Purdue Returns Home for Northwestern, #3 Wisconsin

Wednesday, October 27 | 7 p.m. ET
Northwestern at #12 Purdue
WSHY 104.3 FM or Listen Online | BTN+

Sunday, October 31 | Noon ET
#3 Wisconsin at #12 Purdue
WSHY 104.3 FM or Listen Online | ESPNU
 
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Returning home for a pair of matches in Holloway Gymnasium, No. 12 Purdue (14-5, 6-4 B1G) will begin the week with a midweek pairing with Northwestern (9-12, 4-6 B1G), before taking on #3 Wisconsin (17-1, 9-1 B1G) on Halloween this Sunday.

While both matches are sold out, fans can catch the Boilermakers and Wildcats on B1G+. Meanwhile, Sunday's battle will air on ESPNU.
 
Caitlyn Newton: Rising to the occasion

• While Caitlyn Newton has recorded more than 60 attempts eight times in her career, none were nearly as efficient as her performance vs. #15 Penn State (10/17/21). She recorded 26 kills on 63 swings with just four errors for a .349 average. Her 26 kills and 63 attempts were not only season-highs, but the most by a Big Ten player this season.
• Newton has hit double-digit kills on 14 occasions this season, including two 20+ kill matches.
• Capturing three double doubles this season, the Terre Haute native has come within one of her career-high in digs twice this season (vs. Ohio State, 9/24 and vs. Illinois, 10/1).
• Newton averages a team-best 4.18 points per set.

 
Jena Otec: Unmatched

• Otec has stepped up since then and is playing arguably the best of any Big Ten libero currently, having posted three 25+ dig matches over the last four outings. The Crystal City, Missouri native is the only player in the Big Ten to say the same in any four match span all season.
• Leading the team with 4.36 digs per set, Otec ranks fourth overall in the Big Ten.
• Otec cracked into the Purdue top-10 this season and currently ranks third all-time with 1,579 total digs.
• Otec, the 2020 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, has been switching the libero uniform with senior Marissa Hornung, until Hornung's injury prevented her from starting.

Purdue vs. Top-25 Opponents

• Purdue owns a 4-3 record vs. top-25 opponents, with its three losses coming to top-10 opponents, to now-No. 2 Louisville (0-3) and No. 9 Ohio State (1-3) and No. 6 Nebraska (1-3).
• Purdue is 3-0 vs. top-25 opponents at home.
• Purdue is also out-blocking its ranked opponents, 80 blocks to 54 (2.96 per set vs. 2.00 per set).
• Jena Otec has seen 159 receptions over the team's six matches and has only committed five errors.

 
Last Week at a Glance

• The Boilermakers suffered a pair of losses last week to Michigan State (3-2) and at then-#9 Nebraska (3-1).
• Purdue averaged a .168 attack %
• Defensively, Purdue has out-dug (131 vs. 126 digs) and out-blocked opponents (23-16 total blocks).
• Caitlyn Newton led the attack with 38 kills and 4.22 kills per set.
• Jena Otec accumulated 41 digs (4.56 per set) over the two matches.
• Purdue's five-set loss to Michigan State came just 72 hours after taking down #15 Penn State in five.
• In the first set vs. Nebraska, Purdue won 25-23, out-hitting the Huskers .429 vs. .280. Newton added seven kills (7-1-13) for a .462 efficiency.

 
Northwestern Wildcats
Series History: 59-28 (PUR Leads) | Last Meeting: Feb. 20, 21 (W, 3-1 at PUR)

• The Wildcats are looking for their first win against Purdue since October 21, 2016.
• Their attack is led by Temi Thomas-Ailara, who averages 3.72 kills per set, 7th in the Big Ten, and Leilani Dodson, who is hitting .337, which is 10th in the Big Ten.
• Northwestern is 7th in the Big Ten in serving with 1.47 aces per set, and are led by Temi Thomas-Ailara, who is averaging 0.38 aces per set, 6th in the Big Ten.
• Alexa Rousseau leads the Wildcats in assists with an average of 9.39 assists per set.

 
#3 Wisconsin Badgers
Series History: 32-52 (WIS Leads) | Last Meeting: Jan. 23, 21 (L, 0-3 at WIS)

• Purdue is looking for its first victory over Wisconsin since Nov. 11, 2017, when it won in straight sets.
• Ranked second in the Big Ten standings, Wisconsin's lone loss came to Maryland in the Big Ten opener. The Badgers enter the week with a nine-match winning streak.
• The Badgers boast the Big Ten's top hitting percentage at .305% as a team and the Big Ten's top hitter, Dana Rettke, hitting at a .496% clip.
• While entering the week on a nine-match win streak, wins this season include #10 Baylor, #8 Kentucky, #7 Minnesota, #6 Ohio State, and #14 Penn State.
• Wisconsin leads the Big Ten in attack %, opp. hitting %, opp. assists, opp. kills, and opp. digs and is 2nd in the Big Ten in assists, kills, and service aces.
• Wisconsin returns all but one starter from 2020-2021 season.
• Badgers have won 11 of the last 12 meetings and 5 straight in the series vs. Purdue.