Author: jktrpp

Not confident, I asked daughter Tessa and son Ethan for help. Tessa arrived first, got BTN+ on her phone, then used some app to transmit it to the TV just in time for the first serve. I pursued my own path, without a phone, and later, that worked too. Ethan showed up to watch.

Readers GH and MC also reported success; GH went through ROKU and MC got her cable guy to come out and do it for her.

The Gophs beat Michigan State in straight sets, rematch tomorrow. In some sense, the biggest surprise is that there were no surprises:

• In the first set, the Gophs traded side-outs with the Spartans until 13-13, and then pulled away. In the second set, the Spartans held a substantial lead for most of the set, but couldn’t finish, allowing the Gophers to pull out a dramatic come-from-behind win. And in the third set, the Spartans fell apart.
• Remember, Michigan State is a good volleyball team, easily one of the top 50 teams in the country.
• Be happy that the Gophs won the match, and hope that they can repeat the feat tomorrow, even if they should drop a set.
• The starting line-up was exactly the one I predicted, a 5-1 including newcomers Shaffmaster, Landfair and Myers complementing returners Samedy, Pittman, Rollins, McGraw and Kilkelly. Leaving the talented players like Wenaas, Miyabe and Rubright on the bench (to start the game).
• Shaffmaster is huge! She is listed at 6-3, but she looked (on TV) taller than Pittman who is listed at 6-5. And broader shoulders too. I think she’s bigger than I am (minus the belly, of course).
• Landfair didn’t disappoint either; she’s 6-5 with a major vertical and a powerful swing.
• And Samedy, Pittman, Rollins, McGraw and Kilkelly all played well, as they had all last season. (A Final Four Season.)

The only surprise came during the second set when the Gophs were struggling. After a time-out, McCutcheon switched to a 6-2, bringing Miyabe in to play front-row for Shaffmaster, while McMenimen replaced Samedy in the back row and handled the setting. Super-sub Miyabe provided the “spark” we are accustomed to seeing from her, and McMenimen delivered her usual workmanlike performance. This “coaching move,” while surprising to me, turned around what appeared to be a lost set.

According to the schedule on the official Gopher website, some games may be broadcast on regular BTN, on ESPN, or even FOX9+, which turns out to be channel 29. But this weekend’s matches vs Michigan State (4:00 Saturday, 3:00 Sunday, NOTE THE TIME CHANGES) and likely many future matches, will apparently be broadcast on BTN+ (formerly BTN2GO).

BTN+ is available by subscription only! You can buy:

• A Conference Pass (presumably covering all Big 10 sports broadcast on BTN+), for $120/yr or $15/mth;
• A School Pass (presumably covering all Gopher sports), for $80/yr or $10/mth; OR
• A Sport Pass (presumably covering all Big 10 Volleyball), for $55/yr. Other sports have different prices. A monthly subscription to a particular sport does not seem to be available.

These subscriptions seem to include “on-demand” access to “archived” games/matches.

I see no reference to pay-for-view access to single-games.

After considerable deliberation, I chose to purchase the $80 annual pass to all Gopher Sports. Not sure if that’s a 2021 pass or a 1/21/21 to 1/21/21 pass, but either way, I’m getting two volleyball season for one year. (The same bargain would apply to the all Big 10 Volleyball option.) I won’t be getting the Wisconsin vs Nebraska etc volleyball matches, but I should be getting Gopher Women’s hoops and hockey, Gopher wrestling, baseball and softball.

I first tried to make this purchase through Comcast/Xfinity, which is my cable provider, but it turns out that you have to purchase “plus” channels directly through the channel, in this case BTN, which I eventually managed to do without too much trouble.

Then I had to figure out how to activate this on my TV, which required help from my kids. I think we got it, but there weren’t any Gopher Games on this afternoon, so I’m not certain. If any readers figures out how to do it, send it to me and I’ll post it.

