University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
Opposite
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ Volleyball
Photo by: Claudia Staut
'U' Reveals 2026 Spring Slate
2/10/2026 3:00:00 PM | Volleyball
The Gophers will play Wisconsin and host St. Thomas
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota volleyball program has announced the dates and opponents for its 2026 spring schedule. The 'U' will play on four dates, including a matchup against border rival Wisconsin and a home match vs. St. Thomas.
Tickets and streaming information for the matches not at Maturi Pavilion will be announced at a later day. The matchup at the Pav will be free for all fans to attend.
Minnesota will travel to Ames, Iowa, to take on Iowa State on Friday, April 3. The match start time is still to be decided. The Gophers swept Iowa State in December in an NCAA Tournament Round of 32 matchup. The Cyclones finished the year 23-8 (12-6 Big 12).
On Friday, April 10, the 'U' will take on Wisconsin at UW-Eau Claire. The match is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. The Badgers went 28-5 (17-3 B1G) last season and made the Final Four.
The Gophers' third play date is Saturday, April 18 at the Northern Iowa Tournament. Minnesota will have abbreviated matchups against some combination of UNI, Iowa, South Dakota State, South Dakota and St. Thomas throughout the day.
The spring season ends on Friday, April 24 with a match against St. Thomas at Maturi Pavilion. First serve is set for 6 p.m. and fans are welcome to attend, free of charge. UST made its first Division I NCAA Tournament last season, going 21-10 (11-5 Summit League). The Tommies fell to Iowa State in a 3-2 thriller in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in December at Maturi Pavilion.
Minnesota heads into the 2026 season after making the Sweet 16 for the first time since the 2022 season. The Gophers finished the year with a 24-10 (12-8 Big Ten) record, tied for sixth place in the Big Ten Conference. The 'U' earned a final ranking of 15 from the AVCA. Led by Second Team All-American Julia Hanson, the 'U' withstood four season-ending injuries to starters and rallied for its first second weekend of the NCAA Tournament appearance under third-year head coach Keegan Cook.
Freshman opposite Carly Gilk, senior outside Julia Hanson and redshirt freshman Stella Swenson all earned All-Big Ten honors. Hanson was named a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection while Swenson made the second team and the all-freshman team. Gilk joined Swenson as a Big Ten All-Freshman Team honoree.
Hanson departed the program and is now playing professionally, but Minnesota is set to return 11 players who started matches last season and lost no one to the transfer portal. Three early enrollees joined this spring in outside MaKenna Crosson (San Jose, Calif.), libero Madi Kraft (Eagan, Minn.) and middle blocker Elena Hoecke (Lino Lakes, Minn.).
Gophers Volleyball Spring Schedule:
Friday, April 3 at Iowa St. (Ames, Iowa, TBA)
Friday, April 10 vs. Wisconsin (UW Eau-Claire, 6:30 p.m.)
Saturday, April 18 at Northern Iowa Tournament (All Day) - UNI, Iowa, South Dakota State, South Dakota, St. Thomas
Friday, April 24 vs. St. Thomas (Maturi Pavilion, 6 p.m.)
Tickets and streaming information for the matches not at Maturi Pavilion will be announced at a later day. The matchup at the Pav will be free for all fans to attend.
Minnesota will travel to Ames, Iowa, to take on Iowa State on Friday, April 3. The match start time is still to be decided. The Gophers swept Iowa State in December in an NCAA Tournament Round of 32 matchup. The Cyclones finished the year 23-8 (12-6 Big 12).
On Friday, April 10, the 'U' will take on Wisconsin at UW-Eau Claire. The match is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. The Badgers went 28-5 (17-3 B1G) last season and made the Final Four.
The Gophers' third play date is Saturday, April 18 at the Northern Iowa Tournament. Minnesota will have abbreviated matchups against some combination of UNI, Iowa, South Dakota State, South Dakota and St. Thomas throughout the day.
The spring season ends on Friday, April 24 with a match against St. Thomas at Maturi Pavilion. First serve is set for 6 p.m. and fans are welcome to attend, free of charge. UST made its first Division I NCAA Tournament last season, going 21-10 (11-5 Summit League). The Tommies fell to Iowa State in a 3-2 thriller in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in December at Maturi Pavilion.
Minnesota heads into the 2026 season after making the Sweet 16 for the first time since the 2022 season. The Gophers finished the year with a 24-10 (12-8 Big Ten) record, tied for sixth place in the Big Ten Conference. The 'U' earned a final ranking of 15 from the AVCA. Led by Second Team All-American Julia Hanson, the 'U' withstood four season-ending injuries to starters and rallied for its first second weekend of the NCAA Tournament appearance under third-year head coach Keegan Cook.
Freshman opposite Carly Gilk, senior outside Julia Hanson and redshirt freshman Stella Swenson all earned All-Big Ten honors. Hanson was named a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection while Swenson made the second team and the all-freshman team. Gilk joined Swenson as a Big Ten All-Freshman Team honoree.
Hanson departed the program and is now playing professionally, but Minnesota is set to return 11 players who started matches last season and lost no one to the transfer portal. Three early enrollees joined this spring in outside MaKenna Crosson (San Jose, Calif.), libero Madi Kraft (Eagan, Minn.) and middle blocker Elena Hoecke (Lino Lakes, Minn.).
Gophers Volleyball Spring Schedule:
Friday, April 3 at Iowa St. (Ames, Iowa, TBA)
Friday, April 10 vs. Wisconsin (UW Eau-Claire, 6:30 p.m.)
Saturday, April 18 at Northern Iowa Tournament (All Day) - UNI, Iowa, South Dakota State, South Dakota, St. Thomas
Friday, April 24 vs. St. Thomas (Maturi Pavilion, 6 p.m.)
2025 Season Recap
Tuesday, January 27
Best of Julia Hanson
Monday, December 22
Gophers Preview NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Tuesday, December 09
Cinematic Recap: Gophers Reach Sweet Sixteen
Tuesday, December 09