WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 17 Purdue volleyball team brings the Big Ten to Holloway with matches against Northwestern and No.18 Illinois. The Boilermakers are set to face the Wildcats at 8 p.m. ET Friday and the Fighting Illini at 3 p.m. Sunday.
#15 PURDUE AT #13 WISCONSIN
Friday, Oct. 4 | 8 p.m. ET
BTN| LISTEN | LIVE STATS
#15 PURDUE AT #7 MINNESOTA
Sunday, Oct. 6 | 3 p.m. ET
ESPNU | LISTEN | LIVE STATS
SERIES HISTORY
The Boilermakers are 63-101 all-time against the tournament field.
Northwestern: 56-28 overall and 31-9 at Holloway | With a win against Northwestern, Purdue would improve to a four-match winning streak over the Wildcats. The Boilermakers have claimed seven of its last eight contests against Northwestern, as the Wildcats claimed a four-set match against the Boilermakers in 2016.
#18 Illinois: 41-46 overall and 22-15 at Holloway | A win on Sunday would mark Purdue's first victory against Illinois since Oct.6, 2017, when the Boilermakers swept the Fighting Illini on the road. Purdue's last win against Illinois at Holloway came on Oct. 25, 2015. The Boilermakers won 3-2.
PURDUE QUICK HITS
- Purdue opened the 2019 Big Ten season with a pair of competitive road matches at No.13 Wisconsin and No. 7 Minnesota. Highlighting
Purdue's efforts was sophomore Grace Cleveland, who registered her first career double-double against the Gophers with 11 kills and 11 digs.
- Standouts Hayley Bush and Grace Cleveland earned Purdue's first Big Ten weekly honors of the 2019 season on Sept. 23. Bush was named the league's setter of the week and Cleveland was recognized as the conference's Player of the Week following Purdue's perfect showing at the Stacey Clark Classic. Pacing a Boilermaker offense that out-hit its opponents .322 to .171, Bush averaged 11.13 assists per set at the classic, while Cleveland led Purdue with 59 daggers in 131 attempts. The sophomores are the first Boilermaker duo to receive weekly honors since Sherridan Atkinson and Ashley Evans garnered Player and Setter of the Week accolades Nov. 13, 2017.
- Redshirt senior Blake Mohler was one of 30 NCAA women's volleyball student-athletes to be selected as a candidate for the 2019 Senior CLASS Award. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2019 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship in December
- Former Purdue standout Annie Drews was recently selected to the 2019 FIVB World Cup Dream Team in Osaka, Japan. One of two opposites competing for the U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team, Drews guided Team USA to a silver finish (10-1) with 124 total points, including 106 kills, nine blocks and nine aces.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
- Northwestern stands at 9-5 overall, after going 9-3 in non-conference play and opening Big Ten action with consecutive losses to Iowa (1-3) and then-No.3 Nebraska (0-3) last weekend.
- Freshmen Temi Thomas-Ailara led the Wildcats against the Hawkeyes and Huskers with 31 kills between the two matches. The Illinois native also tallied six serving aces and 11 digs. Juniors Alana Walker and Nia Robinson added 36 kills, six blocks and two digs.
- Northwestern welcomes four freshmen to its 2019 roster in Desiree Becker, Charlotte Cronister, Olivia Haskins and Temi Thomas-Ailara. In addition, the 'Cats welcome the arrival of graduate transfer Payton Chang. A two-time national champion at Stanford, the setter brings valuable experience to the Wildcats who are returning all 19 players from the 2018 season.
- Freshmen Temi Thomas-Ailara has been recognized as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice this season. Her last recognition came on Sept. 16, after the newcomer guided Northwestern to victories against Duke and American University. Against AU, Thomas-Aialra tallied 32 kills while hitting a .458 clip to claim the NU's all-time first year single game kills record, all-time four set kills record and is now second on NU's all-time single game program kills list.
- The Wildcats are directed by four-year head coach Shane Davis. Davis currently owns a 49-61 record at Northwestern and a 314-149 career record over 16 years of coaching. Davis was previously at Loyola University.
