Coaching legend Dan Ross calls it a career

WBB Outlasted by Iowa; Await NCAA bid

The seventh-seeded women’s basketball team saw its run at the 2023 Big Ten Tournament come to an end after a hard, physical 69-58 loss to second seed Iowa on Friday night at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

The Boilermakers (19-10) rallied from a double-digit deficit for the second straight night to take a lead in the third quarter, only for the No. 7 Hawkeyes (24-6) to regain the advantage and stop any charge by Purdue late in the fourth.

A night after hitting a game-winning 3-pointer to lift Purdue over Wisconsin, Jayla Smith matched her career high with 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting and a pair of triples. Jeanae Terry posted another all-around performance with six points, 12 rebounds five assists, one block and one steal. Terry notched her 19th game of the year with at least five points and five rebounds.

Cassidy Hardin made history on Friday night playing the most games in Purdue women’s basketball history with her 141st career appearance.

Purdue finished even on the boards with Iowa at 37-37 and turned 13 offensive rebounds into 16 points, while giving up just six second chance points to the Hawkeyes.

The Boilermakers posted a season-high nine blocks. Rickie Woltman turned away a season-high three shots with additional rejections coming from Hardin, Terry, Smith and Ava Learn. Purdue’s bench totaled six of the blocks.

Iowa was led by Big Ten Player of the Year Caitlin Clark’s 22 points, as the team shot 46.3% overall. Purdue stymied the national player of the year candidate to just seven points over the opening 20 minutes.

The Boilermakers overcame a close start that saw Iowa build up a nine-point gap. Terry scored four of Purdue’s nine points to keep the deficit to single digits, despite the team going 4-of-16 from the field.

Purdue’s stepped up in the second to allow just two field goals for the entire quarter and zero over the final 6:23. Smith and Woltman combined for eight points to give the Boilermakers a 15-10 edge in the period. Purdue turned six Iowa giveaways into six points to trail by just four, 29-25, at the break.

Hardin nailed an early 3-pointer in the third to start a 9-2 run, all points coming from behind the arc, that give Purdue it’s only lead of the game with 6:27 to play. A minute later, Madison Layden sank a mid-range jumper to tie the score at 36-36 at the midway point of the third. Purdue trailed by five after Iowa closed the period on a 9-4 run.

The Hawkeyes extended its lead to 15 points early in the fourth. Smith scored half of her points in an effort to spart a rally, but Iowa had an answer for every Purdue basket. The Boilermakers made four 3-poitners over the final 10 minutes.

NOTES
• Purdue leads the all-time series with Iowa 40-38.
• Ava Learn recorded a rebound and two blocks and the team’s only positive plus-minus over eight minutes of action.
• The Boilermakers shot 33.3% for the game with eight 3-pointers.
• Iowa finished with a clip of 46.3% overall and seven triples, in addition to 12-of-13 at the line.
• Abbey Ellis tallied eight points, taking her over the 1,500-point plateau for her career.
• Purdue’s bench outscored Iowa’s second unit 26-6.  

UP NEXT
The Boilermakers will now wait to hear their name called for NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday on March 12. Purdue is looking for its 27th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and first since the 2017-18 season.

Samuels, Sherman Earn Bids to NCAA Championships

Purdue swimmers Brady Samuels and Nick Sherman both qualified for the NCAA Championships as individuals and will have an opportunity to race in three events apiece at the national championship meet.

Sherman earned his fourth career berth at the NCAA Championships and his third as an individual. He’s believed to be just the sixth men’s swimmer for Purdue to be a four-year NCAAs qualifier.

Samuels is going back to NCAAs as a sophomore, qualifying as an individual for the first time. Last season, Samuels and Sherman teamed up to earn All-America honors on Purdue’s 400 freestyle relay team.

The divers compete for their NCAA Championships berths this week at the Zone C Championships hosted by Indiana. On the men’s side, Jordan Rzepka and Sam Bennett both qualified for NCAAs as freshmen a year ago.

