University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, November 6
Minneapolis, MN
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Penn State
Photo by: Mac Brown
11/5/2026 10:00:00 AM | Volleyball
• The No. 19 University of Minnesota Golden Gophers (14-6, 8-4 B1G) are back home on Friday, Nov. 6 to square off against No. 11 Penn State (17-5, 9-3 B1G) at 6 p.m. CT at Maturi Pavilion. The Gophers will then head to Iowa for a match on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. CT. Both of this weekend's matches will air on B1G+.
SERIES INFORMATION
Minnesota trails Penn State 16-52-0 all-time
First Meeting: 1983 Last Meeting: 2025
Minnesota leads Iowa 64-16-0 all-time
First Meeting: 1976 Last Meeting: 2025
Broadcast Information
Stream: B1G+
Live Stats: GopherSports.com
Listen (Friday): 102.5 FM & Gophersports.com
Parking Advisory
On Friday, Nov. 6 Gopher men's basketball is set to host St. Thomas at 7 p.m. at The Barn by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota. Due to the anticipated overlap of events fans are encouraged to buy a parking pass in advance here. Individuals arriving on campus without a parking pass are encouraged to park in surface lots on the east side of Huntington Bank Stadium.
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. 2 Coaches' poll. The Gophers opened the 2026 season as the No. 14 team in the AVCA Preseason poll.
16 -- Stella Swenson is ranked 16th nationally and third in the Big Ten in assists per set (10.55).
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 high 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 32 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 1.90. Mckenna Wucherer is first in the league averaging 0.55 this season with her 40 aces this year. Nationally, the Gophers are 22nd 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 in total aces (40) and is second in kills per set (4.33), and points per set (5.24).
LAST TIME OUT
• The Gophers are coming off a 2-0 weekend on the West coast where they defeated UCLA in a five-set reverse sweep and finished the trip with a 3-0 sweep over USC. Mckenna Wucherer tallied a career high 26 kills against UCLA, Stella Swenson added in a career high 61 assists, and freshman Makenna Crosson recorded a career high 18 kills.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. PENN STATE
• Minnesota is 16-52-0 all-time against the Penn State Nittany Lions, dating back to 1983. The Gophers defeated the Nittany Lions on three sets back in 2025.
SCOUTING PENN STATE
• The No. 11 Penn State Nittany Lions are 17-5 overall and 9-3 in conference play. Penn State recently hosted Ohio State and at the time No. 11 Purdue. The Nittany Lions defeated the Buckeyes and Boilermakers, each in four sets.
• As a team, Penn State is third in the Big Ten in kills, averaging 14.11 per set. The Nittany Lions are hitting .263 as a team led by Kennedy Martin who averages 4.58 kps and 5.32 pps which leads the Big Ten.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. IOWA
• Minnesota is 88-11-0 all-time against the Iowa Hawkeyes, dating back to 1975. The Gophers defeated the Hawkeyes in 2025 in a five-set thriller.
SCOUTING IOWA
• Iowa is 13-13 overall and 2-10 in conference play. Most recently the Hawkeyes also made the trip out west to face at the time No. 20 Washington and No. 12 Oregon. The Hawkeyes fell 3-1 to the Huskies and 3-0 to the Ducks.
• As a team, the Hawkeyes are hitting .259 and are led by Hannah Whittingstal who is hitting .387 which is sixth in the Big Ten.
UP NEXT
• The Gophers will return to Maturi Pavilion to face No. 21 Indiana on Wednesday, November 11th and Michigan State on Saturday, November 14th. First serve for both matches is slated for 7 p.m. CT.
SERIES INFORMATION
Minnesota trails Penn State 16-52-0 all-time
First Meeting: 1983 Last Meeting: 2025
Minnesota leads Iowa 64-16-0 all-time
First Meeting: 1976 Last Meeting: 2025
Broadcast Information
Stream: B1G+
Live Stats: GopherSports.com
Listen (Friday): 102.5 FM & Gophersports.com
Parking Advisory
On Friday, Nov. 6 Gopher men's basketball is set to host St. Thomas at 7 p.m. at The Barn by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota. Due to the anticipated overlap of events fans are encouraged to buy a parking pass in advance here. Individuals arriving on campus without a parking pass are encouraged to park in surface lots on the east side of Huntington Bank Stadium.
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. 2 Coaches' poll. The Gophers opened the 2026 season as the No. 14 team in the AVCA Preseason poll.
16 -- Stella Swenson is ranked 16th nationally and third in the Big Ten in assists per set (10.55).
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 high 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 32 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 1.90. Mckenna Wucherer is first in the league averaging 0.55 this season with her 40 aces this year. Nationally, the Gophers are 22nd 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 in total aces (40) and is second in kills per set (4.33), and points per set (5.24).
LAST TIME OUT
• The Gophers are coming off a 2-0 weekend on the West coast where they defeated UCLA in a five-set reverse sweep and finished the trip with a 3-0 sweep over USC. Mckenna Wucherer tallied a career high 26 kills against UCLA, Stella Swenson added in a career high 61 assists, and freshman Makenna Crosson recorded a career high 18 kills.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. PENN STATE
• Minnesota is 16-52-0 all-time against the Penn State Nittany Lions, dating back to 1983. The Gophers defeated the Nittany Lions on three sets back in 2025.
SCOUTING PENN STATE
• The No. 11 Penn State Nittany Lions are 17-5 overall and 9-3 in conference play. Penn State recently hosted Ohio State and at the time No. 11 Purdue. The Nittany Lions defeated the Buckeyes and Boilermakers, each in four sets.
• As a team, Penn State is third in the Big Ten in kills, averaging 14.11 per set. The Nittany Lions are hitting .263 as a team led by Kennedy Martin who averages 4.58 kps and 5.32 pps which leads the Big Ten.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. IOWA
• Minnesota is 88-11-0 all-time against the Iowa Hawkeyes, dating back to 1975. The Gophers defeated the Hawkeyes in 2025 in a five-set thriller.
SCOUTING IOWA
• Iowa is 13-13 overall and 2-10 in conference play. Most recently the Hawkeyes also made the trip out west to face at the time No. 20 Washington and No. 12 Oregon. The Hawkeyes fell 3-1 to the Huskies and 3-0 to the Ducks.
• As a team, the Hawkeyes are hitting .259 and are led by Hannah Whittingstal who is hitting .387 which is sixth in the Big Ten.
UP NEXT
• The Gophers will return to Maturi Pavilion to face No. 21 Indiana on Wednesday, November 11th and Michigan State on Saturday, November 14th. First serve for both matches is slated for 7 p.m. CT.
Players Mentioned
Outside
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ VolleyballMonday, November 02
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Wednesday, October 28