LAST TIME AGAINST NORTHWESTERN
In the 2018 meeting between the Boilermakers and the Wildcats, outside hitter Caitlyn Newton posted a season-best 16 kills with zero errors for a .667 hitting clip, registering Purdue's highest-program hitting percentage in a four-set match with at least 20 or more attempts. Newton's mark replaced former Boilermaker Melanie Ukovich's .655 (22-3-29) clip set against Mississippi State in 2003.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS
- Illinois opened the Big Ten season with a five-set loss to then-No.3 Nebraska, before sweeping Iowa (25-21, 25-18-25-22). In both matches, the Fighting Illini were paced by senior Jacqueline Quade. The All-American registered her fourth double-double of the season as she turned in a match-high 18 kills against Nebraska. She concluded the weekend with a match-high 14 kills against the Hawkeyes.
- Senior Jacqueline Quade has totaled 213 kills in 47 sets for the Illini in 2019 for a 4.55 kills per set average to lead the Big Ten and rank 16th in the nation.
- Ranked 18th heading into this weekend, Illinois has enjoyed 21 consecutive weeks as a member of the AVCA top-25 coaches poll. The Fighting Illini were ranked as high as third (12/17/18) and as low was 20th (9/23/19).
- The Illinois volleyball program entered the 2019 season with an overall record of 989-558-7 (.639) through 45 seasons. With six wins so far in the 2019 campaign, the Illini are just five wins from the historic 1,000th victory in program history. Overall, the Fighting Illini have won four Big Ten titles, advanced to four national semifinals, and played in one national championship since their inaugural season in 1974.
-Chris Tamas is in his third season as head coach of the Fighting Illini volleyball program in 2019 after being named to the position in February 2017. Tamas is the eighth head coach in Illinois history.
LAST TIME AGAINST ILLINOIS
In the 2018, Purdue opened and closed Big Ten play against Illinois with the Fighting Illini claiming both contests 3-1. In the regular-season finale against Illinois, Purdue saw 10 kills from Caitlyn Newton, while Hayley Bush handed out 45 assists and Marissa Hornung tallied a team-best 16 digs.
#15 PURDUE AT #13 WISCONSIN
Friday, Oct. 4 | 8 p.m. ET
BTN| LISTEN | LIVE STATS
#15 PURDUE AT #7 MINNESOTA
Sunday, Oct. 6 | 3 p.m. ET
ESPNU | LISTEN | LIVE STATS
SERIES HISTORY
The Boilermakers are 63-101 all-time against the tournament field.
Northwestern: 56-28 overall and 31-9 at Holloway | With a win against Northwestern, Purdue would improve to a four-match winning streak over the Wildcats. The Boilermakers have claimed seven of its last eight contests against Northwestern, as the Wildcats claimed a four-set match against the Boilermakers in 2016.
#18 Illinois: 41-46 overall and 22-15 at Holloway | A win on Sunday would mark Purdue's first victory against Illinois since Oct.6, 2017, when the Boilermakers swept the Fighting Illini on the road. Purdue's last win against Illinois at Holloway came on Oct. 25, 2015. The Boilermakers won 3-2.
PURDUE QUICK HITS
- Purdue opened the 2019 Big Ten season with a pair of competitive road matches at No.13 Wisconsin and No. 7 Minnesota. Highlighting
Purdue's efforts was sophomore Grace Cleveland, who registered her first career double-double against the Gophers with 11 kills and 11 digs.
- Standouts Hayley Bush and Grace Cleveland earned Purdue's first Big Ten weekly honors of the 2019 season on Sept. 23. Bush was named the league's setter of the week and Cleveland was recognized as the conference's Player of the Week following Purdue's perfect showing at the Stacey Clark Classic. Pacing a Boilermaker offense that out-hit its opponents .322 to .171, Bush averaged 11.13 assists per set at the classic, while Cleveland led Purdue with 59 daggers in 131 attempts. The sophomores are the first Boilermaker duo to receive weekly honors since Sherridan Atkinson and Ashley Evans garnered Player and Setter of the Week accolades Nov. 13, 2017.
