Purdue Sports Update Sept. 12

Volleyball Cruises in Utal, Heads to Dallas

 The Purdue Boilermakers (4-0) ground out a 3-1 victory over the California Golden Bears (3-1) behind 29-27, 25-12, 18-25, 25-23 scores to continue their undefeated start to the season.

The team was led by Taylor Anderson’s double-double with a season-high 52 assists and 11 digs, 3 aces and two blocks. Despite her sophomore status, it was Anderson’s seventh career match with at least 50 assists. Meanwhile, senior Raven Colvin had an efficient day, registering a.423 attack % in the victory behind the second-most kills the senior has ever posted in a match (16). Additionally, Colvin was on nearly half of the team’s blocks (six of 11).

Chloe Chicoine notched her second double-double of the season, producing 15 digs and 10 kills in the match.

Coming off a career-high-setting performance vs. UC Davis on Sunday, Kenna Wollard bested her mark with 11 kills and just two errors on 24 swings. The sophomore has hit .300 or above in all four matches to start the season and posted three blocks in back-to-back matches.

In their first true road test of the season, Purdue swept the Utah Utes, 29-27, 25-20, 25-13 to remain undefeated at 5-0 and hand Utah its first loss of the season (4-1).

The Boilermakers fended off four consecutive set points by Utah to come back and tie the match, 24-24 on a block assist by Colvin and Eva Hudson. A battle ensued, with Purdue reaching two set points before securing the 1-0 lead behind a 29-27 score on a kill by the relentless outside hitter Wollard. Purdue improved as the match went on, hitting .325% in Set 2 and posting a match-high five blocks in the final set.

Hudson registered a season-high 18 kills while hitting at a .311 efficiency, the third time this season the Boilermaker has hit above .300.

Colvin was on nine of the team’s 11 total blocks. Meanwhile, Anderson was one block shy of tying her career-high as she finished the night with seven blocks, to go with a double-double of 34 assists, 10 digs and an errorless three kills. The sophomore’s performance marked the second consecutive match with a double-double.

Wollard finished the night with seven kills and continued to hit at least .300% in every match this season, producing a .333 attack % in the win.

The Boilermakers ended their trip out west with a 3-0 victory at Utah State (25-18, 25-16, 25-22), an effort led by a season-high-tying 17 team blocks. With the result, Purdue remains undefeated through the first two weeks of play at 6-0, while Utah State falls to a 1-4 record.

Purdue’s 6-0 start is the second time in three years the Boilermakers have started with a perfect record through their first six matches.

Chicoine found her groove in the second set, posting four kills in Purdue’s last five points and ended the match with a team-leading 13 kills and eight digs. Additionally, she set a career-high four blocks in the match, including a career-high two block solos frame.

Purdue will be back in action this in Dallas, Texas. The Boilermakers will play a pair of matches beginning Friday vs. Houston at 7 p.m. ET followed by either host SMU or #9 Kentucky on Saturday.

Anderson named Big Ten setter of the week

 Following a trio of wins in Utah, setter Taylor Anderson was selected Big Ten Setter of the Week. It is the second straight week a Boilermaker has earned a weekly award from the league after Eva Hudson’s Player of the Week nod last week.

Anderson helped the No. 8 Purdue Boilermakers improve to 6-0 on the season after securing a 3-1 win vs. California (9/5) and sweeps at Utah (9/6) and Utah State (9/7).

Anderson registered 11.50 assists per set last week, including back-to-back double-doubles against the Utes and Aggies.

Gomez Sets Americas Record in Paralympic Final

Purdue track & field senior Joel Gomez broke the Americas record at the Paralympic Games on Tuesday, September 3, in Paris.

Competing in the Paralympic final of the 1,500-meter T13 at Stade de France, Gomez finished in 3:48.42. He placed seventh overall for Team USA, his best career Paralympic Games finish.

Along with setting an Americas record, Gomez bested his previous personal-best time by two seconds. He was 0.13 seconds shy of also breaking what was the world record entering the day.

“Huge shoutout to my teammates and friends back at Purdue, I know a few of them were watching the race live, so I appreciate them getting up at 4 a.m. (ET) for me,” Gomez said. “I just joined the Purdue team about six months ago, so it’s been a huge help having a team surrounding me with support, and the friendships that I have made along the way with that. Being able to travel and compete more has been huge and I’m excited to get even more.”

A native of Encinitas, California, Gomez also raced at the 2020 Tokyo Games and was 10th in the 1,500m T13 and 11th in the 400m T13. He qualified for Paris with a win at the U.S. Paralympic Team Trials in July.

In his first season for the Boilermakers as a junior in 2023-24, Gomez competed in six meets. His best finish came at the venerable Texas Relays from March 28-29, where he was fourth in the 1,500m in a season-best 3:52.10. Gomez also helped the distance medley relay finish eighth. He made his Purdue debut at the Windy City Invite from February 9-10 and ran in the 800m and 4×400 relay.

Gomez is majoring in civil engineering at Purdue and is expected to graduate in May, 2025.

