Volleyball competes Saturday; Purdue Sports Update

Volleyball to face Vandy Saturday in Indy Spring Match

Purdue volleyball will face off against Vanderbilt in a first-of-its-kind spring match at the Fishers Event Center, home of the Indy Ignite pro team, on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. The clash will precede the pro match between the Indy Ignite and Grand Rapids Rise scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, which features four Boilermakers: Raven Colvin (Grand Rapids Rise), Jena Otec (Grand Rapids), Grace Cleveland (Indy Ignite) and Blake Mohler (Indy Ignite).

Fans looking to attend the collegiate showdown at Fishers Event Center will need to purchase a ticket to the Ignite vs. Rise match to gain admittance.

“Our match with Vanderbilt, a new NCAA program in 2025, will be extremely unique – being the first college competition in the beautiful venue northeast of Indy,” said head coach Dave Shondell.

Purdue is 3-0 to start the spring season, defeating Butler 4-0, Miami (Ohio) 3-0 and Loyola Chicago 3-1.

The match against the Commodores is the penultimate of the spring season for the Boilermakers. The slate will finish with a matchup at Ball State on Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET, where admission will be free.

The spring schedule will serve as the fan’s first look into a Boilermaker squad that features eight returners and seven newcomers, including two freshmen and five transfers. The squad returns 2024 Second Team All-Big Ten honoree Taylor Anderson, who not only ranked No. 8 in the nation in assists per set (11.25), but guided Purdue to its third-highest hitting % in single-season history (.280%). In addition to returning rising stars which include Kenna Wollard, Ryan McAleer and Grace Heaney, Shondell’s incoming freshmen and transfer class set Purdue up to tie the tallest team in over 22 years, with an average front court height of 6’2″.

Spring Football Showcase Details

 Purdue Football will take Rohrman Field at Ross-Ade Stadium for the first time under head coach Barry Odom when the Boilermakers hold a spring showcase on Saturday (April 12), starting at 12 p.m. ET.

The event is open to the public, and admission is free. Fans can enter through Gates A, D, G and L beginning at 11 a.m. ET. Parking is available in lots A, C, Upper H (ADA), R as well as the Northwest Garage on a first-come, first-served basis.

At Gate G, fans can pick up a t-shirt (while supplies last) courtesy of the Big Ten Network. Sizes are limited. Fans can also check out some fun photo opportunities and games on the concourse located near Gate G, grab ticket information, sign up kids for the Boilermaker Kids Club and more.

The showcase will mark the end of spring practices for the Boilermakers.

Wrestling adds transfer from Ohio State

 Head coach Tony Ersland announced the signing of Gavin Brown on Tuesday, bringing the total number of 2025 Purdue Wrestling newcomers to eight.

Brown, a transfer from Ohio State, holds a 16-12 collegiate record through three seasons with the Buckeyes. Projected to compete at 149 pounds for the Boilermakers, he has two more years of eligibility after redshirting his freshman season in 2022-23.

Brown was a key member of Ohio State’s top-ranked 2022 recruiting class when he was considered a top-20 recruit in the nation.

Men’s Golf Finishes Fourth At Naples Tournament

team fell one spot, but still finished in the top half of elite Calusa Cup, placing fourth out of nine teams.

The Boilermakers totaled a 54-hole tally of 4-over par 868 (297-285-286) to finish 21 shots behind No. 12 Florida and 20 shots behind top-40 squad Louisville. No. 10 UCLA was third at 1-under par 863, five shots ahead of the Boilermakers.

The Boilermakers knocked off No. 4 LSU by 14 shots and No. 8 Virginia by 27 shots.

In its three tournaments thus far this spring, Purdue is 32-3-1 in head-to-head competition with an 11-1-0 record against teams ranked in the nation’s top 10.

After a tough first round, Kent Hsiao played fantastic golf over the last two days to finish tied for seventh at 2-under par 214 (77-69-68). His final two-round score of 7-under par 137 was the lowest score in the field over the final two days.

