Month: May 2025

SAMEDY NAMED TO U.S. NATIONAL TEAM

Former Gopher and four-time First Team All-American Opposite Steph Samedy was one of the 30 players chosen for the U.S. Women’s National Team, from which 14 players will be selected to represent the U.S. in various tournaments, including the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), the world’s premier annual international tournament. Preliminary rounds of the VNL will be held in various countries, including the U.S., in June and July, with the finals in Łódź, Poland, in late July.

The 30-woman roster includes 3 players returning from our Silver Medalist 2024 Olympic Team – but neither of the Olympic Opposites. Besides Samedy, the 2025 roster includes Olivia Babcock and Taylor Mims, both of whom, like Samedy, were Opposites on last year’s 30-woman National Team roster, but not among the 14 chosen for the Olympics, plus new opposite Logan Lednicky. I don’t know much about Babcock, Mims or Lednicky, but I like Samedy’s chances of making the cut for the VNL.

NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

The Gophers 2025 Non-Conference Schedule, below, was recently announced. This year’s schedule is less intimidating than last year’s schedule, when the Gophs opened with #1-rated Texas and #4-rated Stanford, but it does include 3 teams, Texas A&M, Dayton & Marquette, ranked 16, 17 and 21, respectfully, at the end of last season (the Gophs finished 18), plus South Dakota State who kicked the Gophers’ butts in a recent Spring Exhibition Match.

Mon. Aug, 25.: No. 18 Minnesota vs. No. 16 Texas A&M in Sioux Falls, S.D. 

Friday, Aug. 29: Cal Poly @ the Pav

Saturday, Aug. 30: Ball State @ the Pav.

Sunday, Aug. 31: St. Thomas @ the Pav

Friday, Sept. 5: at Vanderbilt 

Saturday, Sept. 6: at Lipscomb 

Friday, Sept. 12: South Florida @ the Pav

Saturday, Sept. 13: No. 17 Dayton @ the Pav

Sunday, Sept. 14: South Dakota State @ the Pav

Friday, Sept. 19: at Loyola Chicago, and

Sunday, Sept. 21: at No. 21 Marquette

READERS WRITE 

* Reader C.B. writes to speculate that the “progress” of Schnichels, and now her departure, is Coach Cook’s fault.

* Plus multiple “you go girl”s for Maureen’s photo-bombing.

In 2022, Sydney Schnichels, a 6-foot-4 Opposite from Wilmar was First Team All-American, Ms Minnesota Volleyball, the No. 1 overall recruit in Minnesota, was ranked # 20 overall nationally, in the 2023 class, and I was excited about her future as a Gopher. She didn’t play much these past two seasons, but she was stuck behind Lydia Grote, and I remained optimistic that Schnichels would excel during her 3rd season in Maroon & Gold – much as Julie Hanson, the 2021 Ms Minnesota Volleyball did last year.

But there was no sign of Schnichels impending stardom this during the recent Spring Exhibition Season, and I had speculated that Schnichels would actually end up our third-string Opposite, behind Crowl and incoming freshman Carl Gilk. Apparently, Schnichels read the tea-leaves the same way I did, because last Tuesday’s Strib reported that Schnichels had “Entered The Portal.” I wish Schnichels luck, wherever she ends up, but it does not appear that she will ever fulfill the dreams I had for her.

STELLA NEWS

Another former Ms. Minnesota Volleyball player who I have promised you’ll love is Gopher Setter Stella Swenson. Stella was recently selected for this summer’s U21 Pan American Team. The team will practice at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, in preparation for the Pan American Games in Costa Rica. Stella was one of two Setters selected for this team, but Reader R.A. assures me that Stella will be the starter.

MAUREEN AT IT AGAIN

I previously shared a photo (below) of Maureen and 4 Gophers from last summer’s State Fair. Recently, Maureen spotted Leftside Alex Acevedo at the MSP Airport and demanded a pic (also below) with her. (Remember, Maureen is 5ft 8) Acevedo was on her way to visit her parents as we were on our way to Portugal. If I had been thinking faster, I would have inquired if Acevedo is a Portuguese name; if you don’t speak Portuguese, as I certainly don’t, it sounds a lot like the Portuguese word for “Thank you.”