WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 3-seeded Purdue volleyball squad (21-8, 15-5 Big Ten) is set to begin its NCAA tournament journey in the friendly confines of Holloway Gymnasium tomorrow, when the team takes on the Fairfield Stags (22-6, 16-2 MAAC) in the First Round. The match, which will be streamed on ESPN+, starts at 7 p.m. ET.
Purdue and Fairfield will meet following the 4:30 p.m. ET match between No. 6 seeded Marquette and Eastern Illinois. Should the match run long, Purdue vs. Fairfield will begin a minimum of 30 minutes following the conclusion of the previous match. The winners of both First Round showdowns will meet Friday at 7 p.m. ET in the Second Round.
PURDUE IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
• The Boilermakers have earned an NCAA tournament bid for the past nine straight years.
• Dave Shondell has led Purdue to the tournament 18 times in his 21 years of coaching and owns a 30-16 record in the Big Dance (65%).
• Purdue made back-to-back Regional Final berths in 2020 and 2021.
• Purdue NCAA Tournament Record: 35-24 (.593%)
• Number of Second Round Appearances: 22
• Number of Regional Semifinal Appearances: 15
• Regional Semifinals record under Shondell: 4-6 (Last: 2021)
• Number of Regional Finals Appearances: 5 (1982, 2010, 2013, 2020, 2021)
• Purdue has advanced to the second round all but two times in program history (1990 and 1984).
PURDUE AT A GLANCE
• Purdue closed the regular season third in the Big Ten standings.
• The Boilermakers enter postseason on a 7-match winning streak and 11-2 over the last 13 matches.
• The Boilermakers have risen to their highest rankings this season at T-#12 in the AVCA/Taraflex poll and rank #12 in the RPI.
• The team had a season stretch where 8 of 12 matches came vs. an opponent ranked or receiving votes and went 7-1 in those matches.
• Purdue was named NCAA Team of the Week following its victory vs. #3 Wisconsin and vs. Maryland.
• Maddie Schermerhorn led the Big Ten with 4.49 digs per set and Raven Colvin led the league with 157 total blocks.
• Meanwhile, Eva Hudson and Chloe Chicoine are the most efficient offensive duo in the conference, ranking in the top-8 in both kills per set and points per set.
SCOUTING THE FAIRFIELD STAGS
• The match vs. Purdue will be Fairfield's first battle against a ranked opponent this year.
• The Stags are coming off of a 2023 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship title after winning 3-1 against the defending champions Quinnipiac, which gave them an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in the school's history, and named sophomore middle blocker, Maya Walker, the tournament MVP.
• Mikayla Haut led the Stags in kills this season with 259 kills total, with Allie Elliott not far behind at 241 kills respectively.
• Walker was second in the MAAC in both hitting percentage at .358 and blocks with 1.11 per game.
• Fairfield led the MAAC in both points and hitting percentage (.217), and was second in assists, kills, blocks, and digs.
PURDUE AMONG THE BIG TEN
• Purdue finished the season ranked third in the Big Ten.
• The team ranks first in total digs (1,674) and opponent attack errors (457). Meanwhile, they rank among the top-4 in seven categories.
• Five Boilermakers rank among the league's top-10 in at least one category: Maddie Schermerhorn (#1 with 4.49 digs per set), Raven Colvin (#2 with 157 total blocks), Taylor Anderson (#4 with 9.75 assists per set), Eva Hudson (#3 in kills with 505 and #4 with 4.39 points per set) and Chloe Chicoine (#8 with 4.24 points per set and #5 with 438 kills).
Purdue and Fairfield will meet following the 4:30 p.m. ET match between No. 6 seeded Marquette and Eastern Illinois. Should the match run long, Purdue vs. Fairfield will begin a minimum of 30 minutes following the conclusion of the previous match. The winners of both First Round showdowns will meet Friday at 7 p.m. ET in the Second Round.
PURDUE IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
• The Boilermakers have earned an NCAA tournament bid for the past nine straight years.
• Dave Shondell has led Purdue to the tournament 18 times in his 21 years of coaching and owns a 30-16 record in the Big Dance (65%).
• Purdue made back-to-back Regional Final berths in 2020 and 2021.
• Purdue NCAA Tournament Record: 35-24 (.593%)
• Number of Second Round Appearances: 22
• Number of Regional Semifinal Appearances: 15
• Regional Semifinals record under Shondell: 4-6 (Last: 2021)
• Number of Regional Finals Appearances: 5 (1982, 2010, 2013, 2020, 2021)
• Purdue has advanced to the second round all but two times in program history (1990 and 1984).
PURDUE AT A GLANCE
• Purdue closed the regular season third in the Big Ten standings.
• The Boilermakers enter postseason on a 7-match winning streak and 11-2 over the last 13 matches.
• The Boilermakers have risen to their highest rankings this season at T-#12 in the AVCA/Taraflex poll and rank #12 in the RPI.
• The team had a season stretch where 8 of 12 matches came vs. an opponent ranked or receiving votes and went 7-1 in those matches.
• Purdue was named NCAA Team of the Week following its victory vs. #3 Wisconsin and vs. Maryland.
• Maddie Schermerhorn led the Big Ten with 4.49 digs per set and Raven Colvin led the league with 157 total blocks.
• Meanwhile, Eva Hudson and Chloe Chicoine are the most efficient offensive duo in the conference, ranking in the top-8 in both kills per set and points per set.
SCOUTING THE FAIRFIELD STAGS
• The match vs. Purdue will be Fairfield's first battle against a ranked opponent this year.
• The Stags are coming off of a 2023 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship title after winning 3-1 against the defending champions Quinnipiac, which gave them an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in the school's history, and named sophomore middle blocker, Maya Walker, the tournament MVP.
• Mikayla Haut led the Stags in kills this season with 259 kills total, with Allie Elliott not far behind at 241 kills respectively.
• Walker was second in the MAAC in both hitting percentage at .358 and blocks with 1.11 per game.
• Fairfield led the MAAC in both points and hitting percentage (.217), and was second in assists, kills, blocks, and digs.
PURDUE AMONG THE BIG TEN
• Purdue finished the season ranked third in the Big Ten.
• The team ranks first in total digs (1,674) and opponent attack errors (457). Meanwhile, they rank among the top-4 in seven categories.
• Five Boilermakers rank among the league's top-10 in at least one category: Maddie Schermerhorn (#1 with 4.49 digs per set), Raven Colvin (#2 with 157 total blocks), Taylor Anderson (#4 with 9.75 assists per set), Eva Hudson (#3 in kills with 505 and #4 with 4.39 points per set) and Chloe Chicoine (#8 with 4.24 points per set and #5 with 438 kills).