University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, October 23
West Lafayette, IN
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Purdue
10/22/2026 11:00:00 AM | Volleyball
The No. 20 University of Minnesota volleyball heads to West Lafayette, Indiana for a quick road trip to face No. 12 Purdue. First serve is slated for 6 p.m. CT on B1G+.
SERIES INFORMATION
Minnesota leads Purdue, 58-37-0
First Meeting: 1975 Last Meeting: 2025
Broadcast Information
Stream: BTN+
Live Stats: GopherSports.com
NUMBERS TO KNOW
55 -- The 2026 season marks the 55th year of Gopher volleyball.
45 -- Minnesota hit .451 percent vs. Maryland on Oct. 17. That mark was the best hitting percentage for the Gophers this season.
20 -- Minnesota Golden Gophers enter the week as No. 20in the AVCA Oct. 19 Coaches' poll. The Gophers opened the 2026 season as the No. 14 team in the AVCA Preseason poll.
20 -- Stella Swenson is ranked 20th nationally and fifth in the Big Ten in assists per set (10.56).
12 -- Returners to the Gopher squad from last season, including starting setter Stella Swenson and Kate Thibault, who played in all 119 sets in the 2025 season.
10 -- Lucie Blazkova had a career-best 10 blocks vs. Michigan Oct. 16. On the season, she leads the team with 1.48 blocks per set
6 -- Minnesota ranked 6th in average attendance at 4,488 per match (avg.) in 2025. They ranked 4th overall (80,779 total fans). This season they are currently No. 11 and average 4,763 fans per match.
5 -- McKenna Garr added a career-best five aces in the win vs. Northwestern on Oct. 1. She has 30 on the season and is ranked third in the Big Ten
4 -- The Gophers welcome four newcomers to this year's roster: freshmen OH Makenna Crosson, DS Madi Kraft and MB Elena Hoecke all joined the Gophers in January 2026. Lucie Blažková joins the Gophers after two seasons at Washington State.
2 -- As a team, the Gophers rank second in the Big Ten in aces per set, averaging 2.04. Mckenna Wucherer is second in the league averaging 0.65 this season with her 30 aces this year. Nationally, the Gophers are 11th in aces per set.
2 -- Mckenna Wucherer has received two Big Ten Player of the Week awards in this young 2026 campaign.
2 -- Former Gophers were inducted into the M Club Hall of Fame this year in Lauren Gibbemeyer and Sarah Wilhite.
1 -- Mckenna Wucherer tops the Big Ten in points per set (5.29), kills per set (4.35), and total aces (31). She ranks 16th nationally in kps.
LAST TIME OUT
• The Gophers went 2-0 at home last weekend to extend their win streak to four.
• Last Friday Minnesota defeated Michigan in four sets. Kelly Kinney led the way with 10 kills and Stella Swenson tied a career high with seven kills of her own.
• Minnesota capped off the weekend with a sweep over Maryland. Kelly Kinney led the offense with 11 kills at a .500 clip. Setter Stella Swenson led the offense to hit a season .451 with her 34 assists.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. PURDUE
• Minnesota is 58-37-0 all-time against the Purdue Boilermakers, dating back to 1975. The Gophers and Boilermakers split the two meetings in 2025 with Minnesota winning the second matchup in four sets.
SCOUTING PURDUE
• Purdue is 11-6 overall, and 4-4 in Big Ten Play. The Boilermakers were predicted to finish 4th in the Big Ten Preseason Poll just ahead of Minnesota. Like the Gophers, Purdue played two Big Ten matches last weekend. The Boilermakers defeated Iowa 3-0 on Thursday, Oct, 15th before falling to No. 1 Nebraska sets on Saturday, Oct. 17th.
• As a team, Purdue is hitting .255 which is 11th in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers are also fourth in the conference in blocks per set with a .263.
• Addy Tindall leads the Boilermakers with 3.88 kps which is fourth in the Big Ten.
