Purdue Sports Update Nov. 23

57 Boilermakers Score at Purdue Invite

A sweep of the six diving events, Nick Sherman’s program record in the 200 individual medley and Brady Samuels’ four top-two individual finishes headlined the week as 57 Boilermakers scored at swimming & diving’s Purdue Invitational.

The Boilermakers won 12 events at the three-day midseason showcase and the men also emerged victorious in team scoring, winning the Purdue Invite for the sixth time while repeating as the meet champion for the first time.

Jordan Rzepka swept the diving events, becoming the Boilermakers’ first male diver to accomplish the feat at the Purdue Invite since David Boudia in 2010. Sophie McAfee swept the springboard events and finished as the women’s top scorer while accounting for 52 team points.

EVENT VICTORIES AT THE 2022 PURDUE INVITE
• Jordan Rzepka – 1-Meter, 3-Meter & Platform Diving
• Sophie McAfee – 1-Meter & 3-Meter Diving
• Nick Sherman – 200 Breast & 200 IM
• Brady Samuels – 100 Back & 100 Fly
• Maggie Merriman – Platform Diving
• Men’s 400 Free Relay – Sherman, Samuels, Muhammad, Hart
• Men’s 800 Free Relay – Sherman, McCarthy, Samuels, Wenker

Samuels scored in four individual events for the second year in a row while again finishing as the men’s top scorer, accounting for 73.5 points. He won the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke 45 minutes apart Thursday. The sophomore added runner-up showings in the A finals of the 50 and 100 freestyle. He posted NCAA provisional qualifying times (B Cuts) in all four events and improved on his second-fastest mark in team history in the 100 back.

Sherman eclipsed his own record while winning the 200 IM, lowering the benchmark to 1:42.90 with a time that ranks sixth nationally going into Thanksgiving. It was his first of six B Cuts for the week. He was also victorious in the 200 breaststroke and would have matched Samuels as a four-time scorer in A finals but opted to scratch the 100 back Thursday rather than swim the 100 breast and 100 back as back-to-back events.

Samuels and Sherman were also the Boilermakers’ top performers on relays, racing as part of all five scoring quartets. They helped Purdue win the 400 and 800 free relays, with the 800 team coming up just .03 hundredths shy of the program record. The 400 team moved into third place in program history.

On the women’s side, Kate Beavon scored in four individual events – 200, 500, 1650 free and 400 IM – while racking up 4,050 yards (2.45 miles) of live racing over the course of the meet. By accounting for 30 team points, she was the women’s top scorer in the swimming events.

Hannah Hill and Maggie Love both qualified for an A final, won a B final and contributed to scoring quartets in four of the five relays. With her leadoff leg splits on the 200 and 400 free relays, Love joined the program’s all-time leaderboards in the 50 and 100 free. The sophomore now ranks among the all-time top 15 in four individual events, the most among any active Boilermaker.

Michael Juengel scored in his four individual events – 50 free, 100 back, 100 fly, 200 back – while also demonstrating his versatility. The senior claimed bronze in the 200 back and won B finals of the 50 free and 100 back. Coleman Modglin also won bronze in his premier event, the 200 breast. Sam Bennett was a silver medalist behind Rzepka on both springboards.

Rzepka and Sherman led the way as nine members of the men’s team scored in all three of their individual events. Ethan Shaw and Idris Muhammad were also three-time A finalists. On the women’s side, six Boilermakers scored in all three of their individual events. Among them were freshmen divers Daryn Wright and Kaitlin Simons along with their classmate Reagan Mattice from the distance group. Wright won silver and bronze on the springboards.

Abby Harter (backstroke) and Lindsay Turner (butterfly) were A finalists in both events of their featured strokes. Beavon was the only other swimmer for the Purdue women with a pair of A final-equivalent finishes.

Idris Muhammad moved into fourth place in team history with a time of 19.50 in the 50 free. Andrew Witty (100 and 200 breast) and Muhammad (50 free, 100 back) both joined the men’s all-time leaderboards in a pair of individual events at the Purdue Invite.

Swimming & diving’s post-Thanksgiving schedule of competition is always light as the holiday season begins. Selected Boilermakers will compete at USA Swimming’s U.S. Open (Nov. 30-Dec. 3 in Greensboro, N.C.), the USA Diving Winter Nationals (Dec. 11-18 in Morgantown, W. Va.) and CSCAA Open Water Nationals (Dec. 18 in Miami) over the next month. Winter training begins on campus shortly after Christmas. Purdue’s next home meet is set for Saturday, Jan. 21 vs. Indiana.