Samuels qualified via his career-best time of 41.99 in the 100 freestyle, which he registered Saturday at the Boiler-Make-It last chance meet. It ranked 18th nationally. He improved on his second-fastest time in team history and joined Olympian Nikola Aćin as the only Boilermakers to ever break 42 seconds in the event.

Sherman’s program-record time of 1:42.62 while winning silver in the 200 individual medley at the Big Ten Championships booked his ticket to the Twin Cities. It ranked 21st nationally. Coincidentally, Sherman first eclipsed that record in the prelims of the 2021 NCAA Championships. He’s now broken it four times.

Brady Samuels
• Qualified In: 100 Free – 41.99, ranking 18th nationally
• Also Plans to Race: 50 Free (19.58), 100 Back (45.86)

Nick Sherman
• Qualified In: 200 IM – 1:42.62, ranking 21st nationally
• Also Plans to Race: 100 Free (43.29), 200 Free (1:33.56)

The cut line was top 29 to 31 nationally in individual events this year. As individual qualifiers, Samuels and Sherman also have the opportunity to race in events in which they have NCAA provisional qualifying times (B Cut). Samuels opted for the 50 free and 100 back, Sherman went with the 100 and 200 free. Sherman did not race the 100 free at Big Tens but posted strong splits of 18.85 and 42.29 on the 200 medley and 400 free relays in Ann Arbor.

Purdue ranked among the top 25 nationally in the 200 medley relay (1:23.85, 20th) and 400 free relay (2:50.87, 22nd) this season but did not have a prerequisite NCAA automatic qualifying time (A Cut) that would in turn have qualified all of its relays with at least a B Cut.

The men’s NCAA Championships are set for March 22-25 at Minnesota’s Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center. Samuels and Sherman both competed there at the Big Ten Triple Duals last season. They’ll be entered in the 50 free and 200 IM on Thursday, the 100 back and 200 free Friday, and the 100 free Saturday.

Ross Announces Plans to Retire as Head Coach

Lifelong Boilermaker Dan Ross has announced his intention to retire as the leader of men’s swimming & diving, capping a distinguished 42-year career that has seen Ross become the second-longest tenured head coach in the history of Purdue Athletics.

Ross has been the head coach of the Boilermakers since the 1985-86 school year, a remarkable 38-year tenure that spanned both the Lambert Pool and Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center eras of the program. As a Purdue alumnus that originally arrived on campus in the fall of 1977 and later a four-year assistant coach from 1981-82 to 1984-85, Ross has been associated with Purdue Swimming & Diving for 46 seasons.

“Dan Ross and Purdue Swimming & Diving have become virtually synonymous over the past 40-plus years,” said Mike Bobinski, Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. “Dan has dedicated his life’s work to Purdue University and used his platform, first as an assistant coach, then through a remarkable 38-year head coaching tenure, to positively impact the lives of countless student-athletes, coaches and staff members. The connections Dan has with our former swimmers is a testament to his character and influence on their success while at Purdue and beyond. Purdue Athletics is forever grateful to Dan for his unwavering commitment to excellence in every aspect of the student-athlete experience, and we look forward to building from his vision and honoring his legacy in the years ahead. Dan is the epitome of a Purdue Boilermaker, and we wish him and his family all the best as he steps away to begin a well-earned next chapter.”

Ross plans to coach the Boilermakers at the CSCAA National Invitational Championship and NCAA Championships in the coming weeks and officially retire at the end of June, one day after his 64th birthday on June 29.

Ross won his three Big Ten Coach of the Year awards in three different decades – 1988, 1997 and 2009. He helped design the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center. Under his guidance, Purdue has scored at the NCAA Championships in 26 consecutive seasons and finished top 25 in 14 of the last 17. Ross has guided Boilermakers to international berths at the Olympic Games, World Championships, Pan American Games, Pan Pacific Games, World University Games, Southeast Asian Games and Maccabi Games. He was part of the U.S. coaching staff at the 2007 World University Games in Bangkok.

