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Hanson, Wucherer Named Preseason All-Big Ten
7/24/2025 1:00:00 PM | Volleyball
Minnesota was picked to finish fourth in the 18-team league
CHICAGO, Ill. -- University of Minnesota senior outsides Julia Hanson and Mckenna Wucherer were named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team, the conference announced today.
In the 18-team league, the Golden Gophers were picked to finish fourth behind Nebraska, Penn State and Wisconsin. Minnesota finished the 2024 season with a 21-11 (13-7 Big Ten) record, advancing to the NCAA Tournament's Round of 32. The Gophers tied for sixth in the conference standings.
Hanson had a breakout season last year, earning AVCA All-America Honorable Mention and VBMagazine.com Third Team All-America honors. Before last year, Hanson had tallied just 98 total kills in her career, playing as a reserve outside hitter and a defensive specialist. Everything changed in 2024 season when she earned a starting spot and never looked back. She hit double-digit kills in 27 of 32 matches, including seven 20+ kill matches. Hanson had 10-or-more kills in each of her last 15 matches of the year and led the team with 4.57 points and 4.01 kills per set. She also tallied career-highs in digs (2.19 dps), blocks (0.55 bps) and aces (0.28 saps).
Among Big Ten pins, Hanson ranked seventh in kills per set and third in hitting percentage (.268). Her 473 kills ranked sixth in the league. She earned two Big Ten Player of the Week awards and won AVCA Player of the Week on Dec. 3. Hanson was the first Gopher to earn the distinction since Nov. 22, 2022. She was one of seven players unanimously named to the All-Big Ten First Team and also earned AVCA All-Northwest Region accolades.
Wucherer heads into her final year hoping to have her best season yet. She was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2022 and was MVP of the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge in 2023. She also made the Diet Coke Classic All-Tournament her sophomore year and is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. Playing through injury in 2024, Wucherer averaged 2.49 kills, 1.34 digs and 0.57 blocks per set. For her career, she's averaged 2.86 kills per set.
Minnesota opens the 2025 season on Monday, Aug. 25 against Texas A&M in Sioux Falls, S.D. at the Sanford Pentagon.
2025 BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON POLL
1. Nebraska
2. Penn State
3. Wisconsin
4. Minnesota
5. UCLA
6. USC
7. Purdue
8. Washington
9. Illinois
10. Michigan
11. Indiana
12. Oregon
13. Ohio State
14. Michigan State
15. Northwestern
16. Maryland
17. Iowa
18. Rutgers
2025 BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Allison Jacobs, MICH, Gr., OH
Julia Hanson, MINN, Sr., OH
Mckenna Wucherer, MINN, Sr., OH
HARPER MURRAY, NEB, Jr., OH
ANDI JACKSON, NEB, Jr., MB
BERGEN REILLY, NEB, Jr., S
Rebekah Allick, NEB, Sr., MB
KENNEDY MARTIN, PSU, Jr., OPP
IZZY STARCK, PSU, So., S
Gillian Grimes, PSU, Sr., L
Cheridyn Leverette, UCLA, Sr., OH
Maggie Li, UCLA, Jr., OH
Marianna Singletary, UCLA, RS-Jr., MB
Phekran Kong, UCLA, Gr., MB
Adonia Faumuina, USC, Jr., OH
Kierstyn Barton, WASH, Jr., OH
Julia Hunt, WASH, So., MB
Carter Booth, WIS, Sr., MB
Mimi Colyer, WIS, Sr., OH
Charlie Fuerbringer, WIS, So., S
Unanimous Selection in ALL CAPS
* - additional players due to tie in voting
Unanimous selection listed in ALL CAPS
In the 18-team league, the Golden Gophers were picked to finish fourth behind Nebraska, Penn State and Wisconsin. Minnesota finished the 2024 season with a 21-11 (13-7 Big Ten) record, advancing to the NCAA Tournament's Round of 32. The Gophers tied for sixth in the conference standings.
Hanson had a breakout season last year, earning AVCA All-America Honorable Mention and VBMagazine.com Third Team All-America honors. Before last year, Hanson had tallied just 98 total kills in her career, playing as a reserve outside hitter and a defensive specialist. Everything changed in 2024 season when she earned a starting spot and never looked back. She hit double-digit kills in 27 of 32 matches, including seven 20+ kill matches. Hanson had 10-or-more kills in each of her last 15 matches of the year and led the team with 4.57 points and 4.01 kills per set. She also tallied career-highs in digs (2.19 dps), blocks (0.55 bps) and aces (0.28 saps).
Among Big Ten pins, Hanson ranked seventh in kills per set and third in hitting percentage (.268). Her 473 kills ranked sixth in the league. She earned two Big Ten Player of the Week awards and won AVCA Player of the Week on Dec. 3. Hanson was the first Gopher to earn the distinction since Nov. 22, 2022. She was one of seven players unanimously named to the All-Big Ten First Team and also earned AVCA All-Northwest Region accolades.
Wucherer heads into her final year hoping to have her best season yet. She was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2022 and was MVP of the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge in 2023. She also made the Diet Coke Classic All-Tournament her sophomore year and is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. Playing through injury in 2024, Wucherer averaged 2.49 kills, 1.34 digs and 0.57 blocks per set. For her career, she's averaged 2.86 kills per set.
Minnesota opens the 2025 season on Monday, Aug. 25 against Texas A&M in Sioux Falls, S.D. at the Sanford Pentagon.
2025 BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON POLL
1. Nebraska
2. Penn State
3. Wisconsin
4. Minnesota
5. UCLA
6. USC
7. Purdue
8. Washington
9. Illinois
10. Michigan
11. Indiana
12. Oregon
13. Ohio State
14. Michigan State
15. Northwestern
16. Maryland
17. Iowa
18. Rutgers
2025 BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Allison Jacobs, MICH, Gr., OH
Julia Hanson, MINN, Sr., OH
Mckenna Wucherer, MINN, Sr., OH
HARPER MURRAY, NEB, Jr., OH
ANDI JACKSON, NEB, Jr., MB
BERGEN REILLY, NEB, Jr., S
Rebekah Allick, NEB, Sr., MB
KENNEDY MARTIN, PSU, Jr., OPP
IZZY STARCK, PSU, So., S
Gillian Grimes, PSU, Sr., L
Cheridyn Leverette, UCLA, Sr., OH
Maggie Li, UCLA, Jr., OH
Marianna Singletary, UCLA, RS-Jr., MB
Phekran Kong, UCLA, Gr., MB
Adonia Faumuina, USC, Jr., OH
Kierstyn Barton, WASH, Jr., OH
Julia Hunt, WASH, So., MB
Carter Booth, WIS, Sr., MB
Mimi Colyer, WIS, Sr., OH
Charlie Fuerbringer, WIS, So., S
Unanimous Selection in ALL CAPS
* - additional players due to tie in voting
Unanimous selection listed in ALL CAPS
Cinematic Recap: Golden Gopher Invitational
Monday, September 08
Highlights: Gophers 3, Lipscomb 0
Saturday, September 06
Highlights: Gophers 3, Vanderbilt 0
Friday, September 05
Highlights: Gophers 3, St. Thomas 1
Sunday, August 31