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Purdue's Kenna Wollard, Taylor Anderson Among Top Big Ten Volleyball Performers

Through the first month of the volleyball season, Purdue setter Taylor Anderson and outside hitter Kenna Wollard have been among the Big Ten's top players.
Dustin Schutte|
Purdue Boilermakers setter Taylor Anderson (5) and outside hitter Kenna Wollard (4)
Purdue Boilermakers setter Taylor Anderson (5) and outside hitter Kenna Wollard (4) | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Purdue Boilermakers

Everyone wanted to talk about the players Purdue lost during the offseason. There was very little discussion about the names the Boilermakers returned for the 2025 season. Through the first month of the season, setter Taylor Anderson and outside hitter Kenna Wollard are proving why more people should have mentioned them.

After the conclusion of non-conference play, Anderson and Wollard have been among the Big Ten's top performers. Anderson currently leads the conference in assists, while Wollard is at the top of the list in kills.

Wollard has recorded 180 kills through 10 matches, leading the Big Ten in that statistical category. She's averaged 4.5 kills per set, as well as 1.9 digs per set this season.

Anderson leads the conference with 425 assists through non-conference play. She's averaging 10.6 assists per set, along with 2.2 digs and 1.1 kills per set.

Thanks to the contributions from Wollard and Anderson, Purdue finished non-conference play with a 9-1 record. The Boilermakers posted wins over three ranked opponents, defeating No. 11 SMU, No. 18 Kansas, and No. 22 Tennessee.

Purdue begins Big Ten play this week, hosting Washington on Thursday and Illinois on Sunday. Both matches will be played at Mackey Arena.

Purdue ranked in AVCA top 10

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Dave Shondell yells down court
Purdue Boilermakers head coach Dave Shondell yells down court | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Boilermakers snuck back into the AVCA's top 10 this week after closing out non-conference play with wins over Ball State and IU Indy.

Purdue's early success is not only a compliment to the players, but a credit to the work that coach Dave Shondell and his staff have done since last winter. It hasn't been easy, but they assembled a group that can compete at the top of the Big Ten.

Here's a look at the AVCA's top 10 for the week of Sept. 22:

  1. Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-0)
  2. Texas Longhorns (8-0)
  3. Kentucky Wildcats (7-2)
  4. Stanford Cardinal (9-2)
  5. Pitt Panthers(8-2)
  6. Louisville Cardinals (7-2)
  7. Wisconsin Badgers (7-1)
  8. Arizona State Sun Devils (9-2)
  9. TCU Horned Frogs (10-2)
  10. Purdue Boilermakers (9-1)

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PURDUE VOLLEYBALL IN AVCA POLL: Purdue finished off the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 9-1 record. Have the Boilermakers finally cracked the top 10 in the AVCA poll? CLICK HERE

PURDUE CONFIDENT ENTERING BIG TEN PLAY: Purdue is full of new faces, but the Boilers were still incredibly successful during non-conference play, posting a 9-1 record. CLICK HERE

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Dustin Schutte
DUSTIN SCHUTTE

Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.

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