The Colorado State University System’s Board of Governors voted Friday to approve a plan to sell the site of Hughes Stadium to the City of Fort Collins, according to a resolution from the board.

The approval of the plan, which involves the sale of approximately 161 acres for $12.5 million, was the next step in a process delineated by a Memorandum of Understanding that the City entered into with CSU in August 2021. The CSU System Assistant Vice Chancellor for External Relations, Tiana Kennedy, said the resolution is just authorization to continue moving forward with the sale, and that the CSU System is still “several steps off from any sale.”

Reach Noah Pasley at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @pasleynoah.

Initiation: A poem

Can Jozef Saul/Staff

Autumn in Berkeley is the bathroom flooding from the rain 

And going for a drink anyway

Talking about which professors we prefer at the bar

Somehow there’s warmth in the gray sky

No heater in a building that’s 200 years old

Impostor syndrome fades away when

We’re huddled around the study table

These are the big moments we dreamed of as kids

With aspirations for a place like this 

This place we now call ours

Contact Isabelle Ritter at iritter@dailycal.org

The Daily Californian

After completing the 2021 season with an emphatic win over Wisconsin, Action Network’s Brett McMurphy first reported that the 8-4 Golden Gophers will be traveling to Phoenix, Ariz. to take on 6-6 West Virginia in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.

The Guaranteed Rate Bowl has been played in Arizona since the 1989 season. It has previously been named the Copper Bowl, the Insight.com Bowl, the Insight Bowl, the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, the Cactus Bowl, and the Cheez-It Bowl. 2021 will be its first season under the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.

After Big Ten teams Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State and Iowa were placed in their respective bowl games, the Gophers finally had their turn.

Fellow Big Ten West teams Wisconsin and Purdue will both be playing on Dec. 30 in the Las Vegas Bowl and Music City Bowl respectively, while 7-5 Penn State will be playing on Jan. 1 in the Outback Bowl.

Bowl selection is a subjective process, but it seems as if Minnesota was deemed to be next in line, accepting an invitation to the Guaranteed Rate Bowl on Dec. 28.

After losing seven consecutive bowl games from the 2005 to the 2015 season, the Gophers have two consecutive bowl games under head coach P.J. Fleck.

This season’s Guaranteed Rate Bowl will be the Gophers first since Jan. 1 2020 when they defeated Auburn 31-24 in the Outback Bowl.

UH women’s basketball fell to 3-5 after losing to Alabama on Friday night. | Esther Umoh/The Cougar

The Houston women’s basketball team fell to a 3-5 overall record on the season after a tough 77-67 loss to Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The first quarter of this game was neck and neck as the Cougars managed to secure a one-point lead heading into the second half.

After coming off a career-high 28 point game against Baylor in the Cancun Challenge, sophomore guard Lilia Blair set the tone on offense for the Cougars once again.

Blair was the leading scorer for the Cougars amassing a 20 point total for the game, four of which came from the first quarter.

However, the second quarter was where things began to fall apart for the Cougars.

Alabama went on an 11-0 run spearheaded by senior guard Megan Abrams, who had 23 points on the night.

This run was eventually halted thanks to a 3-pointer made by senior guard Dymond Gladney with 1:23 left in the second quarter, but the Cougars only put up 10 points in the second quarter compared to Alabama’s 23 points.

UH trailed by 12 points heading into the second half and was not be able to reclaim the lead for the rest of the game.

Alabama expanded their lead to 17 in the third.

This trend continued in the fourth and Alabama had a 25 point lead over the Cougars with 4:27 left in the game.

The Cougars managed to put up a solid effort in the remaining time, going on a 13-0 run that ended with just 33 seconds left in the fourth.

Alabama’s lead had become too great to overcome and the Cougars left the game with their fifth loss on the season.

sports@thedailycougar

—
“UH women’s basketball falls to Alabama” was originally posted on The Cougar

A 6-1 record doesn’t come close to telling the whole early season story for the University of Utah women’s basketball team. Playing well on both sides of the ball, they sit atop the Pac-12 statistically in two offseason areas of focus; the Utes are fourth in the conference with nearly 42 rebounds per game, including a conference best 14.6 offensive rebounds per contest. Head coach Lynne Roberts‘ team also leads the Pac-12 with 20 assists per game and turn the ball over the least, averaging under 14 giveaways a night.

Offensively, the Utes have been rolling, with multiple 100-point games under their belt and a balanced mixture of three-point shooting and post presence. Currently, the Utes are ranked first in offense, second in points per game, second in threes made per game, fourth in assist to turnover ratio and fifth in assists per game across all of Division I. 