In August, a pair of Boilermaker alums competed at the Paris Olympic Games. Chukwuebuka Enekwechi was sixth in the shot put on August 3, and Devynne Charlton was sixth in the 100m hurdles on August 10. Like Gomez, both were competing at their second Olympics.

Women’s Golf Wins Boilermaker Classic for 2nd Straight Year; Kiel Uses Ace to Claim Medalist Honors

Entering the final round of the Boilermaker Classic with a 13-shot cushion, the Purdue women’s golf team made sure the lead was never in doubt. A final round 294 (+6), led by a 68 (-4) from medalist Natasha Kiel, allowed the Boilermakers to protect their home course and win their season-opening tournament for second straight season.

Purdue finished the season opener 15-over par on the Kampen-Cosler Course at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex, 14 strokes ahead of runners-up Minnesota (+29). The Boilermakers controlled the tournament from the start, leading the field in par-3 scoring (+4), par-4 scoring (+28) and pars (178), while ranking second in birdies (35) and par-5 scoring (-4) as a team.

With the win, the Boilermakers won their fourth tournament under head coach Zack Byrd, who just began his third season as head coach. The four victories mark the most by Purdue in a three-year span since winning six from 2012-14.

Kiel captured her first career individual victory, thanks in large part to a pair of rounds in the 60s for her lowest rounds as a Boilermaker. Entering the final round two shots behind Abilene Christian’s Ryann Honea, the senior got off to a fast start with four birdies through her first seven holes to soar into the lead.

Momo Sugiyama fired a final-round 73 (+1) to tie for fourth on the individual leaderboard, earning her ninth Top 10 as a Boilermaker.

In her first collegiate tournament, freshman Samantha Brown tied for 21st (+10) following a final round 76 (+4). Senior Jocelyn Bruch (+11) and sophomore Jasmine Kahler (+12) rounded out the Purdue lineup, contributing to the team title by placing 24th and 26th, respectively following a pair of 77s on Tuesday.

Hudson Selected AVCA National Player of the Week

After receiving Big Ten Player of the Week honors yesterday, junior Eva Hudson was chosen as AVCA/GameChanger Division I National Player of the Week for her performance over opening weekend.

Hudson joins elite company as the sixth Boilermaker in program history to receive the honor, including the first since Grace Cleveland (3/31/21).

Hudson racked up a Big Ten-leading 46 kills and 50.5 points on a .352 hitting % as Purdue secured wins vs. Kansas State (W, 3-1), UMBC (3-0) and UC Davis (3-0). Her performance also helped lead Purdue to rank No. 1 in the Big Ten in both kills per set and hitting %.

The Stacey Clark Classic Most Valuable Player posted a double-double in the season-opener vs. K-State, a team receiving votes in the AVCA preseason poll. In the match, Hudson posted a double-double with 16 kills, 12 digs, along with a career-high-tying five blocks, which was reached during her freshman season in 2022.

She went on to post just two errors over the final six sets (two matches) of the weekend. Versus UMBC, the Fort Wayne, Indiana, native recorded a .467 attack %, posting 15 kills with one error on 30 swings. Then, she closed out the tournament with a near double-double vs. UC Davis, registering 15 kills and nine digs with a .433 hitting clip in the three-set victory.

Hudson is the most decorated Boilermaker in Big Ten Weekly award history, owning 12 accolades in her career, including five Player of the Week nods.

Purdue Wins Title at Season-Opening Island Resort Intercollegiate

The Purdue men’s golf team put together a dominating performance over the span of two days to earn the title at the Island Resort Intercollegiate, held at Sage Run GC in Bark River, Michigan.

The Boilermakers tallied an 18-under par 846 (284-282-280) to easily outdistance Boise State by 13 shots and Georgia by 14 strokes in their first tournament action of the 2024-25 season.

The win, coming in head coach Andrew Sapp‘s first tournament as a head coach, was Purdue’s first in a season-opening tournament since the 1993-94 season.

“This was a great team win with all of our guys contributing all week,” Sapp said. “Our guys really worked hard over the summer and came back to school with something to prove. I am proud that we were able to get it done this week to give us a lot of confidence heading into the fall.”

The Boilermakers entered the third and final round tied with Boise State, but quickly started to pull away. Led by sophomore Sam Easterbrook, Purdue’s 13-stroke win was the fifth-largest margin of victory in school history.

Easterbrook fueled Purdue in the third round, shooting a career-best 65 with seven birdies, 11 pars and no bogeys on his card. He finished tied for sixth at 4-under par 212 (70-77-65) for his fourth career top-10 finish.

Two other Boilermakers, Kent Hsiao and Kentaro Nanayama posted top-10 finishes, tying for ninth at 2-under par 214. Hsiao, who shared the round-two lead, posted scores of 69-70-75, while Nanayama showcased his consistency with cards of 72-71-71.

Freshman Supapon Amornchaichan posted his first career top-20 finish in his first event, with a total of 1-under par 215 (73-71-71), good for 15^th place, while Nels Surtani was tied for 22^nd at 2-over par 218 (75-70-73).

