Friday, Feb. 5 | 7 p.m. ET
BTN | WSHY 104.3
No. 6 Minnesota at No. 13 Purdue
Friday, Feb. 6 | 5 p.m. ET
BTN+ | WSHY 104.3
No. 6 Minnesota at No. 13 Purdue
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The No. 13 Purdue volleyball is slated to take on its second top-6 ranked team in three weeks with the upcoming series against No. 6 Minnesota in Holloway Gymnasium.
The two will clash in back-to-back nights beginning Friday at 7 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network. Saturday's start time will be 5 p.m. ET and streamed online via BTN+.
Purdue Schedule Notes
- Purdue continues its loaded start to the 2021 season with its second top-6 opponent in three weeks.
- The Boilermakers have played a top-16 ranked opponent for four of the last five weeks, dating back to the 2019 NCAA Tournament Second Round (Dec. 7, 2019 vs. #16 Marquette).
- Purdue was one of 13 Power Five programs to post two or fewer home losses in 2019 (Purdue: 15-2 at home).
Last Time Out vs. Minnesota
- The last meeting took place Nov. 3, 2019 where No. 16 Purdue dropped the match to No. 6 Minnesota 25-23, 16-25, 25-17, 25-19.
- Grace Cleveland and Caitlyn Newton were the lone Boilermakers to record double-digit kills with 16 and 15, respectively.
- Minnesota out-hit Purdue .288-.183, with Purdue's 24 attack errors key in the loss.
- Purdue out-blocked Minnesota 10-8, led by then-senior Shavona Cuttino with five block assists and one solo stop.
- Set 2 started off with a 7-1 Purdue run, which led to a Purdue set-win (25-16), fueled by seven kills from Newton and six from Cleveland.
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's No. 13 AVCA ranking is the highest Week One rating since voted No. 7 (9/1/2014).
- Two of the team's three 2019 All-Americans returned: Grace Cleveland (third-team) and Caitlyn Newton (honorable mention).
- As a team, Purdue owns 152 kills on 398 attempts and .241 attack %, compared to holding opponents to a 155 kills on 415 attempts and a .253 attack %.
- Purdue leads the assists game vs. opponents with a 140 (11.67 per set) while limiting opponents to 138 (11.50 per set). Purdue ranks No. 5 in the conference in assists.
- The Boilermakers have out-served their opponents, 17-9 in aces and .909-.881 in serve %. Among the conference, Purdue has limited opponent serving aces to the second-best mark with 0.75 aces per set.
- Purdue's defense reigns, ranking No. 3 in the Big Ten with 13.92 digs per set and holding opponents to 13.50.
Scouting No. 6 Minnesota
- Minnesota leads the conference with 2.42 aces per set and 16.00 digs per set (second: Ohio State with 14.61).
- Averaging 13.83 kills per set (166 total kills), Minnesota checks in at No. 3 in the Big Ten, however Purdue takes the edge in assists (11.67 per set compared to Minnesota's 11.50).
- Two Golden Gophers were named Preseason All-Big Ten: senior Regan Pitman (MB) and senior Stephanie Samedy (OPP).
- Meanwhile, Minnesota was picked to finish second in the conference behind No. 1 Wisconsin.
- Taylor Landfair was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, marking the second consecutive week a Golden Gopher freshmen has secured the title. Landfair produced 20 kills (3.33 per set) against Maryland in Week Two.
- Freshman setter Melani Shaffmaster out of New Castle, Indiana, earned the Big Ten newcomer weekly honor after Week One of play. Overall, Shaffmaster owns 8.25 assists per match.
- Leading the attack is Samedy with 3.58 kills per set and 4.2 points per set while Adanna Rollins owns a team-best .333 hitting %.
- On defense, Katie Myers leads the charge with 1.58 blocks per set and CC McGraw with 4.50 digs per set.
Jael Johnson: Big Ten Player of the Week
- Johnson was named Player of the Week on February 1 for the first weekly honor of her career after recording the best single-match hitting percentage (.684) in the Big Ten this season (notched Jan. 30 vs. Iowa).
