Purdue Volleyball Embracing Opportunities to Play in Iconic Venues

CHICAGO — Over the last decade, college volleyball has exploded into the national spotlight. Purdue is one of several programs taking advantage of the rise of the sport and a passionate fanbase, finding ways to get play in front of larger crowds whenever possible.

This year, Purdue will play in a number of marquee venues — Bridgestone Arena (Nashville), Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis), Pauley Pavilion (UCLA), Worthen Arena (Ball State), Hinkle Fieldhouse (Butler), and, of course, Mackey Arena. All of those venues seat at least 9,100 people.

It provides Purdue with a great opportunity to play on a national stage in front of massive crowds. Coach Dave Shondell gives a lot of credit to some of the big names in volleyball for creating a foundation for the sport to grow.

"I think it speaks about the growth of our game more than anything else, and what's happened the last couple of seasons, led by Nebraska and John Cook's journey, that has helped lead that cause," Shondell said. "It takes people like Cook. (Wisconsin coach Kelly) Sheffield has been similar. My father, Dr. Don Shondell, was probably the pioneer of all of that growth, at least in the Midwest. We want to be a part of that, and we're excited to get to play."

Last year, Purdue proved it has a fanbase willing to support the volleyball program at the highest level. The Boilermakers hosted two matches at Mackey Arena — Indiana and Wisconsin — selling out both events. The attendance of 14,876 fans marked the largest for a Big Ten Conference match in league history.

Not only can Purdue match that again in 2025 with three matches at Mackey Arena, they can exceed it with an Oct. 16 match against Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, which seats 17,274 fans.

"Just to sit back at this stage of my career and see the sport continue to explode the way that it has, it just brings a certain amount of joy," Shondell said. "I hope that our players understand that it wasn't always this way. That's kind of what they've grown up in, club volleyball going crazy, now college athletics doing what it's doing for the sport of volleyball. I hope all these athletes can appreciate what people before them did to get to where we are now. "

Purdue will get a taste of a large, raucous environment early in the 2025 campaign. The Boilermakers will play Tennessee in the Broadway Block Party on Sunday, Aug. 31, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Shondell knows that just playing in these environments will be a thrill for he and his players. But he also understands that, if Purdue isn't playing its best, it could be in for some long nights in front of some of those larger-than-life crowds.

"It will be a fun year, provided we can win our share of those. It won't be fun getting beat in those places, I can promise you that," Shondell said. "But I think if we compete, it will be fun."

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