Purdue Sports Update Oct. 20

Volleyball’s Shondell/Jewell Reach 500 Wins

 Dave Shondell and associate head coach-recruiting coordinator Kathy Jewell reached their 500th win with the program as the No. 12 Boilermakers took down the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on their home court (Sunday, Oct. 20), 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-17). Grace Heaney powered the team to victory behind an errorless 18 kills on 31 swings (.581%) for her second errorless performance of the season.

The win puts Shondell just 12 away from tying legend Gene Keady as Purdue Athletics’ all-time leader in wins (512). Meanwhile, Jewell holds the honor as the all-time winningest assistant coach in Purdue Athletics history. The pair have coached together at Purdue since Shondell’s hiring (23 seasons).

With the win, Purdue improves to 15-3 (6-2 Big Ten), including an undefeated record on the road at 7-0. Meanwhile, Rutgers falls to 10-10 (1-7 Big Ten).

Boiler Notes

• In the first set, four Boilers remained errorless on the attack with Grace Heaney (5-0-10, .500), Akasha Anderson (5-0-9, .556), Taylor Anderson (3-0-3, 1.000) and Dior Charles (2-0-2, 1.000).
• Grace Heaney set a season-high .581 attack % in her second errorless performance of the season. Finishing just shy of her career-high (.600%). The Boilermaker totaled 19.5 points, adding three block assists in the performance.
• Taylor Anderson dished out a double-double 34 assist, 10 digs along with four errorless kills and a block assist. Her back row performance led the team.
• Over the season, Heaney has produced 10 matches with two attack errors or fewer, including four of the last five matches.
• The win was Purdue’s seventh sweep of the season.
• Over the last 19 sets of play, Purdue is 15-4 in sets won.
• Dior Charles totaled six blocks with an errorless three kills on eight swing (.375).
• Akasha Anderson posted just one attack error for a .400 hitting clip and nine kills and a block solo.

In the first-ever volleyball match at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and the first-ever meeting with both Purdue and Indiana ranked in the AVCA poll, the No. 12 Boilermaker volleyball squad came out on top behind a 3-1 (25-19, 17-25, 25-20, 25-21) final score. With the win, Purdue retains the rights to the Monon Spike trophy, a feat the Boilermakers have won for 21 of head coach Dave Shondell‘s 23 seasons with the program.

With the win, Purdue improves to 14-3 (5-2 Big Ten) while Indiana falls to 14-3 (5-2 Big Ten). The match, hosted in Gainbridge Fieldhouse by Indiana, gave Purdue its sixth road win of the year (6-0 away, 4-0 neutral).

The Boilermakers and Hoosiers will meet one more time in the regular-season finale at Mackey Arena on Saturday, November 29 at 7 p.m. ET.

Monon Spike Notes

• Purdue won the Spike for the second consecutive year
• Purdue in Spike matches under HC Dave Shondell: 21-2
• All-time program record in Spike matches: 38-13

Boiler Notes

• Purdue improves to a 5-2 record vs. top-25 opponents
• The Boilermakers are 42-11 in their complete series history against the Hoosiers, including 32-19 all-time away.
• In Set 1, Purdue out-hit Indiana .385% to .214%, including five Purdue blocks, Kenna Wollard hitting .500% (7-1-10).
• 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.
• Purdue set a season-high 11 service aces in the win—two shy of entering the record book for a four-set match. In total, six Boilermakers recorded at least one ace.
• Sienna Foster led the way with a career-high three aces
• Kenna Wollard totaled 18 kills on a .308 hitting clip in addition to two solo blocks and one assisted.
• Taylor Anderson dished out 40 assists and was one dig shy of a double-double as her performance was complimented by two block assists and three kills.
• Overall, Purdue out-blocked Indiana 11-6.

