Purdue Sports Update Nov. 9

GEARLDS LANDS TRIO ON NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

Purdue women’s basketball head coach Katie Gearlds landed a trio of talented high school seniors for National Signing Day on Wednesday, adding to the Boilermakers’ talented young core for the years ahead. Jordyn Poole, Lana McCarthy and Kendall Puryear committed to play at Purdue starting with the 2024-25 season. 

“We are excited to have Jordyn, Kendall and Lana officially become Boilermakers,” Gearlds said. “These three have a relentlessness to win games. They all have incredible potential which will translate to making an impact on our program when they set foot on campus next year.”

JORDYN POOLE
5-7 | G | Fort Wayne, Ind. | Fort Wayne Snider
Instagram – _jpoole | Twitter – _JordynPoole3
“To get one of the nation’s best players to stay home is exciting for the future of Purdue Women’s Basketball.  Jordyn is an elite playmaker, possessing the ability to create for others or score it herself.  Jordyn has a knack for making other people better.  Jordyn has the speed and athleticism to become a lockdown defender to compliment her offensive talents.” – Gearlds on Poole

NOTABLE
• No. 54 overall player, four-star prospect with a 93 rating by ESPN HoopGurlz
• No. 38 player in the nation by Prospects Nation
• No. 1 player in Indiana by Prep Girls Hoops
• Named a preseason candidate for Indiana Miss Basketball
• 2023 Chris Paul Elite Guard Camp invitee and participant
• 2023 SAC Player of the Year
• Earned a spot as an Indiana Junior All-Star and Indiana All-Star Core Group member
• Garnered three All-State, first team All-Summit Conference, first team all-area nods
• Indiana Underclass Supreme 15 All-State
• Adidas All-American in AAU
• Invited to the 2022 Adidas All-American Camp and 2021 Wooten Camp

KENDALL PURYEAR
6-2 | F | Lee’s Summit, Mo. | Blue Springs South
Instagram – K.Puryear | Twitter – blkbeltballer22
“Big, Strong and Powerful are the first things you think of when it comes to Kendall.  A high school double-double, she can score it on the low block or be just as efficient in the high and mid post.  A black belt in karate, Kendall brings that same intensity to the defensive end.” – Gearlds on Puryear

NOTABLE
• No. 2 player in Missouri by Prep Girls Hoops
• Named to Class 6A All-State, two-time Suburban Gold First Team All-Conference, The Examiner’s All-Area and two-time all-district
• Twice led the state of Missouri in field goal percentage

LANA McCARTHY
6-4 | Bedford, N.H. | Bedford
Instagram – lanajm_15 | Twitter – _lanamccarthy
“Lana is flat out a winner, having played in 8 state championship games by the time she gets to us speaks on that.  Lana is a skilled post player, that can finish either hand or knock down midrange shots. Defensively she can make an impact with her ability to defend the rim and guard in space, her best basketball is truly ahead of her.” – Gearlds on McCarthy

NOTABLE
• No. 7 player in New England by Prep Girls Hoops
• No. 1 player in New Hampshire by MaxPreps
• Three-time All-State honoree in basketball and volleyball
• Three-time NW Sports Page Underclassman Team honoree
• Won one basketball state championship, reaching three title games, and a trio of volleyball state championships
• Two-time captain and the first ever junior captain in program history
• Tabbed the New Hampshire Player of the Year in volleyball

PAINTER INKS FIVE, MAYBE ONE MORE TO COM

Purdue head coach Matt Painter has announced that five prospects have signed their national letters of intent and will join the Boilermakers for the 2024-25 season.

The class is ranked eighth by Rivals.com and ninth nationally by 247Sports. It is Purdue’s highest-ranked recruiting class since the class of 2007, when the Baby Boilers were ranked No. 4 nationally by Scout.com and No. 5 by Rivals.com.

The class is second in the Big Ten behind Rutgers according to Rivals.com. 

Guards C.J. Cox and Jack Benter, wing Kanon Catchings and post players Raleigh Burgess and Daniel Jacobsen have all submitted their paperwork and are now officially members of the Boilermakers.

