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Boilermakers Poised to Start Big Ten PlayBoilermakers Poised to Start Big Ten Play

Boilermakers Poised to Start Big Ten Play

First, the Boilermakers will play at Holloway Gymnasium on Friday at 8 p.m. ET in a top-11 matchup vs. No. 8 Minnesota (5-3) on Big Ten Network. Then, Purdue will travel to Coralville, Iowa (6-5) to take on Iowa at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Game Notes Opens in a new window Live Stats Opens in a new window Listen Opens in a new window Watch BTN Friday Opens in a new window Watch ESPN Sunday Opens in a new window
Friday, September 23 | 8 p.m. ET
#11 Purdue vs. #8 Minnesota
BTN | WSHY 104.3 FM

Sunday, September 25 | 1 p.m. ET
#11 Purdue at Iowa
ESPN | WSHY 104.3 FM
  
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After opening the season with a 9-1 record, the No. 11 Purdue Boilermakers are set to open Big Ten play with a pair of nationally-televised matches in a home-and-away weekend.

First, the Boilermakers will play at Holloway Gymnasium on Friday at 8 p.m. ET in a top-11 matchup vs. No. 8 Minnesota (5-3) on Big Ten Network. Then, Purdue will travel to Coralville, Iowa (6-5) to take on Iowa at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN.

A LOOK AT THE #8 MINNESOTA GOPHERS
Series Record: 32-56 (MIN leads) | Last Meeting: Nov. 14, 2021 (W, 3-1 in Minneapolis)
  • Purdue is looking for its first win vs. Minnesota in Holloway Gymnasium since Nov. 10, 2015.
  • Minnesota tested itself early, having faced six ranked teams during non-conference play, including 1 receiving votes and has gone 4-3 in those matches.
  • The Golden Gopher's attack is led by Taylor Landfair, with 4.87 points per set and 4.35 kills per set. The outside hitter is among the best in the nation, ranking among the top-27 in kills per set (19th), points per set (24th) and attacks per set (27th). Among Big Ten teams, she is second behind Eva Hudson in 
  • The one responsible for setting her up is Melani Shaffmaster, who is averaging 10.26 assists per set.
  • The defensive effort is led by a trio of blockers, Carter Booth, Ellie Husemann, and Shaffmaster, with each averaging over 0.81 blocks per set.

A LOOK AT THE IOWA HAWKEYES
Series Record: 58-22 (PUR leads) | Last meeting: Oct. 9, 2021 (W, 3-0 in Coralville, Iowa)
  • The Boilermakers have won the past 8 matches against the Hawkeyes, with the last loss coming on Oct. 6, 2016, in Iowa City.
  • The Hawkeye's offense features four hitters averaging over 2.2 kills per set.  Michelle Urquhart leads the group with 2.816 kills per set.
  • Iowa's defense is led by Mari Hinkle in the back row, averaging 4.757 digs per set. Up front, Delaney McSweeney is averaging 0.641 blocks per set.
  • Purdue's fifth year middle blocker Hannah Clayton will return to Iowa, where she was a four-year starter and holds numerous record-book marks, including #3 in all-time hitting % (.285) and 9th in all-time blocks (328).


STARTING THE SEASON STRONG

  • For the seventh straight year, the Boilermakers enter Big Ten play with one non-conference loss or fewer.
  • Purdue closed non-conference season with a 9-1 record, marking the most wins in non-conference play since 2018.
  • Purdue's 6-0 start was the best since 2018 and eighth time under HC Dave Shondell.
  • The Boilermakers are off to one of its most efficient non-conference starts, ranking second in the league with 14.06 kills per set and third in the league with a .281 hitting %, 1.47 opponent blocks and 14.50 digs per set.
  • Four Boilers that have started are hitting above .300: Raven Colvin (.322%), Hannah Clayton (.352% ), Eva Hudson (.323% with 134-30-324), Emily Rastovski (.467% with 8-1-15)

 

STACEY CLARK CLASSIC LOOK BACK

  • The Boilermakers swept Northern Kentucky and Ball State to win the Stacey Clark Classic.
  • Purdue All-Tournament Team members: Eva Hudson (MVP), Emma Ellis and Madeline Koch.
  • Purdue out-performed its opponents 24-7 in total blocks and 15.17-9.33 in kills per set.
  • The 25-11 second set win vs. Ball State is the most decisive set victory since 2018 (vs. Tulsa, 8/25).
  • A sound back row saw 57 receptions over the sweep of Ball State with just one reception error (.983%). It is the second time this season Purdue has committed so few errors

BIG TEN WEEKLY AWARDS
  • Following the Stacey Clark Classic, Eva Hudson was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week.
  • Hudson is the fastest Big Ten player to reach three Freshman of the Week accolades since Minnesota's Samantha Seliger-Swenson in 2015.
  • The outside hitter had her most efficient match of the season vs. Northern Kentucky, registering .500 hitting % with 15 kills and one error on 28 swings.
  • Against Ball State, Hudson came one dig shy of a double-double with 16 kills, nine digs and four stuffs. Her defensive effort at the net included one block solo on the match-winning point (30-28) in set three.
  • Moreover, her effort against the Cardinals led to 20.5 total points, the most by a Big Ten player in a three-set match last week.
  • In total, Hudson has earned four awards: Both Player and Freshman of the Week honors in Week 1. Following Week 2, libero Maddie Schermerhorn earned her first career accolade as Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.


ON THE RISE

  • The Boilermakers jumped from #26 to #14 nationally in kills per set following their 15.17 average in the Stacey Clark Classic.
  • Following 24 blocks over the past two matches, Purdue leaped 36 spots to #19 in the nation in blocks per set (2.74).


HOLLOWAY HISTORY

  • Last season, Holloway was rated the best atmosphere in the Big Ten.
  • In the last 11 years, Purdue has recorded 11 wins vs. top-5 opponents alone, eight of those wins came on Purdue's home turf.
  • Over the last three years, Purdue has taken down six top-25 opponents on Belin Court, including two #3 teams just last season.
  • Fans have sold out every Big Ten match for two consecutive seasons. The 2019 season was one match shy of extending the streak to thee straight years (tickets were not sold due to COVID-19 for the 2020 season).