Big Dance to Begin in West Lafayette

Thursday, December 5: NCAA First Round
3:30 p.m. ET | #5 BYU vs. Loyola Chicago | ESPN+
6:30 p.m. ET | #4 Purdue vs. Western Michigan | ESPN+ | WSHY 104.3 FM

Friday, December 6: NCAA Second Round
6 p.m. ET | BYU/Loyola Chicago vs. Purdue/Western Michigan | ESPN+


WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The No. 4 seeded Purdue Boilermakers are set to begin their postseason journey tomorrow at Holloway Gymnasium, hosting the NCAA First and Second Rounds for Western Michigan, No. 5 seeded BYU and Loyola Chicago. All NCAA First & Second Round matches will be streamed on B1G+.

FAN PARKING

• Fans attending the match can park in the R & H Lots for $5 day-of sales via credit card only.
• Additional parking is available in the A Lot for $10.
• Please refer to the parking map, found HERE

 
25-WIN SEASONS

• Purdue's 25 regular-season wins are the second-most since the 1980's (most: 26 in 2011).
• It is the 10th season in Purdue history, including fifth under HC Dave Shondell, Purdue has started the year with a 20-5 record or better.
• Dave Shondell has reached the 20-win benchmark 16 times in his 22-season career.
• When Purdue has reached 20 wins as quickly as the 2024 squad, Purdue's reached the NCAA Regional Semifinals 86% of the time.

 
PURDUE'S 16-4 BIG TEN RECORD

• Purdue finished fourth in the Big Ten standings, marking the third time in the last four seasons Purdue's finished as high in the toughest conference in America.
• It is the eighth time under HC Dave Shondell the team's finished fourth or better in the Big Ten standings.
• The team entered November with just three Big Ten losses, marking the second straight year and seventh time Purdue has had such few losses under Shondell that far into league play.
• It is the fourth time under HC Shondell Purdue has finished Big Ten play with five losses or less (2023's 15-5 record, 2021's 15-5 record and 2011's 16-4 record).

SWEET SWEEPS

• Purdue totaled 16 sweeps during the regular season, the most since 2017.

 
#4 SEED PURDUE IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

• Purdue's hosted the 1st/2nd Rounds in four of the last five eligible years (2020's tournament was held in Omaha).
• The Boilermakers have earned an NCAA tournament bid for the past 10 straight years.
• Dave Shondell has led Purdue to the tournament 19 times in his 22 years of coaching and owns a 32-17 record in the Big Dance (65%).
• Purdue made back-to-back Regional Final berths in 2020 and 2021.
• Purdue NCAA Tournament Record: 37-25 (.593%)
• Number of Second Round Appearances: 22
• Number of Regional Semifinal Appearances: 16
• Regional Semifinals record under Shondell: 4-6 (Last: 2021)
• Number of Regional Finals Appearances: 5 (1982, 2010, 2013, 2020, 2021)
• Dave Shondell has never lost a First Round match.
• Overall, Purdue is 23-2 in First Round matches, with the last loss coming in 1990 (other: 1984).

 
BIG DANCE. BIG NUMBERS

• Last year, two individual records for postseason play was broken in the NCAA Second Round match vs. Marquette in Holloway Gymnasium: freshman setter Taylor Anderson recorded a career-high 60 kills and libero fifth-year libero Maddie Schermerhorn totaled 25 digs.
• Last year, Hudson averaged 5.50 kills per set. Meanwhile as a freshman she averaged 4.38 per set.

 
SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN (20-12 | 13-5 MAC)

• The Broncos lead their conference (Mid-Atlantic Conference) in digs per set (16.58), kills per set (13.74) and assists per set (13.11).
• Fifth year setter Logan Case has registered 1337 assists this season with a conference-leading average of 11.73 assists per set. In 2023, the All-American was named MAC Player of the Year and MAC Setter of the Year.
• Outsider hitter Keona Salesman has earned a team-leading 3.18 kills per set in her fifth-year season, tallying 353 total kills.
• All-American libero and 2023 MAC Defensive Player of the Year Andelyn Simkins leads the conference in total digs this season, posting 547 digs with a 4.80 average.

 
SCOUTING #5 SEED BYU (19-9 | 12-6 Big 12)

• The No. 25 Cougars defeated No. 11 Kansas in four sets in their most recent top-25 match.
• Sophomore outside hitter Claire Little has registered a team-high 419 total kills for an average of 3.92 kills per set.
• BYU places first in the Big 12 for total blocks (286.5) and blocks per set (2.60).
• Sophomore middle blocker Brielle Kemavor leads the Cougars with 164 blocks for a 1.49 block per set average.
• Setter Alex Bower ranks second in the conference with 1101 total kills in her freshman campaign.

 
SCOUTING LOYOLA CHICAGO (21-11 | 13-5 A10)

• Last time out, the Ramblers swept then-No. 18 Dayton at the Atlantic 10 Championship, punching their ticket for the NCAA Tournament.
• Graduate student outside hitter Marta Cvitkovic leads the team with 331 total kills for an average of 2.98 kills per set.
• Junior middle back Amm Marie Remmes has earned the second highest hitting percentage with a .316 and leads the Ramblers in total blocks with 105.
• Loyola Chicago ranks second in the Atlantic 10 for both total kills (1714) and total assists (1601).
• Senior setter Bree Borum places first in the conference for total assists with 1202 and ranks second for assists per set with a 9.54 average.