Our choices of who to watch and what to watch are greatly reduced watching on TV, but as much as possible, my eyes will be on:

1. MELANI SHAFFMASTER Our freshman setter will presumably playing her first match, of presumably a 4 or even 5 -year career (since this pandemic-season doesn’t count) as the “quarterback” of our squad. Like most of us, I’ve never seen Shaffmaster play, but given that she was a top-10 nationally rated recruit. I’m assuming that she has “the hands” for the job, and at 6 – 3, Shaffmaster is far and away the tallest setter the Gophers have ever had, so she could be the best blocking setter we’ve ever had. And she has played in some pretty high-level age-group teams, so I would not expect her to be intimidated. But I do have questions: At 6 – 3, is she really quick enough to cover the entire court in the manner we were accustomed to seeing Seliger-Swenson cover? And does she have the natural “court-sense” and vision that a really star “quarterback” needs?

WHO’S ON THE FLOOR Coach HUGH MCCUTCHEON will almost certainly employ a 6-1 with a libero and defensive specialist system, meaning that he will use 8, and only 8, players per set. And once McCutcheon is satisfied, and barring injuries, these will be the same 8 players set after set, even though he has at least a dozen very talented athletes to choose from. It might take a few matches for McCutcheon to be satisfied, but who he starts the first match seems a clue to his thinking. Here’s what I’m thinking:

• Locks 4 Players seem like locks to me: #10, Senior All American right-side hitter (opposite) STEPHANIE SAMEDY, #21, Senior, All American middle REGAN PITTMAN,  #7, Junior libero CC MCGRAW, and #5, Freshman setter MELANI SHAFFMASTER.
• Likelies 4 players seem likely to me to fill out the lineup: #20, Junior left-side hitter ADANNA ROLLINS , #23, Junior (transfer) middle KATIE MYERS, #6, Sophomore defensive specialist RACHEL KILKELLY, and #12, Freshman left-side hitter TAYLOR LANDFAIR.
• Could-bes But this talented roster includes at least 3 more players who could be just too good not to be in the line-up: #2, Freshman left-side hitter, JENNA WENAAS,  #9, Freshman middle SHEA RUBRIGHT, and # 8, Senior and last year’s super-sub AIRI MIYABE. I’m excited to see who it will be.

RUSTY? Given that it has been over 13 months since the Gophers last match, and given that the line-up will almost certainly include newcomers at key positions, you couldn’t blame the Gophers if it takes a couple sets to shake off the rust.

But I doubt it. I expect this talented squad to come out blasting, like the Final Four Team they are destined to be.

GopherVBallRocks reader FN had asked last week about the broadcast schedule — which was released yesterday — subject to change of course.

University of Minnesota regular season volleyball will be televised 12 times during the 2021 spring season with an additional five home matches on BTN +. I’m hoping that some reader of GopherVBallRocks can educate the rest of us about how BTN + works.

Is that available to anyone with cable or dish?

Is it pay-per-view?

Do you subscribe?

Somebody help me!

Minnesota’s opens the season this weekend against Michigan State. Saturday’s match will be on BTN +, while Sunday’s contest will be televised on Fox 9 + as well as streamed on BTN +. Match times for the home opener will be at 4 p.m., followed by a 3 p.m. start on Sunday.

Minnesota will then be televised the following dates:
Jan. 24 vs. Michigan State, 3 p.m., FOX 9+
Jan. 29 at Maryland, TBD, BTN
Feb. 5 at Purdue, 6 p.m. CT, BTN
Feb. 13 vs. Penn State, 7 p.m. CT, BTN
Feb. 14 vs. Penn State, 6:30 p.m. CT, BTN
Feb. 19 at Nebraska, 8 p.m., CT, BTN
Feb. 21 at Nebraska, 12 p.m. CT, BTN.
Feb. 26 vs. Michigan, 4 p.m. CT, ESPNU
March 17 at Wisconsin, 8 p.m. CT, BTN
March 21 vs. Wisconsin, TBD, BTN
March 27 at Northwestern, TBD, BTN
April 3 vs. Iowa, 3 p.m. CT, ESPNU

In addition to the home opener against Michigan State, Minnesota will be streamed on BTN + against Michigan (Feb. 27), Illinois (March 12 & 13), and Iowa (April 2). Remaining road matches will be determined at a later date.