Baseball Swept At Washington and drops extra inning battle to ISU

The Boilermakersl gave up five unearned runs over the final three frames, falling to Indiana State 9-8 in 10 innings Tuesday in the Boilermakers’ fourth one-run defeat over the last seven games.

Purdue (20-12) dropped its eighth consecutive game overall – the program’s longest skid since March 2021 – and is now 0-5 in one-run games this season. The Boilermakers also lost four one-run games during a six-game stretch in March of last season before they rebounded and went 15-3 overall from March 31 to May 3.

Avery Moore’s pinch-hit sacrifice fly drove in the game-tying run in the bottom of the eighth after the Sycamores (16-16) had scored four times in the top of the frame.

CJ Richmond hit a two-run homer in his Alexander Field debut, giving Purdue a 5-3 lead in the fourth inning.

A two-out error at shortstop in the top of the eighth kept the inning alive, loading the bases for the top of the ISU lineup. Carter Beck and Nomar Garcia capitalized on the extra out, connecting for consecutive two-run doubles down the left field line – with a pitching change sandwiched in between.

Indiana State had runners on first and second with one out in the 10th inning when Garcia hit a chopper to third base. Brandon Anderson’s throw eluded second baseman Ty Gill, allowing pinch runner Jordan Austin to score as the ball rolled into right center field.

On a day in which they used nine pitchers, the Sycamores went to weekend starter Ty Brooks with the game tied 8-8 and Brooks retired all six batters he faced across the ninth and 10th innings to close out the victory for the visitors.

The Boilermakers scored seven times over the first five innings but left 14 runners on base – all over the first eight innings – to match a season high. They left the bases loaded in the second, fourth and seventh innings. Purdue was 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position and is batting just .205 with RISP while going 2-10 over its last 12 games.

Albert Choi and Anderson both reached base safely four times. Richmond finished the day with four RBI after registering an RBI ground out and bases-loaded walk in his first two plate appearances.

With Camden Gasser aboard following a leadoff walk in the fifth inning, Choi hit a ground ball through the vacated right side on a hit and run. Choi turned it into a hustle double and followed Gasser home on Anderson’s subsequent single up the middle. That sequence gave Purdue a 7-3 lead.

The Sycamores scored their first three runs on homers as Garcia and Carlos Pena both went deep over the first three innings. Hits from Jeremy Martinez led to runs in the sixth and eighth innings, igniting the comeback. The Boilers lost when leading after seven innings for the first time this season.

Purdue drew 14 free passes (9 walks, 5 HBP) but only three of those runners came around to score. The Boilermakers drew four consecutive walks in the second inning, a frame in which a one-out single by Gill was the lone ball put in play in fair territory.

Gavin Beuter’s three innings of one-run ball made him the most effective of the six Purdue pitchers that took the mound. Isaac Milburn surrendered just one hit over two innings of relief, headlined by a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the ninth after the Boilers had tied the game.

Purdue is back in action this weekend when it hosts Rutgers for a three-game series. First pitch Friday is slated for 6 p.m. ET.

Things didn’t go well for the Boielrmakers in Seattle last weekend. Baseball was held without a hit until a leadoff double in the sixth inning as Washington’s ace led the way with a two-hit performance to help his team take Friday’s series opener 8-1.

Max Banks followed up his six innings of one-hit ball last Friday at Rutgers by pitching into the seventh inning against the Boilermakers. Camden Gasser’s leadoff double in the sixth inning broke up the no-hit bid and led to the visitors’ only run.

The Boilermakers have been limited to a single tally (or fewer) in consecutive games for the first time since May 2021.

It was a 1-0 game until the bottom of the fifth. The Huskies (14-17, 6-4 Big Ten) scored seven times over their final four frames at the plate, plating multiple runs in three different innings.

On Saturday, (April 5) Michael Vallone racked up 10 strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings of hitless relief while retiring the final 13 batters he faced, but Purdue’s late rally came up 90 feet short in the top of the ninth as Washington held on to take game 2 of the series 5-4 Saturday.

