The Gophers volleyball team sat together at A Bar of Their Own, the local women’s sports bar in Minneapolis, as they munched on bar food and chatted among each other as they celebrated their season.
At about 5 p.m., players stared down one of seven TVs to watch the NCAA volleyball tournament selection show. The energy in the bar was a stark difference from last year when the team was unsure their 17-13 overall record would earn them an invite to the big dance.
Any amount of uncertainty disappeared 15 minutes into the show when Minnesota learned they would play Western Kentucky on Thursday as the six-seed. Players clapped and cheered knowing their season was not over.
If the Gophers defeat the Hilltoppers, they will play the winner of the Kentucky versus Cleveland State match on Friday.
The Gophers earned an at-large bid for the tournament and were placed in the Pittsburgh region of the 64-team bracket. They will travel to Lexington, Kentucky for the first two rounds.
Head coach Keegan Cook said he was excited to get to play on Thursday and not have to wait around for their first match.
“I like where the team is at,” Cook said after the selection. “All we want is a chance, and we got it.”
Redshirt senior Melani Shaffmaster said the team had a little lag in the middle of the season but hit a stride toward the end.
Outside/opposite Lydia Grote compared this season to last and said this year had a different feel. She added that last year’s selection was a bit of a relief, but this year they knew what was going to happen.
“No team wants to see us on the bracket because we are gunning for it,” Grote said.
The Gophers failed to secure a home-court advantage in the first part of the tournament, but Cook said being in their position sometimes can be the best thing for the team.
“We should make other teams nervous,” Cook said. “It’s fun to be in that role.”
The Gophers finished the season with a 20-10 overall record and won their last three matches against Iowa, Illinois and Ohio State.
In 2023, the Gophers earned an at-large bid to the tournament without a seed. They won their first match against Utah State but fell in the second round to Creighton.
Cook said even though they only won three more games, something felt different about this season. He added the team was more cohesive this year.
“The biggest improvement was being more than the sum of our parts,” Cook said. “Now it feels like our team chemistry can earn us a few more points.”
Shaffmaster will play in her fifth and final tournament as a Gopher. She said this one would be emotional for her.
“It’s not like I get to come back here and do another spring season and live with my roommates anymore,” Shaffmaster said. “Whenever we are done, I am moving out and going home so I’m not thinking about that right now.”
