Boilermakers Begin 4-Match Road Stretch

Friday, November 5 | 7 p.m. ET
#8 Purdue at Maryland
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Sunday, November 7 | 1 p.m. ET
#8 Purdue at Rutgers
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The No. 8 Purdue Boilermakers are set to begin a four-match road stretch, beginning with a Friday/Sunday matchup at Maryland and Rutgers.

Purdue will take on Maryland at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, followed by Rutgers at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. Both matches will be available to stream on B1G+.

SCHEDULE NOTES

• With the latest AVCA coaches poll, Purdue is slated to play(ed) 17 top-25 matchups. According to the most recent poll, six of those opponents are top-15 teams and four are top-10.
• Five of Purdue's nine non-conference opponents were recognized in the AVCA preseason poll, including then-#25 Washington State, #10 Louisville, #22 Tennessee and UNLV, which was receiving votes.
• Purdue has taken down two #3 opponents this season in Holloway: #3 Ohio State (9/24), which marked the first victory over a top-3 opponent in Holloway since 2015 (vs. #3 Minnesota, W 3-2, 11/21/15) and #3 Wisconsin (10/31).
• Five of Purdue's eight matches in November will come hostile environments. Of those five matches, three are ranked or receiving votes in the latest AVCA poll and two feature top-10 matches in three days.
• Four of the team's last six battles were vs. top-15 teams.

RAVEN COLVIN: BIG TEN DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK & FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK

• Colvin set a career-best 11 total blocks, including 10 assisted in the win vs. #3 Wisconsin. Her 10 block assists rank as the third-most by a Boilermaker in a four set match in program history. This comes on the heels of setting a pair of career-bests at No. 9 Nebraska (9 TB: 2-7).
• As the first freshman since Faye Adelaja (2013) to earn both Defensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week, Colvin averaged 2.57 stuffs per set, the most in the league.
• Colvin is the third freshmen since 2009 to post double-digit kills, joining teammate Taylor Trammell (12) and Anna Drewry (11).
• Set the tone in the win vs. #3 Wisconsin by contributing on Purdue's first three points (one kill, one block assist and a solo block) and was on all five of the team's blocks in the set.
• Added a .583 attack % vs. Northwestern (8-1-12) for her ninth match this year with one or fewer errors.
• Colvin is a Purdue legacy, as the daughter of Rosevelt Colvin, Purdue football all-time great and two-time Super Bowl champion.

CAITLYN NEWTON: RISING TO THE OCCASION

• Dave Shondell quote in the latest episode of Purdue's Dig City podcast: "Caitlyn Newton has gone to a level I have never seen before... She's having the best year of her career - and by a significant margin."
• Newton's efficiency is the best of her career, averaging a .223 hitting % this year. As 2020 AVCA Third Team All-America honoree, Newton hit a .169 attack %.
• Newton posted 17 kills vs. #3 Wisconsin, the most by either team, with just nine kills on a season-high 65 swings.
• While Caitlyn Newton has recorded more than 60 attempts nine 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 are a season-high.
• Newton has hit double-digit kills on 16 occasions this season, including three 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 4.31 points per set.

MARYLAND TERRAPINS
Series History: 9-1 (PUR Leads) | Last Meeting: Nov. 16, 2019 (W, 3-0 at PUR)

• The Terrapins join Purdue as the only two teams to beat #4 Wisconsin, as Maryland started off the Big Ten schedule with a 3-2 win over Wisconsin at home.
• Purdue and Maryland are two of the best blocking teams in the nation. Maryland currently leads the nation with 3.19 per set, while Purdue has steadily rose in the rankings and check in at 7th nationally and 3rd in the league with 2.84 per set.
• Maryland's defense is led by Rainelle Jones, who leads the nation with 1.82 blocks per set and has 144 total blocks.
• Sydney Dowler is 6th in the Big Ten in assists with 840 and in assists/set with an average of 10.12. 
• After splitting last weekend at #13 Penn State (L, 3-0) and at Rutgers (W, 3-0), Maryland will be at home vs. Purdue then Michigan on 11/7.

RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS
Series History: 15-0 (PUR Leads) | Last Meeting: Oct. 2, 2021 (W, 3-0 at PUR)

• The Scarlet Knights are looking for their first win in school history against the Boilers.
• The Rutgers attack is led by fifth year Beka Kojadinovic, who averages 2.83 kills per set and 3.43 points per set.
• Rutgers setter Ina Balyko is averaging 5.53 assists per set.
• As a team, Rutgers averages 2.09 blocks per set. The effort is led by middle blocker Shealyn McNamara with 1.16 per set. 
• Leading the back row is Madyson Chitty, a sophomore, who averages 3.64 digs per set and has set a season-high 23 digs in the win vs. Central Connecticut State (9/3).