Purdue lost its sixth consecutive game and seventh of its last eight in Big Ten play. The Huskies (15-17, 7-4 Big Ten) clinched their third series win over their first four weekends of Big Ten play in their debut season in the conference.

Cole Van Assen kept Washington off the scoreboard until the sixth inning to help Purdue take its first lead in more than a week, but the Huskies won the game 5-3 on a walk-off, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth Sunday.

On Sunday, Purdue dropped to 3-9 in conference play thanks to a walk-off homer. the Boilermakers’ dropped seventh straight game overall and have been swept in consecutive weekend series for the first time since May 2019. However, after losing on the walk-off homer in game 2 at Ohio State last season, Purdue reeled off an 11-game win streak in Big Ten play.

Softball Takes Series Over Gophers

Coming off a victory at No. 20 Nebraska, Purdue continued its momentum, picking up a 2-1 win vs. Minnesota in the series opener on Friday. Pitcher Julia Gossett tossed out a career-high 12 strikeouts in the game, including a trio of K’s in the seventh inning to close it out. 

With the win, Purdue reaches its 900th program win and improves to 19-16 (4-7 Big Ten) record  this season while Minnesota falls to 13-22 (2-9 Big Ten).

Gossett’s complete-game effort in the circle led to strikeouts in nearly every frame, including a strikeout-swinging to close five of the seven innings and sending all three batters back to the dugout in the seventh. The win marked Gossett’s fifth of the year (5-6).

The Boilermakers scored in the first and second innings, with the game-winner coming off the bat of right fielder Khloe Banks, who singled to left field which allowed second baseman Alivia Meeks to score from second.

Purdue (20-16, 4-7 Big Ten) shut out Minnesota (13-23, 2-10 Big Ten) in the Saturday edition of the weekend series, taking a 4-0 win.

The Boilermakers were deliberate at the plate with six hits and only one strikeout. Pitcher Madi Elish struck out two batters and allowed only two hits and no runs. Purdue also executed two double plays in the dirt.

Coming off a three-game winning streak, Purdue (20-17, 5-8 Big Ten) fell short on the final day of the series against Minnesota (14-23, 3-10 Big Ten).

The Boilermakers put up a strong fight, out-hitting Minnesota 14-10 at the plate, marking the fifth game Purdue has had 14 or more hits this season (first since 3/1 vs. Purdue Fort Wayne).

In the game, freshman Maura Condon led the offensive effort, producing the second double of her career in the first inning on a three RBI dinger on her way to finishing the day with a career-high-tying four RBI.

Three pitchers saw time in the circle, with starter Madi Elish tossing the first three innings, allowing two runs on three hits and one strikeout. The loss was credited to Julia Gossett (5-7) after closing the last 3.1 innings of play.

The Boilermakers play Eastern Illinois at Bittinger Stadium on Wednesday (April 9) at 5 p.m. ET.

Women’s Basketball Adds Transfer Taylor Feldman

Women’s basketball head coach Katie Gearlds welcomed the first new signing ahead of the 2025-26 season with the addition of guard Taylor Feldman.

Feldman spent the last three years at Northern Arizona, where she was a unanimous First Team All-Big Sky selection last year.

“We’re pumped to welcome Taylor to the Boilermaker family,” Gearlds said. “She is a versatile guard who can impact the game with her scoring, passing and defensive skill sets. We knew from our first conversation with her that she should be a Boilermaker.”

A native of Tustin, Calif., Feldman appeared in 101 games with 43 starts for the Lumberjacks. She averaged 8.8 points per game during her time in Flagstaff, Ariz., going 88-of-266 from behind the arc (33.1%) and shooting 38% from the floor and 80% at the line.

Feldman garnered the all-conference nod in 2024-25 following a career year with 16.4 points, 3.9 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 31.9 minutes per game. Feldman posted 29 games in double figures, highlighted by a 31-point outing at South Dakota in December. Feldman dropped 22 points on the road against Arizona in the first round of the WBIT.

Feldman was one of 13 players nationally last year to shoot better than 40% from the field, 35% from behind the arc and 85% at the line, while scoring 550 points – Feldman: 556 points, 40.8% FG, 36% 3PT, 85.3% FT.

