| WEEKEND STREAMING GUIDE (all times ET) |
| Baseball |
| Friday / 6:30 p.m. / at Ohio State / Buckeye Vision |
| Saturday / 6 p.m. / at Ohio State / BTN2Go |
| Sunday / 4 p.m. / at Ohio State / Buckeye Vision |
| Softball |
| Friday / 6 p.m. / Iowa / BTN2Go |
| Saturday / 1 p.m. / Iowa / BTN2Go |
| Sunday / Noon / Iowa / BTN2Go |
| Men's Tennis |
| Saturday / 2 p.m. / Michigan State / PurdueSports.com |
| Sunday / Noon / Michigan / PurdueSports.com |
| Women's Tennis |
| Saturday / 10 a.m. / Indiana / PurdueSports.com |
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A lot has happened in Purdue Athletes over the last four weeks. Let's summarize.
Men's basketball advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, and the Big Ten Conference champions finished with a 27-8 record.
Sophomore forward Caleb Swanigan has been recognized as a consensus All-American, the Boilermakers' first since JaJuan Johnson in 2011. The Associated Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches, Sporting News and United States Basketball Writers Association are the four organizations used in determining consensus All-Americans.
Swanigan is Purdue's 27th consensus All-America selection, accomplished by 18 players. The 27 consensus All-Americans are the second-most in NCAA history, while the 18 players honored rank as the third-most.
Swanigan recorded one of the top statistical seasons not only in Purdue history, but NCAA annals. He averaged 18.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 52.7 percent from the field, including 44.7 percent from three-point range, and 78.1 percent from the free throw line.
Swanigan is a finalist for the Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy, Big O Award (Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Award), Malone Award (nation's top power forward) and Pete Newell Big Man of the Year Award.
Women's basketball reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament and nearly knocked off top-seeded and No. 2-ranked Notre Dame on its home court. The Boilermakers, who were Big Ten Tournament runners-up, finished with a 23-13 record.
Head coach Sharon Versyp became the winningest coach in conference tournament history with 22 wins.
Senior guard Ashley Morrissette concluded her career ranked 16th in school history with 1,416 points.
Men's swimming and diving finished 13th at the NCAA Championships, equaling the highest in school history in the modern era. Redshirt sophomore Steele Johnson won two national championships - 1-meter and 3-meter diving - and finished second in platform. He was named NCAA and Big Ten Diver of the Year for the second time (also 2015). Freshman Brandon Loschiavo was fourth in platform diving, while sophomore Joe Cifelli placed sixth on 1-meter and junior Marat Amaltdinov took seventh in the 200 breaststroke. All three were All-Americans. Cifelli also achieved honorable mention All-America honors in platform, as did sophomore Max Showalter on 1-meter.
Women's swimming and diving wound up 23rd at the NCAA Championships. Two platform divers, sophomore Lexi Vincent and freshman Emily Meaney, led the way by finishing fifth and seventh, respectively, to be recognized as All-Americans. Two other Boilermakers were honorable mention All-Americans, junior Kaersten Meitz in the 500 freestyle and junior Samm Reese in 1-meter diving. Purdue finished in the top 25 for the second year in a row and for the 10th time in the last 13 years.
Adam Soldati was recognized as the NCAA Diving Coach of the Year for the fifth time and the Big Ten Men's Diving Coach of the Year for the sixth time (eighth time overall) in 12 seasons.
Women's indoor track & field tied for 14th place at the NCAA Championships, the second-highest showing in program history and best since 1984. Redshirt junior Devynne Charlton earned All-America honors after finishing second in the 60-meter hurdles. Redshirt junior Savannah Carson also was an All-American after tying the Big Ten record in the long jump to finish fifth nationally. Four Boilermakers were second team All-Americans: Charlton (60-meter dash), junior Symone Black (400 meters), sophomore Janae' Moffitt (high jump) and junior Brionna Thomas (400 meters), along with the 4x400-meter relay team of Black, freshman Chloe Abbott, junior Jahneya Mitchell and Thomas. Lonnie Greene was named the Head Coach of the Year for the Great Lakes Region, while Angela Elliott was Assistant Coach of the Year.
Wrestling was ranked 25th in the final USA Today/National Wrestling Coaches Association poll. Three Boilermakers qualified for the NCAA Championships: freshman Christian Brunner (197 pounds), redshirt senior Alex Griffin (157) and redshirt junior Jacob Morrissey (174).
