Though it was only an exhibition match, the Minnesota Gopher and the South Dakota Coyotes had the crowd on their feet cheering when the two teams met in the BEA gym on Saturday, April 2.

The people who crowded into the gymnasium at Blue Earth Area High School on Saturday, April 2 to watch an exhibition volleyball match between the University of Minnesota Gophers and the University of South Dakota Coyotes were excited before the games even began. And they rose to their feet to applaud when the two teams took to the court to begin play.

It they were pumped up before the action started, their enthusiasm only grew throughout the contest as they watched the talented athletes on both sides of the net compete on the court.

Although the fans cheered the hard smashes and incredible digs of both squads, most were definitely rooting harder for the Gophers and were thrilled to join in on the Minnesota Rouser when it played over the loudspeakers.

The Gophers and Coyotes had last met during the opening round of the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Tournament on Dec. 3. The No. 11-ranked Maroon and Gold won that match 3-0 and then went on to defeat No. 18 Stanford and No. 5 Baylor to make it to the Elite Eight before losing to eventual national champion Wisconsin.

South Dakota won the Summit League Tournament and finished with a 15-2 record in the conference and a 20-10 record overall.

The exhibition was four games with each one played to 25. The Gophers swept the match 4-0. The scores were 25-17, 25-19, 25-13 and 25-22.

“We are just completing the first week of our four-week spring practice,” Gophers head volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon explained. “We will play North Dakota State next week, then St. Thomas and close the spring season with a match against Kansas State on April 23.”

The match against St. Thomas will be played at Maturi Pavillion, the home of Gophers volleyball. The contest against North Dakota State will be played at Lakeville North High School and Minnesota will face Kansas State at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa.

The Gophers were originally looking at playing Saturday’s match at Martin Luther High School in Northrup. However, there was a scheduling conflict at the school so someone from Martin Luther contacted BEA volleyball coach Donna Nawrocki.

“They wanted to know if the BEA gym was available and if we were interested,” Nawrocki said before the match. “So, that is how the game ended up being played here. It is a excellent opportunity to see some great college volleyball.”

McCutcheon arrived on the scene as the Gophers’ coach in 2012. Since then the Gophers have been to three NCAA Final Fours, won two Big Ten Championships, had nine Sweet 16 finishes and five Elite Eight appearances. He was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2018.

During the 2021 season, Minnesota, who finished with an overall record of 22-9, played a nation-high 17 ranked matches. They won nine of those contests, including four over top-10 ranked teams.

Asked what kind of intangible qualities he seeks in the players he recruits, McCutcheon replied, “We look for players whose character off the court is even better than their character on the court. They are not just good athletes, they also excel in the classroom.”

The Gopher volleyball team has developed a loyal following over the years and had the third highest attendance for their matches of all colleges in the nation.

The fans who attended the exhibition match between the U of M and South Dakota filled the bleachers on the east side of the gym and the bleachers on the west side had to be pulled out to accommodate the enthusiastic crowd.

When the contest was over the Gopher team took time to pose for pictures with anyone who was interested.

“I thought they were impressive when I watched them on TV,” one female fan shared after the contest. “But, seeing them in person is even more amazing.”