Say what? You read that right, there is now a Gopher Spring Volleyball Season, schedule as follows:
APR 2, 2:00 PM @ BLUE EARTH H.S. vs SOUTH DAKOTA
APR 9, 2:00 PM @ LAKEVILLE NORTH H.S. vs NDSU
APR 14, 7:30 PM @ The PAV vs ST. THOMAS
APR 23, 1:30 PM @ SIMPSON COLLEGE vs KANSAS STATE
Previously, Spring Practice Season concluded with an inter-squad game, originally a private affair, more recently open to the public. Originally, formal competition vs other schools was not allowed. (private “scrimmages,” maybe?) But now (as Dylan once sang, “The times, they are a changin’”), we have a 4-match “season” against other schools, open to the public.
I’m guessing these spring matches won’t count on a team’s 2022 record, but I have been unable to confirm this. What I did find, during my failed research, was that during the Spring Volleyball Season, the NCAA will be experimenting with a couple of rules changes: 1. Nationalization of the Big Ten rule allowing teams only two replay challenges (during the first four sets) – but allowing retention if the challenge is successful ; 2. Stud earrings will be allowed; And 3. “Double-touches” on the second touch are no longer violations (double-touches on the first touch were legalized several years ago). These proposed changes all make sense to me.
Whether these spring games count or not, they will provide our first look at the 2022 Gophers. Despite the loss of Super-Star Steph Samedy, Super-Sub Airi Miyabe, gutsy back-up setter Bayley McMenimen, starting middle Katie Myers, and back-up middle Shea Rubright (transferred out), the 2022 Gophers will be loaded!
We start with four returning players recently named to the 2022 USA Volleyball Women’s Collegiate National Team: Left-sides Taylor Landfair and Jenna Wenaas, setter Melani Shaffmaster, and Libero CC McGraw. (The 2022 WCNT, which will train June 19-25 at the National Team Training Center in Anaheim will include 38 of the best collegiate players in the country. Our Gophs & Florida will be the only teams represented by 4 players. Ohio State will have 2, but no other Big Ten team will have more than one. The 38 will also include Adanna Rollins, listed as “college to be determined.”)
In addition to Landfair, Wenaas, Shaffmaster, and McGraw, returning Gophers will include DH Rachael Kilkelly, Middle Ellie Husemann, promising OH Natalie Glenn, and Lauren Crowl, a 6-4 red-shirt Opposite out of Eastview. On top of that, the 2022 Gophers will include a top-ten recruiting class including consensus No. 1 overall prospect McKenna Wucherer, a 6-1 OH out of Brookfield, Wis, Carter Booth, a 6-7 Middle out of Denver, and Julia Hanson, a 6-1 OH out of Prior Lake. (All 3 were Gatorade Player of the Year in their states, and all 3 are currently on campus and practicing for the spring season.)
And while we lost Rubright, the Gophs picked up two incoming transfers: Elise McGhie, a 5-10 setter transferring from Kansas (seemingly a replacement for McMenimen), and Arcia Davis a 5-11 middle transferring from Ohio State. Five-eleven seems too short to play Middle at the collegiate level, much less in the Big Ten, and yet Davis led the 2021 Buckeyes, a Sweet-Sixteen team, in blocks, including 10 matches with five-or-more blocks, and 13-kills in a five set win over. Notre Dame. Both transfers will have 3 yrs of eligibility remaining.
As we’ve learned, depth is a valuable asset. And it will be interesting to see these 8 returning players and 5 additions compete for playing time. I haven’t seen any 2022 rankings (anyone?) but I will be shocked if the Gophers are not in the Top Ten when the first poll comes out.
OTHER GOPHER NEWS
Thus is a volleyball blog, but I can’t help but mention the impressive, recent accomplishments of some other outstanding Gopher athletes: 1 Our men’s Hockey Team won the Big Ten regular season and has qualified for the Frozen Four this weekend; 2 Springboard Diver Sarah Bacon completed her illustrious Gopher career with her Fifth NCAA National Title, 3 from the 1-meter board and 2 from the 3-meter board; 3 While failing to repeat his 2021 NCAA Championship breaststroke sweep (he took 2nd in this year’s 200), senior Max McHugh did repeat as the 2022 NatChamp in the 100 breast. 4 The three above are wonderful accomplishments, which everyone in Gopher Nation can take pride in. But “wonderful” and “amazing,” are inadequate to describe the Maroon & Gold accomplishments of Gable Steveson. This reigning Olympic Champion and two-time NCAA Wrestler of the Year (the only heavyweight to ever win this award twice), recently closed out his Gopher career with an 85 & 2 career record, and his second National Championship. If you never watched Steveson wrestle, in person or on TV, shame on you; I have no adjectives to describe his dominance of his sport.