Gophers volleyball takes on No. 1 Texas with Taylor Landfair back strong from injury

Taylor Landfair was so excited for the Gophers volleyball home opener last season vs. No. 1 Texas, she stood next to the locker room door and listened to the crowd buzzing before the match at Maturi Pavilion.

Landfair, a top-ranked high school recruit, had made her college volleyball debut the previous season with no fans because of COVID-19 restrictions. She couldn't wait to experience the home atmosphere in her second year.

But her first match in front of Gophers fans, she suffered an abdominal injury that eventually forced her to miss most of the 2021 season.

A year later, a fully recovered Landfair faces Texas as the No. 1 team again Wednesday night in Austin. The 6-5 redshirt sophomore outside hitter resembles the budding star she was to start her career.

"I'm really excited to be back at 100 percent," Landfair said. "When I wasn't at full strength, it was really hard for me. I took that time to be the best teammate I could possibly be. Now just being back, I'm taking advantage of all of it."

The Plainfield, Ill., native earned MVP honors at the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge last week in Fort Worth, Texas, after combining for 30 kills in wins against Baylor and Texas Christian to open the season.

The Gophers reached the Elite Eight last year despite Landfair being sidelined. Ranked No. 4 in the country this week, coach Hugh McCutcheon's Gophers can make a statement vs. the Longhorns with a different team, including several transfers.

"I think we'll certainly lean on Taylor, but I think one of the opportunities that this current iteration of our team presents is a lot of balance," McCutcheon said. "It feels like there's a lot of different ways that we can attack teams."

Two-time Big Ten player of the year Stephanie Samedy has moved on to the pro level, so the scoring will be spread around more this season. Landfair, who ranked second behind Samedy in kills as a freshman, has proved early she can carry the offense.

Jenna Wenaas led the team with 17 kills in the opening win vs. No. 16 Baylor. Melani Shaffmaster was named Big Ten setter of the week on Monday after her consistency helped the Gophers to a .310 hitting percentage in their first two victories.

Landfair, Wenaas and Shaffmaster were part of McCutcheon's first No. 1 recruiting class nationally two years ago. Landfair was All-Big Ten first team as a freshman in 2020, but she took a back seat last year watching other members of that class blossom in her absence.

Wenaas, a 6-1 outside hitter, was named to the All-Big Ten preseason team this year with fifth-year Gophers senior libero and defensive specialist CC McGraw. Shaffmaster has grown into one of the team's leaders.

"I came in with here with [Landfair] in the spring of 2020, so we've been together a long time," Shaffmaster said. "I'm super excited for her, to see everything go well."

Landfair's injury issues started in the Texas home-opening loss last year. She was in so much pain in the third set, she could barely stand straight after leaving for the bench.

The abdominal tear, discovered during Big Ten play after a road loss at Michigan, forced Landfair to seek a medical redshirt. It was the most challenging year of her volleyball career, but she leaned on her family and teammates.

"I felt last year I really took advantage of being a better teammate," Landfair said. "And I know I couldn't be out with my teammates on the court physically, but I knew I could be with them on the sideline. I gave them as much energy as I could, screaming my head off, just having a blast on the sideline."

During her time in rehab, Landfair worked toward being accepted into the U's design school. She applied the same determination to get healthy to her childhood dream of being a graphic artist.

"I was just really patient and really humble," she said. "That was my dream, and I really wanted to do design in college. I just didn't give up on it. If you really want to do it, go for it. Don't ever hold back."