Melani Shaffmaster

Photo by: Bjorn Franke

Photo by: Kelly Hagenson

Class:
Redshirt Senior
Position:
Setter
Height:
6-3
High School:
New Castle
Hometown:
New Castle, Ind.
Major:
Accounting and Finance

PRONUNCIATION

HONORS & AWARDS:
Academic All-Big Ten (2020-21; 2021; 2022; 2023; 2024)
All-Big Ten First Team (2022; 2024)
All-Big Ten Second Team (2023)
AVCA All-America Honorable Mention (2024)
AVCA All-North Region (2020-21; 2021; 2022; 2023)
AVCA All-Northwest Region (2024)
AVCA Top-36 Players to Watch for National Player of the Year (Sept. 19, 2024)
Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge All-Tournament Team and Best Setter Award (2022; 2023)
Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge All-Tournament Team (2024)
Big Ten Setter of the Week (Feb. 8, 2021; April 5, 2021; Aug. 29, 2022; Nov. 28, 2022)
Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Jan. 25, 2021)
Freshman All-Big Ten (2020-21)
No. 6 all-time in assists at Minnesota (5,091)
No. 8 all-time in digs at Minnesota (1,479)
One of four players in Minnesota history with 4,000 assists and 1,000 digs in her career
Only Gopher to hit 5,000 assists, 1,000 digs, 300 kills and 300 blocks in her career.
Preseason All-Big Ten (2023; 2024)

FEATURES
All-Big Ten First Team Highlights
BTN at the Net Video Feature
Get to Know Melani Shaffmaster
Gopher Talk
Kylie Murr and Melani Shaffmaster WCCO Feature
Meet the Newcomers
Point 'U' Podcast Episode 1
Star Tribune Feature

2024 • REDSHIRT SENIOR SEASON:
AVCA All-America Honorable Mention • AVCA All-Northwest Region • All-Big Ten First Team • Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge All-Tournament Team • Preseason All-Big Ten • started all 32 matches, tallying 9.16 assists, 2.77 digs, 0.64 blocks, 0.97 kills and 0.20 aces per set • had 17 double-doubles and a triple-double in 2024, the program's first since 2014 • totaled 40 assists, three aces and eight digs vs. No. 5 Stanford (Sept. 1) • 44 assists, 17 digs, six kills and four aces in an upset of No. 1 Texas (Sept. 2) • 43 assists and a career-best 27 digs with four aces at No. 23 Baylor (Sept. 6) • had first career triple-double with 10 kills, 47 assists, 21 digs vs. TCU (Sept. 7) • 30 assists with 14 digs in a sweep over Auburn (Sept. 13) • had 30 assists and 10 digs vs. Green Bay (Sept. 19) • 47 assists and 10 digs vs. Wisconsin (Sept. 25) • had 45 assists, two aces, eight digs vs. Purdue (Sept. 28) • eight kills, 41 assists, nine digs and four blocks at UCLA (Oct. 4) • 35 assists, 10 digs and three blocks vs. Indiana (Oct. 11) • had double-doubles at Rutgers and Penn State (Oct. 18/20) • 49 assists and five blocks (season-highs) at Ohio St. (Oct. 27) • 35 assists at MSU (Nov. 1) • double-doubles vs. Washington (39a, 10d) and Oregon (31a/11d) on Nov. 7 and 9 • 42 assists at NU (Nov. 14) • season-high 51 assists with 13 digs at Wisconsin (Nov. 20) • 35 assists, five blocks at Illinois (Nov. 27) • 42 assists, 10 digs, seven kills, six blocks on senior night vs. OSU (Nov. 29) • 29 assists, 15 digs and four kills vs. WKU (Dec. 5) • 32 assists, eight digs, five kills and three blocks in her final collegiate match at Kentucky (Dec. 6).

