Volleyball Heads to Louisville to Sweet 16

Hudson Sets Career-High in Purdue’s Second Round Sweep

The No. 4 seeded Purdue Boilermakers will set their sights on the Round of 16 after sweeping Loyola Chicago 25-20, 25-21, 25-12 in the NCAA Second Rounds. The match, hosted in the friendly confines of Purdue’s own Holloway Gymnasium, marked the first NCAA tournament team to punch their ticket to the Regional Semifinals.

The Boilermakers were led by Eva Hudon’s career-high .562 hitting %, besting her record, which she set a year ago in the NCAA First Round with a .556% mark (16-1-27 vs. Fairfield, 11/20/23).

With performance, the AVCA National Player of the Year Semifinalist has produced 41 kills and just three errors on 76 attacks, averaging a .508 hitting % over the First & Second Rounds of the NCAA tournament.

As a team, Purdue out-blocked Loyola Chicago, 13-3, hitting .409% in the match, just shy of the program’s NCAA postseason match record (.454% set in 2016). It was the third time this season the Boilermakers have hit over .400 in a match (last: .424% at Rutgers, 11/1).

After coming off the bench last match as an impact player, Kenna Wollard had the starting role on the right side, posting five kills on a .300 attack % and tying a career-high five blocks.

Taylor Anderson dished out 39 assists in the three-setter, including an impressive 16 assists in the first set alone. Ali Hornung led the back row effort with 10 digs.

Purdue set the tone with an efficient and balanced offense in the opening frame. The Boilermakers hit .469% in Set 1 with three Boilermakers (Hudson, Wollard and Colvin) all hitting .500% or better and Chicoine on two blocks, including a solo stuff. The Boilermakers recorded an 80% sideout, going 17-21 over Set 1.

The Boilermakers closed out the match with no Set 3 attack errors and hitting .522% to close the match, just shy of the team’s set season-high (.552 in Set 4 at Indiana, 11/8).

Chloe Chicoine nearly had a double-double, posting nine kills and nine digs and three blocks (1 solo, 2 assisted) in the effort. Raven Colvin hit .500% with seven kills and one error on 12 swings alongside six blocks, leading all players in the match.

Purdue is headed to its 17th Regional Semifinal appearance, including its fifth in the last six years.

The NCAA has set the schedule for its four Regional sites, featuring No. 4 seeded Purdue volleyball at the Louisville Regional.

Purdue will take on No. 4 seed Louisville on Thursday, December 12. The match will begin at approximately 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2, or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the preceding match (No. 6 seed Florida vs. No. 2 seed Stanford), which starts at 7 p.m. ET. The Louisville Regional Final is slated for Saturday, December 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

The Louisville Regional matches will be played at Freedom Hall. The final four, hosted in Louisville, will be played at the KFC Yum! Center.

Hudson Named AVCA Midwest Region POY

 Four Boilermakers received recognition in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Midwest Region Awards, headlined by Eva Hudson as Midwest Region Player of the Year. Receiving All-Region honors was Chloe Chicoine, Raven Colvin and Hudson in addition to Ali Hornung named Honorable Mention

With the award, Hudson remains perfect on the Midwest All-Region team, earning three team honors in her three seasons while adding Player of the Year to the belt that also included Freshman of the Year in 2022. The Boilermaker entered NCAA tournament as the Big Ten leader in kills, and proved the point with her NCAA tournament-leading 6.83 kills per set and average .500 hitting % over the first two matches with just three total attack errors, including a career-high .562 hitting % in the second round. Already well on her way to re-writing the Purdue record book, Hudson currently ranks No. 2 in single-season history for kills/set (just .01 off from the record-holder) in addition to being on track to surpass Purdue’s career-leader in kills per game as Hudson is averaging 4.51 (current record: 3.96).

Colvin returns for the second straight year as an All-Region Team honoree after earning Honorable Mention as a sophomore. One of the best middle blockers to ever don the Old Gold & Black, Colvin is the career record-holder in block assists and ranks second in program history in both blocks per set and total blocks, having surpassed 600 blocks during the regular season and is currently one kill away from notching her 1,000th. Colvin led the Big Ten and ranks No. 3 in the nation in blocks, leading the nation for the first four weeks of the season. The Indianapolis, Indiana, native has recorded 18 matches this year with at least six blocks, 18 matches hitting .400 or better, including nine at .500 or better.