Barco, Kim Named Big Ten Golfers of the Week
Seniors Fernando Barco and August Kim have been named Big Ten Golfers of the Week.
Barco finished tied for 12th at the Hootie at Bull's Bay Intercollegiate in Charleston, South Carolina on March 27, while Kim shared medalist honors at the Henssler Financial Intercollegiate in Kennesaw, Georgia, on March 28. For Kim, it is her second straight such honor and third of the season.
The men's team finished seventh among 15 teams; the women's squad was second among 14 squads.
Meanwhile, two men's golfers have recorded holes-in-one in the last three weeks - sophomore Jarle Volden at the Desert Mountain Intercollegiate in Scottsdale, Arizona, on March 5 and junior Brian Carlson at the Hootie at Bull's Bay Intercollegiate on March 26.
Softball Sweeps Big Ten Series Opener
Six weeks and 31 games after opening the 2017 season, softball finally played at home March 24 and 25.
The Boilermakers opened Big Ten play by sweeping Michigan State 13-6, 2-1 and 4-3 in eight innings. The last two wins were of the walk-off variety.
First, junior center fielder Maya Hughes led off the bottom of the seventh with a deft bunt halfway between the plate and the circle. Michigan State third baseman Kaitlyn Eveland fielded the ball, but her throw sailed past first base and down the right-field line. By the time it was retrieved and relayed, the lightning-quick Hughes sped all the way around the bases to score the winning run.
Then, sophomore third baseman Lexi Huffman blasted a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to complete the sweep.
Sophomore pitcher Kaitlynn Moody was exceptional in all three games. She earned a win and a save while working 17.1 innings and allowing just 11 hits and four earned runs with six walks and six strikeouts for a snappy 1.62 ERA.
The Boilermakers (14-21, 3-0 B1G), who have won 11 of their last 16 games after beginning the season 3-16, are back at home this weekend. Iowa (6-20, 0-3) visits Bittinger Stadium for games at 6 p.m. ET today, 1 p.m. tomorrow and noon Sunday. The finale will be live on BTN.
Baseball Surpasses 2016 Win Total
It's still March, and baseball (13-11, 1-2 B1G), under first-year head coach Mark Wasikowski, has surpassed last season's win total of 10.
Junior pitcher Tanner Andrews has bolted out of the gate with a 4-1 record and 3.55 ERA over six starts. In 38 innings, the right-hander has allowed 31 hits with 10 walks and 37 strikeouts. Opponents are batting just .223 against him. Twice, Andrews has been named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week.
Offensively, freshman center fielder Skyler Hunter tops the team with a .384 batting average. He ranks third with 17 RBI. Sophomore first baseman Jacson McGowan leads the way with three home runs and 24 RBI, while sophomore catcher/outfielder Nick Dalesandro is batting .366 with two homers and 20 RBI.
The Boilermakers travel to Ohio State (10-14, 0-3) for a three-game series today through Sunday. Tomorrow's game will be live on BTN at 6 p.m. ET.
Tennis Teams Home for Three
There will be plenty of tennis action at the Schwartz Tennis Center this weekend.
The women's team (5-10, 0-4 B1G) entertains intrastate rival Indiana (10-8, 1-3) at 10 a.m. tomorrow with a point on the line in the Governor's Cup. The first 50 fans in attendance receive a Purdue tennis T-shirt.
The men's squad (12-9, 1-2) plays host to Michigan State (10-9, 0-3) at 2 p.m. tomorrow and Michigan (12-4, 2-1) at noon Sunday. At Sunday's match, Purdue gear will be auctioned off with all proceeds benefitting Kappa Delta and Prevent Child Abuse America.
On March 26, the women's doubles tandem of senior Andjela Djokovic and freshman Rafaella Baquerizo upended No. 2-ranked Kate Fahey and Alex Najarian of Michigan 7-5.
Etcetera
The track & field teams are split among a trio of meets this weekend: Texas Relays in Austin; Bobcat Invitational in San Marcos, Texas; and Stanford Invite ... A reminder that the football Spring Game is April 8 at 1 p.m. at Ross-Ade Stadium ... Carl Danoff has been hired as an assistant athletics communications director. He will work with softball and volleyball ... Jake Rushing has joined the athletic department staff as assistant ticket manager ... Congratulations to men's basketball associate head coach Jack Owens, who was named head coach at Miami (Ohio) on March 29 ... State Street Redevelopment Project construction will begin again in earnest April 3. This work will close a portion of State Street and significantly affect surrounding thoroughfares in West Lafayette. For construction and project information, click here.