WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Head coach Dave Shondell announced the signing of Purdue volleyball's 2024 signing class, featuring Sienna Foster, Ryan McAleer and Allie Shondell.
The three-woman class features one setter (Shondell) and two defensive specialists (Foster and McAleer). Each member of the class has won a national title and has been selected for their state's all-star match. Highlights include McAleer as a member of the 2023 U19 U.S. Girls' National Team 20-player roster and the USA Volleyball National Training Development Program (NTDP), Shondell as a two-time Second Team All-American and Foster as an AAU All-American and career kills record-holder for the Boiler Juniors club team.
"This class of Boilermakers will be difference-makers in the most meaningful ways - primarily by bringing their best every day and out-working every freshman class at the Division I level," said Shondell. "There are no 6'3 hammers in this trio, just well-skilled, highly disciplined and determined athletes who will help establish a work-ethic that will raise our performance. Sienna, Ryan and Allie fill some important roles that were vacated because of graduation. Passing and setting drives the offense and this group will bolster those areas."
The Midwest trio round out a Boilermaker team that returns all but one starter from 2023, including three AVCA All-Americans, a third-place Big Ten finish and an NCAA Regional Semifinal appearance.
McAleer and Shondell have enrolled early and will practice with the squad this spring.
#6 Sienna Foster
Defensive Specialist | 5-9 | Lafayette, Ind. | Benton Central (Oxford, Ind.) | Boiler Juniors Club Team
#11 Ryan McAleer
Defensive Specialist | 5-6 | Overland Park, Kan. | Blue Valley HS | Team Dynasty Volleyball Club Team
#3 Allie Shondell
Setter | 5-10 | Lafayette, Ind. | McCutcheon HS | Boiler Juniors Club Team
The three-woman class features one setter (Shondell) and two defensive specialists (Foster and McAleer). Each member of the class has won a national title and has been selected for their state's all-star match. Highlights include McAleer as a member of the 2023 U19 U.S. Girls' National Team 20-player roster and the USA Volleyball National Training Development Program (NTDP), Shondell as a two-time Second Team All-American and Foster as an AAU All-American and career kills record-holder for the Boiler Juniors club team.
"This class of Boilermakers will be difference-makers in the most meaningful ways - primarily by bringing their best every day and out-working every freshman class at the Division I level," said Shondell. "There are no 6'3 hammers in this trio, just well-skilled, highly disciplined and determined athletes who will help establish a work-ethic that will raise our performance. Sienna, Ryan and Allie fill some important roles that were vacated because of graduation. Passing and setting drives the offense and this group will bolster those areas."
The Midwest trio round out a Boilermaker team that returns all but one starter from 2023, including three AVCA All-Americans, a third-place Big Ten finish and an NCAA Regional Semifinal appearance.
McAleer and Shondell have enrolled early and will practice with the squad this spring.