Up next, Purdue will continue its road stretch next Friday with a trip to Illinois, a team receiving votes in the AVCA poll. The matchup will be the second of the season, as the Boilermakers look for revenge after falling in Mackey in four last month. Then, the Boilermakers will host No. 18 Minnesota at home on Sunday. Both matches will be streamed on B1G+.

Soccer drops two, eliminated from qualifying for Big Ten Tournament

 Purdue soccer dropped its home finale Sunday night, falling 3–1 to Northwestern at Folk Field.

The Boilermakers battled back from an early deficit to tie the match in the first half but couldn’t hold off a strong second-half surge from the Wildcats.

With the loss, the Boilers have been officially eliminated from the Big Ten Soccer tournament.

Northwestern struck first in the 13th minute when Caterina Regazzoni finished from close range to make it 1–0. Purdue answered 17 minutes later as Irene Campo scored her team-leading seventh goal of the season, slotting home after a corner kick on the double assist from Zoe Cuneio and Margaux Chauvet.

The match went into halftime level at 1–1, but Northwestern regained control shortly after the break. Kennedy Roesch scored twice in a three-minute span—first in the 48th minute off a setup from Megan Norkett, then again in the 51st minute from Audrey Alberts—to give the Wildcats a decisive 3–1 advantage.

Purdue kept pushing, finishing with 11 shots (five on goal) and holding 51% possession, but couldn’t break through again. Campo led the attack with three shots, while Chiara Singarella tested the keeper twice off the bench.

Emily Edwards finished with five saves in goal, three off of her career high.

UP NEXT

Purdue put together a gritty performance Thursday night but came up short in a 1–0 loss to Penn State at Folk Field.

Despite matching the Nittany Lions in shots on goal (3–3) and holding a slight edge in possession (51%), the Boilermakers couldn’t find the equalizer after conceding late in the first half. Purdue drops to 5-9-3 on the season and 2-6-1 in conference play.

The decisive moment came in the 32nd minute when Penn State’s Amelia White finished a cross from Molly Martin, putting the visitors ahead 1–0.

Offensively, Purdue kept the pressure on. The Boilermakers outshot Penn State 12–9 and earned several quality looks but could not find the finish.

Edwards recorded two saves in another steady performance, anchoring a back line that included Zoe Cuneio, and Lauren Adam.

Purdue will close out its season on the road against Minnesota on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Team Gold Wins Wrestle Offs to Close Preseason

No. 22 Purdue hosted its annual preseason dual scrimmage known as Wrestle Offs in Holloway Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.

Purdue fans showed out 504 strong to get a glimpse of the talented 2025-26 squad, with six nationally-ranked wrestlers competing.

Team Gold, led by head coach Max Lyon (Boilermaker from 2017-22), defeated Team Black 22-15, winning six of the 10 matches including three for bonus.

RESULTS

Jacob Macatangay (Gold) def. Isaiah Quintero (Black) – MD, 9-1
#19 Blake Boarman (Black) def. Isaiah Schaefer (Gold) – D, 7-5
#18 Greyson Clark (Gold) def. Jaden Reynolds (Black) – MD, 17-4
Gavin Brown (Gold) def. Wyatt Krejsa (Black) – D, 10-7
Stoney Buell (Black) def. Isaac Ruble (Gold) – D, 6-3
#3 Joey Blaze (Black) def. Adrian Pellot (Gold) – TF, 19-4 (4:35)
#21 Brody Baumann (Gold) def. Aidan Costello (Black) – D, 17-14
#23 James Rowley (Gold) def. Quinn Herbert (Black) – TF, 18-3 (6:01)
#26 Ben Vanadia (Black) def. Noah Weaver (Gold) – MD, 10-0
Dominic Burgett (Gold) def. Tyson Russell (Black) – D, 2-1

RECAP

Jacob Macatangay led things off with an impressive showing at 125 lbs, beating highly-touted redshirt freshman Isaiah Quintero in a 9-1 major decision.