“It has been the privilege of my life to coach this team,” Ross said. “I loved every swimmer that I had the honor of coaching here at Purdue – from Lambert Pool or the original outdoor pool at the CoRec to the last 20 years at an unbelievable facility that is the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center. I told the current team, ‘I love each and every one of you unconditionally and that will never go away.’ This was a difficult decision, but my family helped me confirm what I knew in my heart – that it was time. Purdue Swimming & Diving is in amazing hands because of the people within the program that have made my final season a very special one.”

Recently, the men’s program produced at least one Big Ten champion every year from 2015 to 2021. The Boilermakers won multiple individual Big Ten titles on nine occasions during Ross’ tenure.

Ross’ vision and selflessness helped attract head diving coach Adam Soldati to Purdue in the spring of 2005, which in turn led to 13 NCAA diving national titles and multiple Olympic successes. John Klinge, David Boudia and Darlene Renie all work alongside Ross at the Burke Aquatic Center after enjoying successful careers as Purdue student-athletes at assorted segments of Ross’ time as the patriarch of Boilermaker Swimming & Diving.

“It is with great joy and excitement for Dan, as he transitions into the next stage of life, but also with great sadness to think of Purdue Swimming & Diving without our pillar of faithfulness and patience,” Soldati said. “For the last 18 years, Dan Ross has been a colleague, a mentor, a leader, but most importantly, a faithful brother and dear friend. I was beyond blessed to start my career here as a young, arrogant diving coach with a man like Dan Ross to work alongside and gently show the way. I’m forever grateful for one of the greatest Boilermakers ever!”

“Dan has been the cornerstone to this swimming & diving program,” Boudia said. “With his help, Purdue Diving has been able to become one of the best programs in the country. Dan will leave a rich tradition of showing you can find enjoyment in hard work and discipline that can lead to achieving your goals.”

Ross has been the dean of Purdue coaches since his friend and golf partner Gene Keady’s retirement following the 2004-05 basketball season. Ross is also the dean of Big Ten swimming & diving coaches. This summer the distinction of being the dean of Purdue coaches transfers to another friend and confidant – volleyball’s Dave Shondell (20 seasons).

In the history of Purdue Athletics, only Larry LeBree’s 40-season run with men’s tennis from 1925 to 1964 ranks as a longer tenure among head coaches. Coincidentally, LeBree also coached swimming for 15 seasons at Purdue.

“Dan has been the face of Purdue Swimming & Diving for the last four decades,” Klinge said. “He has influenced hundreds of young men and women. For me personally, Dan recruited me, coached me and mentored me. He has been a tremendous colleague and a true friend.”

This season Ross ranked as the fifth-longest tenured active swimming & diving head coach working at the NCAA Division I level.

Baseball Sweeps Big Ten Player & Pitcher of the Week

Paul Toetz provided the power and Kyle Iwinski carved up the opposition with lethal efficiency in Purdue baseball’s series win during weekend No. 3, earning the duo Big Ten Player and Pitcher of the Week honors for their performances.

Iwinski retired 21 of the 22 batters he faced in his first career start as a Boilermaker, shutting out Akron on 78 pitches in a game that ended in the seventh inning due to a 10-run rule. He was also among Collegiate Baseball’s National Players of the Week honor roll.

Toetz slugged his way to a 9-for-15 series that produced five extra-base hits and a 2.180 OPS over four games. He barreled up for two home runs in games 2 and 4 of the weekend, finishing the weekend with 11 RBI. Toetz baseman also tripled off the center field wall Friday. Defensively, the second baseman threw runners out at third base and home plate on excellent relay throws from right field.

The Boilermakers produced the Big Ten Player and Pitcher of the Week for the first time since February 2011, following the season-opening weekend.

Iwinski struck out eight in his gem, matching the season high by a Boilermaker. The only base runner he allowed came on a leadoff single by Akron’s cleanup hitter in the fifth inning. In the meantime, Iwinski retired the first 12 batters of the game and the final nine batters he faced. Iwinski’s game score of 83 ranked tied for third nationally for the weekend. Since 2012, he became just the seventh Boilermaker to pitch a gem that produced a game score of at least 83.