In what could end up being their toughest non-conference test this season, the Utes renewed their rivalry with the Brigham Young Cougars (7-0) on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars came into Salt Lake ranked 21st in the AP Top 25 and were coming off consecutive victories over ranked opponents, beating then No. 17 Florida State and then No. 22 West Virginia; both wins came in the St. Pete Showcase in Florida. 

BYU: 85 – Utah: 80

A furious fourth quarter rally from the Utes came up short in a five-point loss. Utah trailed by as much as 21 points and never led in the game, trailing by double-digits for most of the contest. 

Utah had a chance to make it a single possession game with 25 seconds remaining after forcing a stop on the defensive end, but Kennady McQueen, who had just hit consecutive threes to cut an 11-point deficit to five, was whistled for a travel as a BYU closeout forced McQueen to pump fake and rush a sidestep three-point attempt. The Utes would briefly cut the lead to three points, but it was too little, too late.

BYU took an early lead they would never relinquish after a defensive miscue led to an easy layup. Perimeter defensive struggles for Utah were a common theme on the night as the Cougars were able to use their dribble-drive game to create open looks all night. 

Paisley Harding took full advantage on her way to a game high 33 points.

“Bottom line is we’ve gotta get better,” coach Roberts said of the defensive struggles. “We’re not good enough in that area yet and you saw it tonight.” 

Utah struggled mightily with their shot for much of the game, finishing the night shooting 43% from the field; but they came into the fourth quarter shooting under 38% in the first 30 minutes. Gianna Kneepkens’ hot shooting off the bench kept Utah alive until the offense could get rolling late.

Brynna Maxwell and Jenna Johnson each scored in double figures for Utah with 10 apiece.

Roberts spoke to her team’s effort to fight back from a deficit in the fourth quarter.

“I’m incredibly proud of the fight they showed,” Roberts said. “To come back and score 29 points in the fourth quarter, it just wasn’t quite enough in the end. I think BYU is legit this year. This was not a bad loss. We’ll learn from this and move on.”

By the Numbers

Dru Gylten moved to sixth on the Utah all-time assist list. She entered the game tied with Karen Alcorn with 440 career assists. With eight dimes against the Cougars, Gylten put herself in position to crack the top 5 next Friday night against Cal State Fullerton. Danielle Rodriguez is currently fifth with 452 career assists.

Kneepkens came off the bench to score a career high 29 points and kept Utah close. She hit four threes and went 7-7 at the foul line.

Coming Up

The Utes have an extended stretch at home as they host the Cal State Fullerton Titans (4-3) of the Big West conference on Friday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. MST. This will be the third matchup between the two programs and the first since they split a home and home series in 1984 and 1985. The game can be streamed here and can also be found on ESPN700.

b.preece@dailyutahchronicle.com

@bpreece24

The post Utah Women’s Basketball Drops Rivalry Game to BYU appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

After the No. 11/12 Gophers dominated No. 3/2 Michigan Friday night, the opposite happened Saturday night. Michigan scored six unanswered goals in a commanding 6-2 victory over Minnesota, who holds a 10-8 overall record this season.

The only similarity between Friday and Saturday night was that the Gophers opened up the scoring and played well for the first 14 minutes of play. Besides that, it was a completely different game.

“Michigan responded, and we didn’t have a response,” Gophers head coach Bob Motzko said. “The game got behind us, and we chased it all night long.”

Junior Bryce Brodzinski scored his team-leading ninth goal, a career-high, after he buried the puck past Michigan’s Erik Portillo to give the Gophers a 1-0 lead 9:25 into the game, their only of the night. He made no mistake after receiving a cross-slot feed from senior Blake McLaughlin on an odd-man rush.

Minutes later, 11:31 into the first, Minnesota earned the game’s first power play, which they did not convert, and then from there, it was all Michigan.

Wolverines’ Mark Estapa scored the game-tying goal with 5:12 remaining in the first period. Then, 28 seconds later, Michael Pastujov found the back of the net to give Michigan a 2-1 lead.

Pastujov went on to add the following two goals for Michigan to earn a hat trick.

Before the period came to a close, Pastujov added his second goal of the game with 1:51 remaining, which came just 24 seconds after Michigan killed another power-play attempt from the Gophers to extend the Wolverines’ lead to 3-1.

As the second period got underway, the Gophers could not stop the bleeding as Michigan continued to dominate by adding three more goals for a second-consecutive period.