#19 Purdue to Close Regular Season at Maryland, #11 Penn State

Wednesday, November 23 | 7 p.m. ET
No. 19 Purdue at Maryland
B1G+ | WSHY 104.3

Friday, Nov. 25 | 7 p.m. ET
No. 19 Purdue at No. 11 Penn State
B1G+ | WSHY 104.3

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The final week of regular season volleyball has arrived, sending No. 19 Purdue (19-9, 10-8 Big Ten) to the east coast, where the team is slated to take on Maryland (15-15, 6-12 Big Ten) in a midweek matchup, followed by a Friday night showdown at No. 11 Penn State (22-7, 11-7 Big Ten).

Both Wednesday and Friday’s match will begin at 7 p.m. ET on B1G+.

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Purdue has played a total of eight matches this season vs. top-25 opponents. Of those eight, seven were vs. top-10 programs. Five of Purdue’s nine losses have come at the hands top top-10 opponents.
• Over the last seven matches, the Boilermakers are 4-3. All three losses have come vs. top-11 opponents in No. 5 Nebraska and No. 11 Penn State.
• Purdue is facing some of the toughest blocking opponents over the final three matches, with the national leader Maryland posting 3.28, No. 8 Nebraska at 2.74 and No. 12 Penn State at 2.71 blocks per set.
• Purdue faced three top-9 teams in the span of five matches during October.
• The month of November will be the team’s toughest stretch of the year, with five of the team’s eight matches against teams receiving a nod in the AVCA poll. Of those five, two are top-6 opponents, three are top-11 opponents and four are top-16 teams.

A LOOK AT THE MARYLAND TERRAPINS
Series History: 10-2 (PUR Leads) | Last Meeting: 10/16/22 (L, 0-3 in West Lafayette)

• Last week, the Terrapins took down the tied for first in the Big Ten No. 5 Ohio State, 3-1, on their home court. It was the team’s second win vs. ranked opponent this year, after the Terps handed the Boilers a sweep in October.
• Sam Csire recorded a season-high 22 kills and seven digs in the win vs. OSU. Meanwhile, Anastasia Russ posted 10 blocks, marking the second time she’s reached double-digit blocks.
• Maryland is 3-7 over its last 10 matches.
• As the national blocks leader, Jones checks in at No. 4 and Russ at No. 6 individually in the nation.

A LOOK AT THE #11 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
Series History: 9-59 (PSU Leads) | Last Meeting: 11/12/22 (L, 1-3 in West Lafayette)

• Penn State is the conference leader in points, averaging 17.33 per set while limiting opponent service aces and digs to some of the lowest marks in the league at .67 and 11.86 per set, respecitively – good for second.
• Penn State ranks No. 12 in the nation in blocks per set (2.71), an effort led by Allie Holland who ranks 14th in the nation and fifth in the leauge (1.41).
• The squad’s offense includes two players among the Big Ten’s top-8 in hitting % (Katie Clark: .361 and Holland: .339). Meanwhile, Kashauna Williams is averaging 3.45 kills per set (ninth in the league) and setter Seleisa Elisaia 10.50 assists per set (second in the league).
• Outside hitter #23 Kashauna Willliams is averaging 20 kills a match over the last three outings.
• Purdue is 2-2 over the last four matches in Rec Hall and 3-3 overall in the last six matches vs. Penn State.

Football: 4 Boilermakers Earn Academic All-District Recognition

 Four Boilermakers were recognized for their accomplishments on the field and in the classroom. Mitchell Fineran, Ben Furtney, Gus Hartwig and Khordae Sydnor earned a spot on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District teams, the organization announced Tuesday (Nov. 22).
 
As Academic All-District honorees, the four Boilermakers advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. Academic All-America selections will be announced in late December.
 
Fineran holds a perfect 4.0 grade point average as he pursues a master’s degree in technology leadership and innovation. On the field, the graduate student has made 12-for-18 field goal attempts this season with a long of 46 yards. In two seasons as a Boilermaker, Fineran has made 36 kicks to rank fifth in program history. His 76.6 field goal percentage (36-47) sits atop Purdue’s career leaderboard by kickers with 15 or more attempts.
 
