University of Minnesota Athletics
Wednesday, October 29
Minneapolis, MN
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Illinois
Players Mentioned
Outside
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Opposite
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ Volleyball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
No. 20 Minnesota Set for Wednesday Showdown vs. Illini
10/28/2025 4:01:00 PM | Volleyball
The match is set for 7 p.m. on BTN
MINNEAPOLIS -- The No. 20 ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers (16-5, 6-4 B1G) come back home after a four-match road trip to host the Illinois Fighting Illini (12-7, 7-3 B1G) tomorrow night. The match is set for 7 p.m. CT on BTN. Match promotions include Educator Appreciation Night in addition to a Halloween Costume contest for fans.
GAME INFORMATION
No. 20 Minnesota vs. Illinois
Wednesday, Oct. 29
7 p.m. CT
Minneapolis, Minn. (Maturi Pavilion)
TV: BTN - Sloane Martin (Play-By-Play), Meredith Nelson-Uram (Analyst)
Live Stats
NOTES TO KNOW
Minnesota leads 46-40-1 against Illinois
First Meeting: 1976 (Both)
Last Meeting: 2024 (Both)
HEADING INTO THE MATCH
252 -- Keegan Cook won his 250th career match as a head coach Oct. 12 vs. Ohio St. He is now up to 252 after Friday's win.
60 -- Minnesota ranks 60th nationally and third in the Big Ten with 1.72 aces per set.
50 -- Minnesota ranks 50th nationally with 195.5 total blocks.
27 -- Julia Hanson had 27 10+ kill matches in 2024 (87%). She's 16 for 20 so far this season (missed Loyola Chicago match).
26 -- The 'U' ranks 26th nationally and fifth in the Big Ten with 2.64 blocks per set.
17 -- The Gophers rank 17th nationally in hitting percentage (.280). They place sixth in the Big Ten.
12 -- The Gophers are 13-3 with McKenna Garr as the starting libero and she has registered over 4.00 digs per set during those matches. She's had 13 10+ dig matches since starting.
11 -- During Big Ten matches, McKenna Garr ranks 11th in the Big Ten with 2/97 digs per set.
10 -- Minnesota has won 10 in-a-row and 14 of the last 15 against the Illini entering Wednesday's matchup.
10 -- Last year was Minnesota's 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. They've made 25 of the last 26 (missed 2014). They've made three Final Fours, four Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight since 2015.
10 -- Sweeps in 21 matches for the Golden Gophers. They've won six matches in four sets (0-1 in five).
10 -- Lourdes Myers ranks 10th in the Big Ten with 1.20 blocks per set, a team-best.
9 -- Minnesota is 9-1 at home this season. Only loss was Oct. 8 vs. UCLA.
9 -- Times this season Minnesota posted 10+ blocks as a team. They're 7-2 when going for 10-or-more blocks (losses at Oregon and Purdue).
8 -- During Big Ten play, Julia Hanson ranks eighth in the league in kills per set with 3.64.
8 -- Minnesota has made eight Sweet 16's in the last 10 years.
7 -- Minnesota ranks sixth nationally in attendance at 4,400 (avg.).
7 -- During league play, Julia Hanson ranks seventh in the Big Ten with 0.47 aces per set.
7 -- Julia Hanson is fifth in the B1G with 4.45 points per set.
7 -- The Gophers are No. 7 in the Big Ten with 13.14 digs per set.
6 -- Julia Hanson is sixth in the Big Ten with 3.87 kills per set.
5 -- Minnesota ranks fifth in the Big Ten with 127 service aces.
5 -- Jordan Taylor ranks 13th in the Big Ten with 1.18 blocks per set. She leads all Big Ten freshmen in both blocks and blocks per set.
4 -- Gophers head coach Keegan Cook is 5-22 against AVCA Top-25 ranked opponents in three seasons.
4 -- Minnesota has lost four starters to season-ending injuries in outsides Alex Acevedo and Mckenna Wucherer, middle Calissa Minatee and libero Zeynep Palabiyik.
4 -- The Gophers rank fourth in the Big Ten in total blocks with 195.5.
3 -- Minnesota has played three ranked opponents this season, with those being No. 9 Texas A&M, No. 23 Indiana and No. 11 Purdue. The Gophers are 1-2 in those matches.