Chicoine receives All-Region honors for the second straight year, also coming off Freshman of the Year. She is having one of the most balanced seasons any Purdue outside hitter in its history, averaging 2.98 digs per set (343 on the season) and 3.10 kills per set (357 on the season). The Boilermaker has stepped up in the biggest matches of the season,  including a season-high 33 kills at #2 Nebraska and 20 digs at #13 Oregon. In addition, she went errorless on the attack vs. Indiana in Purdue’s Mackey Arena match, recording 12 kills on 30 attempts for a .400 clip to become just the third Boilermaker in the last 10 years to accomplish the feat with a 30-attempt minimum. Chicoine has totaled 14 double-doubles this season, including six matches with at least 15 kills.

Hornung’s honorable mention nod marked the first postseason athletic award for the senior libero. The New Albany, Indiana native enters the NCAA Regionals averaging 4.30 digs per set this season after finishing second in the Big Ten in digs and digs/set. Improving as the season progressed, She averaged 5.03 digs per set over the last 10 matches of the regular-season and reached her 1,000th career dig during the span, becoming the 21st Boilermaker in program history to reach the milestone. Hornung received two Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week nods during the season.

Hudson and Colvin were named First Team All-Big Ten and Chicoine Second Team last week. From the AVCA’s list of All-Region selections, All-America honors will be selected.

Together, the Boilermakers helped Purdue reach a 25-6 record, including 16-4 Big Ten record, during the regular season, and a fourth-place finish in the league standings. With the two postseason sweeps thus far, Purdue’s 27 wins mark the second time under head coach Dave Shondell and eighth time overall Purdue has reached the feat.

The No. 4 seeded Purdue Boilermakers are set to play at No. 1 seed Louisville in the Regional Semifinals on Thursday night on ESPN2. The showdown is set to start approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of the Florida vs. Stanford match, which starts at 7 p.m. ET.

Boilers Drop Saturday Tilt to No. 7 Maryland

The women’s basketball team could not hold off a second half charge in a 78-69 loss to No. 7 Maryland on Saturday afternoon at Mackey Arena.

Purdue (5-4, 0-1) had four players in double figures on Saturday, led by a season-high 17 points from Rashunda Jones off the bench. Jones was 7-of-11from the field and added three assists and one block. Reagan Bass tallied 16 points with a pair of 3-pointers.

The Boilermakers went 7-of-17 from behind the arc. Destini Lombard hit three times from distance to finish with 15 points, while Ella Collier made a pair to finish with eight points. Purdue shot a season-high 50.9% from the field and eight of the nine players who appeared in the game recorded at least one assist.

TOP STATS
The Boilermakers played stout defense over the opening 20 minutes, holding Maryland (10-0, 1-0) to 28.6% shooting and 2-of-12 from behind the arc in the first half. Purdue converted eight turnovers into 10 points in the first two quarters.

The Terrapins found their rhythm offensively in the second half with a 63.3% shooting clip and four 3-pointers, while trimming turnovers down to three.

KEY MOMENTS
• Purdue’s defense set the tone in the early stages, holding Maryland to 2-of-17 from the field to start.
• While the defense stood firm, the Boilermakers jumped out to a 9-2 run with four points from Bass.
• Purdue hit five of their last six to close the first, including a Bass 3-pointer with three seconds left, to take an 18-6 lead.
• Another Bass triple, bookended by layups from Lombard and Jones, opened up a 15-point lead two minutes into the second.
• Ella Collier and Lombard drained back-to-back 3-pointers for Purdue’s fourth and fifth makes of the half to make it a 31-15 lead.
• Jones scored the final five points of the half for Purdue to carry a 38-29 lead into the break.
• Maryland punched back out of halftime with a 9-2 run that cut the gap to two points with 7:04 to play in the third.
• Jones and Kendall Puryear combined for the Boilermakers’ first eight points of the frame, but the Terrapins held Purdue to six points over the final five minutes of the period and took a 55-52 lead into the fourth.
• Lombard drained a 3-pointer to open the fourth and knot the score at 55-55. Maryland then went on a 14-4 run to open a 10-point gap with 6:10 to play.
• Purdue then scored six straight to pull back within four with 3:34 to go, but the Terrapins hit two of their four fourth quarter triples to pull away.