“Obviously, we were able to touch a lot of points with this class. Anytime you have skill like these guys provide who can move and pass and play together, it really opens up a lot of different things you can run on both ends. Getting size and versatility in this class was really important to us,” Painter said. “We’ve got a bit of everything with this class and can still take one more player. We still need some help in our backcourt with what we are losing this year. We feel like if we can get one more guard that it will really help our case next season and moving forward. We’re excited about this class and where we are going with our program. This is a class that has a lot of skill and high basketball IQ.”

Under Painter, Purdue’s recruiting classes have now been ranked in the top 20 three different times (2007 – 5^th; 2012 – 19^th; 2024 – 8^th).

JACK BENTER (Guard / 6-5 / Brownstown, Indiana / Brownstown Central)

• An outstanding scorer, Benter excels at Brownstown Central, already setting the school record for career points and points in a game.
• A 3-star recruit on 247Sports, Benter accepted an offer early (June 2022), turning down offers from Indiana State, Bellarmine and Liberty. Virginia, Virginia Tech, Northwestern, Stanford and Penn State were others showing interest.
• Fits the mold of previous Purdue recruits Dakota Mathias and Sasha Stefanovic.
• Averaged 18.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a freshman.
• Then his sophomore year, averaged 26.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists as a sophomore, shooting 45 percent from 3-point range (93-of-207).
• Named to the Indiana Junior All-Star Team following his junior season.
• Shattered a backboard on a breakaway dunk during his junior season.
• Tallied 50 points against Jennings County on Jan. 6, 2023.
• Led the Braves to a sectional championship as a sophomore and to the semi-state championship game as a junior. Should be considered a favorite to win the state title as a senior.
• Competed in the Top 100 showcase after his sophomore year.
• Played for Grand Park Premier AAU.

PAINTER QUOTABLE: “Jack really gives us the type of player that has thrived here at Purdue in terms of skill level and understanding of his game, in the mold of Dakota Mathias and Sasha Stefanovic. He has really good size at the two or three position even though he handles the ball a lot and plays point at Brownstown Central. He is a great decision maker and can really stretch the defense with his ability to shoot the three.”

RALEIGH BURGESS (Forward / 6-10 / Cincinnati, Ohio / Sycamore)

• Missed some of his junior season, but is now 100 percent for his senior season at Sycamore.
• Ranked as the No. 89 prospect nationally by Rivals.com, Burgess received 19 offers, turning down offers from Indiana, Cincinnati, Iowa, Virginia, Wisconsin among others.
• Was averaging 14.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.2 blocks as a junior before his injury. Was named second-team All-Southwest District All-star despite playing only half the season.
• A stretch big man that can step out and hit the three, but also play on the block.
• Chose Purdue because it was a perfect fit of basketball and education.
• As a sophomore, averaged 10.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks while shooting 62.6 percent from the field.
• In July 2022, helped his AAU team (Indiana Elite) to a 3Stripes Select Basketball U16 Championship.

PAINTER QUOTABLE: “Raleigh has the ability to play two positions at the four and the five and his athleticism, mobility and the ability to play both in and out is something that we really looked for in this class. He has the ability to stretch the defense, but also play down low. His versatility and size makes him interchangeable and he plays really hard and has a lot of fun playing the game.”

KANON CATCHINGS (Forward / 6-9 / Brownsburg, Indiana / Brownsburg / Overtime Elite)

• The second-highest ranked recruit of the Matt Painter era, Kanon Catchings is ranked as the No. 22 prospect by 247Sports.
• Currently playing at Overtime Elite after a sensational career at Brownsburg (Ind.). Became the first player from the state of Indiana to play at Overtime Elite.
• Currently averaging 14.5 points and 5.1 rebounds in 21.7 minutes per game on Overtime Elite’s Cold Hearts team. Shooting 18-of-42 (.429) from 3-point range and 51.3 percent from the field.
• Committed to Purdue in September (2022) as an unranked player, but exploded onto the scene in the last year.
• Committed early to Purdue with his only other offer from Xavier. Was starting to gain interest from Indiana, Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State and others.
• Son of former Illinois great Tauja Catchings and nephew of Naismith Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings.
• In a win over state runner-up Kokomo and the No. 4-ranked recruit in the country, Flory Bidunga, Catchings scored a Cox Tournament-record 39 points, tallying 25 points on 9-of-10 shooting in the opening half.
• Averaged 17.5 points and 4.8 rebounds as a junior at Brownsburg.
• Was one of the youngest players invited to try out for the 2023 USA Basketball U19 World Cup team this past summer.
• Excelled on a loaded Indy Gym Rats team in the AAU season.

