Melani Shaffmaster Reflects on Gopher Legacy

As the University of Minnesota wraps up its volleyball season, one name stands out: Melani Shaffmaster. 

A pillar of the Gophers volleyball team, Shaffmaster, ’24 BSB, concluded her decorated collegiate career in December. The setter now ranks sixth all-time in assists (5,091) and eighth in digs (1,479) at Minnesota. Additionally, she is the sole Gopher to achieve 4,000 assists, 1,000 digs, 300 kills, and 300 blocks. While firmly cementing herself in the record books, she also earned her business degree from the Carlson School of Management, double-majoring in Finance and Accounting.

“I just always wanted to stay here and be a Gopher,” reflects Shaffmaster. “I think you can’t get the academics anywhere else. I wanted to graduate from Carlson.”

As the team’s setter, her role was crucial, acting as the bridge between the offense and the defense. Shaffmaster says this ability to build relationships helped her succeed—both as an athlete and business student.

“The setter mindset has helped me,” she explains. “I’ve been able to understand people a lot better and ask certain questions that I probably wouldn’t have asked before I got to college. … I think understanding how to operate with that on the court and then operate with [teammates] off the court has definitely helped me be able to talk to a variety of different people at the Carlson School just in everyday life.”

Balancing her dual roles as a top athlete and a dedicated student was no small feat. She describes the past five years as a “rollercoaster,” navigating challenges brought by the pandemic and coaching changes. She says the support from the team, academic advisors, and community helped her through it all.

“I’m happy I stayed on the ride,” she reflects. “I’m happy people kept pushing me to stay here, pushing me to understand what it means to go to this school and play for these people and understand Carlson as how successful it is. It’s well worth fighting for and doing the hard work to get to the end.”

Next year, Shaffmaster intends to play professional volleyball in Europe while also pursuing her certified public accountant (CPA) certification.

“If I can keep [playing volleyball] and keep going to different countries and keep experiencing different ways of life, it would be a great benefit to me,” she shares. “I think it’s going to be really hard, but I think at the end of the day when I look back when I’m old, I’ll be able to be like, ‘It was well worth it.’”