Game Notes
Friday, Jan. 22 | 6:30 p.m. ET
BTN | WSHY 104.3
No. 13 Purdue at No. 1 Wisconsin
Saturday, Jan. 23 | 9 p.m. ET
BTN | WSHY 104.3
No. 13 Purdue at No. 1 Wisconsin
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The long-awaited 2021 season is slated to begin for the No. 13 Purdue Boilermakers on Friday, January 22 at No. 1 Wisconsin.
Purdue will play a two-game series in Madison, with Friday's match airing on BTN at 6:30 p.m. ET and Saturday at 9 p.m. ET on BTN. Lisa Byington and Salima Rockwell are set to call for TV.
Scouting No. 13 Purdue
- The Boilermakers are coming off a 24-8 (14-6 B1G) record and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
- Purdue closed the 2019 season ranked No. 13 in the nation and picks up where it left off as No. 13 in the preseason AVCA poll.
- Two of the team's three 2019 All-Americans are returning: Grace Cleveland (third-team) and Caitlyn Newton (honorable mention). Both were also tabbed as preseason All-Big Ten team favorites.
- Purdue was one of 13 Power Five programs to post two or fewer home losses in 2019 (Purdue: 15-2 at home).
- The five 2019 Big Ten Player of the Week honors tie as the second-most in program history and the most since 2012. Only the 2011 squad produced more player of the week honors. Additionally, all the honorees will return for the 2020 season: Grace Cleveland, Hayley Bush and Marissa Hornung.
- Redshirt junior setter Hayley Bush ranked No. 40 in the nation in assists per set (10.71) last year.
- Senior defensive specialist Jena Otec posted 50 aces in 2019, the most by a Boilermaker since Carey Burvis in 1993 (78) to lead the Big Ten and rank No. 24 in the nation.
- Newton's progression in three years for kills went up 192% between freshman (113) and sophomore seasons (330) and another 28% increase by the end of her junior year (422).
Dave Shondell & Coaching Staff
- Head Coach Dave Shondell, associate head coach John Shondell and assistant coach Kathy Jewell are the longest-tenured coaching staff in the Power Five, entering their 18th season together at Purdue.
- Together, they led Purdue to become one of 13 programs in the nation with at least eight Sweet Sixteen appearances in the last 15 years.
- HC Shondell is one of three active Big Ten coaches to own at least a .660 win %.
Scouting No. 1 Wisconsin
- The Badgers produced a 27-7 (18-2 B1G) record on their way to earning the Big Ten crown and are tabbed as the preseason favorite.
- The 2019 national runner up lost in three sets to Stanford in the NCAA finals.
- Wisconsin is 32-14 all-time in season openers, including a 12-7 mark at home.
- Key returners include NCAA first-team All-American Dana Rettke and outside hitter Molly Haggerty, both of which made the NCAA all-tournament team in 2019.
- Wisconsin returns more than 63% of all statistical categories, including better than 84% of four statistics. UW returns 87% of kills (1458 of 1668); 94% of assists (1490 of 1589); 85% of service aces (161 of 190); 63% of digs (1084 of 1724); and 84% of blocks (253.5 of 300.5).
- Rettke was named 2019 Big Ten Player of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year.
- Rettke is a three-time first-team All-American and three-time All-Big Ten honoree. Additionally, she led the Big Ten with 1.45 blocks per set and ranked third in hitting % (.390).
Five Year Average
- Purdue is one of only two programs in the Big Ten to rank among the top five in kills (1665.2), hitting % (.262), blocks (325.7) and aces (152) (joined by Nebraska).
- The Boilermakers are averaging 1,665.2 kills and 325.7 blocks.
Career Markers to Watch
- Four Boilermakers will be looking to hit their 1,000 career kills/digs benchmark in 2021:
> Grace Cleveland enters the season with 700 kills.
> Caitlyn Newton enters the season with 888 kills.
> Jena Otec enters the season with 889 digs.
> Marissa Horning enters the season with 873 digs.
- Meanwhile, redshirt junior Hayley Bush looks for her 3,000 career assist, entering 2021 with 2,127.
