University of Minnesota Athletics
Wednesday, October 1
Ann Arbor, MI
6:30 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Michigan
Players Mentioned
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Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Opposite
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Middle Blocker
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Libero/DS
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Photo by: Claudia Staut
No. 10 Minnesota Opens B1G Road Play at Michigan
9/30/2025 12:32:00 PM | Volleyball
The Gophers enter at 12-1 (2-0)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 10 ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers are back in the AVCA top-10 for the first time since Sept. 11, 2023 after winning their 11th and 12th straight matches this past weekend. Minnesota (12-1, 2-0 B1G) enters Wednesday's match at Michigan (10-3, 0-2 B1G) looking to keep that streak going as they open up Big Ten road competition. Wednesday's match will also be the first of five matches that count towards the inaugural Discover Big Ten Challenge.
GAME INFORMATION
No. 10 Minnesota vs. Michigan
Wednesday, Oct. 1
7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT
Crisler Arena
Ann Arbor, Mich.
TV: BTN - Chris Vosters (Play-By-Play) and Mac Podraza (Analyst)
Radio: GopherSports.com
Live Stats
NOTES TO KNOW
Minnesota is 65-16 vs. Michigan (Streak: MN W6)
First Meeting: 1975
Last Meeting: 2024
HEADING INTO THE MATCH
64 -- The Gophers are 64th in the country this year with 120.0 total blocks. That places them fourth in the B1G.
53 -- Lourdes Myers comes in at No. 53 in the nation and fifth in the Big Ten with 1.33 blocks per set.
50 -- Julia Hanson is 50th in the country and sixth in the Big Ten with 4.59 points per set.
27 -- Julia Hanson had 27 10+ kill matches in 2024 (87%). She's 10 for 12 so far this season.
16 -- Times last season Minnesota posted 10+ blocks as a team. They've had 10+ blocks in five matches this season, including a season-best 17.5 Sept. 14 vs. SDSU.
16-- The 'U' ranks 16th nationally and third in the Big Ten with 2.79 blocks per set.
14 -- Minnesota has won 14 of the last 15 matches against Michigan. They have won six straight in the series, taking 18 of the last 19 sets.
13 -- Stella Swenson comes in at No. 13 nationally and fifth in the Big Ten with 10.47 assists per set.
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.
9 -- Minnesota ranks 7th nationally in attendance at 4,318 (avg.)
9 -- Sweeps in 13 matches for the Golden Gophers. They've won three matches in four sets and haven't played five yet. Minnesota's last four matches have all been sweeps.
8 -- Minnesota has made eight Sweet 16's in the last 10 years.
6 -- Minnesota ranks sixth in the Big Ten in opponent hitting percentage, allowing teams to hit .182.
5 -- The Gophers rank 5th nationally in hitting percentage (.312). They place fourth in the Big Ten.
4 -- The Gophers are 9-0 since McKenna Garr has been the starting libero and she has registered 4.54 digs per set. She's had eight 10+ dig matches, also averaging 1.21 assists per set.
4 -- Gophers head coach Keegan Cook is 4-21 against AVCA Top-25 ranked opponents in three seasons.
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 and to the all-tournament team.
2 -- The Gophers were 2-11 against ranked opponents in 2023 and 2-9 in 2024. The 2024 wins were over No. 1 Texas and No. 7 Wisconsin. Losses came against No. 2 Nebraska, No. 3 Penn State, No. 5 Stanford, No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 10 Purdue, No. 11 Kentucky, No. 12 Oregon, No. 21 USC and No. 23 Baylor.
3 -- Hanson ranks third among all Big Ten pins with a .318 hitting percentage. She trails only Wisconsin's Mimi Colyer (.344) and Purdue's Grace Heaney (.324).
2 -- Minnesota ranks second in the Big Ten with 14.09 digs per set.
1 -- Redshirt sophomore outside Alex Acevedo won her first all-tournament award Sept. 14 at the Diet Coke Classic. She smashed 3.40 kills per set in three wins for the Gophers, being named MVP.
1 -- Hanson was named as one of the 30 players to the AVCA Preseason Player of the Year Watch List.
1 -- Stella Swenson earned her first career Big Ten Weekly award when she earned Big Ten Setter of the Week on Sept. 1. She averaged over 11 assists and nearly three digs per set, helping Minnesota's offense hit over .350 for the weekend.
