventual national champion. Samedy earned a spot on the All-Regional Team after posting 28 kills and 23 digs in two matches.
Season Highlights:
- Notched a career-best 31 kills in her home state of Florida against the Gators.
- Had 30 kills, 17 digs and three blocks in a win over Michigan.
- Posted her first 20/20 of the year with 22 kills and 21 digs vs. OSU.
- Totaled 31 kills, 20 digs and four blocks vs. Wisconsin, becoming the first Gopher since Nicole Branagh in 2000 to post a 30-20 match.
- Went for 26 kills and 13 digs in a four set win at Penn State.
- Five-time Big Ten Player of the Week.
Landfair had a remarkable redshirt sophomore season after missing almost the whole 2021 season due to an abdominal injury. The former No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2020, Taylor was named Big Ten Player of the Year in addition to an AVCA and VolleyballMag.com First Team All-American. The AVCA North Region Player of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten selection was the only Big Ten player to earn AVCA First Team All-America honors. Landfair led the Gophers to a 22-9 (15-5 Big Ten) season, finishing tied for third in the Big Ten. The 'U' hosted a regional for the ninth time in 10 years and advanced to its eighth-straight Sweet 16 after defeating SE Louisiana and Northern Iowa at the Pav. The Gophers fell in the Sweet 16 to Ohio State.
Season Highlights:
- Earned AVCA Player of the Week on Nov. 29 after going for 25 kills, nine digs at OSU (11/25) and 15 kills, five blocks at Nebraska (11/26).
- Four-time Big Ten Player of the Week
- Played in all 31 matches, 110 sets
- Held 28 double-digit kill matches and led the team, Big Ten in both points (4.91) and kills (4.35) per set
- Had a Big Ten-best five 20+ dig matches