Majoring in chemical engineering, Furtney boasts an impressive 3.86 GPA while making moves on the field. The South Elgin, Illinois, native began his Purdue career as a linebacker before transitioning to fullback during this past fall camp. Furtney has played in five games this season, making a pair of starts. In the win at Maryland, Furtney caught a 20-yard pass as part of a fourth-quarter touchdown drive that gave the Boilermakers the lead for good.
 
Earning a 3.55 GPA as a finance major, Hartwig has been the anchor of the Purdue offensive line. The junior center has made 27 straight starts dating back to the 2020 season. This year, Hartwig has helped protect Purdue quarterbacks and joined the entire line in allowing only 3.73 tackles-for-loss per game to rank sixth in the nation. Facing the nation’s best defense in No. 21 Illinois (232.2 yards per game), the Purdue line did not allow a sack and helped the offense rack up 379 yards, the most allowed by the Fighting Illini this season. In the win over Nebraska, Hartwig and the rest of the big Boilermakers paved the way for 217 rushing yards, the most by a Purdue offense in four years.
 
Sydnor maintains a 3.60 GPA while seeking a degree in financial consulting and planning. The redshirt-freshman ranks second on the team in sacks (4.5) and tackles-for-loss (6.5) this season. He made two huge sacks to help Purdue beat Maryland, and his fourth-quarter sack at No. 21 Illinois went for a loss of 18 yards to stall the Illini’s drive. Sydnor made a career-high four tackles, including 1.0 TFL, in Purdue’s shutout of Indiana State.
 
The Boilermakers (7-4, 5-3 B1G) travel south to face Indiana in the battle for the Old Oaken Bucket (Nov. 26), and a chance for a share of the B1G West is on the line for Purdue as well. Kickoff from Memorial Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on BTN.

5 Soccer Players Recognized on Academic All-District Team

Five Purdue soccer players have been honored on the Academic All-District Team by the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA).
 
Fifth-year Sydney Duarte, seniors Lauren Holleran and Hannah Lapeire and juniors Nicole Kevdzija and Emily Mathews are recognized for their academic and athletic success in both the 2022 season and throughout their careers.
 
This year’s five honorees are Purdue’s first since 2019 and the most in a single season in program history. Prior to 2022, the Boilermakers had three players recognized in both 2006 and 2007, and the program now has 18 total Academic All-District honors.
 
To be considered, student-athletes must maintain a minimum 3.50 GPA, be a starter or key reserve that has played in at least 50 percent of their school’s contests and be in at least their second year at their current school.
 
Duarte was named Purdue’s Sportsmanship Award honoree in October and is a multiple-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. A Lake Forest, California, native, she earned her nursing degree in May, 2021, and will earn a certificate in strategic communication management in December. Duarte played in 83 games with 66 starts in her five-year Boilermaker career. She scored seven goals with eight assists for 22 points, and recorded one game-winning goal and two game-winning assists in nearly 5,500 minutes. In 2022 as a fifth-year midfielder, Duarte was second on the team with four assists and two goals and second with eight points, as she played in all 17 games with 15 starts and totaled 1,122 minutes.
 
Holleran hails from Centennial, Colorado, and will graduate in May with a degree in selling & sales management. A defender, she has played in 38 games with 32 starts in two seasons as a Boilermaker. Holleran has two assists, both game-winners, in more than 2,600 minutes as a key part of Purdue’s defensive success. In 2022 as a senior, she played in 16 games with 10 starts and totaled 833 minutes.
 
A multiple-time Academic All-Big Ten awardee from Buffalo Grove, Illinois, Lapeire will earn her Purdue degree in public health and communications in May. She has played in 32 career games with 15 starts and has one assist with nine shots in nearly 1,500 minutes. As a senior midfielder in 2022, Lapeire played in every game with a career-best 10 starts and six shots as she logged 946 minutes.
 
Kevdzija is an Academic All-Big Ten honoree and an electrical engineering major from Strongsville, Ohio. In three seasons and nearly 3,500 minutes, she has played in 51 games with 39 starts and has scored five goals, three of them game-winners, with three assists in addition to being an important part of the Boilermakers’ back line. In 2022 as a junior defender, Kevdzija played in all 17 games with eight starts and scored one goal.
 
Mathews has earned All-North Region Third Team, All-Big Ten First Team and Academic All-Big Ten accolades throughout her three-year career. The Macomb, Michigan, native is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. Mathews has started all 51 games she has appeared in and scored seven goals with 16 assists for 30 points in almost 4,500 minutes. As a junior midfielder in 2022, she led the team with seven assists and was third with nine points in a squad-best 1,469 points.