- Redshirt senior Blake Mohler was one of 30 NCAA women's volleyball student-athletes to be selected as a candidate for the 2019 Senior CLASS Award. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2019 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship in December
- Former Purdue standout Annie Drews was recently selected to the 2019 FIVB World Cup Dream Team in Osaka, Japan. One of two opposites competing for the U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team, Drews guided Team USA to a silver finish (10-1) with 124 total points, including 106 kills, nine blocks and nine aces.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
- Northwestern stands at 9-5 overall, after going 9-3 in non-conference play and opening Big Ten action with consecutive losses to Iowa (1-3) and then-No.3 Nebraska (0-3) last weekend.
- Freshmen Temi Thomas-Ailara led the Wildcats against the Hawkeyes and Huskers with 31 kills between the two matches. The Illinois native also tallied six serving aces and 11 digs. Juniors Alana Walker and Nia Robinson added 36 kills, six blocks and two digs.
- Northwestern welcomes four freshmen to its 2019 roster in Desiree Becker, Charlotte Cronister, Olivia Haskins and Temi Thomas-Ailara. In addition, the 'Cats welcome the arrival of graduate transfer Payton Chang. A two-time national champion at Stanford, the setter brings valuable experience to the Wildcats who are returning all 19 players from the 2018 season.
- Freshmen Temi Thomas-Ailara has been recognized as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice this season. Her last recognition came on Sept. 16, after the newcomer guided Northwestern to victories against Duke and American University. Against AU, Thomas-Aialra tallied 32 kills while hitting a .458 clip to claim the NU's all-time first year single game kills record, all-time four set kills record and is now second on NU's all-time single game program kills list.
- The Wildcats are directed by four-year head coach Shane Davis. Davis currently owns a 49-61 record at Northwestern and a 314-149 career record over 16 years of coaching. Davis was previously at Loyola University.
LAST TIME AGAINST NORTHWESTERN
In the 2018 meeting between the Boilermakers and the Wildcats, outside hitter Caitlyn Newton posted a season-best 16 kills with zero errors for a .667 hitting clip, registering Purdue's highest-program hitting percentage in a four-set match with at least 20 or more attempts. Newton's mark replaced former Boilermaker Melanie Ukovich's .655 (22-3-29) clip set against Mississippi State in 2003.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS
- Illinois opened the Big Ten season with a five-set loss to then-No.3 Nebraska, before sweeping Iowa (25-21, 25-18-25-22). In both matches, the Fighting Illini were paced by senior Jacqueline Quade. The All-American registered her fourth double-double of the season as she turned in a match-high 18 kills against Nebraska. She concluded the weekend with a match-high 14 kills against the Hawkeyes.
- Senior Jacqueline Quade has totaled 213 kills in 47 sets for the Illini in 2019 for a 4.55 kills per set average to lead the Big Ten and rank 16th in the nation.
- Ranked 18th heading into this weekend, Illinois has enjoyed 21 consecutive weeks as a member of the AVCA top-25 coaches poll. The Fighting Illini were ranked as high as third (12/17/18) and as low was 20th (9/23/19).
- The Illinois volleyball program entered the 2019 season with an overall record of 989-558-7 (.639) through 45 seasons. With six wins so far in the 2019 campaign, the Illini are just five wins from the historic 1,000th victory in program history. Overall, the Fighting Illini have won four Big Ten titles, advanced to four national semifinals, and played in one national championship since their inaugural season in 1974.
-Chris Tamas is in his third season as head coach of the Fighting Illini volleyball program in 2019 after being named to the position in February 2017. Tamas is the eighth head coach in Illinois history.
LAST TIME AGAINST ILLINOIS
In the 2018, Purdue opened and closed Big Ten play against Illinois with the Fighting Illini claiming both contests 3-1. In the regular-season finale against Illinois, Purdue saw 10 kills from Caitlyn Newton, while Hayley Bush handed out 45 assists and Marissa Hornung tallied a team-best 16 digs.