- In the last four weeks of play (dating back to the Second Round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament), Johnson has set a career-best in either kills or blocks in three of the four weeks:
> Dec. 7, 2019 | vs. No. 16 Marquette: career-best 7 block assists
> Jan. 22, 2021 | at No. 1 Wisconsin: then-best 10 kills
> Jan. 30, 2021 | vs. Iowa: career-best 13 kills
- Johnson went errorless in the weekend series vs. Iowa, averaging 2.67 kills per set on 13 kills and 19 attempts.
Hayley Bush: Consistent Excellence
- Bush's 42 sets vs. Iowa (Jan. 30) are a Big Ten-best in three sets and the second-most by a Big Ten player in Week Two.
- Ranks No. 4 overall in the conference with 9.92 assists per set this season
- Tallied 17 digs in Week 2
- Produced four kills in each of the outings vs. Iowa this past weekend, including a perfect 4-0-4 (1.000 attack %) on Jan. 29.
- Produced a .889 attack % over the past two matches.
- Redshirt junior setter Hayley Bush ranked No. 40 in the nation in assists per set (10.71) last year.
Making an Entrance: Freshman Taylor Trammell
- Ranks No. 8 in the Big Ten with a .405 hitting %.
- One of two freshmen in the league with over a .400 hitting %.
- Leads B1G freshmen with a match-high eight blocks (vs. Iowa, Jan. 29).
- Trammel's eight blocks (Jan. 29) were the most by a freshman Boilermaker since Blake Mohler in 2016 (9 at Notre Dame, 9/3/16).
- Currently riding a three-match streak while hitting a .444 attack % or better.
- In the last three matches, Trammell has allowed just one error per match.
- Taylor Trammell's induction to collegiate play saw a team-leading .300 attack % over the first two matches at No. 1 Wisconsin, with nine kills on 20 swings.
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 % entering 2021.
Athletes Unlimited: 3 Alums Featured
- Sherridan Atkinson (2016-18), Val Nichol (2011-2014) and Erin Williams (2015-18) will make their way to Dallas for the first-ever U.S. women's pro volleyball league of its kind.
- Atkinson and Nichol will compete while Williams will work behind the camera, managing the media during matches and video content.
- The eight matches will be streamed on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Dailymotion and Twitch.
BTN | WSHY 104.3
No. 6 Minnesota at No. 13 Purdue
Friday, Feb. 6 | 5 p.m. ET
BTN+ | WSHY 104.3
No. 6 Minnesota at No. 13 Purdue
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The No. 13 Purdue volleyball is slated to take on its second top-6 ranked team in three weeks with the upcoming series against No. 6 Minnesota in Holloway Gymnasium.
The two will clash in back-to-back nights beginning Friday at 7 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network. Saturday's start time will be 5 p.m. ET and streamed online via BTN+.
Purdue Schedule Notes
- Purdue continues its loaded start to the 2021 season with its second top-6 opponent in three weeks.
- The Boilermakers have played a top-16 ranked opponent for four of the last five weeks, dating back to the 2019 NCAA Tournament Second Round (Dec. 7, 2019 vs. #16 Marquette).
- Purdue was one of 13 Power Five programs to post two or fewer home losses in 2019 (Purdue: 15-2 at home).
Last Time Out vs. Minnesota
- The last meeting took place Nov. 3, 2019 where No. 16 Purdue dropped the match to No. 6 Minnesota 25-23, 16-25, 25-17, 25-19.
- Grace Cleveland and Caitlyn Newton were the lone Boilermakers to record double-digit kills with 16 and 15, respectively.
- Minnesota out-hit Purdue .288-.183, with Purdue's 24 attack errors key in the loss.
- Purdue out-blocked Minnesota 10-8, led by then-senior Shavona Cuttino with five block assists and one solo stop.
- Set 2 started off with a 7-1 Purdue run, which led to a Purdue set-win (25-16), fueled by seven kills from Newton and six from Cleveland.
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's No. 13 AVCA ranking is the highest Week One rating since voted No. 7 (9/1/2014).
- Two of the team's three 2019 All-Americans returned: Grace Cleveland (third-team) and Caitlyn Newton (honorable mention).
- As a team, Purdue owns 152 kills on 398 attempts and .241 attack %, compared to holding opponents to a 155 kills on 415 attempts and a .253 attack %.
