#9 Purdue to Host #25 Penn State, Iowa

THE NEED TO KNOW

• Purdue is in second place in the Big Ten standings.
• Purdue is 9-1 over the last 10 matches.
• The Boilers' undefeated record in all away matches this far into the season (away and neutral) has only happened one other time, tying 1982's perfect record.
• 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.
• Taylor Anderson is coming off back-to-back Big Ten Setter of the Week awards and Grace Heaney as Player of the Week last week.
• Six of the last eight matches have come against teams ranked or recieving votes in the poll.
• One of the most efficient teams in the nation, the Boilers rank #12 in the nation with a .286 attack %.
• Six of Purdue's eight remaining matches in the regular season will be at home.

DEFYING EXPECTATIONS

• Purdue is the only Big Ten team ranked or receiving votes in the poll (joined by 7 other teams) that did not have a preseason All-Big Ten selection.
• Picked to finish #7 in the league in the preseason poll, Purdue sits in second place in the Big Ten, #9 in the AVCA poll and #6 in the RPI, putting the team in one of the best positions ever for NCAA seeding.
• The team's 10-2 Big Ten record is the best start under Dave Shondell and the best in the program's history since
• 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.
• After returning just one starter, Purdue's offense is currently the second-most efficient team in its 50+ year history, averaging a .286 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).
  

A RECORD FOR THE RECORD BOOK

• The Boilers have started the season 19-3 for just the second time in 39 years.
• Purdue's 10-2 Big Ten record is the best start to conference action during the Shondell Era.
• There have been just two seasons in Purdue history with a better start.

AVCA NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR SEMIFINALST

• Kenna Wollard was announced as one of 14 semifinalists for National Player of the Year this week.
• Wollard, who generated eight percent of Purdue’s total points last year, ranks in the top-15 in the nation in both kills (394) and kills per set (4.58), which is on track to rank No. 7 in Purdue single-season history.
• Following a stellar start to the season, Wollard came onto the scene as an addition to the Watch List with teammate Taylor Anderson when the avca announced 30 additions at the beginning of October.
• Un-touted in preseason awards, the Dunlap, Illinois native made a statement immediately, leading Purdue and the Big Ten in kills to start the year. The Boilermaker, who played the last two seasons on the right side, returned to her natural playing position as an outside hitter for the 2025 season.
• Wollard, who generated eight percent of Purdue’s total points last year, ranks in the top-15 in the nation in both kills (394) and kills per set (4.58), which is on track to rank No. 7 in Purdue single-season history.
  season history.
• This season, Wollard has posted seven 20+ kill matches, including 33 at No. 24 UCLA while hitting .369% in the reverse sweep victory and 26 kills at Michigan State.

REVERSE SWEEPS HISTORY

• The team set a new program record with three reverse sweeps this season, and is also the only time there's been two reverse sweeps over ranked opponents in the same year: at #24 UCLA, vs. #20 Minnesota and at Michigan State.