Trio of Boilermakers Named to AVCA Preseason Player of the Year Watch List
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Three Boilermakers have earned recognition as AVCA Player of the Year candidates for the 2026 college volleyball season. The watch list was released this week, and outside hitter Kenna Wollard, setter Taylor Anderson and opposite Grace Heaney all received mentions.
Purdue's trio of Player of the Year candidates were critical pieces to the program's success in 2025, finishing with a 27-7 record and reaching the regional final round of the NCAA Tournament. All three are expected to be major contributors again this fall for Dave Shondell's club.
Here's a quick look at what each player brings to the court for Purdue in 2026.
Kenna Wollard, OH
Wollard had a breakout campaign in 2025, finishing the season with the third-most kills in the Big Ten and ranking seventh in the NCAA. She totaled 577 kills at the outside hitter spot and averaged 4.405 kills per set.
She really improved as a six-rotation player last fall, too. Wollard finished with 263 digs and 61 total blocks for the Boilermakers. She flourished in her new role, really providing the team with consistency at the outside hitter position.
Wollard is one of the Big Ten's top-returning attackers. She'll be the focal point of Purdue's offense again in 2026, giving the Boilers a reliable player who can score points and can play all six positions on the floor.
Taylor Anderson, S
Anderson has played a critical role for Purdue in each of her four seasons at Purdue. She was the nation's leader in total assists last fall, piling up 1,420 in 34 matches. Her 10.84 assists per set ranked second in the Big Ten. The San Antonio native has been consistent for the Boilers in that setter position and has emerged as one of the top players in the country.
Last year, Anderson was more aggressive as an offensive player and became a weapon on the block. She had 107 kills, though Shondell would like her to be even more aggressive this fall. She was also responsible for 79 blocks and averaged 2.061 blocks per contest.
Having a setter who can do a bit of everything on the court is a major asset for the Boilermakers. It's a big reason why they can make another deep tournament run.
Grace Heaney, OPP
After missing the 2024 campaign with an injury, Heaney bounced back tremendously in 2025. She provided Purdue with a consistent arm on the right side and was also a stellar blocker at the net. The Nebraska product had 399 kills and owned an impressive .319 hitting percentage.
Defensively, Heaney had 105 total blocks and averaged 1.947 digs per set last fall. It was an impressive year for a player who missed the entirety of the 2024 season.
Heaney has another full season under her belt and is carrying a lot of confidence into the 2026 campaign. The consistency she can provide Purdue, both at the net as a blocker and as an attacker, gives the Boilers another great weapon alongside Wollard.
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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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