3 -- Julia Hanson took home her third career Big Ten Player of the Week award Sept. 1. She was named the Golden Gopher Invitational Tournament MVP an to the all-tournament team.
2 -- During league play, the Gophers rank first with 1.97 aces per set. They hold 73 aces (1st in B1G).
2 -- Julia Hanson and Stella Swenson were named to the 47-player AVCA Player of the Year Watch List.
1 -- Hanson was named as one of the 30 players to the AVCA Preseason Player of the Year Watch List.
LAST TIME OUT
• The then No. 20 Minnesota volleyball split their weekend matches in Indiana this past weekend. They took down the No. 23 Hoosiers in four sets on Friday night. Julia Hanson had 17 kills while Kelly Kinney had a career-high 15. Stella Swenson went for 49 assists and five aces, both career-bests. Minnesota led No. 11 Purdue two sets to none and had match point in set three, but couldn't finish as Purdue came back for the reverse sweep. Hanson had 19 kills while Carly Gilk posted a career-best 15.
GOPHERS IN THE RANKINGS
• The Gophers entered the 2025 season with a No. 11 overall ranking in the Preseason AVCA poll.
• After week nine, the 'U' stayed at No. 20 for the second straight week.
• Minnesota finished 18th in the final AVCA poll last season.
• Minnesota was ranked as high as 12 last year (Sept. 30) and as low as 19 (Sept. 9).
SCOUTING ILLINOIS
• The Illinois Fighting Illini (12-7, 7-3 B1G) are led by ninth-year head coach Chris Tamas. The Illini started the Big Ten season 7-1 before dropping two matches last week. They're coming off an NCAA Tournament season in 2024.
• UI holds a top-15 win this year as they defeated then No. 11 Purdue, 3-1, on Sept. 28 in West Lafayette. They lost to Purdue last week, No. 7 Wisconsin on Oct. 2 and No. 3 Louisville on Sept. 7 at Louisville.
• Illinois was picked to finish ninth in the Big Ten Preseason Poll. Taylor de Boer leads the team with 3.91 kills per set while setter Kenna Phelan averages 9.90 assists per set.
HISTORY VS. ILLINOIS
• The Gophers lead the all-time series vs. Illinois, 46-40-1. Minnesota has won 10 in-a-row and 14 of the last 15 against the Illini. The lone loss in that stretch came in 2017. Last year, Minnesota took a 3-1 victory at Illinois in their only matchup. The set scores were 20-25, 25-18, 25-22, 27-25. Julia Hanson led the way with 22 kills.
• The 'U' defeated Illinois 3-0 in their lone matchup of the 2023 season at the Pav. The 'U' won in five sets in their last match at Illinois on Nov. 6, 2022.
KINNEY KILLING IT AS A STARTER
• Kelly Kinney, a freshman out of West Palm Beach, Fla., has been emerging of late for the Maroon and Gold. She ranks fourth on the team with 2.22 kills per set. In the last four matches, she's posted four 10+ kill matches. On Oct. 24 at Indiana, Kinney had a career-high 15 kills. She followed that up with 11 kills and three aces at Purdue Sunday.
ACES GALORE IN CONFERENCE PLAY
• In 10 conference matches thus far, the Gophers have totaled 73 aces for a league-best 1.97 aces per set. The next closest serving team to Minnesota is Oregon, with 66 aces and 1.78 aces per set.
• Overall, Minnesota ranks third in the Big Ten with 1.72 aces per set. Their 127 aces rank fifth.
STREAKS TO WATCH
• Julia Hanson tallied 10+ kills in 15 consecutive matches to end last year. She's 16-for-20 this year.
• McKenna Garr has totaled 10+ digs in 14 of her 20 matches, including 13 of 16 as starting libero.
• Lourdes Myers has multiple blocks in 16 of her 19 matches, including nine matches with four-or-more.
• Stella Swenson has hit 30+ assists in 14 of 21 matches on the year. She also has five double-doubles after tallying 31 assists and 11 digs last Saturday at Washington.
• Carly Gilk has registered 10+ kills in three straight matches.
SCHEDULE HEATING UP THIS WEEKEND
• Minnesota opened the 2025 season against No. 9 Texas A&M, falling in four sets in Sioux Falls, S.D. Since then, the Gophers have won 13 of their 14 matches, albeit against no ranked opponents in that time.