NOTES
• Maryland leads the all-time series 18-2.
• Purdue outscored Maryland 34-32 in points in the paint.
• Bass finished in double figures for the sixth time this season, while Lombard topped 10 points for the eighth game.
• Saturday was the first time Purdue dropped a game this season when scoring 10 or more second chance points, after starting the year 5-0.
• Kendall Puryear finished in double figures for the third time this season. The freshman was 4-of-6 from the field with five rebounds.

UP NEXT
The Boilermakers will be off until next Saturday when they host No. 14 Kentucky for a 5 p.m. tip on BTN.   

Samuels Wins 100 Free to Complete Golden Trifecta at U.S. Open

Purdue’s Brady Samuels was victorious in a championship final for the third night in a row, completing his golden trifecta at USA Swimming’s Toyota U.S. Open by winning the 100-yard freestyle Saturday.

Samuels improved on his preliminary time for the third straight day, winning Saturday with a time of 42.27 to improve upon his team season best and NCAA provisional qualifying time (B Cut). The senior also won the 50 free Thursday and 100 butterfly Friday, eclipsing his own program record in the prelims and finals of the 100 fly.

Samuels joined Yale’s Charlie Egeland (100 and 200 breast, 200 IM) and Georgia’s Bradley Dunham (100 and 200 back, 500 free) as the only men’s swimmers to win three individual events at the championship meet this year. Samuels also helped the Boilermakers win three relays this week – 200 free, 800 free and 200 medley relays.

Blake Rowe eclipsed Purdue’s freshman record in the 200 backstroke in both the prelims and finals, winning silver as the runner-up in the championship final. He broke the freshman benchmark for the second time in two weeks, improving his B Cut and fourth-fastest time in program history to 1:42.38 with his showing in the finals. He was the top qualifier in the prelims (1:42.71). Dunham enjoyed a 3.68-second time drop in the final (1:39.33) to also win an event for the third night in a row.

Raymond Whittaker was victorious in the B final of the 200 breaststroke with a lifetime best of 1:57.20, moving into 10th place in program history. He posted a lifetime best in a breaststroke event for the second day in a row.

Lance Lesage (200 back) and Nathaniel Thomas (100 free) were also B finalists Saturday. Lesage posted a lifetime best of 1:45.78, enjoying an in-season time drop of 4.57 seconds from his showing in Purdue’s dual meet victory at Missouri on Oct. 25. Thomas’ time of 44.14 was his best since becoming a Boilermaker and likely a SCY lifetime best for the Jamaican, who will represent his country at the World Aquatics Championships (25m) in Budapest next week.

Freshman Evan Mackesy demonstrated his fitness and determination by racing in the 200 back and 1650 free Saturday. He was in the fastest heat of the mile at 6:20 p.m. to begin the finals session and then took his second swim in the C final of the 200 back at 8:13 p.m. Mackesy posted a team season-best time in the mile (15:29.52) and improved on his prelim time in the 200 back by 0.7 tenths in the final (1:47.10), taking runner-up honors in the C final.

Samuels bested Olympic medalist and fellow IHSAA state champion Drew Kibler in the championship final again. They went 1-2 in both the 50 and 100 free this week. Samuels out touched Kibler by 0.03 hundredths Saturday.

Purdue resumes its dual meet schedule Friday, Jan. 10 vs. Kentucky. The Notre Dame women will also be in attendance at the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center.

Ramos Strikes Las Vegas Gold; #24 Purdue Takes 10th at Cliff Keen Invite

No. 3 Matt Ramos breezed through the 42nd Cliff Keen Invitational 125-pound bracket to win the gold medal, capping off Purdue’s strong showing at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Head coach Tony Ersland‘s No. 24 Boilermakers took a big leap in the standings from a year ago, placing 10th among the field of 30 teams. Twelve of the top 25 teams in the nation were competing in Las Vegas, and Purdue edged four squads that are currently higher in the InterMat tournament rankings.

The Boilermakers earned their ninth top-10 finish at CKLV in 18 trips, and the first since the team’s sixth-place finish in 2021.

RAMOS ROUNDUP

The redshirt senior from Lockport, Ill., beat No. 11 Eddie Ventresca from Virginia Tech in the 125-pound championship match with a 7-4 decision. Ramos scored two quick takedowns and prevented the Hokie’s comeback attempt with elite defense to seal his second tournament title of the season.

