Purdue Sports Update Dec. 16

VB season comes to a close in Sweek 16 in Louisville

The No. 4 seeded Purdue Boilermakers fell to host No. 1 seeded Louisville in the NCAA Regional Semifinals, 17-25, 18-25, 18-25, ending one of the program’s finest seasons in its history. Purdue finished the season with a 27-7 (16-4 Big Ten) record, the second 27-win season in Shondell’s 22-year reign.

As a team, 10 program records and one Big Ten record were either broken or matched since the start of Big Ten play, including Colvin’s career block assists record, Shondell becoming the all-time winningest head coach and setting a Big Ten regular-season attendance record. Additionally, the team’s .280 season hitting % finished as the third-highest mark in program history.

Senior Raven Colvin reached her 1,000th career kill with her first kill of the match and ended the night with a team-leading 13 kills. The Grand Rapids Rise pro team-destined athlete finished her career hitting .550% (13-2-20) alongside two blocks. Colvin will close her career as one of the best blockers Purdue has ever seen. In addition to holding the Purdue record for block assists (559), she ranks second in Purdue’s annals in total blocks (642) and blocks per game (1.39). Additionally on the single-season side, both Colvin’s 1.56 blocks per set and 155 block assists each rank as second-most in a single-season while her .356 season hitting % ties as the 10th-best mark.

Purdue’s middle blocker performance tonight was rounded out by Lourdes Myers’ team-leading .625% with an errorless five kills on eight attacks and a team-leading four blocks.

The Boilermakers out-blocked the blocks per set national leaders, 7-5, but were unable to contain its efficient offense as Louisville averaged a season-high .467 attack %. Meanwhile, Purdue hit .273 in the match, double Louisville’s opponent hitting %.

Boilermakers Drop Saturday Matchup to #16 Kentucky

The women’s basketball team fell 82-52 to No. 16 Kentucky on Saturday afternoon in Mackey Arena.

Lana McCarthy led Purdue (5-5) in scoring with 12 points and on the boards with seven rebounds. The Boilermakers finished the night shooting 35.4% from the field with a trio of 3-pointers, including a pair from McKenna Layden.

Kentucky (9-1) countered with a 48% shooting clip and went 10-of-33 from behind the arc. Amelia Hassett led the way for the Wildcats with Georgia Amoore added 21 points.

KEY MOMENTS
• Both clubs struggled shooting early, going a combined 3-of-19 to start the game.
• McCarthy and Amiyah Reynolds gave Purdue an early 4-0 lead, before Rashunda Jones came off the bench to score four points in the first quarter. Purdue led 12-8 after 10 minutes.
• Defensively, the Boilermakers held the Wildcats to 38% shooting and just 3-of-18 from behind the arc over the opening 20 minutes.
• On the offensive end, Purdue tallied 16 of its 23 first half points in the paint, while shooting 40%.
• Kentucky used a 14-2 run in the second erase a six-point Purdue advantage and carry a 32-23 lead into the break.
• Again, McCarthy and Reynolds opened the second half with six combined points to chip the gap down to six points early in the third.
• The Wildcats took control on a 13-point run to close the third.
• All three of Purdue’s 3-pointers came in the fourth quarter with one from Sophie Swanson and the from Layden. Swanson scored all seven of her points in the fourth.
• Kentucky pulled away in the second half going 17-of-29 from the field and 7-of-15 from behind the arc.

NOTES
• Purdue leads the all-time series 2-1.
• The Boilermakers grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and tallied 12 second chance points.
• Purdue outscored Kentucky in the paint 32-24.
• Rashunda Jones dished out a career-high five assists, her third career game with five helpers.
• Layden’s two 3-pointers matched her career high set against Southern Indiana last season.
• Destini Lombard matched her season high with four steals. Purdue recorded seven steals on 11 Kentucky turnovers.
• Purdue committed a season-low 11 turnovers.

UP NEXT
After eight games at home and two neutral site contests, the Boilermakers will play their first true road game of the season on Tuesday night at Miami (Ohio). Tipoff is at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

Miller Shines in 300m, Purdue Captures 8 Wins at Blue Demon Holiday Invitational

Indoor Track & Field took eight victories in its first team meet of the season on Friday at the Blue Demon Holiday Invitational.

Cameron Miller headlined the program with a 32.43 in the 300m that was the sixth-fastest time in NCAA history. Zoe Sullivan headlined the women’s side with victories in 200m and the 60m hurdles.

Purdue set six Blue Demon Holiday Invitational records in the men’s 60m and 300m and the women’s 60m, 200m, 60m hurdles and long jump. Purdue also earned six runner-up finishes and seven third-place finishes.

Men’s Notes
• Miller is now the fifth-fastest 300m runner in NCAA history. The top two times were both set by Jacory Patterson at Florida and Virginia Tech. Miller shattered his previous best of 32.94 that he set in 2022 at Louisville.
• Bode Gilkerson took first in the high jump with a 2.09m (6-10.25) that is tied for the NCAA Division I No. 12 mark so far this season. It was the second time he jumped at least 2.09m indoors.
• Jasiah Rogers finished first in the 60m with a 6.70 after he was second in the prelims at 6.71. It broke the previous meet record of 6.75.
• Collin Kao was runner-up in the pole vault at 5.00m (16-04.75) that was tied for the sixth-best jump of his career.
• Nolan Macklin finished third with a 6.72 in the 60m that fell 0.01 seconds short of entering Purdue’s top 10 in the event.
• In his debut, freshman Zach Mylenek had a runner-up finish to Miller in the 300m with a 33.74.

