The Colvins: A Boilermaker Family

This article appears in Purdue’s The Persistent Pursuit series.

Family ties can become the ties that bind. In the Colvin family, togetherness takes many forms.

Raven Colvin, a senior on Purdue’s nationally ranked volleyball team, and Myles Colvin, a sophomore on the men’s basketball squad, couldn’t be more different. But in some ways, they couldn’t be more the same.

“Myles has more of my mom’s laid-back personality, while I am more intense and passionate like my dad,” says Raven, a first-team All-Big-Ten performer in 2023. “But we both have parts of our parents and grandparents that make us who we are.”

Elite athletic talent is a common thread; it is the Colvins’ calling card for all Purdue fans and observers. Raven is one of the most potent front-line players in her sport, while Myles is a shot-maker who has the potential to be remarkable.

Dad and Purdue alumnus Rosevelt knows a thing or two about playing at the highest level. He was a vital member of a pair of Super Bowl-winning teams with the New England Patriots and enjoyed a decade-long NFL career as an outside linebacker. That followed a Boilermaker experience as a two-time All-Big Ten rush end during the 1997 and ’98 seasons, which were heady times under the university’s all-time winningest coach, Joe Tiller.

Mom Tiffany flexed her business and culinary acumen by operating a bakery for 14 years. She has been there for all four of the Colvin children and has enjoyed the sporting adventures of her two youngest.

“Our parents are our biggest supporters,” Raven says. “They come to every game. Our grandparents come to most of the games that they can. That’s our family. We’re a sports family.”

And it is Tiffany and Rosevelt who set the tone for their two athletic children. It ranges from a text of support from mom to a note-taking analysis of a play by dad. The parents complement each other in how they interact with their children. But Tiffany and Rosevelt also realize they are getting as much out of their children’s Purdue athletic experience as they are putting in.

“They are great kids and we are fortunate,” Tiffany says. “They saw all the hard work we put into running our family business, and they have benefited from that. It is such a relief for me to have them both at Purdue and see them both thriving.”

Flamboyant goofiness

One could easily assume that the Colvin clan is strictly business. But while that is often true, it isn’t always the case. With Raven and Myles, there is a lighter side.

“When we are together, we can be goofy, laughing and loud,” Myles says. “My time with my sister is when I play around and have fun.”

Raven concurs, admitting that Myles is quiet while she is … not.

“We are different, but our sense of humor is the same,” Raven says. “I have flamboyant goofiness.” But it is clear that the two “get” one another and use that shared comedic sense to weather the stress of attending college while competing in athletics at the highest level.

Yet, like most kids two years apart, they didn’t always get along.

There were parental worries when Myles didn’t start talking until he was nearly 2 years old. Looking back, it was because he had two older sisters who spoke for him. But once Myles started talking, he didn’t stop.

However, their relationship has matured nicely as they aged.

“We didn’t get along all that well when we were young because I was the talkative type that got on her nerves,” Myles says. “But when she left for college, it hit me. I didn’t have her to speak with every day. That is when I knew she was one of the closest people in my life.

“She’s so energetic, and I just feed off of her. She’s the one person I can be myself with.”

That bond solidified in their teenage years. Raven would video Myles’ AAU games, and he was a regular at Raven’s volleyball tournaments. Rosevelt, a salty basketball player at Broad Ripple High School in Indianapolis who considered accepting an invitation to walk on to coach Gene Keady’s basketball team, served as Myles’ coach.

“Attending each other’s events was the highest priority growing up, and it still is today,” Raven says.

Rosevelt admits there were times he has come on a bit strong, especially with Myles.

“I thank Myles all the time for forgiving me as a dad-coach because there are times that you say things and you regret what you said,” Rosevelt admits. “Myles has been awesome to me, just to forgive me, and it’s always been love between us, but it hasn’t always been easy.”

How was Rosevelt as a volleyball parent?

Rosevelt and Raven share that outward competitive fire, but it took some learning and listening for dad to become an effective sports mentor for his daughter.

“I started by telling her that if you are going to be an effective hitter, you should just hit the opponent in the face with the ball every time,” Rosevelt says. “But I learned the game’s nuances and think I could be a good coach. But she doesn’t (always) want to listen to me, so I try to be dad, get excited when she plays and hope she does well.

“I stay pretty quiet at home matches, but on the road, not so much.”

Support in the challenging times

It hasn’t always been a smooth road for Raven and Myles at Purdue. Both had to wait their turn in their freshman seasons, and Myles is still battling for playing time and a consistent role for coach Matt Painter’s team.

But even at the college level, the big sister is still watching out for her little brother. Raven is efficient in her comments to Myles, but when she sees body language that needs improvement, she points it out. She even tried to be someone in the stands who could provide encouragement with something as simple as eye contact.

“I try to give him a look, but he never looks at me (during games),” Raven laughs. “But constantly critiquing one another is not who we are as a family. We are about the game, and let’s reflect and support each other after the game is over.

“Myles is a listener and doesn’t go on a rant very often, but when he does, I can tell he has heard me.”

Myles appreciates his family’s straightforward approach.

“One thing I love about my family is they tell me how it is,” Myles says. “I have realized they do that because they care about me.”

Post-college aspirations

The Colvin clan is from a long line of educators. Myles’ and Raven’s grandparents and great-grandparents were educators and established a legacy of making the most of educational opportunities.

Raven and Myles have big aspirations after their days at Purdue end. Myles would love to develop his game and play professionally. Raven is a few months away from getting an opportunity to make a living playing the sports she loves. Academically, Raven has navigated her rigorous accounting major and has helped Myles as he is introduced to accounting and other business courses.

Rosevelt and Tiffany understand business and entrepreneurship and have laid that foundation for the children. Both stress the importance of looking past their athletic careers with the best possible academic preparation.

“We try to help them be humble with their everyday thought process and develop a work ethic because things in life aren’t always easy,” Rosevelt says. “We tell them that as soon as you figure out you don’t have to appease people, you can be polite and do your business without worrying about what they think of you. You will have inner peace and smooth sailing if you can do that. I realized that 10 years ago, and I am lucky to have imparted that to them now.

“I get emotional because I know what I did at Purdue and how much I loved my college experience. To have Raven be as successful as she is and Myles on the cusp of having similar success and each trying to create their legacy is an awesome feeling.”