Immediately after another Gophers’ man advantage, Michigan responded with a goal as Pastujov scored his third of the night to extend the Wolverines’ lead to 4-1 just 3:54 into the period. He made a nifty play by pulling the puck between his legs to create enough space to get around senior Ben Brinkman and get a shot off.

Jay Keranen and Nolan Moyle went on to add two more goals for the Wolverines in the second period to cement their commanding victory over the Gophers, where they scored six unanswered goals.

After Keranen’s goal, graduate student Jack LaFontaine’s night in the crease ended with 6:24 remaining as junior Justen Close took over in the net for the Gophers for the rest of the game.

Before the final buzzer, senior Grant Cruikshank scored his third goal this season in the closing minutes to cut Michigan’s lead to 6-2.

Michigan outshot Minnesota 44-23, the Gophers’ power play went 0-4, and the Wolverines never took their foot off the gas pedal after scoring their first two goals in a short stretch.

McLaughlin assisted on each of the Gophers’ goals in the loss. He has four goals and a team-leading 14 assists on the season — his 18 points ties junior co-captain Ben Meyers’ total for the most points on the team.

The loss marks the first time the Gophers have lost to Michigan at Yost Ice Arena since Nov. 10, 2017.

This series concludes the first half of the Big Ten season as the Gophers have a long break before they resume play in the second half when they travel to East Lansing, Mich., to take on Michigan State on Friday, Jan. 7, at 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 8, at 6:30 p.m.

Raining on USC’s parade: Trojan mishaps hand Cal 24-14 victory

Antonio Martin/Staff

A weeklong USC victory lap following the hiring of a new head coach in Lincoln Riley last weekend ended in a stumble and a few scraped knees, to say the least.

Cal’s 24-14 victory over the Trojans on Saturday, which saw the Bears finish their season 5-7 and the Trojans 4-8, does not seem like an embarrassing loss for USC at first glance. But things got ugly for the visiting team: A fumble and 55-yard scoop-and-score for Cal in the second quarter, an injured Jaxson Dart after halftime and a red zone fumble in the fourth quarter topped the long list of USC misfortunes and mishaps that cost it the game.

Down 17-7 with a few minutes left in the third quarter, USC starting quarterback Dart was helped off the field after colliding with Cal nickel back Josh Drayden on the right sideline. The Bears’ defense then stacked up the Trojans at the goal line on fourth down and, on USC’s ensuing drive, forced the second turnover of the night, this time at Cal’s own 8-yard line. Quarterback Chase Garbers then led a nearly 10-minute, 68-yard touchdown drive that put USC away.

“We came out Monday knowing that USC has a very talented roster regardless of the circumstances with their team, and they proved that tonight, regardless of the score,” said head coach Justin Wilcox. “It goes back to the competitiveness and how much the guys care about their teammates. I felt like the guys played extremely hard and competed all night.”

By no means was this a decisive victory for Cal. The Trojans earned 409 total yards on the night to the Bears’ 265, and the Trojans’ run game might have been enough to earn the win had it not been for a few mistakes. By the end of the first half, USC running back Vavae Malepeai had 71 yards on the ground on 11 attempts, including a 24-yard run down the left sideline on USC’s only touchdown drive of the half. Cal’s run defense finally woke up in the second half, as Malepeai finished with 107 rushing yards.

“We probably could have done a couple things better on defense. A couple third downs, we could’ve gotten off the field and didn’t,” Wilcox said. “We caused some turnovers, our offense put together some timely drives for touchdowns and we were able to pull out the victory.”

Cal’s 17-7 lead at halftime was misleading. Bears linebacker Trey Paster scooped up an Elijah Hicks-forced fumble at the Bears’ own 45-yard line and tiptoed down the sideline and into the end zone with just under four minutes left in the half. USC kicker Parker Lewis also missed two field goals in the first half — a 51-yard attempt after the Trojans’ first drive of the game and a 43-yard attempt with seconds left in the second quarter. The Bears earned their luck but could have easily found themselves down by 6 heading into the locker room.

And just as it has been all season, Cal’s secondary was hit or miss. Before leaving the game, Trojan quarterback Dart, who has started in each of the last three games in place of the injured Kedon Slovis, exploited mismatches against Cal sophomore cornerback Isaiah Young and true freshman cornerback Lu-Magia Hearns III. Hearns was flagged for a costly pass interference call early in the second quarter, and the Trojans eventually found the end zone to take a 7-3 lead after Young horrifically mistimed his attempted pass breakup.