• Minnesota is in the midst of playing ranked opponents in six of next seven matches from Oct. 24 through Nov. 14.
• They played No. 23 Indiana and No. 11 Purdue last weekend. Up next are No. 22 USC, No. 11 Wisconsin, No. 1 Nebraska and No. 19 Penn St during that stretch. Minnesota finishes the season with two matches at home vs. Purdue and Wisconsin as well. Of their 14 remaining matches, eight are against top-25 opponents.
GILK HAS CAREER WEEKEND AT INDIANA
• Freshman opposite Carly Gilk has started the last six games and has seen her role increase after the injury to Alex Acevedo. In her last three matches, she's had 11+ kills in each match, hitting .550, .364 and .364. Gilk had a career-high of 15 kills with 10 digs Sunday at PU, earning her first double-double.
AT HOME VS. UNRANKED OPPONENTS
• Minnesota is 140-4 in its last 16 seasons against unranked opponents at the Pav. Its last loss was Oct. 8, 2025 vs. UCLA. Before that, it was Nov. 7, 2024 against Washington. Minnesota is 9-1 at home in 2025.
STARTING LINEUP COMBOS
• Minnesota has used 13 different starting lineup combinations this season as it navigates injuries and youth. Four starters are out for the season due to injuries and two more regulars have missed at least one match due to injury. 13 of the 16 players on the roster have started at least one match.
INJURIES AFFECTING MINNESOTA
• Minnesota is down four starters this season after the losses of outside Alex Acevedo, middle blocker Calissa Minatee, outside Mckenna Wucherer and libero Zeynep Palabiyik. Acevedo and Minatee are out with lower body injuries and Wucherer is out with a back injury while Palabiyik tore her ACL on Aug. 31. All plan on being back for Minnesota during the 2026 season.
• Combined, the four have played in 225 matches during their careers at the 'U.' Wucherer has been in the top three on the team in kills per set the last three years while Palabiyik has led the team in digs last year and this year. Minatee was the team's most efficient hitter in 2025, hitting .421 in nine matches. Acevedo ranked second on the team with 2.64 kills per set and was the team's most efficient server at 0.35 aces per set.
UP NEXT
Minnesota will host No. 22 USC (15-5, 6-4 B1G) on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. CT. B1G+ will stream the match.
GAME INFORMATION
No. 20 Minnesota vs. Illinois
Wednesday, Oct. 29
7 p.m. CT
Minneapolis, Minn. (Maturi Pavilion)
TV: BTN - Sloane Martin (Play-By-Play), Meredith Nelson-Uram (Analyst)
Live Stats
NOTES TO KNOW
Minnesota leads 46-40-1 against Illinois
First Meeting: 1976 (Both)
Last Meeting: 2024 (Both)
HEADING INTO THE MATCH
252 -- Keegan Cook won his 250th career match as a head coach Oct. 12 vs. Ohio St. He is now up to 252 after Friday's win.
60 -- Minnesota ranks 60th nationally and third in the Big Ten with 1.72 aces per set.
50 -- Minnesota ranks 50th nationally with 195.5 total blocks.
27 -- Julia Hanson had 27 10+ kill matches in 2024 (87%). She's 16 for 20 so far this season (missed Loyola Chicago match).
26 -- The 'U' ranks 26th nationally and fifth in the Big Ten with 2.64 blocks per set.
17 -- The Gophers rank 17th nationally in hitting percentage (.280). They place sixth in the Big Ten.
12 -- The Gophers are 13-3 with McKenna Garr as the starting libero and she has registered over 4.00 digs per set during those matches. She's had 13 10+ dig matches since starting.
11 -- During Big Ten matches, McKenna Garr ranks 11th in the Big Ten with 2/97 digs per set.
10 -- Minnesota has won 10 in-a-row and 14 of the last 15 against the Illini entering Wednesday's matchup.
10 -- Last year was Minnesota's 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. They've made 25 of the last 26 (missed 2014). They've made three Final Fours, four Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight since 2015.
10 -- Sweeps in 21 matches for the Golden Gophers. They've won six matches in four sets (0-1 in five).
10 -- Lourdes Myers ranks 10th in the Big Ten with 1.20 blocks per set, a team-best.
