Purdue Volleyball Adds Top Defensive Specialist From Florida to 2025 Recruiting Class
The Purdue volleyball program has added another key piece to its 2025 puzzle. This week, coach Dave Shondell and the Boilermakers officially welcomed defensive specialist and libero Mattie Casale to the team.
Casale was ranked as the No. 1 defensive specialist/libero from the state of Florida in the 2025 class, per PrepDig.com. In 2023, was a national finalist for the Libero of the Year.
At Carrollwood Day School (Tampa, Fla.), Casale won four district titles, two regional crowns and a Class 3A state championship. She was responsible for 345 digs during her team's run to the state title in 2023.
Shondell is excited about what Casale brings to West Lafayette.
"Mattie is a great competitor who played for a strong high school and club program," Shondell told Purdue on Sports Illustrated. "She plays hard all the time and recognizes the value of putting in enormous time in the gym.
"Mattie is a Purdue legacy and has family living in the area. Our fans will love her unselfish and grateful attitude. She will battle every day for Purdue."
Casale is part of a really strong freshman class that is coming to Purdue ahead of the 2025 season. The Boilermakers are bringing in Indiana's No. 1 recruit and outside hitter Addy Tindall. They've also added 2024 Nike All-Star Team middle blocker Morgan Williams and 2024 Under Armour Next MVP and setter Isabelle Bardin.
Casale will join Purdue's volleyball team in June and will wear No. 19.
The Boilermakers are coming off another strong season in 2024, finishing with a 27-7 overall record and a 16-4 mark in Big Ten play. Purdue hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament and reached the Sweet 16 for a second straight season.
It was also the seventh straight season in which Purdue hit the 20-win mark (omitting the 2020 COVID-19 season).
In addition to the on-court success in 2024, Purdue also set a Big Ten attendance record, welcoming in 14,876 fans at Mackey Arena for conference matches against Indiana and Wisconsin. Those two matches became the most attended between two league opponents in Big Ten history.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of ''Purdue Boilermakers on SI.'' He has more than a decade of experience covering the Big Ten. Follow Dustin on X at @SchutteDustin.