It certainly wasn’t pretty, but it’s a historic win for the Bears nonetheless. Cal’s victory marks its largest win over USC since 2000, when the Bears beat the Trojans 28-16 at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

“This isn’t really what we expected recordwise, but like I said, we have a bright future,” Paster said. “We’re probably the most optimistic team in the Pac-12.”

At the beginning of their season, the Bears had Pac-12 championship game aspirations. Had they known before this season that they’d earn a win over USC in the final conference game of the year, Wilcox and his squad would have likely been ecstatic.

Sure, this wasn’t the championship game. But it’s a win that Cal (and hot seat candidate Wilcox) can hang its hat on for the next 365 days.

William Cooke covers football. Contact him at wcooke@dailycal.org.

The Daily Californian

Let’s be upfront: Thanksgiving is a problematic holiday with an origin in the oppression of Indigenous American people and culture. Art and image-making have been complicit in the erasure of this history due to the lack of historical accuracy in Pilgrim paintings or images meant to highlight the American significance of this holiday. I can immediately conjure up the Pilgrims-and-Indians-gather-round-the-table images of our grade school history textbooks and childhood tales. 

We should no longer be idle in the spread of these colonialist narratives. Fortunately, what I find most hopeful in the grand scheme of art history and image-making is that we can utilize art to correct, critique and examine historical storytelling. I have found that we can use art to reflect on the positive themes of Fall Harvest, gratitude and community, without glossing over or glorifying painful histories of colonization and cultural discrimination. To facilitate that more productive use of images, not as propaganda but as modes of discussion, I have compiled a list of four artworks related to the themes and history of Thanksgiving. 

1. Hartman Deetz, Wampum Belt

Purple beads in the middle of the wampum belt (Nick Dentamaro, Brown University)

Harman Deetz is an exquisite beadwork artist, a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and a skilled creator of Wampanoag arts. A recent Brown University Granoff Center exhibition highlighted a beautiful wampum belt created by Deetz and fellow indigenous artist, Michelle Cook, to celebrate the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), with 46 purple beads each representing one of the 46 articles. Wampum, the traditional shell beads used to make this belt, carry great significance as historical forms of currency and materials for creating jewelry, artworks and clothing, marking important political and social agreements. The detailed intentionality with which this belt is constructed, along with its subtle yet idiosyncratic color scheme make it perfect to serve as the centerpiece for Brown University’s “The Beads that Bought Manhattan: The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” exhibition. 

The Wampanoag tribe is considered to be the historical tribe that interacted with the Pilgrims referenced in the traditional American Thanksgiving story. The true historical tale is that the Pilgrims did engage in a three day rejoicing feast, attended by some members of the Wampanoag tribe who had shown up to honor a mutual defense pact made previously between both groups. However, this narrative is not without sorrow, as the arrival of these settlers also meant the arrival of foreign illnesses, land destruction and the enslavement of many Indigenous Americans. 

2. Gutstav Klimt, ‘Tree of Life, Stoclet Frieze,’ 1905

(Gustav-Klimt.com)

While it was not created or conceptualized by an American artist, the themes that Gustav Klimt’s “Tree of Life, Stoclet Frieze” evoke feel important for the time of Fall Harvest. The tree of life is an incredibly impactful symbol in many faiths, especially in Judaism, representing the growth of the human soul and its connection to the divine. The distinctive swirling of the golden branches with their unique undulations and disoriented spirals, as well as the short, yet grounded trunk of the tree help to reinforce the imagery of life as complex and somewhat magical; life is rooted in the earth and connects us to the sky and air. 

While this painting seems to express a certain boundless hope and luxury, we are also reminded of the realities of pain and death by Klimt’s inclusion of a single blackbird just right of center. In that vein, we are encouraged to both embrace the hopeful values of gratitude for life and nature, but also balance that with our acknowledgment of the realities of pain caused by colonial oppression and the deaths of thousands brought on by colonization. 