1 -- Minnesota has played just one ranked opponent this season, with that being No. 9 Texas A&M.
LAST TIME OUT
• The then No. 12 Minnesota volleyball team opened Big Ten play with wins over Michigan State on Thursday night and Rutgers on Sunday afternoon to move to 12-1 (2-0 Big Ten). The Gophers swept both teams, hitting .389 against Michigan State and .369 vs. Rutgers. Julia Hanson (11) and Alex Acevedo (10) combined for 21 kills while Lourdes Myers led and Hanson (eight each) paced the team on Sunday.
GOPHERS IN THE RANKINGS
• The Gophers entered the 2025 season with a No. 11 overall ranking in the Preseason AVCA poll.
• After week five, the 'U' moved up two spots to No. 10. It's their first time in the top 10 since 2023.
• 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 MICHIGAN
• Michigan (10-3, 0-2 B1G) is led by third-year head coach Erin Virtue, who was announced as the seventh head coach in Michigan volleyball history on Jan. 17, 2023. She returned to Ann Arbor after spending five seasons (2011-15) with the Maize and Blue as an assistant. She's 35-38 thus far in three seasons at UM.
• The Wolverines were picked to finish 10th in the Big Ten Preseason Poll. Graduate outside Allison Jacobs was picked as Preseason All-Big Ten. She leads the team with 4.02 kills per set in 2025, tallying 10 10+ kill matches.
• Michigan won 10 of their first 11 matches of the season, with their only non-conference loss coming in a 3-2 loss at Virginia. They lost in sweeps to Nebraska and Michigan State last weekend to start B1G play.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. MICHIGAN
• All-time against Michigan, Minnesota is 65-16. The Gophers have won 14 of the last 15 in the series versus the Wolverines. The lone loss came in 2021, a five set defeat in Ann Arbor. Minnesota beat Michigan twice last season, sweeping them in Ann Arbor and winning in four in Minneapolis.
• Last year in Ann Arbor, the Gophers won in three. Julia Hanson had 12 kills while Mckenna Wucherer had 11 to lead Minnesota. Minnesota took it home, 25-23, 25-19, 25-21.
• Last year in Minneapolis, Minnesota won 3-1 against UM, taking it 25-8, 24-26, 25-17, 25-15. Julia Hanson had 24 kills on .400 while Mckenna Wucherer had 10 kills. Melani Shaffmaster went for 47 assists, 18 digs.
FRESHMEN FIVE MAKING AN EARLY IMPACT
• The Golden Gophers are relying on a lot of youth this year, including five freshmen who are currently either starting or playing significant time in the rotation. Redshirt freshman setter Stella Swenson is the only non-true freshman of the group, and she leads the team with 10.47 assists per set.
• Pin hitters Kelly Kinney (West Palm Beach, Fla.) and Carly Gilk (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) have been playing key roles at outside and opposite, ranking third and fourth on the team, respectively, with 2.36 and 2.30 kps.
• Libero McKenna Garr (Rush City, Minn.) moved into the starting lineup after the loss of Zeynep Palabiyik and has registered nine 10+ dig matches. She leads the team with 3.56 digs per set.
• Middle blocker Jordan Taylor (Houston, Texas) moved into the starting group at the end of non-conference play after the Gophers lost Calissa Minatee for the season. She ranks second on the 'U' with 1.17 bps.
B1G LIFE, B1G STAGE
• Since 2012, Minnesota is 188-62 (.752) in B1G play, including 11 seasons over .500 in league play.
• In 10 of those seasons, the 'U' went 15-5 or better in B1G play, with the best being 19-1 in 2018.
• Last year (12-8 B1G) was the first season since 2014 (9-11 Big Ten) that Minnesota won less than 15 of its conference matches. The Gophers clinched their 10th straight winning B1G season on Nov. 23 vs. Iowa.
• The Gophers won B1G titles in 2016 and 2018 and have finished either 1st, 2nd or 3rd in 10 of the last 12 seasons. Minnesota took fifth in the conference in 2023 behind Nebraska, Wisconsin, Penn State and Purdue.
MYERS MAKING THE MOST OF FINAL SEASON
• Before Minnesota, Myers spent four years at Purdue, redshirting in 2021 before playing from 2022-24. She helped the Boilermakers make Sweet 16s in 2023 and 2024 after they went to the Round of 32 in 2022. Statistically, Myers averaged 1.31 kills (.342), 1.0 blocks and 0.24 digs per set in her three years in West Lafayette. She had her best season in 2024, hitting .356 with 1.28 kills and 1.06 blocks per set.
