Purdue Volleyball Announces Free Student Tickets to Mackey Match vs. No. 6 Wisconsin

The 10th-ranked Boilermakers are trying to take down No. 6 Wisconsin at Mackey Arena on Sunday to start Big Ten play with a 2-0 record.

Purdue volleyball fans at the Big Ten-SEC Challenge. | Purdue Athletics (purduesports.com)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — For the third time this season, Purdue students wanting to catch the volleyball team in action at Mackey Arena can do so for free. The program announced this week that students can get in free for Sunday's top-10 showdown between the 10th-ranked Boilermakers and No. 6 Wisconsin.

An announcement was made on Instagram regarding the promotion. Purdue students will still need to claim their ticket at PurdueSports.com, but entry into the match is free.

This match is a "Black Out," so everyone attending is expected to wear black.

Sunday marks the third and final time Purdue's volleyball team will play in Mackey Arena this season. The Boilermakers defeated reigning national champion Texas A&M (3-0) and Georgia (3-2) on back-to-back nights in the Big Ten-SEC Challenge earlier this month.

Students were granted free entry into those matches, as well. Those two nights, more than 17,000 fans occupied Mackey Arena to catch the Boilermakers in action, despite sauna-like temperatures. The iconic basketball venue should be much more comfortable on Sunday.

Purdue enters the match with an 8-2 record and has swept each of its last six opponents. The Boilermakers swept Maryland on Thursday night in Holloway Gymnasium to open up Big Ten play.

First serve between Purdue and Wisconsin is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET. The match will air on Big Ten Network.

Top-10 showdown at Mackey Arena

Mackey Arena hosts the NCAA volleyball match. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Sunday will be one of Purdue's biggest home matches of the Big Ten season. It's an opportunity for the Boilermakers to add another marquee win to an already-impressive resume.

Purdue and Wisconsin played in Mackey Arena in 2024, a match that saw a Big Ten Conference record 14,876 fans. However, it wasn't an ideal day for Dave Shondell's squad, as the Badgers swept the Boilermakers before heading back to Madison.

The Boilers last defeated the Badgers in 2023, a five-set victory at Holloway Gymnasium.

Wisconsin enters Sunday's match with a 7-4 record, but it has played one of the most challenging schedules in college volleyball. The Badgers have already played seven ranked opponents, and have victories over Louisville, Florida and Texas A&M.

This would be a huge opportunity for Purdue, especially before it heads out on a West Coast trip to play No. 20 Oregon and Washington. It would also put the Boilermakers in the conversation as one of the top contenders to top-ranked Nebraska in the Big Ten race.

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