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Post by BigDigEnergy on Dec 17, 2021 23:03:02 GMT -5
We have no idea what’s realistic and what’s not at this point, but put yourself in Hugh’s shoes. Who’s atop the wishlist between the 3 of Fields/Hord/Crawford with the one open scholarship right now? If Huge can choose among the three, I think he would choose Crawford. He seems to like to have players in the program for multiple years instead just one year unless necessary like the setter Miller situation. Since we will need another middle too in 2023 before Rubright decided to transfer, it seems to make the most logical sense to go with Crawford. Plus she is good! She played in the U18 with Wucherer and Choboy too. |
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Post by gopherhim on Dec 17, 2021 23:19:10 GMT -5
do you think she'll play for AU instead of going overseas? I hope she does what she wants, but I also want her to get international experience ASAP. Also I love the support from Myers. Gonna miss the 2021 squad. |
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Post by gopherhim on Dec 19, 2021 23:42:38 GMT -5
A Badger fan shared this picture in a transfer thread. So cool seeing these awesome athletes together, looking happy, with no competition on the line. I’m still bummed Gopher social media didn’t post a picture of Samedy with her all-American award at the banquet, so I’m glad I got to see at least one picture of her from this weekend. Another Badger fan mentioned he saw Samedy talking to an agent in the concourse at the arena. 👀 Posting in this thread instead of 2021 because of who is to Samedy’s left. Maybe Samedy put in a good word for us. I’m seeing various posts that Hord is looking at Minnesota along with Texas and Nebraska. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2021 23:50:32 GMT -5
A Badger fan shared this picture in a transfer thread. So cool seeing these awesome athletes together, looking happy, with no competition on the line. I’m still bummed Gopher social media didn’t post a picture of Samedy with her all-American award at the banquet, so I’m glad I got to see at least one picture of her from this weekend. Another Badger fan mentioned he saw Samedy talking to an agent in the concourse at the arena. 👀 Posting in this thread instead of 2021 because of who is to Samedy’s left. Maybe Samedy put in a good word for us. I’m seeing various posts that Hord is looking at Minnesota along with Texas and Nebraska. Samedy was a star when she came in to the program, but man did she just become an absolute dominant powerhouse of a player. I hope that counts for something when potential recruits/transfers consider Minnesota. |
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Post by sptimes2 on Dec 20, 2021 10:53:43 GMT -5
What a tough weekend as a Gopher fan. Watching 2 of our rivals duke it out for the championship, seeing our chief rival get their first natty before us, and coming to the realization that they have surpassed us for the time being in program strength.
So, when do we get our first natty? Could it come as soon as this year? Is it on the horizon? What do we think?
It's probably way too early to think about next year, but at this point, what else is there? We could still pick up someone in the portal, so many unknowns.
I really like our pins next year, despite losing Samedy. Having some setter and libero/DS depth will be very nice. It seems like the main key to improvement is getting more offense out of the middles. It would be fabulous if Booth came in at a level like Smrek. Probably unrealistic, but maybe 50% of that?
Just musing...
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2021 12:14:08 GMT -5
Wisc did get their first natty ... by having three of their major stars be 5th year players, something completely and totally unprecedented.
Huge asterisk on that title, forever.
That said, they don't even get close without Smrek. I can't say for Hilley, but to me Barnes and particularly Rettke were very meh in the FF matches. They were good to great, of course, because they're AA players. But they weren't stars or dominant, at all.
Nebraska was there, and should have won it, because they had three AA level liberos in their back row. Not sure if that's realistic for us, or anyone.
