Final 4 HERE WE COME! #vbscores pic.twitter.com/mEFetP5jsY
— Minnesota Volleyball (@GopherVBall) December 13, 2015
The Gopher volleyball team is returning to the NCAA Final Four championships for the first time in 6 years, after defeating Hawaii 3-1 (25-18, 25-13, 24-26, 25-21) in the Regional Finals Saturday afternoon in Des Moines.
Great support 4 @GopherVBall from @GoldytheGopher & R wonderful fans here in Des Moines. Thanks 4 making the trip! pic.twitter.com/hH2ypKXno0
— Beth Goetz (@bgoetz12) December 12, 2015
It was the Gophers’ first win over Hawaii in school history, according to GopherSports.com.
The Rainbow Warriors were hoping to get to the Final Four for the 10th time, the Star Tribune reports, but the Gophers controlled the first two sets and battled back to win the fourth after Hawaii took the third.
Senior Daly Santana was named the most outstanding player of the regional tournament. She was earlier named Big Ten Player of the Year, while head coach Hugh McCutcheon was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year, and Samantha Seliger Swenson was named Freshman of the Year, according to the Big Ten Network.
The Gophers, (30-4), are ranked fourth in the nation, and will play their first Final Four match in Omaha, Nebraska on Thursday Dec. 17.
#Gophers volleyball making their 4th trip to the Final Four.
2015
2009 (lost in semis)
2004 (lost in champ)
2003 (lost in semis)— Keith Leventhal (@KeithLeventhal) December 13, 2015
Nebraska has also made it to the Final Four. The other two teams are being decided in Saturday night matches.