3. Wendy Red Star, ‘Last Thanks,’ 2006

Wendy Red Star, The Last Thanks (Haw Contemporary, artsy.net)

Wendy Red Star is an absolutely iconic portrait photographer who has worked extensively with darkly humorous self-portraiture to interrogate themes of colonization and the erasure of Indigenous American history and culture. Red Star is of the Apsáalooke (Crow) lineage, and her work is deeply informed by her life on the Crow Indian Reservation. She is a master of using kitsch to analyze mainstream societal norms; she takes the most mundane yet troublesome objects, like the Wonder Bread loaf, paper feather headdresses and plastic inflatable turkey found in “The Last Thanks,” and situates them in such a combination that it forces the viewer to take pause. We begin to ask ourselves what these seemingly quotidian objects really mean and symbolize in our broader narrative and understanding of Indigenous American culture and white American narratives. These analytical artworks are vital to include in artistic canons writ large, as they challenge the vast historical inaccuracies present within our conceptions of American history and identity.

4. Norman Rockwell, ‘Freedom from Want,’ 1942

(Helena, Flickr, 2017)

I would be remiss to create a Thanksgiving artwork list without including Norman Rockwell’s “Freedom from Want” painting, now pretty much synonymous with the holiday. This may possibly be the most mainstream Americana interpretation of the holiday we have seen yet. Interestingly, this artwork was created in the anti-fascist era of American resistance in World War II under Franklin Delano Roosevelt. To understand the historical context of this artwork is to understand this as a time in which American pride was deemed one of the most useful tools to fight in the war, the title even being taken from Roosevelt’s famous “Four Freedoms” speech. Rockwell was intentional in choosing the bounty and family-oriented nature of Thanksgiving to exemplify this “freedom from want.”

In seeing this imagery, hopefully when viewed in a curated selection with the aforementioned artworks, we can begin to unpack the assumption and historical issues inherent in these images. What gender roles are reinforced here? What cultures have been completely erased from this Thanksgiving narrative? What races and ethnicities do we not see present at this table (hint: all of them except for white Protestants)? We should not overlook these artworks simply because of these issues, but it is our task and responsibility to view such images with a critical and discerning eye for the narratives we are forced to see and not see. As artistic viewers and consumers of any form of media we must take a pause and ask ourselves these important questions, especially during moments of sweeping white Christian American celebration. If we approach both Thanksgiving and any art museum visit with this mindset I have hope that we can begin to unpack painful histories, acknowledge their effects in the present and work to unravel oppressive systems for the future. 

The post What art reveals and conceals: A Thanksgiving story appeared first on The Emory Wheel.

The boundary between the Christmas season and the rest of the year becomes seemingly thinner and thinner as time goes on. I find myself making excuses to play Christmas music in October and, before I know it, the stockings are up and the tree is trimmed.

While I am confident I am not alone in prematurely ushering in the Holiday season, I no longer need to be insecure or worried. That’s right — the socially acceptable time to prepare for Christmas is upon us!

What better way to celebrate this most magical time than attending a musical version of a beloved Christmas cinema classic? Santa has come early this year in the form of Pioneer Theatre Company’s “Elf the Musical,” and this lucky duck got to see it opening night.

Christmas is Here!

Christmas cheer was clearly in the air as we packed ourselves into the Pioneer Memorial Theatre. Friends, families and ugly Christmas sweaters were around every corner as we settled into our seats, the stage glowing with blue swirling snowflakes and the bustling sound of brass and woodwinds raring to go.

Before we knew it Santa entered from stage left and welcomed the crowd with a hearty round of applause. The jolly ol’ man was there to tell us a familiar story, one of Buddy the Elf.

Soon enough, the stage was full of jumping elves in fake beards and bright costumes. Everyone in the audience was toe-tapping to the bouncy score of Matthew Skylar, which accented the quirky, Christmas-obsessed antics of our musical protagonist, Buddy (Max Chernin).

A Simple Message

The musical’s narrative, while easy to follow, quickly overwhelms itself with trying to bring the same simple storybook magic present in the source material. The writing is at times witty, but it often falls flat and leads to characters without much substance.

A similar sentiment is shared by the music numbers. Externally they are cheerful and fun, but they do little to engage the audience and create an exciting story. In a creative trifecta, the performances, while the talent was undeniable, felt over-rehearsed and lacked a certain gravitas that the setting and costume design upheld.

Yet, at the heart of “Elf the Musical” is a message of Christmas spirit — a message which states that the magic of Christmas comes not from what is around us, but from what is in our hearts. Yes, certain aspects of the musical could use some polish, but this message rings true throughout the spectacle of stage production.

I was constantly reminded of my love for Christmas, snowball fights and my family. This same love was evident in those around me as well. Children laughed, couples held hands, and smiles were held by all in attendance.

For me, “Elf the Musical” was an absolute success. It creates an easy and enjoyable evening that loudly shouts from the rooftops that Christmas is indeed here once again. Odds are it’s not going to blow your mind, but like Buddy the ever-lovable elf, it will go to every possible length to get you in the Christmas spirit.

