Volleyball Prepares for Dallas

SMU DOUBLETREE INVITATIONAL
Friday, September 13
5 p.m. ET | #7 Purdue vs, Houston
 
Saturday, September 14
3 p.m. or 5 p.m. ET | at SMU or vs. #10 Kentucky
 

West Lafayette, Ind. – The No. 7 Purdue Boilermakers will be tested this weekend with a pair of tough matchups vs. Houston and either host SMU or #10 Kentucky in Dallas, Texas.

Purdue's opponent Saturday will be determined by the winner and losers of Friday's matches. Matches against SMU in the tournament will be streamed on ACCNX, accessible through espn+. Fans can also follow along via live stats HERE or listen to the radio broadcast on WSHY 104.3 FM or online HERE.
 

PURDUE: THE NEED TO KNOW

• Purdue has dropped just two of the last 23 sets.
• The Boilermakers adjustments during a match has led to improved play, seen in increased hitting % from first to second sets, blocks and more.
• Compared to last season, Purdue has a more balanced offense, seen in part by right side hitter Kenna Wollard's .360 hitting %. The sophomore has hit .300 or above in every match.
• Raven Colvin's racked up 44 blocks in just six matches while also averaging a .417 attack %. The senior has hit .700 twice already and recorded 16 kills vs. Cal (9/5).
• Freshman DS Ryan McAleer is a regular in the back row and has recorded four perfect matches in reception %.
• Eva Hudson is averaging 4.40 kills per set and 5.05 points per set this season.
• Chloe Chicoine owns two double-doubles and led the team

SCOUTING HOUSTON

• The Cougars have a stacked week of opponents, first taking on #6 Texas Wednesday night before traveling to Dallas.
• Graduate Libero Kate Georgiades was awarded Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week after recording 47 digs in the opening-weekend matches. 
• Georgiades also spent her summer playing with the 2024 U.S. Women's Collegiate National Team for the third consecutive year. She was one of three liberos on the roster. 
• The Cougars' new additions include three freshmen as well as six transfers. 

SCOUTING #RV SMU

• After a week of play, the Mustangs are 5-2 with notable sweeps against #2 Nebraska and #18 Baylor earlier this week. 
• The victory over Nebraska was also the first time an un-ranked team has swept the Cornhuskers in a decade. 
• Middle blocker Nnedi Okammar was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week after averaging 1.43 blocks per set during Week One. 
• SMU is coached by Sam Erger, who was recognized as the 2023 ACC Coach of the Year in her second season leading the program. 

SCOUTING #10 KENTUCKY

• The Wildcats started the season ranked #9 in the country but have since moved to #10 after starting the season 5-2, including tough losses to #2 Nebraska and #7 Penn State. 
• Kentucky's offense is led by Sophomore outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye who is averaging over four kills per set. 
• Last season, DeLeye was honored as the SEC Freshman of the Year and was an AVCA All-American Honorable Mention. 
• Senior setter Emma Grome is the one dishing the ball to DeLaye, and is averaging over 10 assists per set. 
• Grome led the NCAA with 12.10 assists per set last season and has been awarded AVCA Second Team All-American for three consecutive years. 
• Head Coach Craig Skinner is in his 20th season with the Wildcats and was the 2020-21 AVCA National Coach of the Year after leading his team to a National Championship victory over Texas. 

THE 2024 TEAM AT A GLANCE

• Purdue returns nearly its entire 2023 starting lineup with the exception of libero Maddie Schermerhorn, who led the Big Ten last season in digs per set.
• Three freshmen (DS Ryen McAlear, S Allie Shondell and DS Sienna Foster) and one senior transfer (OH/RS Raven Gray) join the team.
• The roster is one of the most talented and decorated in program history: returning all three 2023 All-America recognized players: Hudson, Chicoine, Colvin.
• Of Purdue's record-tying six Big Ten postseason honors, five are returning for the coming season.
• Hudson and Chicoine enter 2024 as the top-rated offensive duo in the nation, leading all of Division I (kills and points).
• For the last two consecutive seasons, All-America Honorable Mention and First Team All-Big Ten middle Raven Colvin has posted some of the most blocks in program history, ranking #2 for her 2022 season (151) and T-#3 in 2023 (148 blocks).
• One of the best freshman setters in Purdue history, Taylor Anderson led the entire Big Ten in five separate weeks and was the most productive blocker among all Big Ten setters (.89 blocks per set). Additionally, she guided Purdue to a pair of its best offensive productions in the last five years.

 
TOP OFFENSIVE DUO IN THE NATION: HUDSON & CHICOINE

• The Boilermakers' offensive arsenal includes the top-ranked offensive duo in the nation: Eva Hudson and Chloe Chicoine.
• No other program in the country has two players ranked as high in both kills and points last year.

SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN

• Five of Purdue's next seven matches will be against teams ranked or receiving votes in the latest AVCA poll. Of those five, three or four (depending if Purdue plays #10 Kentucky) will be against top-11 programs.
• The schedule features six non-conference matchups vs. 2023 NCAA Tournament teams.
• A total of 12 matches this fall will come against teams ranked or receiving votes in the 2023 AVCA final poll.
• For five consecutive matches in non-con play, Purdue will face teams ranked in the top-28 of last year's RPI: at No. 17 Utah State (9/7), vs. No. 28 Houston (9/13), at No. 24 SMU or vs. No. 7 Kentucky (9/14), at No. 14 Kansas (9/19) and vs. No. 9 Creighton (9/20).