Ingredients:
--Most-tenured coach in Big Ten with veteran staff
--Highly experienced libero
--All-Big Ten middle blocker with great athletic genes
--Returning conference Freshman of the Year
--#3 recruiting class with #1 player
--Talented complementary pieces at every position
Mix together with Boiler Box Band and put heat to opponents. Best served before a full house.
The 2023 women's volleyball team opened eyes with its early-season success. Playing one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in program history, the team knocked off top-25 opponents Kansas, Marquette and Kentucky in five sets, and appears to be headed toward another upper-division finish in the nation's toughest conference.
But Dave Shondell, Art and Connie Euler Head Coach, isn't among those surprised.
"After watching the team last spring, and seeing the four freshmen who came in early, I thought we would be pretty good," Shondell says. "But then again, I'm always optimistic."
Shondell, who was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2011 and 2021, had reason for his optimism. After graduating virtually his entire 2021 lineup a season ago, he guided his 2022 team to a 21-11 record and the program's 17th NCAA Tournament appearance in 20 seasons. Many of the key pieces of that team returned for this season, including fifth-year libero Maddie Schermerhorn.
But the team experienced a setback in the spring when Megan Renner, the team's veteran setter, suffered a career-ending knee injury. Shondell went to the portal to recruit Lorrin Poulter, a graduate student from the University of Denver and the sister of Olympic gold medalist Jordyn Poulter. Along with freshman Taylor Anderson, the pair has kept Purdue's offense flowing at a high level.
New perspectives
Kathy Jewell has been with Shondell on the sidelines during his entire Purdue tenure. A new ingredient to the program this year is the elevation of Michael Bouril to assistant coach. Bouril, who has been working with the coaching staff for the last three years, previously served as the team's technical coordinator and performance analyst.
Shondell says it's important to have new ideas on hand.
"You have to be relevant, and it's nice to have another great volleyball mind to work with," he says. "Michael watches a lot of tape, including international competition, and he's come up with some really good ideas."
Much of the tape the staff watched from last year featured Eva Hudson. The Fort Wayne native had a phenomenal rookie season, garnering Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and being named a first-team all-conference selection. Hudson led the Big Ten in total kills with 515 and became the first player in program history named American Volleyball Coaches Association Midwest Region Freshman of the Year.
Hudson led Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger to a state championship in 2020. She originally committed to play at Notre Dame, but had a change of heart and decided to follow in her mother's footsteps. Stacey (Mondino) Hudson played at Purdue from 1992-95, and her daughter admits that mom was thrilled when she decided to become a Boilermaker.
Not only did she choose her mother's school, but Eva also plans to follow in her mom's (and dad's) profession. Her mother is an anesthesiologist and her father is an ophthalmologist; Eva plans to become a dermatologist, although she also leaves the door open to coaching once her playing career is over.
Besides serving as her role models, the oldest of the Hudson children says they passed down a key trait—competitiveness.
"My mom banned us from planning board games because they got out of hand," Hudson says with a laugh. "UNO was especially bad, particularly when someone got hit with a draw four card."
Keep the door open
The program added another fierce competitor in this year's freshman class. Chloe Chicoine, who grew up across the river in Lafayette, was ranked the top recruit in the country by PrepVolleyball. Like Hudson, Chicoine originally committed to another school.
But when legendary Penn State coach Russ Rose announced his retirement, Chicoine reopened her recruitment. Her first call went to Shondell, who was thrilled to hear from the local standout.
"In the recruiting world, you can't take things personally," Shondell says. "You have to be mature and professional, even if you're disappointed in the decision someone makes. With both Eva and Chloe, they were able to see the legacy they could leave here, and they've brought great national attention to our program."
Chicoine also picked up much of her competitive nature from her parents. Her mom played volleyball in her youth and her dad was a wrestler at Northwestern. She wasn't sure at first about playing so close to home, but she's happy with her decision.
"It's nice to be able to go home for dinner, but I still feel like I have independence," says Chicoine, who is majoring in pharmacy. "I would really miss not having my family here to see me play."
For Hudson, the addition of Chicoine meant she would have less pressure on her shoulders. Hudson took 1,420 swings last season, and she admits she wore down as the season went along. Now, she can focus on other aspects of her game, and Shondell has seen marked improvement.
"Her first contacts, whether it be in serve receive or defensively, are much better than when she finished last season. I told her that we need her to be more involved defensively because she's one of the best athletes in the Big Ten. And if you're one of the best athletes in the conference, you have the potential to make great plays defensively," Shondell says.
New point person
In addition to Hudson and Chicoine, the Boilermakers have plenty of other weapons to delight fans in Holloway Gymnasium, also known as the Boiler Box, where every home match is sold out this season.
Raven Colvin, daughter of football legend Rosie and sister to incoming basketball recruit Myles, was a second team All-Big Ten selection last year, and she has become Purdue's "most vocal leader," according to Shondell. Lourdès Myers has come into her own as a redshirt junior, and with 6-6 redshirt freshman Lizzie Carr the trio provides a solid 1-2-3 punch at middle blocker.
Freshmen Grace Heaney and Kenna Wollard have both contributed at the opposite position. Shondell says Heaney, a three-sport high school standout from Omaha, has great vision and has held up well in the transition to the collegiate game. Wollard was a standout in Dunlap, Illinois, committed to Purdue before Hudson and Chicoine, and is "one of the best people I've ever recruited," according to the coach.
Schermerhorn, Ali Hornung and Emily Brown, who was a high school teammate of Chicoine at McCutcheon, have handled defensive chores. But with the injury to Renner, the team was without an experienced setter heading into the summer.
Poulter was able to start the season after an ACL tear suffered late in her last campaign at Denver. And San Antonio native Taylor Anderson, ranked the top high school setter in the country by PrepDig, has stepped in to split time with Poulter at the key position.
"She has a quiet confidence in what she does and a great belief in who she is," says Shondell of Anderson. "At 6-1, she can defend and block, and she's the best server we have."
Anderson's older sister played at Bucknell, and both parents were athletes. She's happy she decided to come north.
"I've never been on a team with so much talent," Anderson says. "We all work so well together. I'm a little nervous when I'm on the bench, but never on the court."
Anderson, Chicoine, Heaney, Wollard, and defensive specialists Julia Kane and Rachel Williams—whose dad, Calvin, was a standout receiver at Purdue and now serves as an associate athletics director—comprise the highest-ranked recruiting class Shondell and his staff have assembled in their tenure. All but Heaney and Anderson finished their high school senior years early to enroll in the spring and attend practices.
Schermerhorn was able to see some of the talented newcomers then. Is she surprised that they played with so much confidence and contributed to a winning recipe since the start of the season?
"Yes and no," Schermerhorn says. "No, because I've been around it and seen it since spring. But yes, because looking back when I was a freshman, I wasn't even close to that.
"That's why it excites me to see that they have that passion for the game and the passion to compete right off the bat. It's not something that they've had to learn over time. They step on the floor, they get the job done, and that's their goal.
"I really admire it. They've been awesome."