Gopher volleyball balancing expectations, aspirations as program enters transition season

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Gopher volleyball program will have a new look this season - with a new coach and a new set of players looking to make an impact alongside pillars of the program.

Keegan Cook was named the head coach of the program in December, after Hugh McCutcheon announced he was stepping away from the role mid-season. He comes with an eight-year background at Washington, and in a new era where players often transfer in and out of programs, Cook never saw one of his players leave.

McCutcheon's announcement was unexpected, he said, but "the longer you do this, you start to get a calling for when it's time to take on a new challenge."

"Something hit me all the way out in Seattle of who is going to take on that responsibility. And the more I thought about it, I realized: uh oh, I think it's me," Cook said at the second annual Big Ten volleyball media days.

Coming into a program in the Big Ten - regarded as the most competitive conference for volleyball - Cook knew he was stepping into an environment that came with high expectations from others. But his key has been to focus on aspirations instead.

"Expectations are pretty joyless, especially if you've sustained success," he explained. "But we've got big aspirations both collectively and individually, and that's where we spend our time. Expectations are about what other people want, and aspirations are about what you're working towards."

McCutcheon will still be down the hall as the new assistant athletic director, and Cook said he'll take as much of his advice as he can. Being a head coach is a "lonely job," so it will be nice to have a resource within the program.

Cook is also looking to leaders on his team to make an impact; first team all Big Ten setter Melani Shaffmaster and Taylor Landfair, a steady presence on the outside, who was named the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2022. 

Landfair led the conference with 4.99 points and 4.43 kills per set. It was an impressive season, especially considering she was out for the majority of the previous year with an injury. 

"I'm just kind of taking it day by day, point by point, game by game. I know what I have to do and I already have these aspirations for myself, and I'm going to keep growing upon those aspirations," Landfair said.

Cook insisted that she can still develop so much more, especially in defense and blocking. Shaffmaster, he added, was the biggest surprise of getting the head coaching gig; relatable and easy to work with since day one.

Cook also brought on graduate libero Kylie Murr to anchor the back row. She was a "must-get" player who he didn't want to play against again. Murr had an stunning run at Ohio State, where she was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 and helped the team defeat Minnesota to play in the elite eight. 

She has a long history with Shaffmaster as well: the two played club together for eight years and competed against each other in high school and college. Now, they'll be on the same side of the net again, and Murr will be the fire and energy the team needs.

Landfair, Murr, and Shaffmaster were all named to the preseason All-Big Ten team. 

RELATED: Kylie Murr reunites with bestie Melani Schaffmaster on Gopher volleyball team

Cook also added Phoebe Awoleye, a senior middle blocker from Loyola Marymount and senior pin hitter Lydia Grote from the University of California, whose older sister played for him at Washington. 

The mix of players is "just enough uncertainty to make it exciting," Cook said. "But not so much to make you concerned."

While Landfair, Shaffmaster, Murr, and sophomore outside Mckenna Wucherer will be key components of the team this fall, there are still some pieces that need to fall in place - both defensively and in the middle blocker position.

Looking ahead, Cook acknowledged the team will be playing a tough preseason schedule. But it's going to help them in the long run; the team needs to understand what they need to do to win a national championship before conference season starts, he said.

They'll open with a game against Texas Christian University before playing Baylor and then the 2022 national champion: Texas. 

"Those first five days, we're going to learn a lot," Cook said. But he maintained that the schedule is appropriate for the level of the team, and for what they're trying to accomplish.

The gophers are currently ranked third in the Big Ten preseason poll.

Note: The video above first aired on July 17.

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• University of Minnesota Golden Gophers
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