Gophers’ outside hitter Taylor Landfair named Big Ten Player of the Year
Gophers outside hitter Taylor Landfair was named the Big Ten Player of the Year on Wednesday. (credit: University of Minnesota Athletics)
MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota outside hitter Taylor Landfair is one of the top volleyball players in the country, and she was named the Big Ten Player of the Year on Wednesday.
The Gophers’ redshirt sophomore is the sixth player in the last eight years to win the award. Landfair, along with freshman Carter Booth and junior setter Melani Shaffmaster, earned First Team All-Big Ten honors. Graduate libero CC McGraw earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors.
Landfair led the Big Ten was top-20 nationally in points and kills per set. She’s had 26 matches with at least 10 kills, and 18 with at least 15 kills. Landfair is the Big Ten Player of the Year after playing in just nine games last season, missing significant time with an abdominal injury that required surgery.
It's the ninth time in program history that the Gophers have had the Big Ten Player of the Year. Of the nine, six have come under head coach Hugh McCutcheon. The others include Stephanie Samedy, Samantha Seliger-Swenson, Sarah Wilhite and Daly Santana.
The Gophers are the No. 8 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament, and host a four-team regional with Southeastern Louisiana, Florida State and Northern Iowa. Minnesota faces SE Louisiana Friday night at Maturi Pavilion.