• Myers posted four-or-more blocks 16 times and six-or-more blocks four times this past season. She earned five-or-more kills in 17 matches. She ranked 25th in the Big Ten in blocks per set last season.
• So far in her first year as a Gopher, Myers is leading the Minnesota middles, averaging 1.93 kills and 1.33 blocks per set. She ranks eighth in the B1G with 53.0 total blocks.
HANSON'S PATIENCE PAYING OFF
• A senior out of Savage, Minn., Julia Hanson patiently waited for her chance to shine on the outside for Minnesota. She played situationally as a freshman in 2022, appearing in 10 matches (1.38 kills per set) and all 30 matches in 2023, but notching just 0.64 kills and 1.08 digs per set.
• She's stepped up multiple times in big games when her team has needed her most. On Nov. 12, 2023 at Indiana, she tallied a career-high 19 kills with six digs and an ace. She came off the bench to play front row and led the team in kills in a crucial win in Bloomington.
• She shined as a full-time starter in 2024, posting 10+ kills 27 times and aces in 19 matches. Hanson posted seven 20+ kill contests and six double-doubles. She was named to the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge All-Tournament team in addition to winning MVP of the Capital Credit Union Classic. She earned Big Ten Player of the Week twice last season (Oct. 28 and Dec. 2).
• Julia led the team and ranked seventh in the Big Ten with 4.01 kills per set in 2024.
• In 2025, Hanson ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 140 kills (3.98 ps; 6th). She has 11 10+ kill matches.
• She had a season-high 21 kills on Aug. 29 vs. Cal Poly. She's got four 15+ kill matches thus far in 2025.
• Hanson ranks seventh in the B1G in kills (3.98 ps) and 10th with 159 total kills. She's hitting .318 on the year.
SEASON-ENDING INJURIES
• Minnesota is down three starters this season after the loss of middle blocker Calissa Minatee, outside Mckenna Wucherer and libero Zeynep Palabiyik. Minatee is out with a lower body injury and Wucherer is out with a back injury while Palabiyik tore her ACL on Aug. 31. All will medically redshirt and plan on being back for Minnesota during the 2026 season.
• Combined, the three have played in over 180 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.
UP NEXT
Minnesota will be on the road again at Northwestern (11-3, 1-1 B1G). The match is set for 2 p.m. CT on B1G+.
GAME INFORMATION
No. 10 Minnesota vs. Michigan
Wednesday, Oct. 1
7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT
Crisler Arena
Ann Arbor, Mich.
TV: BTN - Chris Vosters (Play-By-Play) and Mac Podraza (Analyst)
Radio: GopherSports.com
Live Stats
NOTES TO KNOW
Minnesota is 65-16 vs. Michigan (Streak: MN W6)
First Meeting: 1975
Last Meeting: 2024
HEADING INTO THE MATCH
64 -- The Gophers are 64th in the country this year with 120.0 total blocks. That places them fourth in the B1G.
53 -- Lourdes Myers comes in at No. 53 in the nation and fifth in the Big Ten with 1.33 blocks per set.
50 -- Julia Hanson is 50th in the country and sixth in the Big Ten with 4.59 points per set.
27 -- Julia Hanson had 27 10+ kill matches in 2024 (87%). She's 10 for 12 so far this season.
16 -- Times last season Minnesota posted 10+ blocks as a team. They've had 10+ blocks in five matches this season, including a season-best 17.5 Sept. 14 vs. SDSU.
16-- The 'U' ranks 16th nationally and third in the Big Ten with 2.79 blocks per set.
14 -- Minnesota has won 14 of the last 15 matches against Michigan. They have won six straight in the series, taking 18 of the last 19 sets.
13 -- Stella Swenson comes in at No. 13 nationally and fifth in the Big Ten with 10.47 assists per set.
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.
9 -- Minnesota ranks 7th nationally in attendance at 4,318 (avg.)
9 -- Sweeps in 13 matches for the Golden Gophers. They've won three matches in four sets and haven't played five yet. Minnesota's last four matches have all been sweeps.
8 -- Minnesota has made eight Sweet 16's in the last 10 years.
6 -- Minnesota ranks sixth in the Big Ten in opponent hitting percentage, allowing teams to hit .182.