9 -- Minnesota is 9-1 at home this season. Only loss was Oct. 8 vs. UCLA.
9 -- Times this season Minnesota posted 10+ blocks as a team. They're 7-2 when going for 10-or-more blocks (losses at Oregon and Purdue).
8 -- During Big Ten play, Julia Hanson ranks eighth in the league in kills per set with 3.64.
8 -- Minnesota has made eight Sweet 16's in the last 10 years.
7 -- Minnesota ranks sixth nationally in attendance at 4,400 (avg.).
7 -- During league play, Julia Hanson ranks seventh in the Big Ten with 0.47 aces per set.
7 -- Julia Hanson is fifth in the B1G with 4.45 points per set.
7 -- The Gophers are No. 7 in the Big Ten with 13.14 digs per set.
6 -- Julia Hanson is sixth in the Big Ten with 3.87 kills per set.
5 -- Minnesota ranks fifth in the Big Ten with 127 service aces.
5 -- Jordan Taylor ranks 13th in the Big Ten with 1.18 blocks per set. She leads all Big Ten freshmen in both blocks and blocks per set.
4 -- Gophers head coach Keegan Cook is 5-22 against AVCA Top-25 ranked opponents in three seasons.
4 -- Minnesota has lost four starters to season-ending injuries in outsides Alex Acevedo and Mckenna Wucherer, middle Calissa Minatee and libero Zeynep Palabiyik.
4 -- The Gophers rank fourth in the Big Ten in total blocks with 195.5.
3 -- Minnesota has played three ranked opponents this season, with those being No. 9 Texas A&M, No. 23 Indiana and No. 11 Purdue. The Gophers are 1-2 in those matches.
3 -- Julia Hanson took home her third career Big Ten Player of the Week award Sept. 1. She was named the Golden Gopher Invitational Tournament MVP an to the all-tournament team.
2 -- During league play, the Gophers rank first with 1.97 aces per set. They hold 73 aces (1st in B1G).
2 -- Julia Hanson and Stella Swenson were named to the 47-player AVCA Player of the Year Watch List.
1 -- Hanson was named as one of the 30 players to the AVCA Preseason Player of the Year Watch List.
LAST TIME OUT
• The then No. 20 Minnesota volleyball split their weekend matches in Indiana this past weekend. They took down the No. 23 Hoosiers in four sets on Friday night. Julia Hanson had 17 kills while Kelly Kinney had a career-high 15. Stella Swenson went for 49 assists and five aces, both career-bests. Minnesota led No. 11 Purdue two sets to none and had match point in set three, but couldn't finish as Purdue came back for the reverse sweep. Hanson had 19 kills while Carly Gilk posted a career-best 15.
GOPHERS IN THE RANKINGS
• The Gophers entered the 2025 season with a No. 11 overall ranking in the Preseason AVCA poll.
• After week nine, the 'U' stayed at No. 20 for the second straight week.
• Minnesota finished 18th in the final AVCA poll last season.
• Minnesota was ranked as high as 12 last year (Sept. 30) and as low as 19 (Sept. 9).
SCOUTING ILLINOIS
• The Illinois Fighting Illini (12-7, 7-3 B1G) are led by ninth-year head coach Chris Tamas. The Illini started the Big Ten season 7-1 before dropping two matches last week. They're coming off an NCAA Tournament season in 2024.
• UI holds a top-15 win this year as they defeated then No. 11 Purdue, 3-1, on Sept. 28 in West Lafayette. They lost to Purdue last week, No. 7 Wisconsin on Oct. 2 and No. 3 Louisville on Sept. 7 at Louisville.
• Illinois was picked to finish ninth in the Big Ten Preseason Poll. Taylor de Boer leads the team with 3.91 kills per set while setter Kenna Phelan averages 9.90 assists per set.
HISTORY VS. ILLINOIS
• The Gophers lead the all-time series vs. Illinois, 46-40-1. Minnesota has won 10 in-a-row and 14 of the last 15 against the Illini. The lone loss in that stretch came in 2017. Last year, Minnesota took a 3-1 victory at Illinois in their only matchup. The set scores were 20-25, 25-18, 25-22, 27-25. Julia Hanson led the way with 22 kills.
