The world of Big Ten volleyball is pretty cutthroat, and the addition of the four West Coast schools did not make it any easier. The conference regularly has multiple teams in the top 5 nationally every week, and you can be a top 10 team and still be the fifth best in the league.
That is where Purdue has been under Dave Shondell for a long time. The Boilers are clearly an upper tier team in the league that produces All-Americans and makes deep tournament runs, but it can never seem to crack the ceiling
for a hard-earned conference title or a Final Four. Purdue is often very, very good, but the likes of Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Penn State are often a little bit better.
Coming into the 2025 season Purdue was coming off of another year in which it was consistently ranked in the top 15 with two projected returning All-Americans, but the departure of Eva Hudson and Chloe Chicoine via the transfer portal was a bit of a shock. Hudson led the Big Ten in kills per set, was a former conference Freshman of the Year, and an All-American. Chicoine was the former top recruit in the nation, First Team all-Big Ten, and All-American. Chicoine is now with No. 3 ranked Louisville and Hudson is with No. 6 Kentucky.
Those were two huge pieces lost, but it is a testament to what Dave Shondell does every year that Purdue is 7-1 on the season with two in-state games remaining against Ball State and IU-Indianapolis this weekend before starting conference play. That is enough to be ranked 11th in the nation according to this week’s poll, and third in the Big Ten behind No. 1 Nebraska, and No. 7 Wisconsin. Purdue’s formidable front line of Hudson, Chicaoine, and Raven Colvin (who graduated) is entirely gone, yet the Boilers are still chugging along.
Purdue’s lone loss so far was a 3-1 match to No. 23 Georgia Tech on September 3rd. There have been a couple of close calls with 3-2 wins over South Florida and Bowling Green, but the Boilers have notched nice wins over Tennessee (in Nashville), No. 15 Kansas, and No. 10 Southern Methodist.
Kenna Wollard has had a huge emergence this year. She has stepped up in her junior season and is currently second in the conference with 135 kills. Ryan McAleer (the reigning conference Defensive Player of the Week) has been huge defensively with 121 digs, and Taylor Anderson’s 345 assists leads the conference. Grace Heaney is also already in triple digits with 100 kills. Dior Charles and Heaney are strong on defense with 30+ blocks as well.
This is a very well-balanced team that is coming together thanks to some key transfers. Charles comes to Wet Lafayette from Wake Forest while the 6’4” Lindsey Miller is from USC. Purdue’s height along the front is the best it has ever been. The Boilers have gotten it done in the past with excellent skill players, but this year’s team is the tallest in Purdue’s history. It also comes with solid skills.
Big Ten play begins next week as Purdue hosts Washington and Illinois before going out to visit both LA schools who are also in the top 25. The growth of volleyball is also on display as Purdue is playing in some large arenas this year. It has already beaten Butler in Hinkle Fieldhouse. It is scheduled to take on Indiana in Gainbridge Fieldhouse on October 16th and Mackey Arena on November 29th. Both the Washington and Illinois matches will also be in Mackey, while Rutgers is hosting the Boilers in Jersey Mike’s Arena.
No. 1 Nebraska comes to Holloway Gym on October 12th and defending NCAA champion Penn State comes to Holloway on November 7th. Honestly, this might be the best shot Purdue has in quite some time at winning the always tough Big Ten. It only plays top contenders Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Penn State once each and two of those are at home. It does get No. 12 Minnesota twice.
Purdue should be 9-1 and possibly in the top 10 when conference play begins, and it is more than set to make the NCAA Tournament for the 11th straight time. During the past 15 years Purdue has made the Sweet 16 nine times and the Elite Eight four times. It is a testament to how difficult the Big Ten is that int hat time Purdue has only finished in the top three in the league twice, as runner-up in 2011 and third in 2023.