2023 • SENIOR SEASON:
AVCA All-North Region • Second Team All-Big Ten • Preseason All-Big Ten selection • Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge All-Tournament Team and Best Setter Award (8/25) • played in 29 matches, averaging 8.78 assists, 0.97 kills, 3.07 digs, 0.67 blocks and 0.29 aces per set • had a Big Ten-best 19 double doubles • posted 36 assists and 13 digs in a win over TCU (Aug. 25) • had 21 assists and 13 digs in a sweep over No. 15 Baylor (Aug. 26) • tied a career-high with six kills, along with 31 assists, 12 digs vs. Texas (Aug. 29) • posted season-highs in assists (51) and digs (18) in a win over No. 6 Oregon (Sep. 8) • had 64 assists, 28 digs in the Diet Coke Classic (Sep. 14/16) • totaled a career-high eight kills with 57 assists and 14 digs at Iowa (Sep. 21) • had 40 assists, 11 digs and five blocks vs. NU (Oct. 15) • totaled 35 assists with 14 digs and five blocks vs. Michigan State (Oct. 22) • went for 38 assists and 10 digs at Purdue (Oct. 29) • had 21 assists, 16 digs at UW (Oct. 29) • totaled 31 assists and 10 digs with five blocks at OSU (Nov. 3) and went for 43 assists, 12 digs and four blocks at NU (Nov. 5) • had 46 assists at IU (Nov. 12) • totaled 22 assists, 14 assists, seven digs in a sweep over OSU (Nov. 18) • went for 37 assists, a season-high 17 digs and four blocks vs. No. 1 Nebraska (Nov. 25) • had 19 assists, four kills, eight digs, two aces and two blocks in an NCAA Tournament win vs. Utah State (Dec. 1) • went for 26 assists, 13 digs, five kills and three blocks at Creighton (Dec. 2).

2022 • JUNIOR SEASON:
AVCA All-North Region • All-Big Ten First Team • Big Ten Setter of the Week (8/29, 11/28) • Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge Best Setter • played in all 31 matches, 110 sets • averaged 10.42 assists per set, a mark that ranked second in the Big Ten and in the top-50 nationally • posted 2.66 digs, 0.83 blocks and a team-best 0.27 service aces per set • had 44 assists, nine digs and six blocks vs. Baylor (8/26) • had four kills and 30 assists vs. TCU (8/27) • had 44 assists and six digs against Texas (8/31) • had 35 assists, 12 digs and four kills vs. Florida (9/4) • went for 51 assists and tied a career-high with 21 digs vs. Oregon (9/9) • had four kills, a career-high four aces and 31 assists vs. Stanford (9/10) • had a double double with 39 assists and 10 digs vs. Pepperdine (9/15) • went for 44 assists and three aces vs. WSU (9/17) • had a kill, 28 assists, four blocks and 11 digs at Purdue (9/23) • tallied six kills, 30 assists, four blocks and eight digs at Wisconsin (9/25) • totaled 45 assists and 15 digs vs. NU (9/28) • tallied 53 assists and 12 digs vs. Iowa (10/2) • had two kills, 37 assists and five blocks vs. Michigan (10/7) • registered 33 assists, seven digs and three kills at Michigan State (10/9) • totaled 34 assists, 10 digs vs. Ohio State (10/12) • totaled 31 assists and four digs vs. Illinois (10/15) • had 29 assists, 10 digs at Iowa (10/19) • posted 47 assists, 20 digs vs. Purdue (10/22) • tallied 33 assists, four blocks vs. MSU (10/26) • went for 47 assists, 13 digs at Wisconsin (10/29) • totaled 35 assists, six digs vs. Michigan (11/4) • had five kills, 43 assists, 18 digs at Illinois (11/6) • tallied 30 assists and 16 digs vs. Maryland (11/11) • went for 26 assists, five blocks and five digs vs. Indiana (11/13) • had 40 assists, 10 digs at PSU (11/18) • had 53 assists, 16 digs at OSU (11/25) • posted 34 assists, nine digs at NU (11/26) • had four kills, 37 assists vs. SLU • 25 assists vs. UNI (12/3) • had 39 assists, eight digs and five blocks versus Ohio State (12/8).