• The 'U' defeated Illinois 3-0 in their lone matchup of the 2023 season at the Pav. The 'U' won in five sets in their last match at Illinois on Nov. 6, 2022.
KINNEY KILLING IT AS A STARTER
• Kelly Kinney, a freshman out of West Palm Beach, Fla., has been emerging of late for the Maroon and Gold. She ranks fourth on the team with 2.22 kills per set. In the last four matches, she's posted four 10+ kill matches. On Oct. 24 at Indiana, Kinney had a career-high 15 kills. She followed that up with 11 kills and three aces at Purdue Sunday.
ACES GALORE IN CONFERENCE PLAY
• In 10 conference matches thus far, the Gophers have totaled 73 aces for a league-best 1.97 aces per set. The next closest serving team to Minnesota is Oregon, with 66 aces and 1.78 aces per set.
• Overall, Minnesota ranks third in the Big Ten with 1.72 aces per set. Their 127 aces rank fifth.
STREAKS TO WATCH
• Julia Hanson tallied 10+ kills in 15 consecutive matches to end last year. She's 16-for-20 this year.
• McKenna Garr has totaled 10+ digs in 14 of her 20 matches, including 13 of 16 as starting libero.
• Lourdes Myers has multiple blocks in 16 of her 19 matches, including nine matches with four-or-more.
• Stella Swenson has hit 30+ assists in 14 of 21 matches on the year. She also has five double-doubles after tallying 31 assists and 11 digs last Saturday at Washington.
• Carly Gilk has registered 10+ kills in three straight matches.
SCHEDULE HEATING UP THIS WEEKEND
• Minnesota opened the 2025 season against No. 9 Texas A&M, falling in four sets in Sioux Falls, S.D. Since then, the Gophers have won 13 of their 14 matches, albeit against no ranked opponents in that time.
• Minnesota is in the midst of playing ranked opponents in six of next seven matches from Oct. 24 through Nov. 14.
• They played No. 23 Indiana and No. 11 Purdue last weekend. Up next are No. 22 USC, No. 11 Wisconsin, No. 1 Nebraska and No. 19 Penn St during that stretch. Minnesota finishes the season with two matches at home vs. Purdue and Wisconsin as well. Of their 14 remaining matches, eight are against top-25 opponents.
GILK HAS CAREER WEEKEND AT INDIANA
• Freshman opposite Carly Gilk has started the last six games and has seen her role increase after the injury to Alex Acevedo. In her last three matches, she's had 11+ kills in each match, hitting .550, .364 and .364. Gilk had a career-high of 15 kills with 10 digs Sunday at PU, earning her first double-double.
AT HOME VS. UNRANKED OPPONENTS
• Minnesota is 140-4 in its last 16 seasons against unranked opponents at the Pav. Its last loss was Oct. 8, 2025 vs. UCLA. Before that, it was Nov. 7, 2024 against Washington. Minnesota is 9-1 at home in 2025.
STARTING LINEUP COMBOS
• Minnesota has used 13 different starting lineup combinations this season as it navigates injuries and youth. Four starters are out for the season due to injuries and two more regulars have missed at least one match due to injury. 13 of the 16 players on the roster have started at least one match.
INJURIES AFFECTING MINNESOTA
• Minnesota is down four starters this season after the losses of outside Alex Acevedo, middle blocker Calissa Minatee, outside Mckenna Wucherer and libero Zeynep Palabiyik. Acevedo and Minatee are out with lower body injuries and Wucherer is out with a back injury while Palabiyik tore her ACL on Aug. 31. All plan on being back for Minnesota during the 2026 season.
• Combined, the four have played in 225 matches during their careers at the 'U.' Wucherer has been in the top three on the team in kills per set the last three years while Palabiyik has led the team in digs last year and this year. Minatee was the team's most efficient hitter in 2025, hitting .421 in nine matches. Acevedo ranked second on the team with 2.64 kills per set and was the team's most efficient server at 0.35 aces per set.
UP NEXT
Minnesota will host No. 22 USC (15-5, 6-4 B1G) on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. CT. B1G+ will stream the match.
Highlights: Gophers 2, Purdue 3
Sunday, October 26
Highlights: Gophers 3, Indiana 1
Friday, October 24
Highlights: Gophers 3, Washington 1
Saturday, October 18
Highlights: Gophers 1, Oregon 3
Friday, October 17