Feldman finished second in the Big Sky in points per game, fifth in free throw percentage, fifth in 3-point field goals per game (1.7), third in assists per game and third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6).

She tallied 6.7 points per game as a sophomore with 10 starts, reaching double figures in nine outings. Her freshman season saw her average 10.4 minutes per game and tally 10 or more points three times.

Feldman was a four-year letterwinner at Crean Lutheran, where she set the school record for points with 2,401, assists with 436 and steals with 456. She also ranks second in school history with 615 rebounds. Her record haul for Saints also includes the single-game and single-season scoring records. Feldman was a four-time First Team All-League selection and the league MVP as a senior. She was tabbed First Team All-State once and Second Team All-State twice.

Britannia Johnson Wins Discus Collegiate to Close Pepsi Florida Relays

Britannia Johnson earned Purdue’s first outdoor victory of the 2025 season in the discus collegiate to close out the Pepsi Florida Relays.

Men’s Notes
• Collin Kao took third in the pole vault collegiate with an outdoor personal best clearance of 5.15m (16-10.75). It was the fifth top five meet finish of his Purdue outdoor career.
• Jahn Riley turned in a personal best 46.79 in the 400m to miss Purdue’s top 10 list by just 0.02 seconds. His previous personal best was 47.16 set in 2023.
• Kaden Stewart opened his outdoor season with a sixth-place finish in the high jump collegiate (2.04m / 6-08.25). Bode Gilkerson jumped 2.06m (6-09.00) to finish ninth in the high jump invite.

Women’s Notes
• Britannia Johnson won the discus throw collegiate with a personal-best 54.31m (178-02). She had the winning throw on her final attempt. The throw moved Johnson from ninth in program history to third.
• Zoe Sullivan qualified for the 100m hurdles final with a personal best 13.31 that moved her up to fourth on Purdue’s top 10 list.
• Blessing Ogundiran moved into Purdue’s 100m rankings tied for ninth with an 11.59. The time comes two weeks after she opened her outdoor career with a wind-aided 11.39.  
• Britannie Johnson finish fourth in the shot put collegiate (15.37m / 50-05.25) and fifth in the discus throw collegiate (50.93m / 167-01). Her shot put was a personal best.

Next Up
Purdue is set for the women’s heptathlon and men’s decathlon’s first competitions of the season April 10-11 at the Bryan Clay Multis in Azusa, Calif.

Michigan Schools Down Women’s Tennis

The Purdue Boilermakers went the distance vs. Michigan State, falling 3-4 on Purdue’s Wimbledon Day.

With the result, the Spartans snapped the Boilermakers’ perfect home record as Purdue moves to 9-1 in home matches, 10-5 overall record and 4-4 in the Big Ten.

Despite the loss, the Boilermakers saw one of the largest crowds in recent history for the Wimbledon-themed match.

The No. 53 women’s team feel in sweeping fashion to the Big Ten leader and No. 3-ranked Michigan Wolverines, 0-4, inside Schwartz Tennis Center.

The result marked just the second loss of the season at home for the Boilermakers as the squad moves to10-6 (4-5 Big Ten). Meanwhile Michigan improves to 17-3 (10-0 Big Ten).

In doubles, the pair of Fatima Gutierrez and Ashlie Wilson took on the No. 67-ranked duo of Julia Fliegner and Reese Miller, fighting hard as the score was tied 5-5 before going unfinished.

The Boilermakers faced four top-71 ranked singles players, including Carmen Gallardo Guevara facing the No.4-ranked Fliegner at the No. 1 singles position and Ida Clement facing the No. 29 ranked Piper Charney. Both fought hard, with Gallardo Guevara leading 4-2 in the second set before the match went unfinished. Freshman Ece Gencer led the Boilermakers with a Set 1 win at the No. 4 spot, which ultimately went unfinished as well.

Two weeks remain in Purdue’s regular season. The Boilermakers will hit the road next week to take on No.19 Wisconsin on Friday at 5 p.m. ET and Minnesota on Sunday at Noon.