On Friday evening, our Gophs swept 4 sets from the Panthers, 25-21, 25-7, 25-20 & 25-22, before a good crowd (maybe 2500 to 3,000). The Gophs played their “starters” in Set 1, and I assume the Panthers did also. After that, there was a lot of “subbing” with every dressed player seeing action. Not sure what happened in to N.I. in Set 2. Northern Iowa should not be confused with Wisconsin or Nebraska, but they are, apparently, the favorite to win their Missouri Valley Conference.
HALF-FULL OR HALF EMPTY?
During the McCutcheon Era, we became accustomed to:
- Our Gophs being a top-16 seed in the NCAA Tournament;
- Our Gophs being ranked in the Top-Ten;
- Our Gophs competing for, and sometimes winning, the Big Ten.
But, for better or worse, the McCutcheon Era is over. For many of us, this was sad news. And it got sadder yet when we learned we were also losing:
- Our (arguably) best best overall player and incumbent Opposite, Jenna Wenaas (to Texas, no less);
- Our best (and only dominant) Middle, Carter Booth (to Wisconsin, no less);
- Our star Libero, CC McGraw (out of eligibility) and her top-rated recruit-replacment, Laney Choboy, (to Nebraska, no less)
- And even our starting DS, Rachel Kilkelly (despite a year of eligibility remaining).
The fact that the teams pirating our roster were among the elite of Women’s Collegiate Volleyball is testimony to McCutcheon’s recruiting talent – but no less painful. With all this bad news, it is easy to assume that the glass is half-empty, and the Glory Days of Gopher V-Ball are behind us. And maybe they are.
And yet, the first poll of 2023 rates our Gophs as #7 in the country. Why? How is that possible? Can it be that the glass is half-full? Too early to say, but here’s why it might be true. While losing three great players, we did pick up the amazing Kylie Murr, the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (i.e., she was considered better than McGraw). I was vaguely aware of Murr and her talents these past couple of seasons, but never expecting to see her in Maroon & Gold, I wasn’t following her closely. (And she wasn’t here for Spring Volleyball.) But she was on the floor for all 4 sets against N.I.; and (based on this very small sample) I have to agree, she probably is better than McGraw. (I will always love McGraw.)
And despite the defections, Murr, the reigning BTDPY remember, joins a respectable core which includes reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, Taylor Landfair. I haven’t researched this, but I doubt that many teams have ever entered a season with the Player of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year, both from the nation’s top conference in their sport. Landfair didn’t amaze me vs N.I., she just looked like Landfair, i.e., 6 kills (3 power swings, 3 dinks) in Set 1, vs N.I.’s best.
This returning core also includes:
- “The Wooker,” one of the Big Ten’s top freshman, despite being injured for a significant portion of the season, and, like Landfair, the #1 overall rated player in her recruiting class. I have previously quoted an old V-Ball coach of my acquaintance that, “At the end of the day, a volleyball team is as good, no better or worse, as its Left-Side Hitters.” Another thing few teams have ever claimed was having a pair of Left-Side Hitters who were both #1 national recruits. It is quite possible that the Gophers have the best pair of Left-Side Hitters in the country. Wooker started slow against N.I. (1 kill in Set 1), but dominated Set 2. Maybe N.I.’s blockers weren’t as tough in Set 2, or maybe she just started slow.
- And should Landfair or Wooker get injured at any point in the season, our back-up Julia Hanson, the MN 2022 High School Player of the Year is also very good. Hanson is no Landfair, but she would start for a lot, maybe most, D1 Teams.
- And Melani Shaffmaster, back for her 4th season, is a pre-season All Big Ten selection. Shaffmaster has gotten better each year, and brings a lot of talent onto the court. Against N.I., she looked like Shaffmaster.
- Lauren Crowl, a powerful Opposite, was recruired to fill Steph Samedy’s shoes for the 2021 Season. Then the pandemic gave Samedy an extra year of eligibility, and Crowl wasn’t needed. In an era when freshmen often walk right in to starting roles, red-shirting while healthy casts doubt on a player’s ability. Crowl is unlikely to make us forget Samedy, but she dominated N.I.
- And Crowl will be pushed, at opposite, by transfer (from Cal) Lydia Grote. Grote is listed as a senior, but I’m guessing she still has her covid-bonus year, so she could be here for next year (as will Crowl). Grote also looked awfully good against N.I.; the two of them racking up 14 kills in 4 sets. (Good numbers.)
It is not surprising that a team dominant Outside Hitters, an All Big Ten setter and a fantastic Libero would be rated #7 in the country.
Miscellaneous notes from the N.I. Exhibition:
- Our undersized Middles did not dominate. (Maybe the Panther Middles are really good?) Davis and Senior Transfer Awoleye played Set 1, but Freshman Minatee played a lot in sets 2-4. I wouldn’t be surprised if we once again spend the season searching for the right combination.
- I expect a Left-side Hitter who is the #1 recruit in the country to be a good passer as well as a dominate hitter. (Wenaas, a #3, was terrific.) Landfair gets picked on (understandably at 6-5), but she improved last year. I expected Wooker to be a great passer, but she wasn’t even good last year – and she was mediocre vs N.I.
- The Gopher serving was not impressive through most of the match. Wooker was serving very agressively – and had 4 errors. We need her to keep serving agressively – and make fewer errors. One bright spot: In Set 4, Landfair had 3 consecutive aces!
- Julia Hanson played D.S. in Set 1. Freshman Zeynep Palabiyik. was present on the bench, but not dressed. The top-ranked European Libero in the class of 2023, Palabiyik should be very good (I can’t say yet), and likely our starting Libero next season. I expect her to be our D.S, this season.
- Freshman Opposite Sydney Schnichels was on the bench with her foot in a boot. Given Friday’s performance by Crowl and Grote, I expect Schnichels to red-shirt this year.
PRE-BIG TEN SCHEDULE
Aug 25, 7:00 TCU at the Pav (BTN)
(Wisconsin vs Baylor at the Pav at 4:30)
Aug 26, 7:00 #15 Baylor at the Pav (BTN)
Aug 29, 7:00 #1 Texas at the Pav (BTN)
Sept 3, 11 a.m. #11 Florida at Florida (ESPNU)
Sept 8, 6:30. #9 Oregon at Stanford (?)
Sept 9, 9:00. #3 Stanford at Stanford (?)
Sept 14, 7:00 High Point at the Pav (BTN+)
Sept 16, 4:30 #18 Creighton at the Pav (BTN+)