University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, October 16
Minneapolis, MN
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Michigan
Gophers Set to Face Michigan and Maryland at the Pav
10/15/2026 11:00:00 AM | Volleyball
The No. 21 University of Minnesota volleyball returns to Maturi Pavilion to host Michigan and Maryland. The Gophers and Wolverines will face off Friday night at 7 p.m. CT. This match is Minnesota's "Dig Pink" match, so we encourage fans to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness. Minnesota will then turn around and host Maryland on Saturday, Oct. 17th at 6 p.m. CT.
SERIES INFORMATION
Minnesota leads Michigan, 65-17-0
First Meeting: 1975 Last Meeting: 2025
Minnesota leads Maryland, 20-1-0
First Meeting: 1986 Last Meeting: 2025
OPENGATE AND NEW BAG POLICY AT MATURI PAVILION
New this year, gate entrance will hold a consistent security clearance in all our Gopher facilities. Please see HERE for prohibited items. New bag policy as well as additional match day information can be found HERE.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
55 -- The 2026 season marks the 55th year of Gopher volleyball.
41 -- Minnesota hit .412 percent vs. Northwestern on Oct. 1. That mark was the best hitting percentage for the Gophers this season and best since hitting that mark against Indiana in 2025.
21 -- Minnesota Golden Gophers enter the week as No. 21 in the AVCA Oct. 12 Coaches' poll. The Gophers opened the 2026 season as the No. 14 team in the AVCA Preseason poll.
20 -- Minnesota ranks 20th nationally in assists per set this season and sixth in the conference. Stella Swenson is ranked eighth nationally and fourth in the Big Ten (10.82 aps).
12 -- Returners to the Gopher squad from last season, including starting setter Stella Swenson and Kate Thibault, who played in all 119 sets in the 2025 season.
10 -- Jordan Taylor had a season-best 10 blocks vs. Oregon Sept. 26. On the season, she leads the team with 1.15 blocks per set and has had 10-plus blocks twice in her career.
6 -- Minnesota ranked 6th in average attendance at 4,488 per match (avg.) in 2025. They ranked 4th overall (80,779 total fans). This season they are currently No. 11 and average 4,763 fans per match.
5 -- McKenna Garr added a career-best five aces in the win vs. Northwestern on Oct. 1. She has 26 on the season and is ranked third in the Big Ten
4 -- The Gophers welcome four newcomers to this year's roster: freshmen OH Makenna Crosson, DS Madi Kraft and MB Elena Hoecke all joined the Gophers in January 2026. Lucie Blažková joins the Gophers after two seasons at Washington State.
2 -- As a team, the Gophers rank second in the Big Ten in aces per set, averaging 2.02. Mckenna Wucherer leads the league averaging 0.64 this season with her 30 aces this year. Nationally, the Gophers are 10th in aces per set.
2 -- Mckenna Wucherer has received two Big Ten Player of the Week awards in this young 2026 campaign.
2 -- Former Gophers were inducted into the M Club Hall of Fame this year in Lauren Gibbemeyer and Sarah Wilhite.
1 -- Mckenna Wucherer tops the Big Ten in points per set (5.66), kills per set (4.72), and aces per set (0.62), and total aces (31). She ranks seventh nationally in kps.
LAST TIME OUT
• Minnesota picked up two Big Ten road victories last weekend, defeating Rutgers 3-1 and Ohio State 3-0.
• In the Rutgers victory, Mckenna Wucherer tallied 20 kills and 11 digs for a double-double. In the Ohio State victory, Wucherer secured her 1,000 career kill with 13 total in the match.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. MICHIGAN
• Minnesota is 65-17-0 all-time against the Michigan Wolverines, dating back to 1975. The Wolverines defeated Minnesota in four sets in 2025.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
• Michigan is 7-4 overall, and 2-4 in Big Ten Play. The Wolverines were predicted to finish 11th in the Big Ten Preseason Poll. Like Minnesota, Michigan played two Big Ten matches last weekend. The Wolverines defeated Iowa 3-1 on Friday, Oct, 9th before falling to No. 13 Oregon in four sets.
• As a team, Michigan is hitting .269 which is sixth in the Big Ten. The Wolverines are also second in the conference in total kills with 862 (14.13 kps).
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. MARYLAND
• Minnesota is 20-1-0 all-time against the Maryland Terrapins, dating back to 1986. Minnesota has won the last two matches dating back to 2024. The Gophers won the 2025 match via a sweep.
SCOUTING MARYLAND
• Maryland is 12-5 overall and 2-4 in the Big Ten. The Terrapins were picked to finish 18th in the Big Ten Preseason Poll. Maryland played both UCLA and Northwestern last weekend, both matches going to five sets. The Terrapins fell to the UCLA Bruins but then defeated the Northwestern Wildcats. Maryland will play at Wisconsin on Friday, Oct. 16th before coming to Minnesota.
• As a team, Maryland is hitting .289, which is third in the Big Ten. Eva Rohrbach is third in the conference hitting a .445. Setter Sara Toth sits second in the conference with 10.91 aps.