He became the fifth Boilermaker to win a Cliff Keen championship, joining Chris Fleeger (2002, 125 lbs), Ryan Lange (2003, 174 lbs), Ben Wissel (2005, 184 lbs) and Dylan Lydy (2019, 174 lbs).

Undefeated on the season with a 14-0 record, Ramos will likely rise in the national rankings after dominating a talented 125-pound bracket.

Along with Ventresca, the field included No. 2 Caleb Smith (Nebraska), No. 4 Troy Spratley (Oklahoma State), No. 6 Tanner Jordan (South Dakota State), No. 10 Brendan McCrone (Ohio State), No. 12 Vincent Robinson (NC State), No. 24 Maximo Renteria (Oregon State) and No. 29 Adrian Meza (Iowa State).

Purdue’s lone senior earned wins over Spratley and Ventresca as well as a medical forfeiture from Robinson.

Ramos is the first wrestler in school history to become a four-time placewinner at the prestigious Cliff Keen Invite. He previously placed eighth in 2021, second in 2022 and seventh in 2023.

BLAZE EARNS SIXTH PLACE HONORS

No. 15 Joey Blaze joined Ramos as the only Boilermakers to wrestle on Day 2 at CKLV.

Thanks to a big upset win over No. 5 Peyten Kellar in Friday night’s quarterfinal, Blaze represented Purdue in the 157-pound semis.

He drew No. 6 Ryder Downey (Northern Iowa) in Saturday’s bout and wrestled a defensive nail-biter despite visibly fighting through pain from a physical tournament run.

Tied 2-2 late in the third period after Blaze controlled much of the pace throughout the match, Downey landed a decisive takedown in the final 20 seconds to inch ahead with a 5-2 win.

After the match, Blaze medically forfeited his remaining bouts in the consolation bracket and took sixth place.

The 2024 NCAA qualifier from Perrysburg, Ohio, is in good company in his second collegiate season. Blaze is Purdue’s first sophomore to climb the podium in Las Vegas since Ramos did so in 2022.

For the full breakdown of Purdue’s other key contributors who helped bring the team to a 10th place finish, read Friday night’s recap from Day 1 of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.

UP NEXT

The Boilermakers return to action on Dec. 18 with a road trip to Cleveland State. The Wednesday night dual against the Vikings is set for 7 p.m. ET in Woodling Gymnasium.

Buckeridge Completes 5000m in Purdue’s Indoor Opener

Douglas Buckeridge started Purdue’s 2024-25 Indoor Track & Field season in the 5000m on Saturday night at the Sharon Colyear-Danvile Season Opener.

Buckeridge finished the race in a personal-best 14:13.82. It was the second completed 5000m of his career after he went 14:52.42 in the 2024 Big Ten Indoor Championships.

The race, which featured high demand from distance runners around the country, featured 212 entries and nine heats. Buckeridge competed in the sixth heat.

Purdue Track & Field now looks ahead to the team season opener on Friday, Dec. 13 at the Blue Demon Holiday Invitational hosted by DePaul in Chicago.

MSD Boilers to compete for country in Budapest

Purdue’s Matheo Mateos, Nathaniel Thomas and Jinq En Phee compete for country this week as short course events remain in the spotlight at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships – the 25-meter showcase in Budapest, Hungary.

Mateos (200 & 400 IM for Paraguay), Thomas (100 free & 100 fly for Jamaica) and Phee (50 & 100 breast for Malaysia) are all slated to compete in a pair of individual events, with all three having a race Saturday.

Mateos and Phee are veterans of multiple World Aquatic Championships, primarily the biennial long course meet that serves as the top international swimming showcase in non-Olympic years. Phee represented Malaysia at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games and competed for Purdue from 2017-20. Mateos joined the Boilermakers as a graduate transfer in August after representing Paraguay at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Thomas was among the 10 men to race for Purdue at last week’s USA Swimming U.S. Open Championships. He was a B finalist in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle while also helping the Boilermakers win the 200 free relay. He posted a lifetime best in the 100 free (44.14).

The World Aquatics Championships (25m) are being contested at Duna Arena. Budapest also hosted the full World Aquatics Championships (long course, diving, open water, etc.) in the summers of 2017 and 2022. Purdue divers Daryn Wright, Maycey Vieta, Maggie Merriman, Jordan Rzepka, Tyler Downs and Greg Duncan as well as swimming alum Nikola Aćin all competed at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest.