WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - To kickoff the 2026 season, the Boilermakers will travel to the campus of UNLV from Feb. 6-9 to take on Cal Baptist, UIC, and the host team as a part of the UNLV Leadoff Classic.
The tournament begins the first of five preseason tournaments for Purdue, including trips to Alabama, Georgia, and Nashville, before returning to Indiana to host the Boilermaker Classic.
Purdue will officially begin its 2026 season with a contest on Feb. 6 at 3:00 p.m. est against CBU. The following day, the Boilers will begin with CBU again at 12:30 p.m. ET, followed by UIC at 3:00 p.m. est. On Sunday, Feb. 8, Purdue will close out the tournament with another matchup against UIC at 12:30 p.m. est before taking on the host UNLV Rebels at 3:00 p.m. est.
The Boilers return key experience with eight returning upperclassmen, including All-Big Ten selection, Moriah Polar, and NFCA All-Region honoree, Julia Gossett. The Boilers also added four transfers to the roster, to bolster the already stacked squad.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, Feb. 6 - Purdue vs. Cal Baptist - 3:00 p.m. ET (Youtube.com)
Saturday, Feb. 7 - Purdue vs. Cal Baptist - 12:30 p.m. ET (Youtube.com)
Saturday, Feb. 7 - Purdue vs. UIC - 3:00 p.m. ET (Youtube.com)
Sunday, Feb. 8 - Purdue vs. UIC - 12:30 p.m. ET (Youtube.com)
Sunday, Feb. 8 - Purdue at UNLV - 3:00 p.m. ET (Youtube.com)
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
In 2025, Cal Baptist was 26-32 and 11-13 in conference. The Lancers made it to the West Athletic Conference Tournament, but ultimately fell in double elimination to Tarleton State and Utah Valley. The Lancers picked up in conference series wins over Utah Tech, UT Arlington, and Seattle, but fell to Leadoff Classic Host, UNLV.
UIC struggled in the 2025 season, picking up just nine wins for a .185 win percentage on the season. The Flames defeated South Alabama, UC San Diego, Colorado State, and Northwestern State in the preseason, and then secured five in-conference victories in the Missouri Valley. The Flames fell to Missouri State in the Valley conference tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, to close out the season. UIC looks towards its future in the 2026 season with a new head coach and staff to lead the way.
UNLV went a very even 24-25 in the 2025 season, earning seven victories in conference. In last year’s Rebel Classic, hosted by UNLV, the team went a perfect 4-0 on their home turf. The Rebels won two conference series in the 2025 season defeating both New Mexico and Utah State, taking two of the three games in both series. The Rebels did not qualify for the Mountain West Conference Tournament in 2025, and are looking for revenge in the 2026 season.
SERIES HISTORY
The Boilermakers will take on the Lancers of Cal Baptist for the first time in their histories on Friday, before adding another tally to the new series all-time record on Saturday.
The Boilers and the Flames have faced one another nine times in their histories. The first meeting was back in 1998, while they met most recently in 2024. Purdue narrowly leads the series 5-4, with UIC taking victories in 2005, 2002, and 2000. UIC has not beaten the Boilers in over 20 years. In their first-ever meeting, Purdue defeated the Flames 2-1 in Tampa, Fla., and in their most recent meeting, the Boilers defeated UIC again 2-0 also in Tampa, Fla.
UNLV leads the all-time series 3-2 over the Boilers. The matchup during the opening weekend will only be the second time the two teams play in Vegas, while the Rebels have never made the trip out to West Lafayette. Purdue earned victories in 2003 and in the initial matchup in 1996, defeating UNLV 7-3 in Phoenix, Ariz. Purdue is looking for its first victory over UNLV in 23 years.
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