5 -- The Gophers rank 5th nationally in hitting percentage (.312). They place fourth in the Big Ten.
4 -- The Gophers are 9-0 since McKenna Garr has been the starting libero and she has registered 4.54 digs per set. She's had eight 10+ dig matches, also averaging 1.21 assists per set.
4 -- Gophers head coach Keegan Cook is 4-21 against AVCA Top-25 ranked opponents in three seasons.
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 and to the all-tournament team.
2 -- The Gophers were 2-11 against ranked opponents in 2023 and 2-9 in 2024. The 2024 wins were over No. 1 Texas and No. 7 Wisconsin. Losses came against No. 2 Nebraska, No. 3 Penn State, No. 5 Stanford, No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 10 Purdue, No. 11 Kentucky, No. 12 Oregon, No. 21 USC and No. 23 Baylor.
3 -- Hanson ranks third among all Big Ten pins with a .318 hitting percentage. She trails only Wisconsin's Mimi Colyer (.344) and Purdue's Grace Heaney (.324).
2 -- Minnesota ranks second in the Big Ten with 14.09 digs per set.
1 -- Redshirt sophomore outside Alex Acevedo won her first all-tournament award Sept. 14 at the Diet Coke Classic. She smashed 3.40 kills per set in three wins for the Gophers, being named MVP.
1 -- Hanson was named as one of the 30 players to the AVCA Preseason Player of the Year Watch List.
1 -- Stella Swenson earned her first career Big Ten Weekly award when she earned Big Ten Setter of the Week on Sept. 1. She averaged over 11 assists and nearly three digs per set, helping Minnesota's offense hit over .350 for the weekend.
1 -- Minnesota has played just one ranked opponent this season, with that being No. 9 Texas A&M.
LAST TIME OUT
• The then No. 12 Minnesota volleyball team opened Big Ten play with wins over Michigan State on Thursday night and Rutgers on Sunday afternoon to move to 12-1 (2-0 Big Ten). The Gophers swept both teams, hitting .389 against Michigan State and .369 vs. Rutgers. Julia Hanson (11) and Alex Acevedo (10) combined for 21 kills while Lourdes Myers led and Hanson (eight each) paced the team on Sunday.
GOPHERS IN THE RANKINGS
• The Gophers entered the 2025 season with a No. 11 overall ranking in the Preseason AVCA poll.
• After week five, the 'U' moved up two spots to No. 10. It's their first time in the top 10 since 2023.
• 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 MICHIGAN
• Michigan (10-3, 0-2 B1G) is led by third-year head coach Erin Virtue, who was announced as the seventh head coach in Michigan volleyball history on Jan. 17, 2023. She returned to Ann Arbor after spending five seasons (2011-15) with the Maize and Blue as an assistant. She's 35-38 thus far in three seasons at UM.
• The Wolverines were picked to finish 10th in the Big Ten Preseason Poll. Graduate outside Allison Jacobs was picked as Preseason All-Big Ten. She leads the team with 4.02 kills per set in 2025, tallying 10 10+ kill matches.
• Michigan won 10 of their first 11 matches of the season, with their only non-conference loss coming in a 3-2 loss at Virginia. They lost in sweeps to Nebraska and Michigan State last weekend to start B1G play.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. MICHIGAN
• All-time against Michigan, Minnesota is 65-16. The Gophers have won 14 of the last 15 in the series versus the Wolverines. The lone loss came in 2021, a five set defeat in Ann Arbor. Minnesota beat Michigan twice last season, sweeping them in Ann Arbor and winning in four in Minneapolis.
• Last year in Ann Arbor, the Gophers won in three. Julia Hanson had 12 kills while Mckenna Wucherer had 11 to lead Minnesota. Minnesota took it home, 25-23, 25-19, 25-21.
• Last year in Minneapolis, Minnesota won 3-1 against UM, taking it 25-8, 24-26, 25-17, 25-15. Julia Hanson had 24 kills on .400 while Mckenna Wucherer had 10 kills. Melani Shaffmaster went for 47 assists, 18 digs.
FRESHMEN FIVE MAKING AN EARLY IMPACT
• The Golden Gophers are relying on a lot of youth this year, including five freshmen who are currently either starting or playing significant time in the rotation. Redshirt freshman setter Stella Swenson is the only non-true freshman of the group, and she leads the team with 10.47 assists per set.