Women’s Notes
• Sullivan’s 8.12 in the 60m hurdles is currently the No. 1 mark in Division I and one of two sub-8.20 times. She improved her program second-ranked time that was previously 8.24. Sullivan also ran a then-personal-best 8.18 in the prelims. She later won the 200m in 24.13 to set a personal best and Division I No. 8 time.
• Nia Wilson broke the meet record in the 60m with a 7.35 that currently ranks eighth in Division I. It also moved her up to a third-place tie in program history after she entered the season fourth at 7.39. Wilson was also the 200m runner-up at 24.46.
• In her collegiate debut, Jila Vaden broke the meet record with a 5.85m (19-02.50) in the long jump. She also finished third in the 60m in 7.51.
• Jalen Elrod took a runner-up finished in the 600m with a personal-best 1:32.78. She also finished third in the 60m hurdles in 8.38 that ranks eighth in program history. 
• Freshman Gia Clay won the 300m in her collegiate debut in 39.36.
• Sisters Britannie Johnson and Britannia Johnson finished second and third, respectively, in the weight thro.. Britannie Johnson threw 18.37m (60-03.25), while Britannia Johnson threw 17.73m (58-02.00).

Next Up
Friday marked the final race of the 2024 portion of the schedule. After nearly a month off, Purdue returns to action Jan. 10-11 at the Rod McCravy Memorial Invite hosted by Kentucky.

Wright Wins Big on 10-Meter, McAfee Takes Bronze

Purdue’s Daryn Wright was victorious by 80 points over two stellar lists of competition on 10-meter, winning her second career gold medal while also medaling for the fourth consecutive year in the event at the USA Diving Winter National Championships.

Wright won with a two-dive list total of 655.65. Sophie McAfee claimed bronze (571.50) to give the Boilermakers two of the three women on the podium in the event.

As a high school senior in December 2021, Wright was also victorious on the tower the last time Winter Nationals were held at Indiana University’s Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center. She won bronze at the December showcase each of the last two years. A runner-up finish on 10-meter at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in June made Wright an Olympian.

Beginning with round 3 of the prelim, Wright accounted for the top-scoring dive in the entire competition for five straight rounds and six of seven across the prelim and final. She won the prelim by 38 points over McAfee and then more than doubled her lead by improving on her prelim list total (322.10) by 11 points in the final (333.55). The scoring is cumulative, carrying over from the prelims to finals, at Winter Nationals.

Anna Lemkin (575.10) and McAfee (571.50) finished within 3.6 points of each other over the two lists to make the chase for silver the only thing in doubt going into the final rounds as Wright cruised to her 80-point victory.

In the men’s springboard events, Zach Welsh placed ninth on 1-meter and 3-meter as a finalist in both events. He improved on his list score from the prelims to the finals in both events. Five Boilermakers are scheduled to compete Sunday at Winter Nationals, headlined by Jordan Rzepka in the men’s 10-meter. He won gold in the event at the 2022 Winter Nationals. McAfee is also among the entries in women’s 3-meter.

Wright’s victory represents the first USA Diving national title won by a Boilermaker since David Bouda became the head coach of the Purdue Divers in the summer of 2024. Wright should be USA Diving’s top candidate to compete on 10-meter at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup, set for April and May in Canada and China.

Wright began to distance herself from the field with her top-scoring dive of the day, earning a score of 82.5 on a back 3 ½ (207C) in round 4 of the prelim. She did not execute the same dive quite as well in the final (77.55). However, a better showing on her first two dives of the list (102 prelim vs. 140.8 final) led to her extending her lead early with the best scores among the field.

For the day, Wright earned scores of 67-plus on six of her 10 dives. Three years ago, she rode a list score of 330.25 in the final to victory after finishing sixth in the prelim.

McAfee’s forward 3 ½ (107B) earned a score of 66 in round 1 of the final as her top-scoring dive of the day. She won her first career medal in an individual event at Winter Nationals. She finished fourth on 10-meter in 2017 as a 14-year-old and was third on the tower at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

Samuels B1G Swimmer of the Week for 3rd Time as a Boilermaker

Threes were wild for Purdue’s Brady Samuels at the Toyota U.S. Open as the senior’s three individual event victories, three relay wins and three top-10 times in the Big Ten all added up to his third career Big Ten Swimmer of the Week honor.

Samuels joins Hannah Hill (Swimmer of the Week, Oct. 16), Jordan Rzepka (Diver of the Week, Oct. 16 and Nov. 27) and Daryn Wright (Diver of the Week, Nov. 27) as Boilermakers at the Burke Aquatic Center to earn a Big Ten weekly honor this season.