At 133, fellow Evansville Mater Dei alums No. 19 Blake Boarman and Isaiah Schaefer squared off. Boarman came out on top with a 7-5 decision, but not before Schaefer made it interesting late in the third period with his first takedown in a Purdue singlet.

No. 18 Greyson Clark (141) picked up where he left off last season, racing to a 17-4 major decision over Jaden Reynolds with four takedowns and a two-point near-fall.

Ohio State transfer Gavin Brown won his Boilermaker debut at 149 against redshirt freshman Wyatt Krejsa. Brown edged Krejsa with a 10-7 decision after coming on strong in the third period to finish him off with a takedown and two-point near-fall.

Stoney Buell is back for his redshirt senior season and won another evenly-matched contest with redshirt junior Isaac Ruble at 157. Buell dominated the first two frames, and the two wrestled traded reversals in the third.

No. 3 Joey Blaze (165) made his first appearance since last season’s national title match and made quick work in a 19-4 technical fall (4:35) over freshman Adrian Pellot. Blaze notched six takedowns on the 2025 Indiana state champion, who also has a bright future at Purdue.

In the highest-scoring match of the day, No. 21 Brody Baumann bested scrappy freshman Aidan Costello, 17-14. It looked as if Baumann was going to cruise to victory after three early takedowns, but Costello caught him late in the first for his own takedown and a two-point near-fall.

No. 23 James Rowley had arguably the best showing all day coming off an injury, making his first appearance since the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational last December. Rowley matched Blaze’s high of six takedowns, securing an 18-3 tech fall (6:01) over Quinn Herbert.

No. 26 Ben Vanadia imposed his will on Purdue’s highest-ranked recruit from a year ago. He took a 10-0 major decision over freshman Noah Weaver, who was named the Journal & Courier Athlete of the Year this past summer after back-to-back state titles at local Rossville High School.

Redshirt sophomore heavyweight Dominic Burgett clawed out a 2-1 decision to clinch the victory for Team Gold in the final match. He won with the riding time advantage over freshman Tyson Russell.

UP NEXT

Purdue will open its 106th wrestling season in two weeks, traveling to California for the first time since 2016. The Boilers face Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 31, before heading east to Cal State Bakersfield for a dual at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 2.

Boilers Conclude Regular Season at Pre-National Invitational

Cross Country wrapped up the regular season on Friday morning at the Pre-National Invitational, hosted by Missouri, led by a pair of top 30 finishes from Douglas Buckeridge and Nathan Walker.  

Men’s Notes
• Purdue finished ninth as a team in the field of 32. The Boilermakers were one of eight teams to have their top five finishers all place in the top 90. Purdue finished one spot ahead of Florida and one spot behind No. 22 Arkansas.
• Buckeridge finished atop the Boilers in 26th-place (23:49.9). He improved his placement every 1k split of the race and jumped 13 spots in the final 3k. Buckeridge is Purdue’s top finisher in all three of his appearances this season.
• Walker took 30th (23:53.7) and had a 10-place improvement between the 5k and 6k mark. He is Purdue’s second-highest finisher behind Buckeridge in each of his three meets this season.
• Jason Polydoris was Purdue’s third-highest finisher in 74th (24:24.2), followed by Kiefer Bell one spot behind in 75th (24:24.8). Nerius White rounded out the top five in 90th (24:34.9).

Women’s Notes
• Sofia Munoz led Purdue in the women’s 6k with a personal best 21:30.3 to finish 148th. Her time is a 27-second improvement over her previous best that she set this season at the Spartan Invitational. Munoz has paced Purdue in both of the program’s 6k races this season.
• Julia Economou finished 186th in a personal-best 21:47.3. She improved 46 places in the final 3k of the race and finished strong jumping 27 paces in the final 1k.
• Lauren Pegher rounded out Purdue’s top three in 22:03.2 and Elizabeth Butler finished close behind in 22:07.5.

Next Up
Purdue gears up for postseason competition starting with the Big Ten Championships, hosted by Michigan State, on Friday, Oct. 31.