Gophers volleyball team ready for NCAA Tournament run
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The Gophers volleyball team is the No. 12 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, and will host South Dakota Friday night in the 1st round. If they win, they’ll host the winner of Iowa State-Stanford on Saturday night in the 2nd round.
The Gophers have made the NCAA Tournament nine of the 10 seasons with Hugh McCutcheon as coach. They are a perfect 14-0 in first and second round matches at home under McCutcheon.
We spoke with the Gophers Thursday.
***Click the video box above to watch McCutcheon, Stephanie Samedy, and Jenna Wenaas preview the NCAA Tournament***
The Gophers have done it all with McCutcheon as coach, outside of winning a national title. They won the Big Ten regular season title in 2015 and 2018, and have advanced to the Final Four in 2015, 2016, and 2019.
Gophers' Stephanie Samedy, left, and Jenna Wenaas meet with reporters Thursday afternoon at Maturi Pavilion. [KSTP/Chris Long]
The Gophers are led by Samedy, the two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, and first-team All-Big Ten libero CC McGraw.
The Gophers played 14 matches vs. ranked opponents during the regular season, going 7-7. In other words, playing a very stacked schedule has them uber-prepared for the postseason.