Gophers volleyball 2020 class ranked No. 1 in the nation
Gophers volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon
MINNEAPOLIS - For the first time under Hugh McCutcheon and the second time in program history, the University of Minnesota volleyball program has the No. 1-ranked recruiting class in the country.
The Gophers’ 2020 recruiting class was ranked No. 1 by VolleyballMag.com. It was voted on by a panel of Division I coaches and recruiting coordinators. Minnesota last appeared in the top 10 of the rankings at No. 4 in 2017, and hold the top spot over Kentucky. Michigan, Ohio State and Nebraska also have recruiting classes in the top 10.
Minnesota previously had a No. 1 recruiting class in 2009, by Prepvolleyball.com.
The Gophers’ 2020 recruiting class includes four freshmen and one graduate transfer. The freshmen class includes 5-8 defensive specialist Cami Appiani, 6-4 outside hitter Taylor Landfair, 6-3 setter Melanie Shaffmaster and 6-1 outside hitter Jenna Wenaas. McCutcheon also added grad transfer Katie Myers, a 6-2 middle blocker.
Three of the four freshmen are ranked in the top 10 in the country individually. Landfair is the No. 1 overall recruit in the nation, Wenaas is ranked No. 5 and Shaffmaster is No. 6.
The group joins a Minnesota program that returns 11 letter-winners from a Gophers’ squad that finished 27-6 and reached the NCAA Final Four. They tied for second in the Big Ten at 17-3. The team’s top returners are All-Americans Regan Pittman and Stephanie Samedy, and All-Big Ten pick CC McGraw.
Landfair and Shaffmaster enrolled in January. Wenaas, Appiani and Myers will be on campus in the fall.