2021 • SOPHOMORE SEASON:
AVCA All-North Region • Academic All-Big Ten • led team with 10.68 assists per set and aces per set (0.28) • started all 31 matches in 2021, playing in 116 sets • kicked off her sophomore season with 39 assists and 16 digs against Baylor (8/27) • registered three kills and hit a career-best .750 with 32 assists and 11 digs vs. TCU (8/28) • had one kill, 38 assists and 15 digs vs. Texas (9/1) • notched one kill, 45 assists, three aces, six digs and two blocks at Florida (9/5) • went for three kills, nine digs and a season-best 53 assists against Stanford (9/10) • tallied two kills, one ace, 10 digs and 38 assists in a win over Oregon (9/11) • went for three kills, 27 assists, two digs and two blocks vs. St. Thomas (9/16) • had two kills, 35 assists 12 digs and one block vs. Iowa State (9/18) • totaled 50+ assists for the second time this season in a win over Michigan with 52 (9/24) • totaled two kills, 29 assists and five blocks in a win over Maryland (9/26) • had three kills, 28 assists and five digs at Wisconsin (10/1) • tied her season-high with 53 assists along with 11 digs at Northwestern (10/2) • tied a career-high with six kills to go along with 45 assists, 16 digs and five blocks at Michigan (10/8) • went for five kills, 43 assists one ace, 13 digs and two blocks at Michigan State (10/9) • totaled 30 assists, seven digs and four blocks vs. N’Western (10/13) • posted 39 assists, nine digs, two aces and two blocks vs. IU (10/17) • registered 36 assists, an ace, 11 digs and two blocks vs. PSU (10/22) • went for five kills, 47 assists, 10 digs and a block vs. Ohio State (10/24) • tallied two kills, one ace, 36 assists and 10 digs at IU (10/27) • had three kills, 45 assists, four blocks and a career-high 21 digs vs. Nebraska (10/30) • had a pair of kills with 42 assists and eight digs at Ohio State (11/4) • tallied three kills with eight digs at Illinois (11/6) • dished out 37 assists with two kills, six digs and a block at Iowa (11/11) • totaled 36 assists and 10 digs vs. Purdue (11/14) • had 58 assists and 17 digs vs. Wisconsin, the 58 assists were a season-high (11/21) • had 49 assists, 15 digs and two blocks at Penn State (11/26) • went for four kills, 14 digs and four blocks at Maryland (11/27) • totaled 28 assists and six digs vs. South Dakota (12/3) • posted 36 assists, five digs and two aces vs. Stanford (12/4) • tallied five kills with 48 assists, 12 digs and two blocks in the Regional Semifinals vs. Baylor (12/9) • had one kill with 30 assists, seven digs and three blocks vs. Wisconsin (12/11).

2021 SPRING • FRESHMAN SEASON:
Freshman All-Big Ten • AVCA All-Region • Two-time Big Ten Setter of the Week, once Freshman of the Week • started in 18 matches her freshman season, missing one due to an injury • had 649 assists, 58 kills, 11 aces, 198 digs and 42 blocks her freshman year • made her collegiate debut in the win over Michigan State (1/23/21) • had 50 assists, three aces and 17 digs against MSU • Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week to start her college career • Had nine kills, 48 assists, two aces, 14 digs and five blocks against Maryland (129-30) • averaged 11.30 assists per set and 2.7 digs per set against Purdue • named Big Ten Setter of the Week after the Purdue series • averaged 10.22 assists per set in the wins over Penn State (2/13-14) and also had 32 digs, seven kills and four blocks • had 64 assists, five kills, 23 digs and five blocks against Nebraska • provided 66 assists, 23 digs and eight blocks against Illinois (3/12-13) • had 60 assists, nine blocks and 15 digs in the wins at Northwestern (3/26-27) • averaged 12.17 assists per set against Iowa (4/2-3) and had 18 digs • first postseason match, produced 32 assists and a team-best 16 digs in the Georgia Tech win (4/15) • had 50 assists, 13 digs and three blocks against Pitt in the Regional Semifinal.

HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB:
Played for New Castle High School and Munciana Volleyball • named an All-American from 2015-19 • named an Under Armour First Team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association • Prep Volleyball's No. 16 recruit on the Senior Aces list • named Indiana's Gatorade Player of the Year (2017 and 2019) • named the Prep Volleyball and Maxpreps National Sophomore of the Year (2017) and MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year (2016) • three-time state champion with New Castle • three-time all-state selection and four-time all-conference honoree • helped her team to a 35-1 record as a senior and No. 1 national ranking • finished her senior season with 280 kills, 948 assists, 51 aces, 267 digs and 47 blocks • a 12-year member of Munciana club volleyball and USA high performance training • was an AAU champion in 2015, 2016 and 2017 • teams were also runner-up in 2013 and 2018 and third place in 2019.

PERSONAL:
Daughter of Patrick and Wendi Shaffmaster • has three sisters, Morgan, Mabrey and Macy • Mabrey is an outside hitter at the University of North Carolina • enrolled into the University of Minnesota in January 2020 • member of the National Honor Society • was in the top 25 of her class and is an academic all-state selection in high school.