The Gophers will also be on KFAN + for five matches, which will also be streamed on gophersports.com. Those dates include:
Jan. 23 vs. Michigan State
Feb. 13 vs. Penn State
Feb. 14 vs. Penn State
March 21 vs. Wisconsin
April 3 vs. Iowa

Schedule is subject to change. Please check back to gophersports.com for the most up-to-date information.   

1. WISCONSIN, last year’s (2019) national runner-up to Stanford, led by returning star setter Sidney Hilley (out of Champlain Park, MN) and returning star middle Dana Rettke, 6-8, deservedly opens their season ranked #1 in national polls.

2. NEBRASKA, perennial national power and 5-time national champion, opens their season ranked #5 in national polls.

3. MINNESOTA opens their season ranked #7 in national polls. I think they’re definitely top-four, but given that 2^nd ranked Texas and 4^th ranked Kentucky have already finished their seasons (as champions of major conferences) it may be tough to dislodge them in the polls.

4. PENN STATE, perennial national power and 7-time national champion (including 6 of the last 9), opens their season ranked #9 in national polls.

In recent years, Big Ten Volleyball has been a story of the BIG 4 (above), and teams striving to reach “BIG 5”  status, including PURDUE (who opens their season ranked #13 in national polls), MICHIGAN (who opens their season ranked #24 in national polls), ILLINOIS, OHIO STATE & MICHIGAN STATE (all unranked).

F.N. writes: John, thanks for starting this blog.  Do you know when  a TV schedule will be released, and do you think any will be on BTN, or will they put  these all on BTN+ and make us pay to watch like they are doing with the women BB?

John: The TV schedule has not been released, to my knowledge. Obviously a lot of the games will be televised, and mostly on BTN. Or on BTN+, which as you suggest, is not free. Obviously, revenue generation is a top priority of the Big 10 (& the NCAA) — e.g., the recent decision to change the rules after the fact re who got to play in the Big 10 Championship Football game.

I’ll post info re the TV schedule when I get any. Maybe other readers have ideas about how to get BTN+ cheap?

M.S. writes: “Very much enjoy your take on the upcoming season.”

E.T asks: “Why are all of your posts dated April 20, 2020?”

John: I started working on this about then, took a break when I could get outside and the Goph’s VB season got postponed. And I don’t know how to change that.

G.H. asks: “Who is the player shown on the opening page?”

Anyone?

The reason for confidence re this weird 2021 Winter/Spring Season is a roster over-flowing with talent! Barring injuries or COVID-related issues, this should be the strongest roster yet in the storied history of Gopher Volleyball. Coach McCutcheon, another reason for optimism (McCutcheon coached the U.S. Men’s Team to a Gold Medal at the 2008 Olympics, and the U.S. Women’s Team to a Silver Medal at the 2012 Olympics, so he’s been around some pretty good players) commented on how exciting is has been to work with this team, “Athletes like this don’t come around very often.” Let’s examine this talent, position by position:

SETTERS: Junior McMenimen, who filled in so effectively last fall, is back, and should again provide viable options. Unfortunately, McMenimen is only 5-9 with a modest vertical. The Gophers proved last season that they can switch to a 6-2, where neither setter plays front row, eliminating the need to block, and still beat good teams. But McCutcheon clearly prefers the 5-1, so more likely the starting setter will be:

Incoming Freshman Melani Shaffmaster, a uniquely tall (6-3) setter whose size allows her to provide a blocking presence to go along with her passing prowess. Shaffmaster, out of Newcastle, Ind, was ranked (depending on which rating service you look at) as somewhere between the 6^th and 9^th best graduating high-schooler in the country. Plus she was an “early enrollee” at the “U” last winter, providing an extra few months of practice with Samedy, Pittman and the other Gopher hitters.

LIBEROS AND D.S.: Junior libero C.C. McGraw, First Team All-Big Ten, and Sophomore Defensive Specialist. Rachel Kilkelly, are both back, joined by incoming Freshman Cami Appiani, star of a Torrey Pines California team ranked first in California, and No. 2 nationally.

