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WEST LAFAYETTE ― The offseason noise was hard to ignore, but Purdue volleyball opted to write its 2025 story different than many expected.
On Sunday, Nov. 30, shortly after the NCAA Tournament bracket was announced, Boilermakers coach Dave Shondell assessed his own team.
"One strength of this team is we don't have a weakness," Shondell said.
You'll hear no argument from the coaches of Wright State and Baylor.
The Boilermakers put on a master class at Holloway Gymnasium in first- and second-round NCAA Tournament victories, respectively, against those opponents to advance to next week's Sweet 16.
"They have all the pieces," Baylor coach Ryan McGuyre said after his team fell 25-16, 25-19, 23-25, 25-20 to the Boilermakers Friday night.
This wasn't the narrative one year ago.
Most of Purdue's best players transferred or graduated.
This was supposed to be the end of two-plus decades of success under Shondell.
More: Purdue volleyball sweetens season with NCAA Tournament win over Baylor
"It wasn't enjoyable to hear," outside hitter Kenna Wollard put it.
But it was something that could unify the Boilermakers.
More: Perfect timing unites Purdue volleyball with 'clutch' transfer
"Getting overlooked at the beginning of the season was something that doesn’t feel good, but we took it as a challenge to prove everyone wrong," Purdue libero Ryan McAleer said.
Here's your proof.
A season after going 27-7 and advancing to the Sweet 16 with one of the most talented rosters Purdue has ever had, the Boilermakers are 26-6 and will play in next week's Sweet 16.
Purdue hit a cumulative .394 in two NCAA Tournament matches so far, an ode to just how magnificently setter Taylor Anderson ran the offense.
And a nod to the outside hitter combo of Kenna Wollard and Akasha Anderson, who accumulated a combined 64 kills in two postseason matches.
Baylor's head coach could've gone on all night running down the roster.
His Bears were at the mercy of Purdue, which utilized middles Dior Charles and Lindsey Miller in ways they hadn't offensively all season. McGuyre said Purdue's defense has "no glaring holes" and it's led by a sophomore libero Shondell called Friday night "one of the best liberos in the entire country."
The Boilermakers will play either Florida or SMU next, which will be determined on Saturday night.
Whichever team it is will not be facing a team that was cast aside after last season's departures. They'll be facing a loaded team firing at full strength at the right time.
"At this point in time, we’ve turned into a really, really good volleyball team, and I don’t think anyone wants to play us at this point," Shondell said. "Somebody is going to have to play us, and it’ll be a good team. It’s going to be in the regional. I think they know how dangerous this team is and how hard we will be to beat."
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue volleyball advances to Sweet 16 behind balanced performance
Continue reading...
On Sunday, Nov. 30, shortly after the NCAA Tournament bracket was announced, Boilermakers coach Dave Shondell assessed his own team.
"One strength of this team is we don't have a weakness," Shondell said.
You'll hear no argument from the coaches of Wright State and Baylor.
The Boilermakers put on a master class at Holloway Gymnasium in first- and second-round NCAA Tournament victories, respectively, against those opponents to advance to next week's Sweet 16.
"They have all the pieces," Baylor coach Ryan McGuyre said after his team fell 25-16, 25-19, 23-25, 25-20 to the Boilermakers Friday night.
This wasn't the narrative one year ago.
Most of Purdue's best players transferred or graduated.
This was supposed to be the end of two-plus decades of success under Shondell.
More: Purdue volleyball sweetens season with NCAA Tournament win over Baylor
"It wasn't enjoyable to hear," outside hitter Kenna Wollard put it.
But it was something that could unify the Boilermakers.
More: Perfect timing unites Purdue volleyball with 'clutch' transfer
"Getting overlooked at the beginning of the season was something that doesn’t feel good, but we took it as a challenge to prove everyone wrong," Purdue libero Ryan McAleer said.
Here's your proof.
A season after going 27-7 and advancing to the Sweet 16 with one of the most talented rosters Purdue has ever had, the Boilermakers are 26-6 and will play in next week's Sweet 16.
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Purdue hit a cumulative .394 in two NCAA Tournament matches so far, an ode to just how magnificently setter Taylor Anderson ran the offense.
And a nod to the outside hitter combo of Kenna Wollard and Akasha Anderson, who accumulated a combined 64 kills in two postseason matches.
Baylor's head coach could've gone on all night running down the roster.
His Bears were at the mercy of Purdue, which utilized middles Dior Charles and Lindsey Miller in ways they hadn't offensively all season. McGuyre said Purdue's defense has "no glaring holes" and it's led by a sophomore libero Shondell called Friday night "one of the best liberos in the entire country."
The Boilermakers will play either Florida or SMU next, which will be determined on Saturday night.
Whichever team it is will not be facing a team that was cast aside after last season's departures. They'll be facing a loaded team firing at full strength at the right time.
"At this point in time, we’ve turned into a really, really good volleyball team, and I don’t think anyone wants to play us at this point," Shondell said. "Somebody is going to have to play us, and it’ll be a good team. It’s going to be in the regional. I think they know how dangerous this team is and how hard we will be to beat."
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue volleyball advances to Sweet 16 behind balanced performance
Continue reading...
