EXHIBITION MATCHDAY INFORMATION
#15 Purdue vs. Valparaiso
Friday, August 15 | 6 p.m. ET
Holloway Gymnasium | West Lafayette, Ind.
Tickets: $13
THE TEAM AT A GLANCE
- The Boilermakers are a relatively young team with 66.7% of the team are made up of underclassmen (12 of 18).
- There are five incoming freshmen and five transfers on the roster.
- Although the team returns just one starter in setter Taylor Anderson, Kenna Wollard and Ryan McAleer received significant playing time, with McAleer a consistent back row player and Wollard coming off the bench on the right side.
- Class breakdown: six freshmen, six sophomores, four juniors, one senior, one graduate student.
- The team includes players from all parts of the country, including 11 different states, in addition to Washington, D.C. Leading the way is Indiana with four members, followed by California with three.
THE RETURNERS
- Purdue returns eight players for the upcoming season, including sophomore defensive specialist Ryan McAleer, junior setter Taylor Anderson, junior outside hitter Kenna Wollard and junior defensive specialist Julia Kane.
- The trio of McAleer, Anderson and Wollard return with the most playing time on the court at each of the positions.
- Grace Heaney, a redshirt sophomore opposite, is set to make her return to the court after redshirting the 2024 season due to injury.
- All-Big Ten Second Team member Taylor Anderson ranked No. 8 in the nation in assists per set (11.25), including No. 1 in the Big Ten last season, and guided Purdue to its third-highest hitting % in single-season history (.280%).
- Ryan McAleer returns as one of the most consistent ball control players for the Boilermakers a year ago, making just 21 reception errors over 117 sets of play and averaging 2.4 digs per set.
THE MIDDLES
- Purdue returned no middle blockers for the 2025 season, picking up three portal players: Lindsey Miller, Bianka Lulić and Dior Charles, and welcoming one freshman: Morgan Williams.
NON-CON SCHEDULE NOTES
- 50% of the team's non-con come in the state of Indiana.
- Every non-con match will be within a six and a half hour drive of Purdue's campus.
- Purdue plays just two home matches in the month of October.
- The Boilermakers have two true non-con road matches, both taking place in the state of Indiana.
- Five of Purdue's non-con opponents were recognized in the AVCA preseason poll (ranked or receiving votes).
- Purdue will face three top-22 opponents in non-con: #22 Georgia Tech (9/3), #14 Kansas (9/5) and #10 SMU (9/14).
PURDUE'S 16-4 BIG TEN RECORD IN 2024
- Purdue finished fourth in the Big Ten standings, marking the third time in the last four seasons Purdue's finished as high in the toughest conference in America.
- It is the eighth time under HC Dave Shondell the team's finished fourth or better in the Big Ten standings.
- The team entered November with just three Big Ten losses, marking the second straight year and seventh time Purdue has had such few losses under Shondell that far into league play.
- It is the fourth time under HC Shondell Purdue has finished Big Ten play with five losses or less (2023's 15-5 record, 2021's 15-5 record and 2011's 16-4 record).