University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, November 14
Minneapolis, MN
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Michigan State
11/13/2026 9:54:00 AM | Volleyball
• The No. 19 University of Minnesota Golden Gophers (16-7, 10-5 B1G) hosts Michigan State (17-8, 7-8 B1G) Saturday at 7 p.m. CT. The match will be televised on Big Ten Network.
SERIES INFORMATION
Minnesota leads Michigan State 64-19-0 all-time
First Meeting: 1976 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.
19 -- Minnesota Golden Gophers enter the week as No. 19 in the AVCA Nov. 9 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 1.33 blocks per set. Lucie tied her season high with six kills against Washington.
8 -- Stella Swenson is ranked eighth in the Big Ten in assists per set (10.43).
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 39 on the season and is ranked second in the Big Ten with a 0.46 ace per set average.
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 -- 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 -- As a team, the Gophers rank top of the Big Ten in aces per set, averaging 1.91. Mckenna Wucherer is first in the league averaging 0.49 this season with her 41 aces this year.
1 -- Mckenna Wucherer tops in total aces (41), is second in points per set (5.13) and third in kills per set (4.29).
LAST TIME OUT
• The Gophers are coming off a home ranked victory as they took down No.22 Indiana on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Minnesota put up a monster front at the net as they tallied 13 blocks. Carly Gilk was on fire once again as she led the offense with 14 kills. Both Mckenna Garr and Elena Hoecke tallied three aces from the service line.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. MICHIGAN STATE
• Minnesota is 64-19-0 all-time against the Michigan State Spartans, dating back to 1976. The Gophers defeated the Spartans in the last 11 match ups.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
• The Michigan State Spartans are 17-8 overall and 7-8 in conference play. Michigan State is coming off a four set loss to No. 13 Purdue at home.
• As a team, Michigan State is second in the Big Ten, behind the Gophers in service aces, averaging 1.84 per set. The Spartans are hitting .270 as a team led by Carmen Waye who is hitting .438, good for fourth in the Big Ten.
UP NEXT
• The Gophers will head to Lincoln, Nebraska on Nov. 17th to take on No. 1 Nebraska in the final Big Ten match of the regular season. The match will air on Big Ten Network, beginning at 7 p.m. CT.
SERIES INFORMATION
Minnesota leads Michigan State 64-19-0 all-time
First Meeting: 1976 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.
19 -- Minnesota Golden Gophers enter the week as No. 19 in the AVCA Nov. 9 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 1.33 blocks per set. Lucie tied her season high with six kills against Washington.
8 -- Stella Swenson is ranked eighth in the Big Ten in assists per set (10.43).
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 39 on the season and is ranked second in the Big Ten with a 0.46 ace per set average.
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 -- 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 -- As a team, the Gophers rank top of the Big Ten in aces per set, averaging 1.91. Mckenna Wucherer is first in the league averaging 0.49 this season with her 41 aces this year.
1 -- Mckenna Wucherer tops in total aces (41), is second in points per set (5.13) and third in kills per set (4.29).
LAST TIME OUT
• The Gophers are coming off a home ranked victory as they took down No.22 Indiana on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Minnesota put up a monster front at the net as they tallied 13 blocks. Carly Gilk was on fire once again as she led the offense with 14 kills. Both Mckenna Garr and Elena Hoecke tallied three aces from the service line.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. MICHIGAN STATE
• Minnesota is 64-19-0 all-time against the Michigan State Spartans, dating back to 1976. The Gophers defeated the Spartans in the last 11 match ups.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
• The Michigan State Spartans are 17-8 overall and 7-8 in conference play. Michigan State is coming off a four set loss to No. 13 Purdue at home.
• As a team, Michigan State is second in the Big Ten, behind the Gophers in service aces, averaging 1.84 per set. The Spartans are hitting .270 as a team led by Carmen Waye who is hitting .438, good for fourth in the Big Ten.
UP NEXT
• The Gophers will head to Lincoln, Nebraska on Nov. 17th to take on No. 1 Nebraska in the final Big Ten match of the regular season. The match will air on Big Ten Network, beginning at 7 p.m. CT.
Players Mentioned
Outside
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Opposite
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Outside
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