![The expectations are high for University of Minnesota womenís volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon and his talented, young team that went deep into the NCAA tournament last year and will hosting the 2018 Division I Women's Volleyball Championship in December. Here, McCutcheon is seen working with Samantha Seliger-Swenson during practice Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, at Maturi Pavilion on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis, MN.] DAVID JOLES ï david.joles@startribune.com University](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/JU7J6ZTRGBMRMZ5UUAQUSQAKXM.jpg?&w=1080)
The Gophers, ranked No. 4 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll, begin the season Friday and Saturday with the Big Ten/ACC Challenge at Target Center. They hope to end it in the same place, when the NCAA Final Four is held at Target Center on Dec. 13-15.
Opening weekend: Friday vs. Florida State, 7 p.m.; Saturday vs. North Carolina, 7 p.m. (BTN). Wisconsin also is participating in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, playing North Carolina at 4:30 p.m. Friday and Florida State at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. General admission tickets ($35 for all games, $20 for a one-day pass) can be bought at gophersports.com or at the Target Center box office.
Other dates to remember: Aug. 31-Sept. 1, Gophers home opener at Maturi Pavilion (part of the Diet Coke Classic, with North Dakota State, Arkansas and Georgia Southern); Sept. 19, Big Ten opener against Penn State at Maturi Pavilion; Nov. 24, regular season ends at Rutgers; Nov. 25, NCAA tournament selection show; Nov. 29-Dec. 1, NCAA tournament begins.
Key returners: The Gophers return 12 letter winners and five starters, including three first-team All-Americas: senior setter Samantha Seliger-Swenson, junior outside hitter Alexis Hart and sophomore right-side hitter Stephanie Samedy. Sophomores Regan Pittman and Jasmyn Martin and redshirt junior Taylor Morgan also were major contributors last season.
Key newcomers: Freshman defensive specialist/libero CC McGraw, sophomore outside hitter Claire Sheehan (transfer from Iowa), freshman outside hitter Adanna Rollins.
TV schedule: Gophers games will be televised on the Big Ten Network on Aug. 25 (North Carolina, 7 p.m.), Sept. 19 (Penn State, 8 p.m.), Sept. 26 (Wisconsin, 8 p.m.), Oct. 26 (Michigan State, 5 p.m.) and Oct. 31 (Wisconsin, 8 p.m.)