Unless we have more consistent firepower out of middle sets and hits, we have a ceiling that is probably south of the FF.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2021 12:18:20 GMT -5
Yes, roster update with all these changes already is wild. Hugh has to be getting a transfer middle now if Shea isn't coming back. Three doesn't cut it. As expected, Landfair and Crowl redshirted this year. I really hope Laura stays though!! How long until we hear about Kaitlyn Hord being that middle addition? I can’t wait to see Landfair play again. |
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Post by nestedegg on Dec 20, 2021 12:45:19 GMT -5
Yes, roster update with all these changes already is wild. Hugh has to be getting a transfer middle now if Shea isn't coming back. Three doesn't cut it. As expected, Landfair and Crowl redshirted this year. I really hope Laura stays though!! How long until we hear about Kaitlyn Hord being that middle addition? I can’t wait to see Landfair play again. Same! I really felt like Landfair was the anchor for this team. She hits with such precision and power, I'm excited to see how she'll perform next year. It's weird looking at the current roster on Gophersports.com without Samedy or Miyabe on there. |
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Post by gogophers on Dec 20, 2021 12:59:24 GMT -5
What a tough weekend as a Gopher fan. Watching 2 of our rivals duke it out for the championship, seeing our chief rival get their first natty before us, and coming to the realization that they have surpassed us for the time being in program strength. As a long time gopher fan, I thought the FF was terrific. I'm used to seeing one of those rivals in the finals and the other in at least the final 4. And it would be no consolution to me to see the team that has won the big ten several years in a row now, beating Minn along the way many times, falter and show itself to be less than it's cracked up to be. And I don't get this all or nothing obsession about winning the national championship. Even without the icing on the top, the cake served up by the Gopher program has been plenty tasty for me. |
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Post by courtwatchers on Dec 20, 2021 13:02:00 GMT -5
I felt that Nebraska outplayed Wisky and Smrek was the difference for them. I believe Nebraska had close to if not the #1 recruiting class with Rodriguez, Krause and Batenhorst who helped in almost pulling out the win in their FIRST National Championship.
Most of us are hoping the same some day for our #1 class with Shaffmaster, Wenaas and Landfair. It is no secret changes have to be made in a position or two in order for that to happen. Will Hugh make them for 2021-2022?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2021 13:02:08 GMT -5
You give any long time, serious Gopher fan the choice of the following two options:
a) guaranteed to make sweet sixteen 10 out of the next 10 years, but a hard ceiling of the elite eight
b) no guarantee to make sweet sixteen in any of the next 10 years, except guarantee a national championship in one of those years.
Every single one picks b. Because of course they do. Who would seriously pick a???
Gophers volleyball has already done everything there is to be done. Except win it all. That's all there is left to do.
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Post by Wiswell on Dec 20, 2021 13:05:19 GMT -5
Speaking as a Badger fan, I was so looking forward to 2018 FF, for which I had purchased tickets a year earlier. I knew MN had a great shot and the atmosphere would be electric. I was disappointed they didn't make it that year and I know you all were devastated. Instead I had to watch the same old same old, cementing my dislike for NE. Their fans squealed the entire match.
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Post by sptimes2 on Dec 20, 2021 13:08:28 GMT -5
As for the asterisk on WI's title, yes it is a difference over every year until this one. However, we (MN) clearly benefited from it, as did a lot of teams. In addition, most teams will benefit from it for the next 3 (or is it 4?) years. Seems like a lot of asterisks, and I'd be fine winning a natty with one of those asterisks.
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Post by B1Gminnesotafan on Dec 20, 2021 13:16:58 GMT -5
Speaking as a long long time Gopher fan, remembering back to the days of not even making the tournament, I've really enjoyed watching the Gophers get into the tournament and regionals almost every year this past decade. Each time they have had their chances and each following year I think this year they have a chance for the NC and that is very exciting. I'm not really disappointed that they came close this year. Could they have made FF? Not going through Wisconsin, but maybe another route would have worked for them. (But if they made the FF someone would still claim they under achieved because they didn't win it all.) Maybe 2022 is the year.
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Post by Wiswell on Dec 20, 2021 13:17:01 GMT -5
As for the asterisk on WI's title, yes it is a difference over every year until this one. However, we (MN) clearly benefited from it, as did a lot of teams. In addition, most teams will benefit from it for the next 3 (or is it 4?) years. Seems like a lot of asterisks, and I'd be fine winning a natty with one of those asterisks. Well you did think gopher4life had a salient point for a second, which he hasn't yet. There is always one crazy fan on the board for each program. You can keep him. |
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