Volleyball On SI

Grace Heaney, Kyndal Stowers Return From Injury as Purdue Sweeps Texas A&M in Top-25 Clash

In a battle for their first ranked win of the season, both Purdue and Texas A&M volleyball fans were happy to see their stars back out on the court.

Abbie Harris

Purdue's Grace Heaney returned from an injury on Tuesday, sparking the Boilermakers in a sweep of Texas A&M.
Purdue's Grace Heaney returned from an injury on Tuesday, sparking the Boilermakers in a sweep of Texas A&M. / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Two of college volleyball's biggest brands entered a top 25 clash on Tuesday, hopeful that a couple of key players would return from injury.

Volleyball fans were shocked when it was announced that No. 12 Texas A&M’s lone returning starter and 2025’s NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Kyndal Stowers, would not be suiting up for their match against No. 6 Louisville on Aug. 21.

The Aggies fell to the Cardinals 3-1, but head coach Jamie Morrison was optimistic that she’d be ready to go for their next match.

When they played No. 8 SMU on Aug. 23, Stowers once again supported her teammates from the bench instead of the court as the Aggies lost 3-0 to the Mustangs. After the game, Morrison called her status “day by day” as she continued to get treatment for her tweaked back and said they didn’t anticipate it would be a year-long issue.

On Friday, Aug. 28, during the second set of their first match against No. 10 Creighton, No. 14 Purdue’s All-American opposite hitter, Grace Heaney, left the game with a lower leg injury. She did return to the bench before the end of the match but was shut down for the rest of the night.

And on Tuesday, fans rejoiced to see both Stowers and Heaney dressed for their Big Ten/SEC Challenge matchup at Purdue’s Mackey Arena in front of more than 10,000 fans.

Stowers ended last season with 441 points, the second most on an electric team, averaging 3.5 kills per set. In her first match back, she had 10 kills on 28 swings with a .214 hitting percentage and was the second-leading point scorer on the team.

Purdue head coach Dave Shondell has called Heaney “the best offensive player” on the team who has just gotten off to a slow start. Heaney had five kills on 17 swings and a .059 hitting percentage, accounting for five of the team’s 60 total points.

But it was enough to help guide the Boilermakers to a 3-0 sweep over the Aggies (27-25, 25-23, 25-20), earning Shondell his 513th win, the most of any Purdue head coach.

Shondell continued to speak highly of Heaney’s potential.

“She’s gonna be somebody people have to really, really focus on, which then opens up things for other people, which is a good thing to have.”

Both Heaney and Stowers are core pieces of their respective teams, particularly this year with the loss of Purdue’s Kenna Wollard and almost all of Texas A&M’s National Championship roster.

Having them back boosts their team on any given night.

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Abbie Harris
ABBIE HARRIS

Abbie Harris has been talking about women's sports to anyone who would listen, and sometimes to those who wouldn't, for as long as she can remember. She has been the host of a weekly Nebraska women's sports podcast for over a year, primarily covering volleyball, women's basketball, and softball. Harris holds three degrees, including a Ph.D. from Saint Louis.

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