The Gophers volleyball team will play a 22-match regular-­season schedule beginning Jan. 23, the Big Ten Conference announced Tuesday.

Minnesota, which was 27-6 overall (17-3 Big Ten) and eventually lost in the NCAA tournament semifinal to Stanford in 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic derailed play in 2020, will open the season at home against Michigan State. The Gophers will play the Spartans on consecutive days on Jan. 23-24.

Minnesota will play the same opponent twice each week. Every Big Ten team has five two-game home series, five two-game road series and one split week with a geographically relevant opponent. Split-week opponents were determined by mileage.

Here is the Gophers' schedule: vs. Michigan State (Jan. 23-24), at Maryland (Jan. 29-30), at Purdue (Feb. 5-6), vs. Penn State (Feb. 13-14), at Nebraska (Feb. 19 and 21), vs. Michigan (Feb. 26-27), at Ohio State (March 5-6), vs. Illinois (March 12-13), a home-and-home series against Wisconsin (in Madison on March 17, in Minneapolis on March 21), at Northwestern (March 26-27) and vs. Iowa (April 2-3).

Times and broadcast information will be announced at a later date. All Gophers home matches will be played at Maturi Pavilion.

Hartman honored on U.S. Senate floor

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar honored the legacy of longtime Star Tribune sports columnist Sid Hartman at Minnetonka City Hall on Tuesday.

Klobuchar presented Hartman's son, Chad, with an official copy of the U.S. Senate statement for the record, a written account of Klobuchar's remarks about Sid from the floor of the U.S. Senate on Oct. 30.

Sid Hartman, who died Oct. 18 at age 100, was remembered for his nonstop work ethic and connections with everyone in sports. Klobuchar's father, Jim, and Sid were colleagues and fierce competitors at the Star Tribune, with respect for each other's drive and work.

Etc.

• The NCHC series between North Dakota and Nebraska Omaha scheduled for Thursday and Friday in Omaha has been postponed to Jan. 29-30 at Baxter Arena because of positive COVID-19 tests within the Mavericks program.

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