- Purdue leads the assists game vs. opponents with a 140 (11.67 per set) while limiting opponents to 138 (11.50 per set). Purdue ranks No. 5 in the conference in assists.
- The Boilermakers have out-served their opponents, 17-9 in aces and .909-.881 in serve %. Among the conference, Purdue has limited opponent serving aces to the second-best mark with 0.75 aces per set.
- Purdue's defense reigns, ranking No. 3 in the Big Ten with 13.92 digs per set and holding opponents to 13.50.
Scouting No. 6 Minnesota
- Minnesota leads the conference with 2.42 aces per set and 16.00 digs per set (second: Ohio State with 14.61).
- Averaging 13.83 kills per set (166 total kills), Minnesota checks in at No. 3 in the Big Ten, however Purdue takes the edge in assists (11.67 per set compared to Minnesota's 11.50).
- Two Golden Gophers were named Preseason All-Big Ten: senior Regan Pitman (MB) and senior Stephanie Samedy (OPP).
- Meanwhile, Minnesota was picked to finish second in the conference behind No. 1 Wisconsin.
- Taylor Landfair was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, marking the second consecutive week a Golden Gopher freshmen has secured the title. Landfair produced 20 kills (3.33 per set) against Maryland in Week Two.
- Freshman setter Melani Shaffmaster out of New Castle, Indiana, earned the Big Ten newcomer weekly honor after Week One of play. Overall, Shaffmaster owns 8.25 assists per match.
- Leading the attack is Samedy with 3.58 kills per set and 4.2 points per set while Adanna Rollins owns a team-best .333 hitting %.
- On defense, Katie Myers leads the charge with 1.58 blocks per set and CC McGraw with 4.50 digs per set.
Jael Johnson: Big Ten Player of the Week
- Johnson was named Player of the Week on February 1 for the first weekly honor of her career after recording the best single-match hitting percentage (.684) in the Big Ten this season (notched Jan. 30 vs. Iowa).
- In the last four weeks of play (dating back to the Second Round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament), Johnson has set a career-best in either kills or blocks in three of the four weeks:
> Dec. 7, 2019 | vs. No. 16 Marquette: career-best 7 block assists
> Jan. 22, 2021 | at No. 1 Wisconsin: then-best 10 kills
> Jan. 30, 2021 | vs. Iowa: career-best 13 kills
- Johnson went errorless in the weekend series vs. Iowa, averaging 2.67 kills per set on 13 kills and 19 attempts.
Hayley Bush: Consistent Excellence
- Bush's 42 sets vs. Iowa (Jan. 30) are a Big Ten-best in three sets and the second-most by a Big Ten player in Week Two.
- Ranks No. 4 overall in the conference with 9.92 assists per set this season
- Tallied 17 digs in Week 2
- Produced four kills in each of the outings vs. Iowa this past weekend, including a perfect 4-0-4 (1.000 attack %) on Jan. 29.
- Produced a .889 attack % over the past two matches.
- Redshirt junior setter Hayley Bush ranked No. 40 in the nation in assists per set (10.71) last year.
Making an Entrance: Freshman Taylor Trammell
- Ranks No. 8 in the Big Ten with a .405 hitting %.
- One of two freshmen in the league with over a .400 hitting %.
- Leads B1G freshmen with a match-high eight blocks (vs. Iowa, Jan. 29).
- Trammel's eight blocks (Jan. 29) were the most by a freshman Boilermaker since Blake Mohler in 2016 (9 at Notre Dame, 9/3/16).
- Currently riding a three-match streak while hitting a .444 attack % or better.
- In the last three matches, Trammell has allowed just one error per match.
- Taylor Trammell's induction to collegiate play saw a team-leading .300 attack % over the first two matches at No. 1 Wisconsin, with nine kills on 20 swings.
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 % entering 2021.
Athletes Unlimited: 3 Alums Featured
- Sherridan Atkinson (2016-18), Val Nichol (2011-2014) and Erin Williams (2015-18) will make their way to Dallas for the first-ever U.S. women's pro volleyball league of its kind.
- Atkinson and Nichol will compete while Williams will work behind the camera, managing the media during matches and video content.
- The eight matches will be streamed on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Dailymotion and Twitch.