UP NEXT
• Minnesota will head to West Lafayette, Indiana to face the No. 13 Purdue Boilermakers on Friday, Oct. 23rd at 6 p.m. CT. The Gophers will then finish the weekend at home on Sunday, Oct. 25th at 1 p.m. CT to face No. 20 Washington. This match will be televised on Big Ten Network.
SERIES INFORMATION
Minnesota leads Michigan, 65-17-0
First Meeting: 1975 Last Meeting: 2025
Minnesota leads Maryland, 20-1-0
First Meeting: 1986 Last Meeting: 2025
OPENGATE AND NEW BAG POLICY AT MATURI PAVILION
New this year, gate entrance will hold a consistent security clearance in all our Gopher facilities. Please see HERE for prohibited items. New bag policy as well as additional match day information can be found HERE.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
55 -- The 2026 season marks the 55th year of Gopher volleyball.
41 -- Minnesota hit .412 percent vs. Northwestern on Oct. 1. That mark was the best hitting percentage for the Gophers this season and best since hitting that mark against Indiana in 2025.
21 -- Minnesota Golden Gophers enter the week as No. 21 in the AVCA Oct. 12 Coaches' poll. The Gophers opened the 2026 season as the No. 14 team in the AVCA Preseason poll.
20 -- Minnesota ranks 20th nationally in assists per set this season and sixth in the conference. Stella Swenson is ranked eighth nationally and fourth in the Big Ten (10.82 aps).
12 -- Returners to the Gopher squad from last season, including starting setter Stella Swenson and Kate Thibault, who played in all 119 sets in the 2025 season.
10 -- Jordan Taylor had a season-best 10 blocks vs. Oregon Sept. 26. On the season, she leads the team with 1.15 blocks per set and has had 10-plus blocks twice in her career.
6 -- Minnesota ranked 6th in average attendance at 4,488 per match (avg.) in 2025. They ranked 4th overall (80,779 total fans). This season they are currently No. 11 and average 4,763 fans per match.
5 -- McKenna Garr added a career-best five aces in the win vs. Northwestern on Oct. 1. She has 26 on the season and is ranked third in the Big Ten
4 -- The Gophers welcome four newcomers to this year's roster: freshmen OH Makenna Crosson, DS Madi Kraft and MB Elena Hoecke all joined the Gophers in January 2026. Lucie Blažková joins the Gophers after two seasons at Washington State.
2 -- As a team, the Gophers rank second in the Big Ten in aces per set, averaging 2.02. Mckenna Wucherer leads the league averaging 0.64 this season with her 30 aces this year. Nationally, the Gophers are 10th in aces per set.
2 -- Mckenna Wucherer has received two Big Ten Player of the Week awards in this young 2026 campaign.
2 -- Former Gophers were inducted into the M Club Hall of Fame this year in Lauren Gibbemeyer and Sarah Wilhite.
1 -- Mckenna Wucherer tops the Big Ten in points per set (5.66), kills per set (4.72), and aces per set (0.62), and total aces (31). She ranks seventh nationally in kps.
LAST TIME OUT
• Minnesota picked up two Big Ten road victories last weekend, defeating Rutgers 3-1 and Ohio State 3-0.
• In the Rutgers victory, Mckenna Wucherer tallied 20 kills and 11 digs for a double-double. In the Ohio State victory, Wucherer secured her 1,000 career kill with 13 total in the match.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. MICHIGAN
• Minnesota is 65-17-0 all-time against the Michigan Wolverines, dating back to 1975. The Wolverines defeated Minnesota in four sets in 2025.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
• Michigan is 7-4 overall, and 2-4 in Big Ten Play. The Wolverines were predicted to finish 11th in the Big Ten Preseason Poll. Like Minnesota, Michigan played two Big Ten matches last weekend. The Wolverines defeated Iowa 3-1 on Friday, Oct, 9th before falling to No. 13 Oregon in four sets.
• As a team, Michigan is hitting .269 which is sixth in the Big Ten. The Wolverines are also second in the conference in total kills with 862 (14.13 kps).
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. MARYLAND
• Minnesota is 20-1-0 all-time against the Maryland Terrapins, dating back to 1986. Minnesota has won the last two matches dating back to 2024. The Gophers won the 2025 match via a sweep.
SCOUTING MARYLAND
• Maryland is 12-5 overall and 2-4 in the Big Ten. The Terrapins were picked to finish 18th in the Big Ten Preseason Poll. Maryland played both UCLA and Northwestern last weekend, both matches going to five sets. The Terrapins fell to the UCLA Bruins but then defeated the Northwestern Wildcats. Maryland will play at Wisconsin on Friday, Oct. 16th before coming to Minnesota.
• As a team, Maryland is hitting .289, which is third in the Big Ten. Eva Rohrbach is third in the conference hitting a .445. Setter Sara Toth sits second in the conference with 10.91 aps.
UP NEXT
• Minnesota will head to West Lafayette, Indiana to face the No. 13 Purdue Boilermakers on Friday, Oct. 23rd at 6 p.m. CT. The Gophers will then finish the weekend at home on Sunday, Oct. 25th at 1 p.m. CT to face No. 20 Washington. This match will be televised on Big Ten Network.
Players Mentioned
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Libero/DS
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Libero/DS
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Setter
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Libero/DS
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Outside
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