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Via twitter.com/GopherVBall
The Minnesota Gopher Football team is not the only team at the U going doing Spring Practice. But unlike the football team, the Gopher Volleyball team got to go to Japan to practice. Read on for their story but first some great news for a few individual players.
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Paige Tapp
Third Team All-American Paige Tapp (Middle Blocker), a 6-1 Sophomore from Stewartville, MN was selected USA Volleyball to be one of 12-players to complete on their 2015 World University Games team. She will be heading to Gwangju, South Korea to compete July 2-12. Read the article, perhaps we have a future Olympian on our hands!
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Sarah Wilhite (Bottom)
Hannah Tapp (Top)
Not to be left behind, Paige's twin sister (not identical), Hannah Tapp (SO, 6-2, Middle Blocker, Stewartville, MN) and fellow Sophomore Sarah Wilhite (6-1, Outside Hitter, Eden Prairie, MN) were selected by USA Volleyball to be on their 12-player Collegiate National Team! This is the second year Hannah will play on that team and Sarah's first year. They will be traveling to two cities in China between June 13-26 and among others will play the Chinese Women's Junior National Squad. Read the article and know these players names!
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Japan Trip - via twitter.com/GopherVBall
For all of these players, this will be at least their second trip to Asia this year as the team just got back from Japan recently where they were the first American collegiate team to play at Japan's National training Center and competed against Japan's World University Games team.
The flight to Japan is long, but @GopherVBall definitely made the best of it. http://t.co/GWW5px7nV0
— Minnesota Gophers (@GopherSports) March 17, 2015
As you can see from the video below, they worked hard and had some fun.
You can find out more by reading this "travel blog" post on Gophersports.com which includes more videos. But first, here is one video you have to check out; watch (below) this amazing rally that includes a great dig by a players foot.
Getting excited? You can catch the Gophers in action when they host a spring tournament on April 25th at the Sports Pavilion. Don't forget to follow them on Twitter.
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#17 Men's Volleyball Team
In other news, the Gopher Men's Volleyball team, a club sport, recently had a great end to their season. They went 8-2 in Dallas, TX winning the silver bracket and finishing 17th in the nation! Congratulations to these student athletes!
There is also good news for Women's team. Their two new recruits, Samantha Seliger Swenson and Taylor Morgan, were both named to Volleyball Magazine's "Girls' 2015 Fav 50" class as some of the best young players in the nation.
Episode 21: Gopher Volleyball, Japan and More http://t.co/qvuNhvw5az via @audioBoom
— Rolf Addy (@Norsk_Gopher) April 3, 2015