Playing as individuals, Jenson Forrester was tied for 33^rd at 4-over par 220 (70-77-73), Yilin Sun was tied for 44^th at 7-over par 223 (71-80-72), and Andrew White was 78^th at 36-over par 252 (86-87-79).

The Boilermakers will have a quick turnaround, competing at the elite Inverness Intercollegiate, hosted by Toledo at the Inverness Club on Sept. 9 and 10.

Soccer Edged by No. 24 Alabama

Facing a ranked opponent for the first time this season, the Purdue soccer team suffered a hard-fought, 1-0 loss to No. 24 Alabama on Thursday evening at Folk Field.

In its final non-conference game of the campaign, the Boilermakers (4-2-1) saw their three-game win streak and four-match unbeaten streak come to an end. The Crimson Tide (6-1-0) won their sixth in a row, but were held to fewer than two goals for just the second time in 2024. UA also saw its offensive output limited after posting a scoring margin of 16-2 in its last three games.

Purdue had 11 shots, two on frame, and Alabama registered 12 shots, seven on goal. The home side had a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks.

Junior forward Chiara Singarella had a game-high five shots, while junior defender Sabrina Blount had two shots. Sophomore goalkeeper Emily Edwards made five saves, one shy of tying her career high. The Crimson Tide’s keeper stopped both shots she faced.

The game’s lone goal was scored in the 26th minute.

Up next, Big Ten play commences at Northwestern in one week, on Thursday, September 12 at 7 p.m. ET. Following another week off, Purdue is back at Folk Field to host USC on Thursday, September 19. Broadcast live on the Big Ten Network, kickoff is at 8 p.m. ET.

Purdue Improves in Final Round, Gains Experience at ANNIKA Intercollegiate

Women’s Golf wrapped up play at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate Wednesday afternoon at Royal Golf Club, gaining valuable experience against a field that resembled what could be seen at the NCAA Championships in May. After shaving eight strokes off their opening round yesterday, the Boilermakers carved off five more shots in the final round with a 289 (+1).

Purdue finished 21-over for the tournament in 12th place. The Boilermakers’ scores over the final two rounds were in the middle of the pack, but the opening round deficit was too much to overcome.

Momo Sugiyama led the Boilermakers, tying for 23rd on the individual leaderboard (+3). The senior played her best golf of the tournament during the final round, firing a 71 (-1) to match Samantha Brown for Purdue’s lowest round of the week. Sugiyama began the day with a birdie, and another birdie at the short par-4 15th moved her to 2-under. Her round featured four birdies and three bogeys, ensuring a day in red figures.

Freshman Samantha Brown and senior Natasha Kiel tied for 30th at 6-over. Brown balanced four birdies, two on each side, with four bogeys for an even-par 72 on Wednesday. The Boilermaker freshman played the final 36 holes 1-under against some stiff competition, proving that she belongs. Kiel began her final round with back-to-back birdies before a double bogey brought her back to level par. She added two more birdies on the opening nine to make the turn at 2-under. A tough nine coming in led to a 73 (+1), although Kiel birdied her final hole of the tournament for her team-high fifth birdie of the day.

Senior Jocelyn Bruch shot 73 (+1) as well, her best round of the tournament, to tie for 39th (+8). She made three birdies throughout her final round, two coming on a pair of par-5s (Nos. 9 and 18).

Following back-to-back tournaments to start the season, Purdue has a week off before returning to action. Up next, the Boilermakers look to make their second title defense of the season by returning to East Lansing, Michigan for the Mary Fossum Invitational (Sept. 22-23), hosted by Michigan State. Purdue won last year’s tournament by 10 strokes.

Boilermakers Wrap Up Play at Inverness

The Purdue men’s golf team posted its best round of the tournament, but fell two spots to finish 10^th at the Inverness Intecollegiate hosted at the elite Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.

Purdue tallied a 54-hole total of 24-over par 852 (288-283-281) to finish 10^th, 26 shots behind champion Virginia. The Boilermakers were just two shots out of a top-8 finish, as Wake Forest finished eighth at 22-over par, while host Toledo was ninth at 23-over par.

Auburn was second, while Vanderbilt, Oklahoma and Texas Tech rounded out the top five.

Nels Surtani led the Boilermakers, finishing 12^th at 1-over par 208 (71-70-67). Surtani recorded five birdies in his final round after having three in his first two rounds.

Jenson Forrester tied for 43^rd at 8-over par 215 (71-71-73). Supapon Amornchaichan was tied for 50^th at 9-over par 216 (75-70-71), while Kent Hsiao tied for 66^th at 12-over par 219 (72-77-70). Sam Easterbrook was tied for 73^rd at 13-over par 220 (74-72-74).

Playing as an individual, Yilin Sun was tied for 82^nd at 17-over par 224 (71-75-78).

Purdue’s next tournament comes on Sept. 22 and 23, hosting the Purdue Fall Classic at the Kampen-Cosler Course.