UP NEXT
• Minnesota will return to Maturi Pavilion on Sunday, Oct. 25 to take on No.21 Washington.First serve is set for 1 p.m. live on Big Ten Network and 102.5 FM.
SERIES INFORMATION
Minnesota leads Purdue, 58-37-0
First Meeting: 1975 Last Meeting: 2025
Broadcast Information
Stream: BTN+
Live Stats: GopherSports.com
NUMBERS TO KNOW
55 -- The 2026 season marks the 55th year of Gopher volleyball.
45 -- Minnesota hit .451 percent vs. Maryland on Oct. 17. That mark was the best hitting percentage for the Gophers this season.
20 -- Minnesota Golden Gophers enter the week as No. 20in the AVCA Oct. 19 Coaches' poll. The Gophers opened the 2026 season as the No. 14 team in the AVCA Preseason poll.
20 -- Stella Swenson is ranked 20th nationally and fifth in the Big Ten in assists per set (10.56).
12 -- Returners to the Gopher squad from last season, including starting setter Stella Swenson and Kate Thibault, who played in all 119 sets in the 2025 season.
10 -- Lucie Blazkova had a career-best 10 blocks vs. Michigan Oct. 16. On the season, she leads the team with 1.48 blocks per set
6 -- Minnesota ranked 6th in average attendance at 4,488 per match (avg.) in 2025. They ranked 4th overall (80,779 total fans). This season they are currently No. 11 and average 4,763 fans per match.
5 -- McKenna Garr added a career-best five aces in the win vs. Northwestern on Oct. 1. She has 30 on the season and is ranked third in the Big Ten
4 -- The Gophers welcome four newcomers to this year's roster: freshmen OH Makenna Crosson, DS Madi Kraft and MB Elena Hoecke all joined the Gophers in January 2026. Lucie Blažková joins the Gophers after two seasons at Washington State.
2 -- As a team, the Gophers rank second in the Big Ten in aces per set, averaging 2.04. Mckenna Wucherer is second in the league averaging 0.65 this season with her 30 aces this year. Nationally, the Gophers are 11th in aces per set.
2 -- Mckenna Wucherer has received two Big Ten Player of the Week awards in this young 2026 campaign.
2 -- Former Gophers were inducted into the M Club Hall of Fame this year in Lauren Gibbemeyer and Sarah Wilhite.
1 -- Mckenna Wucherer tops the Big Ten in points per set (5.29), kills per set (4.35), and total aces (31). She ranks 16th nationally in kps.
LAST TIME OUT
• The Gophers went 2-0 at home last weekend to extend their win streak to four.
• Last Friday Minnesota defeated Michigan in four sets. Kelly Kinney led the way with 10 kills and Stella Swenson tied a career high with seven kills of her own.
• Minnesota capped off the weekend with a sweep over Maryland. Kelly Kinney led the offense with 11 kills at a .500 clip. Setter Stella Swenson led the offense to hit a season .451 with her 34 assists.
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY VS. PURDUE
• Minnesota is 58-37-0 all-time against the Purdue Boilermakers, dating back to 1975. The Gophers and Boilermakers split the two meetings in 2025 with Minnesota winning the second matchup in four sets.
SCOUTING PURDUE
• Purdue is 11-6 overall, and 4-4 in Big Ten Play. The Boilermakers were predicted to finish 4th in the Big Ten Preseason Poll just ahead of Minnesota. Like the Gophers, Purdue played two Big Ten matches last weekend. The Boilermakers defeated Iowa 3-0 on Thursday, Oct, 15th before falling to No. 1 Nebraska sets on Saturday, Oct. 17th.
• As a team, Purdue is hitting .255 which is 11th in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers are also fourth in the conference in blocks per set with a .263.
• Addy Tindall leads the Boilermakers with 3.88 kps which is fourth in the Big Ten.
UP NEXT
• Minnesota will return to Maturi Pavilion on Sunday, Oct. 25 to take on No.21 Washington.First serve is set for 1 p.m. live on Big Ten Network and 102.5 FM.
Players Mentioned
Outside
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Outside
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