PAINTER QUOTABLE: “Kanon has morphed into a big guard role at 6-9, 205 pounds, and can really play a lot of positions because of his versatility. His athleticism and skillset is really impressive and he is an elite shot-maker whether it’s catch-and-shoot or getting to his pull-up. He is still growing and expanding his game, but he’s just scratching the surface in terms of what he can do. He is outstanding in structure and is a very good player at all three levels. He has a chance to be a very productive player here at Purdue.”

C.J. COX (Guard / 6-2 / Lexington, Massachusetts / Milton Academy)

• An incredibly underrated player, Cox had no high-major offers before committing to Purdue in early October.
• Chose Purdue over offers from most of the Ivy League and UMass, but caught Painter’s attention this summer on the AAU circuit.
• Stars at Milton Academy in one of the toughest conferences in the country (NEPSAC). Led Milton to the 2023 NEPSAC championship a year ago, outdueling one of the top recruits in the country in the 2026 class.
• Also led the Middlesex Magic to the AAU Under Armour Championship last summer. Averaged 12.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting over 40 percent from deep in the summer AAU circuit.
• In a premier Las Vegas AAU event, averaged 18.7 points, shooting 43 percent from long range, including 29, 27 and 26-point games, one of which came against a loaded Indiana Elite team.
• Becomes just the second signee in school history from Massachusetts (Jacquil Taylor).

PAINTER QUOTABLE: “C.J. was an absolute steal for us. We are very fortunate to get somebody with a lot of substance who has such a competitive spirit to him. He’s very skilled and developed into a very good shot-maker, whether it be catch-and-shoot 3’s or on pull-ups. He can hurt you in a lot of ways and has a unique ability to take good shots. His shot selection and discipline on offense is something that really helps a team. C.J. has really good ball skills and is going to be a very good player at our level.”

DANIEL JACOBSEN (Center / 7-3 / Chicago, Illinois / Brewster Academy)

• A late addition to the class, Jacobsen committed to the Boilermakers on Nov. 3, turning down offers from Wisconsin, Creighton, Iowa, Minnesota, Clemson and Xavier.
• Jacobsen reclassified from the Class of 2025 and is ranked as the No. 94 prospect in the On3 national rankings.
• Excelled at Peach Jam, AAU’s biggest event, averaging 12.2 points and 9.1 rebounds in just 19 minutes while starring in the pick-and-roll.
• Averaged 8.3 points and 4.9 rebounds on the Nike EYBL circuit with JL3 Elite out of Houston. Shot 49.2 percent from long range, earning session standout accolades at Session II.
• Started his high school journey in New Mexico, where he averaged 6.2 points and 6.1 rebounds as a high school sophomore.
• Will play his senior season at Brewster Academy, where former Boilermaker Aaron Wheeler attended school.
• Has tremendous upside and potential.

PAINTER QUOTABLE: “Daniel is a great shot-blocker, who is very versatile on both ends. He has a level of fluidity to him, and is very long and moves well. He can also pick-and-pop and really shoot the ball at a high level. He has the ability to really stretch the defense and has a lot of untapped potential. Daniel is a very talented player who is just scratching the surface of the player he can become and we are excited to watch his progress.”

As of Thursday afternoon, Purdue is still waiting on a decision from Gicarri Harris.

WOMEN’S GOLF WELCOMES 3 NEW BOILERMAKERS ON NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

Purdue Women’s Golf and head coach Zack Byrd announced the addition of three new Boilermakers on National Signing Day. Samantha Brown (Westfield, Indiana), Michaela Headlee (Carmel, Indiana) and Lauren Timpf (Macomb, Michigan) are set to join the team for the 2024-25 season.

The trio had outstanding high school golf careers and closed them out with an exclamation point at their respective state tournaments. Brown won the individual state championship in Indiana, while Headlee finished runner-up to lead the Carmel Greyhounds to the team title. In Michigan, Timpf cruised to an 8-shot victory to become state champion for the third straight year.

“Lauren (Guiao) and I set a goal to bring the top local talents here to Purdue to build the foundation of our future,” said Byrd. “The signing class is exactly what we envisioned – the top two players in Indiana and top player in Michigan in their respective classes. All three come from world class families and are perfect examples of what a Boilermaker should be. We cannot be more excited to sign this class. Boiler Up!”

