University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, October 30
Los Angeles, CA
9:00 PM
University of Minnesota
at
UCLA
10/29/2026 10:00:00 AM | Volleyball
The No. 21 University of Minnesota volleyball heads to the West Coast to take on UCLA and USC for a Halloween weekend showdown. The Gophers will take on the Bruins on Friday, Oct. 30 at 9 p.m. CT, they will then stick around and play USC on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 3 p.m. CT.
SERIES INFORMATION
Minnesota trails UCLA 3-5-0
First Meeting: 1991 Last Meeting: 2025
SERIES INFORMATION
Minnesota trails USC 2-6-1
First Meeting: 1979 Last Meeting: 2025
NUMBERS TO KNOW
55 -- The 2026 season marks the 55th year of Gopher volleyball.
45 -- Minnesota hit .451 percent vs. Maryland on Oct. 17. That mark was the best hitting percentage for the Gophers this season.
24 -- Stella Swenson is ranked 24th nationally and seventh in the Big Ten in assists per set (10.49).
21 -- Minnesota Golden Gophers enter the week as No. 21 in the AVCA Oct. 26 Coaches' poll. The Gophers opened the 2026 season as the No. 14 team in the AVCA Preseason poll.
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 -- Lucie Blazkova had a career-best 10 blocks vs. Michigan Oct. 16. On the season, she leads the team with 1.43 blocks per set. Lucie tied her season hight with six kills against Washington.
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 30 on the season and is ranked fourth 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 1.89. Mckenna Wucherer is second in the league averaging 0.54 this season with her 35 aces this year. Nationally, the Gophers are 25th 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 (5.18), and total aces (35) second in kills per set (4.29).
LAST TIME OUT
• The Gophers are coming off a 3-0 sweep against No. 21 Washington at home on Oct. 25. Mckenna Wucherer led the offense with 11 kills, Makenna Crosson tallied a career high six blocks, and Lucie Blažková also tied her season high with six kills.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. UCLA
• Minnesota is 3-5-0 all-time against the UCLA Bruins, dating back to 1991. The Gophers hosted the Bruins at Maturi Pavilion but UCLA took down Minnesota in three sets.
SCOUTING UCLA
• The RV UCLA Bruins are 15-6 overall and 6-4 in conference play. The Bruins most recently played No. 1 Nebraska, losing in three sets and turned around and defeated Iowa in a five-set thriller.
• As a team, UCLA is third in the Big Ten in blocks, averaging 2.59 per set. The Bruins are hitting .250 as a team led by Maggie Li who averages 3.20 kps.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. USC
• Minnesota is 2-6-1 all-time against the UCLA Bruins, dating back to 1979. The Trojans visited Minnesota last weekend and came away victorious as they defeated the Gophers in a five-set thriller.
SCOUTING USC
• USC is 9-11 overall and 3-7 in conference play. Most recently the Trojans traveled to the midwest where they defeated Iowa in five sets, then fell to No. 1 Nebraska in three sets. USC will play No. 8 Wisconsin on Friday before facing the Gophers on Sunday.
UP NEXT
• The Gophers will return to the Midwest as they will host No. 13 Penn State at Maturi Pavilion on Nov. 6 before heading to Iowa to take on the Hawkeyes on Nov. 8.
SERIES INFORMATION
Minnesota trails UCLA 3-5-0
First Meeting: 1991 Last Meeting: 2025
SERIES INFORMATION
Minnesota trails USC 2-6-1
First Meeting: 1979 Last Meeting: 2025
NUMBERS TO KNOW
55 -- The 2026 season marks the 55th year of Gopher volleyball.
45 -- Minnesota hit .451 percent vs. Maryland on Oct. 17. That mark was the best hitting percentage for the Gophers this season.
24 -- Stella Swenson is ranked 24th nationally and seventh in the Big Ten in assists per set (10.49).
21 -- Minnesota Golden Gophers enter the week as No. 21 in the AVCA Oct. 26 Coaches' poll. The Gophers opened the 2026 season as the No. 14 team in the AVCA Preseason poll.
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 -- Lucie Blazkova had a career-best 10 blocks vs. Michigan Oct. 16. On the season, she leads the team with 1.43 blocks per set. Lucie tied her season hight with six kills against Washington.
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 30 on the season and is ranked fourth 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 1.89. Mckenna Wucherer is second in the league averaging 0.54 this season with her 35 aces this year. Nationally, the Gophers are 25th 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 (5.18), and total aces (35) second in kills per set (4.29).
LAST TIME OUT
• The Gophers are coming off a 3-0 sweep against No. 21 Washington at home on Oct. 25. Mckenna Wucherer led the offense with 11 kills, Makenna Crosson tallied a career high six blocks, and Lucie Blažková also tied her season high with six kills.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. UCLA
• Minnesota is 3-5-0 all-time against the UCLA Bruins, dating back to 1991. The Gophers hosted the Bruins at Maturi Pavilion but UCLA took down Minnesota in three sets.
SCOUTING UCLA
• The RV UCLA Bruins are 15-6 overall and 6-4 in conference play. The Bruins most recently played No. 1 Nebraska, losing in three sets and turned around and defeated Iowa in a five-set thriller.
• As a team, UCLA is third in the Big Ten in blocks, averaging 2.59 per set. The Bruins are hitting .250 as a team led by Maggie Li who averages 3.20 kps.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. USC
• Minnesota is 2-6-1 all-time against the UCLA Bruins, dating back to 1979. The Trojans visited Minnesota last weekend and came away victorious as they defeated the Gophers in a five-set thriller.
SCOUTING USC
• USC is 9-11 overall and 3-7 in conference play. Most recently the Trojans traveled to the midwest where they defeated Iowa in five sets, then fell to No. 1 Nebraska in three sets. USC will play No. 8 Wisconsin on Friday before facing the Gophers on Sunday.
UP NEXT
• The Gophers will return to the Midwest as they will host No. 13 Penn State at Maturi Pavilion on Nov. 6 before heading to Iowa to take on the Hawkeyes on Nov. 8.
Players Mentioned
Outside
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
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Middle Blocker
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Libero/DS
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Setter
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Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Outside
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