After returning to the NCAA volleyball Final Four last December, the Gophers convened for a spring season that never happened.
But coach Hugh McCutcheon couldn't have asked for a better start for his newcomers — including the nation's No. 1- and No. 5-ranked recruits — in the short time they were on campus.
Talent matters. Cohesiveness matters just as much. Maybe more at this time of the year.
"One of the things I liked about the spring was the way the group was working and the way they were interacting," McCutcheon said. "It felt like one of the most connected groups we've had here."
Entering his ninth season at Minnesota, McCutcheon spent eight weeks watching the new players connect with returnees from the Final Four squad, including All-Americas Regan Pittman and Stephanie Samedy.
Then, just like that, the excitement the Gophers had built for their spring season dissipated, when the coronavirus pandemic led to a cancellation of all activities.
Early enrollees in McCutcheon's recruiting class were top-ranked recruit Taylor Landfair from suburban Chicago and Melani Shaffmaster from Newcastle, Ind.
Jenna Wenaas from Frisco, Texas — the nation's fifth-ranked high school senior — and Cami Appiani from San Diego are still finishing up their senior years of high school.