Brown joins the Boilermakers, ready to take her game to the next level after winning 24 out of 28 high school tournaments. She finished 1-under par throughout her entire high school career, which included a staggering cumulative 37-under as a senior. With a 2-under 142 (68-74), including going bogey free over her first 28 holes, Brown secured the 2023 IHSAA State Championship by four strokes. She also collected the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award and helped Westfield finish second as a team. Along with her state championship, the four-time all-state honoree won her conference all four years, sectionals three times and regionals twice.

On the amateur circuit, Brown claimed victories at the Indiana Junior PGA Championship, a nine-stroke win at Purdue’s Ackerman-Allen Course, as well as the Indiana Girls State Junior Championship. For her performance on one of the Boilermakers’ home courses, she advanced to the national stage and cracked the Top 25. Brown earned runner-up honors at the 2023 Indiana Women’s Open, which included facing professionals. She tied for third at the Pete and Alice Dye Junior Invitational, one of the top junior tournaments in the country.

“Sam has skyrocketed up the ranking, proving herself as a top recruit in the nation for the class of 2024,” said Byrd. “Since committing, her growth and drive to be great has us extremely excited for her future as a Boilermaker.”

While Brown won the individual state title, Headlee placed second at 2-over to help Carmel secure the IHSAA Championship for the second straight season. It marked the second time Headlee finished runner-up at the state tournament, accomplishing the feat as a freshman as well. She earned all-state honors all four years of high school. Headlee produced a 75.3 stroke average her first season before dropping it down to 73.1 as a senior.

Headlee had a strong 2022 amateur campaign, winning four Indiana Junior Golf titles. She was victorious at the Covered Bridge Spring Series and also earned medalist honors at the Southern Masters. The Carmel, Indiana, native also added the Masters Tour Championship and the Hoosier Junior Championship to her trophy case.

“During the recruiting process, Michaela showed such a passion and desire to be a Boilermaker,” said Byrd. “Over the last year, her game has improved so much, and her potential is exciting to see.”

Another state champion joining the Boilermakers, Timpf used rounds of 74 and 67 to win the 2023 MHSAA Division 3 Girls Finals. That performance capped off a three-peat, as she captured the individual crown in 2021 and 2022. Timpf’s 2022 title was a special one as she led Macomb Lutheran North to a team state championship. She won her regional tournament all four years of high school as well. After a 74.8 stroke average as a freshman, Timpf improved her scoring to 70.1 as a sophomore and 70.6 during her junior campaign.

Closing out her high school career, Timpf was named 2023 Miss Golf by the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association. Her senior season featured a 69.4 stroke average, which led to medalist honors at 10 events. Timpf also became Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Player of the Year and Macomb Country Player of the Year. She captured the GAM Junior State Amateur Championship twice.

“Lauren is a three-time high school state champion and won numerous times in Michigan junior and amateur golf,” said Byrd. “Her ceiling is incredibly high, and she is one of the strongest ball strikers that I’ve ever recruited.”

FREZZOTTI WELCOMES 2 ON NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

Head coach Magali Frezzotti announced the signing of Kadyn Camper and America Ramirez on National Signing Day. The commits will join the program for the 2024-25 academic year.

“I am excited to welcome Kadyn and America to West Lafayette next fall,” Frezzotti said. “The two of them have a strong competitive background, high standards and the determination that’s needed to push Purdue softball to the next level. They are great additions to our program, and I cannot wait to watch them compete in Old Gold and Black.”

The pair will add dimension to the roster, with Camper a right-handed pitcher out of Christiansburg, Virginia, and Ramirez a catcher from San Antonio, Texas.

Kadyn Camper
Position: Pitcher
Hometown: Christiansburg, Va.
High School: Christiansburg High School 
Intended Major: Psychology
Club Team: Tampa Mustangs Seymour (Tampa, Fla.)

