WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – For the 32nd time in program history, the Purdue women's basketball team is heading to the postseason. The Boilermakers accepted a bid to play in the Women's National Invitational Tournament.
First round details of opponent, date, time and location will be announced Monday.
The Boilermakers are making their fifth entry into the WNIT and second under head coach Katie Gearlds. Purdue reached the second round of the 2022 edition Gearlds' first season back at her alma mater.
Purdue's previous WNIT appearances came in 1988 (as the National Women's Invitational Tournament), 2010 and 2018, in addition to 2022. The 1988 appearance was the first postseason run in program history, falling in the championship game to DePaul. The Boilermakers made it to the third round of the 2018 tournament, before falling to the eventual champion Indiana.
After reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017, the Boilermakers are back in the postseason for the third consecutive year, a first for the program since the 2015-16 to 2017-18 campaigns.
Purdue went 13-18 on the year against the 22nd ranked strength of schedule in the country. The Boilermakers reached the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.
Purdue's youth movement of five freshmen combined to lead all Big Ten rookie classes with 23.5 points per game through conference tournament action. The Boilermakers were one of two teams in the nation to have three different freshmen drop 20 points in a game this season.
Mary Ashley Stevenson became the first Boilermaker in 20 years since Katie Gearlds to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, receiving the laurel from the conference media. She alongside Rashunda Jones earned spots on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
Sophie Swanson set the single-game freshman 3-point record with seven in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament against Nebraska, also tying the league's tournament record for makes by a freshman.
Jeanae Terry earned All-Big Ten laurels for her third straight season, receiving an honorable mention nod by the coaches and media. Terry is third in Purdue career assists with 561 in just three years in West Lafayette. She has 188 dimes this year, 13 away from the single-season record. The Detroit native is two rebounds shy of 1,000 for her career, which would make her the first 1,000-point, 1,000-rebound, 700-assist player in Big Ten men's or women's basketball history.
After becoming the 12th fastest player to reach 1,000 points at Purdue, Abbey Ellis is just 41 points away from hitting the 2,000-point mark in her five-year career.