#6 Sienna Foster
Defensive Specialist | 5-9 | Lafayette, Ind. | Benton Central (Oxford, Ind.) | Boiler Juniors Club Team
- 2020 AAU 14 Open National Champion
- 2020 AAU All-American (14 Open)
- Set the record for career kills in Boiler Juniors club team history
- Qualified with the Boiler Juniors for USAV Nationals in 2023 and 2019
- Member of the JVA Watch List
- 2023 IHSVCA All-Star match selection
- 2023 and 2022 3A All-State Second Team
- Guided the Benton Central Bison to three volleyball 3A Sectional Championship (2023, 2022, and 2020) and one 3A Regional appearance (2021) over her four-year career
- Four-time IHVCA 3A All-District Team honoree
- Four-time Journal & Courier Big School All-Area First Team selection
- Secured IHSVCA Watch List nods all four years
- Reached the 1,000 dig club as a junior and the 1,000 kill club as a senior
- Totaled 1,258 kills, 1,381 digs and 244 aces over her high school career
- Received the team's MVP award three of her four years
- Registered a .300 attack % during her junior and sophomore seasons
- Four-time Hoosier Conference First Team selection
- Played basketball and volleyball all four years
- With basketball, garnered Sectional Champion status in 2021 and 2020 and Hoosier Conference Champions in 2022
- Three-time Miss Defense award winner for Benton Central basketball team
- Was a Hoosier Conference Honorable Mention Team selection for basketball following her senior and junior seasons
- Four year honor roll student and member of the Council for Academic Excellence as a senior and junior
- Career Plans: work in healthcare
- Parents: Todd and Jessica Foster. Both parents competed at the varsity level for Purdue, with Todd on the men's basketball team (1992-96) Jessica on the Purdue dance team (1993-97)
#11 Ryan McAleer
Defensive Specialist | 5-6 | Overland Park, Kan. | Blue Valley HS | Team Dynasty Volleyball Club Team
- Member of the 2023 U19 U.S. National Team 20-girl roster as libero and served as an alternate for the U.S. gold-winning team at the 2023 U19 Pan American Cup
- USA Volleyball National Training Development Program (NTDP) Indoor Training Series athlete
- The No. 1 defensive specialist/libero out of the state of Kansas and ranked the No. 3 overall athlete in the state by PrepDig Volleyball
- Competed at the national championships four times
- Guided her team to a USA Volleyball Junior National Champion team title
- Received All-Tournament Team honors for the 2021 USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship
- 2023 and 2019 USA Volleyball Junior National Championship Runner-Up
- Placed third in 2022 at the USA Volleyball Junior National Championships
- Helped Blue Valley to a 6A State Runner-Up finish as a junior (2022)
- Selected for the Metro Sports All-Star match on Team Kansas for a match vs. Team Missouri
- Averaged 5.5 digs per set in both her junior and sophomore seasons
- Named First Team All-Conference as a senior and junior and a Second Team honoree as a sophomore
- 2022 VolleyballMag.com High School Midseason "ION" Watch List
- Received First Team All-State as a junior
- Career plans: Work in sports journalism and broadcast
- Parents: Thom and Jackie McAleer
- Sister, Addy, was an outside hitter at Lindenwood University and brother, Sam, played baseball at Mesa Community College
#3 Allie Shondell
Setter | 5-10 | Lafayette, Ind. | McCutcheon HS | Boiler Juniors Club Team
- Two-time MaxPreps Second Team All-American (2022 and 2021)
- Received First Team All-State and All-District to close her senior campaign
- 2020 AAU National Champion
- 2020 AAU All-American
- 2021 All-JVA National Team
- PrepVolleyball Top-150 recognition
- Named to both the 2023 AVCA All-America Watch List and MaxPreps Watch List
- 2023 IHSVCA All-Star match participant
- Guided McCutcheon to an Indiana 4A state title as a sophomore in 2021
- Led McCutcheon to three Regional titles
- Totaled 3,383 career assists and 610 digs during her high school career, breaking the McCutcheon school record with over 3,000 assists by the end of her junior campaign
- Posted a double-double with 42 assists, 12 digs in the 2023 4A Sectional Championship
- 2023 Nominee for Indiana High School Sports Girls Volleyball Player of the Year
- Selected Under Armour Next High School Player of the Week May 31, 2023
- As a junior, received Second Team All-State, First Team All-District and NCC All-Conference First Team honors
- Registered 940 assists in each of her first three seasons at McCutcheon, including 950 assists as a junior
- As a freshman, received 2020 NCC All-Conference First Team honors
- Named a 2020 Journal & Courier Big School All-Area Team honoree as a freshman
- Member of the Honor Roll all four years
- Career Plans: Major in IBE with a minor in global engineering
- Teammate Alleigh Dutton plays for fellow Big Ten member, Rutgers
- Parents: John and Laura Shondell, with Laura a 1999 Purdue alum and John a Purdue Volleyball associate head coach (2003-23)