“Elf the Musical” runs at PTC through Dec. 18.

luke.jackson@dailyutahchronicle.com

@__lukejackson

The post ‘Elf the Musical’ at PTC Joyously Ushers in the Holiday Season appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

In the 26th appearance in the NCAA tournament, and ninth while under head coach Hugh McCutcheon, Minnesota went straight to work. The Gophers made quick work over South Dakota and swept the Coyotes 25-19, 25-22 and 25-17.

“We’re very happy with the win tonight and excited to advance in the tournament. We know that South Dakota’s a good team and we knew it was going to be a battle and we were very happy to come out on top so we’ll enjoy this for a little bit and onto the next one,” McCutcheon said.

First set

After surrendering the first point of the match, the Gophers went on a tear to open up to an 8-1 lead. Redshirt senior Katie Myers had three service aces during the 8-point run as Minnesota electrified the crowd.

The Coyotes didn’t back down. Immediately after Minnesota’s run, South Dakota went on a 6-0 run of its own and cut its deficit down to one at 9-8. It was a lot of back and forth between the Gophers and Coyotes as neither team could run away with the first set.

Minnesota never trailed after the first point of the set, and were finally able to regain a steady lead after a 5-0 run gave them a six-point lead at 22-16. Sophomore Jenna Wenaas was unstoppable at the end of the set. She accounted for five of the final six points for Minnesota, all off kills for a 25-19 win.

Second set

The two traded the first six points of the set before Minnesota opened the second set up with a 5-0 run for an 8-3 lead. Just like the first set, the Coyotes were not going away without a fight. South Dakota fought back and went on a 9-5 run to cut its deficit down to just one at 13-12.

The Gophers continuously were able to regain a lead once the Coyotes came close, but a 3-0 run from South Dakota tied the second set up at 17-17 for the first time since 3-3 and forced a McCutcheon timeout.

The Gophers were finally able to grab some breathing room late in the set. A 3-0 run gave them a four-point lead and put them in a great position to close out the second set. That’s exactly what they did, though South Dakota did give some fight. After the Coyotes brought it to within two, the Gophers closed out the second set 25-22 to go up 2-0.

Third set

South Dakota was able to grab an early 3-2 lead to open the set, but that was enough for McCutcheon and the Gophers. Minnesota went on an 8-2 run to take a five-point lead and force a timeout.

A 3-0 run cut the deficit to two, but Minnesota got its breathing room back. A 7-3 run put the Gophers back in the driver’s seat at 17-11 to force a timeout.

The lead continued to grow for Minnesota as they coasted past South Dakota in the third set. The Gophers completed the sweep with a 25-17.

The Gophers were able to settle down after a more sloppy first set.

“I mean this is an exciting time so I think if you’re not nervous, you’re not really into it so we were for sure nervous but once the match started and we got rolling, we were like ‘Yeah, we’re good. We’re in it,’” junior Ellie Husemannsaid on the nerves of playing in the tournament.

Senior CC McGraw did not play in the opening round, and instead junior Rachel Kilkelly was the go-to libero for the Gophers.

I’m not seeing CC McGraw in warmups before tonight’s #Gophers match. Looks like junior Rachel Kilkelly will be Minnesota’s libero tonight if CC is in fact out.

— AJ (@ajcondon_) December 4, 2021

“I think we went about our business how we normally would. We know Rachel [Kilkelly] filled the spot just as we knew she could and Airi [Miyabe] played the position just as again, we knew she should, and I think anyone – a lot of people on our team can play every spot if we need them to. I think we kept connecting as we normally do and it’s just another night of good volleyball for us,” sophomore Melani Shaffmaster said.

Redshirt senior Stephanie Samedy led the Gophers with 13 kills, Wenaas had 10 while redshirt senior Airi Miyabe had eight. As a team, the Gophers had 10 service aces.

Looking ahead

The Gophers will face Stanford Saturday night in hopes of reaching the Madison Regional Dec. 9-11. Minnesota and Stanford met once previously in the season where the Gophers took the match in four sets, winning 3-1 as part of the Big 10/Pac-12 challenge.

Stanford took care of Iowa State in four sets right before the Gophers’ match. Redshirt Caitie Baird led the Cardinals with 22 kills in the win to go along with two service aces. Junior Kendall Kipp came in second with 20 kills, but also gave Stanford its lone double-double with 11 digs.