Friday, Jan. 22 | 6:30 p.m. ET
BTN | WSHY 104.3
No. 13 Purdue at No. 1 Wisconsin
Saturday, Jan. 23 | 9 p.m. ET
BTN | WSHY 104.3
No. 13 Purdue at No. 1 Wisconsin
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The long-awaited 2021 season is slated to begin for the No. 13 Purdue Boilermakers on Friday, January 22 at No. 1 Wisconsin.
Purdue will play a two-game series in Madison, with Friday's match airing on BTN at 6:30 p.m. ET and Saturday at 9 p.m. ET on BTN. Lisa Byington and Salima Rockwell are set to call for TV.
Scouting No. 13 Purdue
- The Boilermakers are coming off a 24-8 (14-6 B1G) record and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
- Purdue closed the 2019 season ranked No. 13 in the nation and picks up where it left off as No. 13 in the preseason AVCA poll.
- Two of the team's three 2019 All-Americans are returning: Grace Cleveland (third-team) and Caitlyn Newton (honorable mention). Both were also tabbed as preseason All-Big Ten team favorites.
- Purdue was one of 13 Power Five programs to post two or fewer home losses in 2019 (Purdue: 15-2 at home).
- The five 2019 Big Ten Player of the Week honors tie as the second-most in program history and the most since 2012. Only the 2011 squad produced more player of the week honors. Additionally, all the honorees will return for the 2020 season: Grace Cleveland, Hayley Bush and Marissa Hornung.
- Redshirt junior setter Hayley Bush ranked No. 40 in the nation in assists per set (10.71) last year.
- Senior defensive specialist Jena Otec posted 50 aces in 2019, the most by a Boilermaker since Carey Burvis in 1993 (78) to lead the Big Ten and rank No. 24 in the nation.
- Newton's progression in three years for kills went up 192% between freshman (113) and sophomore seasons (330) and another 28% increase by the end of her junior year (422).
Dave Shondell & Coaching Staff
- Head Coach Dave Shondell, associate head coach John Shondell and assistant coach Kathy Jewell are the longest-tenured coaching staff in the Power Five, entering their 18th season together at Purdue.
- Together, they led Purdue to become one of 13 programs in the nation with at least eight Sweet Sixteen appearances in the last 15 years.
- HC Shondell is one of three active Big Ten coaches to own at least a .660 win %.
Scouting No. 1 Wisconsin
- The Badgers produced a 27-7 (18-2 B1G) record on their way to earning the Big Ten crown and are tabbed as the preseason favorite.
- The 2019 national runner up lost in three sets to Stanford in the NCAA finals.
- Wisconsin is 32-14 all-time in season openers, including a 12-7 mark at home.
- Key returners include NCAA first-team All-American Dana Rettke and outside hitter Molly Haggerty, both of which made the NCAA all-tournament team in 2019.
- Wisconsin returns more than 63% of all statistical categories, including better than 84% of four statistics. UW returns 87% of kills (1458 of 1668); 94% of assists (1490 of 1589); 85% of service aces (161 of 190); 63% of digs (1084 of 1724); and 84% of blocks (253.5 of 300.5).
- Rettke was named 2019 Big Ten Player of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year.
- Rettke is a three-time first-team All-American and three-time All-Big Ten honoree. Additionally, she led the Big Ten with 1.45 blocks per set and ranked third in hitting % (.390).
Five Year Average
- Purdue is one of only two programs in the Big Ten to rank among the top five in kills (1665.2), hitting % (.262), blocks (325.7) and aces (152) (joined by Nebraska).
- The Boilermakers are averaging 1,665.2 kills and 325.7 blocks.
Career Markers to Watch
- Four Boilermakers will be looking to hit their 1,000 career kills/digs benchmark in 2021:
> Grace Cleveland enters the season with 700 kills.
> Caitlyn Newton enters the season with 888 kills.
> Jena Otec enters the season with 889 digs.
> Marissa Horning enters the season with 873 digs.
- Meanwhile, redshirt junior Hayley Bush looks for her 3,000 career assist, entering 2021 with 2,127.