Quick Hits:

• Ranked No. 19 in Extra Innings Elite Top 100 as a junior
• Rated as a five-star recruit by Legends and Legacy
• Earned Extra Innings All-Summer Team honors as a junior
• Named Player of the Year at both the district and regional level as a sophomore
• Received First Team All-Region accolades as a junior, as well as First Team All-District
• Recorded a .577 batting average as a sophomore at the plate, including 10 homeruns and 40 RBI
• As a junior, she threw 213 strikeouts from the circle, while also posting a .427 batting average with five homeruns and 25 RBI at the plate
• USSSA Fastpitch 14u National Champion in Johnson City, Tennessee
• Earned PFG 14u National Champion status in Huntington Beach, California with Unity Johnson
• Went 37-7 as a freshman, posting a 1.91 ERA and a .921 WHIP
• As a sophomore, recorded a 12-2 record with 170 strikeouts
• As a junior, secured 10 wins from the circle behind 213 strikeouts with Christiansburg High School while totaling a 9-2 pitching record with her club team.
• Parents are Tania Koel (played women’s basketball at Temple) and Robert “Brian” Camper

Frezzotti on Camper: “Kadyn is a competitor. Her presence in the circle and the way she attacks batters relentlessly gives her an immediate competitive advantage. Although I have no doubt that Kadyn is going to contribute immediately, I am excited to see how high her ceiling is.”

America Ramirez
Position: Catcher
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
High School: McCollum High School
Intended Major: Primary/ Second Education Physiology
Club Team: Hotshots National Nelson

Quick Hits:

• Earned USSA All-American
• Two-time All-District honoree
• In a span of a week and a half, Ramirez helped her club team to a pair of tournament titles
• Guided her team to first place finishes at Top Club Nationals and the Colorado Sparkler with the Hotshots National Nelson club team
• Helped her team place in the top-three in every tournament competed in as a freshman
• Helped her club team place third in the PFG Fall Tournament as a senior
• As a sophomore, recorded a .354 batting average including four homers and 38 RBI
• As a freshman, registered a .426 batting average, totaling 26 hits and 61 runs in just 18 games played.
• Was starting catcher as a freshman, and was struck out just three times in 61 at-bats.
• Averaged a .671 slugging % over her first two high school seasons.
• Did not compete in her junior season due to injury
• Mother is Angela Ramirez

Frezzotti on Ramirez: “America is a talented athlete behind the plate who can swing it at a pretty high level too. She also has the perfect personality for a catcher: upbeat, positive, and resilient. She is a great addition to our roster and our culture.”

SAMUELS, BRODERICK CLAIM B1G WEEKLY HONORS

Purdue swimmers Brady Samuels and Pat Broderick garnered weekly honors from the Big Ten Conference after they were part of five event victories during the Boilermakers’ two-day dual meet win vs. Oakland.

Samuels was recognized as the Big Ten Swimmer of the Week for the second time in his career, becoming just the fifth Boilermaker on the men’s side to a multi-time honoree. Broderick was honored as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after winning the mile (1650 freestyle) Saturday with a time of 15:41.30 that ranks eighth nationally early this season.

While being the only Boilermaker to contribute to all three relay winners, Samuels posted a pair of NCAA provisional qualifying times (B Cuts) on the leadoff legs of the 400 relays. His times in the 100 backstroke (46.68) and 100 freestyle (43.22) both rank as the best in the Big Ten and top 20 nationally so far this season. Individually, he was victorious in the 200 free with a time of 1:36.57 that ranks third in the Big Ten.

In the relays, Purdue’s 200 and 400 medley and 400 free teams all posted top-20 times nationally. The 200 medley (6th) and 400 free (9th) quartets both moved into the program’s all-time leaderboards.

Broderick’s victory was his second of the season as the only first-year swimmer on the men’s side at the Burke Aquatic Center with multiple event wins. He also raced in the 200 butterfly, 400 IM and 500 free over the two days of events, racking up 2,750 yards (1.56 miles) of live racing for the weekend.

BOILERMAKERS TO WIN MULTIPLE BIG TEN SWIMMER OF THE WEEK HONORS
• Vilmos Kovacs (1996-99) – 4*
• Marat Amaltdinov (2015-18) – 4
• Aaron Koger (2007-10) – 3
• Brady Samuels (2022-Pr) – 2
• Tamas Bessenyi (2001-04) – 2
*Kovacs was a 3-time Big Ten Swimmer of the Month before the league went to the weekly honors for the 1998-99 season

With Max Miller also be recognized as the Big Ten Diver of the Week on Oct. 25, the Boilermakers have had three different weekly honorees over the first month of the season for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign.

Samuels and Broderick will lead the Boilermakers into action next week at the three-day, six-session Purdue Invitational. The men are the two-time defending champions of the midseason showcase.