Your beautiful 2016 Minnesota Golden Gophers Volleyball team kick off their season tomorrow in Palo Alto, CA against the University of San Diego followed on Sunday against a match against Stanford. The Preseason Top 25 poll has our Lady Gophers ranked #3 in the country! Following a loss in the Final Four last year to Texas, there is a sense of feeling around the team this year that it is National Title or bust.
The Big 10 is by far the strongest and most competitive volleyball conference in the country, and Hugh McCutcheon made sure his team will be ready for the grind of the conference season by scheduling a brutal non conference slate. They will take on #11 Stanford, #16 Texas A&M, #17 Florida State, #19 North Carolina, and #23 Louisville before they kick off a Big 10 schedule that includes #1 Nebraska, #4 Wisconsin, #9 Penn State, #14 Illinois, #15 Ohio State, and #20 Purdue.
Our Lady Gophers were picked to finish 2nd in the preseason media rankings, only behind 2015 National Champion Nebraska. They will be bringing back everyone from their Final Four team from a year ago except for one player. However, that one player might have been the best player in the country last year in Daly Santana, so a couple players will have to step up to fill those huge shoes.
Hannah and Paige Tapp will lead the way. The senior twins were both All Americans last year and will be hoping to bring a National Title to Dinkytown. Fellow Seniors Sarah Wilhite and Molly Lohman also bring a ton of experience and talent to the starting lineup. Setter Samantha Seliger Swenson was the Big 10 Freshman of the Year last year and will look to set the team to this year's Final Four in Columbus. Dalianliz Rosado will be the favorite for Libero of the Year. Alyssa Goehner and Katie Schau will bring the hustle and tenacity that Hugh loves.
So get out to the Pav this fall and support your Lady Gophers! If that preview won't convince you, this ought to do the trick!
Hannah Tapp
Sarah Wilhite
Paige Tapp
Molly Lohman
Dalianliz Rosado
Samantha Seliger Swenson and Goehner
The Big 10 is by far the strongest and most competitive volleyball conference in the country, and Hugh McCutcheon made sure his team will be ready for the grind of the conference season by scheduling a brutal non conference slate. They will take on #11 Stanford, #16 Texas A&M, #17 Florida State, #19 North Carolina, and #23 Louisville before they kick off a Big 10 schedule that includes #1 Nebraska, #4 Wisconsin, #9 Penn State, #14 Illinois, #15 Ohio State, and #20 Purdue.
Our Lady Gophers were picked to finish 2nd in the preseason media rankings, only behind 2015 National Champion Nebraska. They will be bringing back everyone from their Final Four team from a year ago except for one player. However, that one player might have been the best player in the country last year in Daly Santana, so a couple players will have to step up to fill those huge shoes.
Hannah and Paige Tapp will lead the way. The senior twins were both All Americans last year and will be hoping to bring a National Title to Dinkytown. Fellow Seniors Sarah Wilhite and Molly Lohman also bring a ton of experience and talent to the starting lineup. Setter Samantha Seliger Swenson was the Big 10 Freshman of the Year last year and will look to set the team to this year's Final Four in Columbus. Dalianliz Rosado will be the favorite for Libero of the Year. Alyssa Goehner and Katie Schau will bring the hustle and tenacity that Hugh loves.
So get out to the Pav this fall and support your Lady Gophers! If that preview won't convince you, this ought to do the trick!
Hannah Tapp
Sarah Wilhite
Paige Tapp
Molly Lohman
Dalianliz Rosado
Samantha Seliger Swenson and Goehner