Among the Purdue men’s program, Samuels is the fourth Boilermaker to be a three-time Big Ten Swimmer of the Week/Month honoree in his career. He has joined Vilmos Kovacs (4x, 1996-99), Aaron Koger (2008-10) and Marat Amaltdinov (4x, 2016-17) in that elite group. Amaltdinov was the last Boilermaker to win Big Ten Swimmer of the Week in consecutive seasons, which Samuels has now accomplished as well.

Samuels and Hill were each honored by the Big Ten in January 2022, marking the last time the Boilermakers had a swimmer of both genders recognized by the conference office in the same season.

BRADY AT USA SWIMMING’S TOYOTA U.S. OPEN
• Victorious in the 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Fly
• Helped Purdue win 3 relays – 200 Medley, 200 Free, 800 Free
• Won the 100 Fly with a Purdue Record time of 45.27, eclipsing his own benchmark
• NCAA B Cuts in the 50 Free (19.33), 100 Free (42.27), 100 Fly (45.27) & 200 Free (1:34.06)
• His times in the 50 Free & 200 Free were also Career Bests, both ranking No. 2 in team history
• His times in the 100 Fly (3rd), 100 Free (4th), 50 Free (6th), and 200 Free (11th) all rank among the top 11 in the Big Ten this season
• Joined Danny Tucker (100m Free in 2013) as Boilermakers to win events at a U.S. Open
• One of three men’s swimmers to win three individual events at the 2024 U.S. Open

Boilermakers Return to Dual Action at Cleveland State

Wrestling returns to dual competition with a mid-week road trip to Cleveland State, taking on the Vikings in their home Woodling Gymnasium at 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

The matches will be available to stream live on a channel to be announced in the coming days.

Fresh off a successful annual trip to the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, the Boilermakers placed 10th out of 30 as a team and saw redshirt senior Matt Ramos become the fifth CKLV champion in school history.

Wednesday night’s showdown in the Rock and Roll Capital marks Purdue’s first dual since its doubleheader sweep over Princeton and Chattanooga on Nov. 23. Head coach Tony Ersland‘s squad is 4-1, its best start to a season since 2021-22.

The Boilermakers have faced Cleveland State 12 times before in the non-conference, but just twice since 2007. Purdue holds a 9-2-1 record in the series dating back to the first meeting in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb. 6, 1971.

Led by head coach Josh Moore, the Vikings are 0-1 on the season after dropping their Nov. 15 dual to Columbia, 27-15. Cleveland State went 8-8 in 2023-24, including a 6-3 conference record competing in the MAC.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

1 –Matt Ramos rose to the top spot in the rankings after his CKLV title, becoming the consensus No. 1 125-pounder in the nation. In the midst of one of the hottest starts in school history, Purdue’s lone senior is 14-0 with two tournament crowns.

5 –Stoney Buell has five major decisions this season, tied for third-most of any wrestler in the country. His most recent came in Las Vegas, when he beat Navy’s Tyler Sagi 14-3 in the consolation round of 16.

9 – Ramos leads the nation with nine technical falls in just 14 matches this season. The senior from Lockport, Ill., has a career win percentage of .810, third highest in program history.

6 & 5 – In 2003, Purdue senior Ryan Lange won the Cliff Keen title and sophomore Ben Wissel took 6th place, beating the No. 5-ranked wrestler. In 2024, redshirt senior Ramos won the CKLV title. Sophomore Joey Blaze took 6th place and beat No. 5 Peyten Kellar on his way to the podium.

Wissel went on to win a Cliff Keen title two years later.

SIX RANKED BOILERMAKERS

After numerous strong performances in Las Vegas, four Purdue wrestlers moved up in the weekly InterMat individual rankings.

In addition to Ramos regaining the No. 1 spot (125 lbs) for the first time since last season, Blaze jumped to No. 9 (157 lbs), James Rowley propelled to 20th (184 lbs) and Brody Baumann rose to No. 26 (174 lbs).

The new rankings are career highs for each of Baumann, Blaze and Rowley. Blaze earned a top 10 spot for the first time after his sixth-place finish at CKLV, and Rowley made his first career appearance in the top 20.

Stoney Buell (No. 28, 165 lbs) and Greyson Clark (No. 31, 141 lbs / FloWrestling) also earned spots in at least one of the two national outlets’ polls.

Ersland Inks 5th Signee to Class of 2025

Wrestling head coach Tony Ersland announced on Wednesday the signing of Isaiah Schaefer, the fifth member of the Boilermakers’ class of 2025.

Schaefer comes to Purdue from state wrestling powerhouse Mater Dei High School in Evansville, Ind. Through the 2023-24 school year, he posted a varsity record of 59-10 competing in Class 2A of state competition.

Projected to compete at 133 or 141 pounds in college, the Evansville native ranks No. 21 in the 2025 MatScouts 138-pound rankings. Overall, he ranks No. 215 on the outlet’s 2025 Big Board.

Schaefer joins a talented Purdue class that includes Aidan Costello (Hobart, Ind.), Vincent Paino (Emerson, N.J.), Brody Saccoccia (Steubenville, Ohio) and Noah Weaver (Frankfort, Ind.).