Minnesota’s volleyball team has one game remaining in their six-game spring season as they start to prepare for the fall.
The Gophers began practicing for their six-game spring season in January. The first game took place on March 29 against Iowa in Maturi Pavilion.
Gophers head coach Keegan Cook said the spring season is where most of the team’s identity is formed.
“Starting to decide what team we are going to be,” Cook said. “August, once it hits, comes really fast.”
Cook added the six-game stretch is one of the most important phases of the year.
The Gophers finished last season with a final record of 21-11. They beat ranked teams such as No. 1 Texas and border rival Wisconsin.
Despite having multiple ranked wins, the Gophers lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament against Kentucky.
Cook said the spring allows both the coaches and players to be on the same page on how they all see the game. While the team is doing many things well, Cook said that they also have improvements to make.
“Last year we had a nice little identity as a defensive team and a good serving team,” Cook said. “We just have more room to grow in sideout than we do in defense.”
The Gophers added five new players to the roster for this spring. Three of them are freshman-early enrolls and two are transfers from Rutgers and Purdue.
Cook said recruiting changed a lot and that coaches do not get to talk to the athletes often before bringing them into the gym. This spring season allows the coaches to get to know their incoming players better.
“Right now we are discovering that we recruited some good kids,” Cook said. “They kind of all exceeded my expectations in how early they can help us out this season.”
When it comes to integrating new players into the team, Cook said that he likes to start from ground zero with the entire team.
“We kind of treat January as the start of a new year for everyone,” Cook said. “So that way it feels like everyone is starting in the same place.”
This spring season not only allows the new players to develop their skills, but it is also helpful for the returning Gophers. Minnesota setter, Stella Swenson, is a redshirt freshman and didn’t play much for the team last year.
Swenson is expected to start for the Gophers this upcoming season. She said the spring season means a lot to her.
“The first game in the Pav I saw my grandma, I saw my family. I was holding back a little bit of tears,” Swenson said. “Every game counts for me, every point, every play.”
Stella is not the first of her family to play for the Gophers.
Her sister, Samantha Seliger-Swenson is one of two players in program history to be a four-time All-American. She also won Big Ten Player of the Year in her senior year with the Gophers.
Despite what seems like big shoes to fill, Stella Swenson is ready to carve her own way at Minnesota.
“It’s not something I think about super often because I am obviously carving my own way and path.” Stella Swenson said. “It is really cool to carry on that legacy.”