• Pin hitters Kelly Kinney (West Palm Beach, Fla.) and Carly Gilk (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) have been playing key roles at outside and opposite, ranking third and fourth on the team, respectively, with 2.36 and 2.30 kps.
• Libero McKenna Garr (Rush City, Minn.) moved into the starting lineup after the loss of Zeynep Palabiyik and has registered nine 10+ dig matches. She leads the team with 3.56 digs per set.
• Middle blocker Jordan Taylor (Houston, Texas) moved into the starting group at the end of non-conference play after the Gophers lost Calissa Minatee for the season. She ranks second on the 'U' with 1.17 bps.
B1G LIFE, B1G STAGE
• Since 2012, Minnesota is 188-62 (.752) in B1G play, including 11 seasons over .500 in league play.
• In 10 of those seasons, the 'U' went 15-5 or better in B1G play, with the best being 19-1 in 2018.
• Last year (12-8 B1G) was the first season since 2014 (9-11 Big Ten) that Minnesota won less than 15 of its conference matches. The Gophers clinched their 10th straight winning B1G season on Nov. 23 vs. Iowa.
• The Gophers won B1G titles in 2016 and 2018 and have finished either 1st, 2nd or 3rd in 10 of the last 12 seasons. Minnesota took fifth in the conference in 2023 behind Nebraska, Wisconsin, Penn State and Purdue.
MYERS MAKING THE MOST OF FINAL SEASON
• Before Minnesota, Myers spent four years at Purdue, redshirting in 2021 before playing from 2022-24. She helped the Boilermakers make Sweet 16s in 2023 and 2024 after they went to the Round of 32 in 2022. Statistically, Myers averaged 1.31 kills (.342), 1.0 blocks and 0.24 digs per set in her three years in West Lafayette. She had her best season in 2024, hitting .356 with 1.28 kills and 1.06 blocks per set.
• Myers posted four-or-more blocks 16 times and six-or-more blocks four times this past season. She earned five-or-more kills in 17 matches. She ranked 25th in the Big Ten in blocks per set last season.
• So far in her first year as a Gopher, Myers is leading the Minnesota middles, averaging 1.93 kills and 1.33 blocks per set. She ranks eighth in the B1G with 53.0 total blocks.
HANSON'S PATIENCE PAYING OFF
• A senior out of Savage, Minn., Julia Hanson patiently waited for her chance to shine on the outside for Minnesota. She played situationally as a freshman in 2022, appearing in 10 matches (1.38 kills per set) and all 30 matches in 2023, but notching just 0.64 kills and 1.08 digs per set.
• She's stepped up multiple times in big games when her team has needed her most. On Nov. 12, 2023 at Indiana, she tallied a career-high 19 kills with six digs and an ace. She came off the bench to play front row and led the team in kills in a crucial win in Bloomington.
• She shined as a full-time starter in 2024, posting 10+ kills 27 times and aces in 19 matches. Hanson posted seven 20+ kill contests and six double-doubles. She was named to the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge All-Tournament team in addition to winning MVP of the Capital Credit Union Classic. She earned Big Ten Player of the Week twice last season (Oct. 28 and Dec. 2).
• Julia led the team and ranked seventh in the Big Ten with 4.01 kills per set in 2024.
• In 2025, Hanson ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 140 kills (3.98 ps; 6th). She has 11 10+ kill matches.
• She had a season-high 21 kills on Aug. 29 vs. Cal Poly. She's got four 15+ kill matches thus far in 2025.
• Hanson ranks seventh in the B1G in kills (3.98 ps) and 10th with 159 total kills. She's hitting .318 on the year.
SEASON-ENDING INJURIES
• Minnesota is down three starters this season after the loss of middle blocker Calissa Minatee, outside Mckenna Wucherer and libero Zeynep Palabiyik. Minatee is out with a lower body injury and Wucherer is out with a back injury while Palabiyik tore her ACL on Aug. 31. All will medically redshirt and plan on being back for Minnesota during the 2026 season.
• Combined, the three have played in over 180 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.
UP NEXT
Minnesota will be on the road again at Northwestern (11-3, 1-1 B1G). The match is set for 2 p.m. CT on B1G+.
Swensons Join B1G Tailgate
Tuesday, September 30
Cinematic Recap: Gophers Sweep Rutgers
Tuesday, September 30
Highlights: Gophers 3, Rutgers 0
Sunday, September 28
Highlights: Gophers 3, Michigan State 0
Thursday, September 25