Appiani is reported to have a very high volleyball IQ and a powerful serve, so she could win a starting position as a freshman. And I thought Kilkelly, after a slow start last year, really came on late in the season, so the coveted libero position and the consolation job of Defensive Specialist could be attainable for any of these three fine athletes. But if I had to guess, I think McGraw will remain the libero, and Kilkelly the D.S., at least while Appiani gets accustomed to the Big Ten.

OPPOSITES (right-side): Steph Samedy, Second Team All-American, First Team All-Big Ten, and one of 17 seniors-to-be selected for U.S. National Team training in mid-March delete, will almost certainly be back for her senior year. And almost certainly be the starting Opposite.

Also a senior, last year’s JC-Transfer Airi Miyabe showed flashes of brilliance at Opposite when the Gophers were forced to play a 6-2. But if I am correct about the Gophers using a 5-1 in 2020, there won’t be much opportunity for Miyabe at Opposite (behind Samedy).

MIDDLES: Taylor Morgan (I loved Morgan, not only her offense but also her spirit, which will be hard to replace) is gone (eligibility exhausted). But First Team All-American Regan Pittman will be back for her “senior” year. (Actually, Pittman also graduated, but is taking graduate classes as she utilizes her final year of eligibility.)

The competition for the other Middle position is going to be intense. Candidates will include Sophomores Shea Rubright and Ellie Husemann, both of whom were on the floor for critical points (Rubright a bit more often, as I recall) last year; used almost exclusively as blockers (not given many opportunities to hit).

And graduate-transfer (two years of eligibility remaining) from Maryland, Katie Meyers, 6-2. The 62nd-ranked recruit coming out of high school, Meyers led the Terps in aces and blocks during her red-shirt freshman year, and last year (2019) ranked in the top five in the Big Ten in aces, blocks, and hitting percentage, and was named to the 2019 Collegiate National Team that competed internationally.

Plus the versatile Miyabe, though more naturally a outside hitter, might be too just good to keep out of the starting lineup, and end up at Middle. I’m guessing Meyers will be the other starting Middle, but it wouldn’t shock me if it’s Miyabe or Rubright.

LEFT-SIDE HITTERS: A coach I once knew used to say that a volleyball team was only as good as their left-side hitters. Fortunately, the 2020 Gophers will have incredible talent at this position. With both spots potentially up for grabs, the competition for the two starting Left-Side positions could be even more intense than that for Middle.

The powerful Alexis Hart (1,451 kills during her Gopher career, is gone (playing pro ball in Finland until Covid 19 struck). But Junior Adanna Rollins, a 6-rotation starter since her freshman year, is back, and presumably has the inside track for one of the two Left-Side positions, maybe even the 6-rotation position (in McCutcheon’s preferred system, the other Left-Side hitter usually plays only 3 rotations). But who knows?

There’s also Miyabe; wouldn’t be a shock to see her hitting Left-Side. And incoming Freshmen Taylor Landfair. Landfair, a 6-4 outside hitter from the Chicago Area, was the unanimous number 1 recruit in the country. And she too, was an “early enrollee” at the “U” last winter.

Plus another incoming 6-1 freshman, Jenna Wenaas. Wenaas, out of Texas, was the 5^th or 6^th best recruit in the country, is considered an exceptionally hard worker who gets better each year. (NOTE: This means that with Shaffmaster, Landfair & Wenaas, the Gophers have 3 of the top 10 incoming freshmen in the country. No other team has more than one of the top ten recruits).

So that’s at least 4 (Rollins, Miyabe, Landfair & Wenaas) talented athletes competing for 2 spots in the starting lineup. If I had to guess, it will be Rollins and Landfair. Though personally, I haven’t always been a big Rollins fan, Coach McCutcheon has shown a tendency of loyalty to players that have performed for him in the past (a tendency I won’t criticize), and Rollins deserves to start the season. And though I’ve never seen Landfair in person, I can’t see not starting the unanimous number 1 recruit in the country.

This 2021 (Winter/Spring) Gopher Team has not yet competed against other schools, and the Big 10 is loaded as always, so there could be some early season bugs to work out. But the talent is ridiculous, the coaching is excellent, and this year’s team even has depth. Like I said, I will be very disappointed if this team is not a serious contender for the Gophers’ first National Championship!