#11 Purdue Enters Final Week of Regular Season

THE NEED TO KNOW

• Purdue is in third place in the Big Ten standings entering the last two matches of the regular season.
• The Boilers are coming off a 3-1 win vs. Northwestern where 5 Boilers reached double-digit kills, the first time reaching the feat in 12 years.
• Purdue is 10-2 over the last 12 matches.
• Purdue is coming off its most balanced offensive match of the season vs. Northwestern, where five Boilers reached double-digit kills (a rareity in the sport that hasn't been accomplished at Purdue in 12 years).
• The Boilers have pulled off three reverse sweeps (two against ranked opponents and two on the road), setting a program records for most in a season and most against ranked opponents.
• One of the most efficient teams in the nation, the Boilers rank #13 in the nation with a .289 attack %.
• Purdue's end to the regular-season will be against tough competition with three of the last four matches coming against top-20 programs, including two on the road.

DEFYING EXPECTATIONS

• Of the 33 teams recognized in the AVCA poll (ranked or receiving votes), Purdue is joined by Indiana as the only teams to not have a single player recognized in its preseason all-conference teams.
• Picked to finish #7 in the league in the preseason poll, Purdue sits in third place in the Big Ten, #11 in the AVCA poll and #11 in the RPI.
• The team started Big Ten play with a 12-2 Big Ten record-- the best start under Dave Shondell and the overall best since the '80s.
• After returning just one starter, Purdue's offense is currently the second-most efficient team in its 50+ year history, averaging a .289 attack % (other: 2017 w/ .301).
• The Boilermakers returned just 7.5% of its offense from a year ago (Wollard: 150 kills and Taylor Anderson: 74 kills).
• The squad had its best non-con season since 2022 with a 9-1 record.

MEETING ONCE AGAIN: MINNESOTA

• Purdue and Minnesota have the toughest end of the regular-season in the Big Ten, with both teams set to fact top-20 teams (Minnesota has on-deck #11 Purdue, #10 Wisconsin).
• Although the series history includes a 37-57 record for the Boilermakers, over the last four seasons (fall 2021-24 they own the 6-1 advantage.
• The team has met seven times over the last four seasons, with Purdue holding the 19-9 advantage in sets won.
• Recent home wins against Minnesota include: 2023 (3-0), 2022 (3-0), 2017 (3-1 as Minnesota was ranked #5 in the nation), 2015 (3-2).
• Purdue has won the last three of four matches in Minneapolis, a run that includes Shondell's first-ever win at the Pav (2021).
• The last time Purdue played at the Pav (last season), the Boilers won in five sets, which included 17 aces (5 coming in Set 5 -- three coming in a row by Julia Kane to turn the tide).

LAST TIME OUT VS. MINNESOTA

• On October 26, the teams met in West Lafayette with then-#11 Purdue reverse swept then-#20 Minnesota (19-25, 17-25, 27-25, 25-21, 18-16).
• The Boilers fougth back to win the match after trailing 2-8 in Set 5, posting the largest known fifth-set comeback in the program's history.
  Akasha Anderson posted a tide-changing six kills in the final set with no errors for a .545 hitting %, including the match-winning kill and a run to take the Boilers from 8-10 to 12-12 in Set 5.
• Taylor Anderson had herself a match, nearly posting a double-double with 59 assists, eight digs, three blocks and five kills. Meanwhile, she set the team to a .438 clip in Set 1 and a .306 clip in Set 3. Her 59 assists marked a career-high in Big Ten action and was one shy of her overall career-high (last: 60 vs. Bowling Green, 9/4).
• Wollard, Heaney and Akasha Anderson combined for 63 kills.

MEETING ONCE AGAIN: INDIANA

• Although the rivlas have met in the last week of the regular season before (last: 2018), the showdown is slated to be the first time the two will compete in the regular-season finale under Dave Shondell, with the last time 43 years ago (1981).
• It will be the second straight year the teams will play in Mackey.
• The Boilers are 21-1 at home vs. the Hoosiers with Shondell at the helm (lone loss came in 2009 in 5 sets), including 66-14 in sets won.

LAST TIME OUT VS. INDIANA

• The teams met for the first time ever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where Purdue won 3-1. It was also the first time the teams were both ranked when playing each other.
  The Boilers retained the rights to the Monon Spike trophy as Shondell has a 21-2 record all-time in Spike matches.
• Dior Charles led the way in efficiency, totaling eight kills with just one error on 13 attacks for a .538 attack %. The performance included a perfect 5-for-5 in Set 3 to power Purdue to the set win.

SCHEDULE UPDATE: The regular-season finale on Saturday, November 29 vs. No. 17 Indiana at Mackey Arena will now start at 3 p.m. ET on B1G+.