Softball: Jones Picks Up Big Ten Player of the Week

Shortstop Tyrina Jones was selected as the Big Ten Softball Player of the Week, following a Week 4 performance which saw a pair of wins vs. James Madison and a victory at North Carolina. The honor is the first of its kind for Jones.

Jones produced a .533 batting average, which included two home runs and six RBI on eight hits.

Not only did Jones score the game-winner in all three Purdue victories, she had a hand in every run scored in the 4-0 victory at UNC (3/4) with a run in the sixth inning, followed by a three-run homer in the top of the seventh to seal the win. Jones also notched an RBI double in the fifth-inning vs. James Madison (3/5) to tie up the score, 3-3, before going on the score the game-winner in that very same inning.

The sophomore has now scored a run in 12 of the last 13 games and recorded at least one RBI in the last three straight.

Overall, Jones ranks fourth in the league with a .433 batting average and five home runs this season. Meanwhile, the Lake Worth, Florida product has accumulated 21 RBI, good for third in the league.

She joins elite company alongside Purdue alums All-American Rachel Becker (March 14, 2022), Jenny Behan (March 4, 2019) as the most recent Boilermakers to receive Big Ten Player of the Week honors.

Purdue will travel to Fullerton, California for the Cal State Fullerton Tournament next weekend. The tournament will see doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday, followed by a single game on Sunday. The Boilermakers will take on Brown, Cal State Fullerton, Weber State and Long Beach State and Sacramento State over the three days.

NCAA Announces 2023 Wrestling Championships Brackets

The NCAA released the full brackets and seeding for the 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships during their selection show on Wednesday night. The four Boilermakers headed to the BOK Center found out their first-round opponents and seeding for the national tournament, with sophomore Matt Ramos leading the pack as the No. 4 seed in the 125 pound bracket. 

Joining Ramos at the national championships are graduate-senior Parker Filius, senior Kendall Coleman and freshman Hayden Copass. Filius and Coleman both earned spots on the No. 12 line in what will be the fourth trip to the NCAA tournament for both wrestlers. They are the 15th and 16th student-athletes in program history to be four-time qualifiers. Copass qualified for the first time in his debut in the postseason and checked in as the No. 30 seed at heavyweight. 

The 125-pound Ramos has had a sensational season, racking up a 31-4 record to take the No. 4 seed in Tulsa. Fourth is the highest seed for a Boilermaker since Dylan Lydy was slated to wrestle from that spot in the 2020 tournament that would eventually be canceled. Ben Wissel was the last Purdue wrestler to actual enter a tournament seeded that highly when he became an All-American as the No. 3 in 2006.

Ramos earned an auto-bid by placing third at the Big Ten Championships last weekend. He faces the No. 29 seed Nico Provo of Stanford in the first round. Ramos’ only career match against a Cardinal wrestler came earlier this season in a 10-2 major decision win over Wyatt Richter. 

Sixth-year senior Parker Filius heads to his fourth NCAA tournament with a 21-9 record and with his highest ever seed as the No. 12 at 141. He was undoubtedly boosted by a fantastic run at the Big Ten Championships where he finished in fifth as the No. 8 seed, beating three top-20 ranked opponents including a dramatic upset of No. 7 Frankie Tal-Shahar of Northwestern in the fifth place match.

Filius faces No. 21 Cleveland Belton of Oregon State in the first round. It will be an opportunity for revenge for the Havre, Mont., native, who lost to Belton 3-2 at Cliff Keen earlier this season. 

Coleman is also headed to his fourth NCAA Championships after compiling an impressive 27-6 record and finishing in sixth at the Big Ten tournament. He will face another Big Ten opponent in No. 21 Andrew Clark of Rutgers. Coleman is 2-0 in his career against Scarlet Knights. 

The freshman Copass joins his more experienced teammates in Tulsa for his first NCAA tournament after securing an auto-bid by placing in seventh at Big Tens, winning a pivotal match over Indiana’s Jacob Bullock in the bloodrounds for qualification. His first round matchup will be against Penn State’s Big Ten runner-up No. 3 Greg Kerkvliet.