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Purdue's Winningest Coach Coaches Volleyball
Dave Shondell's 513th win came on Tuesday night, a sweep of the defending national champions in front of 10,086, and it moved him one clear of Gene Keady across every sport Purdue plays.
No. 14 Purdue swept No. 12 Texas A&M 3-0 (27-25, 25-23, 25-20) at Mackey Arena on Tuesday night, and the win made Dave Shondell the winningest head coach in Purdue Athletics history, in any sport.
Shondell has 513 wins at Purdue, per Dustin Schutte of Sports Illustrated, one more than Gene Keady won in 25 seasons of Purdue men's basketball. Shondell went into this season level with him.
Mackey Arena is Purdue's basketball building, and 10,086 people were inside it on Tuesday night to watch a volleyball match. The record they came for was set in front of them in three sets.
Purdue had lost its opener at home to No. 13 Creighton in five sets four days earlier and arrived at 0-1. Texas A&M, the reigning national champion, is 3-3.
Shondell had run out of volleyball records to break. He passed Carol Dewey for the most volleyball wins in Purdue history midway through 2024, on win number 470, per Schutte, which is why the comparison had to widen to a basketball coach.
Tindall Hit .536 as a Freshman
Addy Tindall, a freshman outside hitter, took 28 swings, made one error and finished with 16 kills for a .536 clip. Lameen Mambu hit 12 more and Kate Hansen put up six blocks.
Texas A&M got 12 kills at a .450 clip from Taryn Morris. Gabi Rodriguez dug 13 balls, Eliza Sharp finished with four blocks and the Aggies were swept for the first time this season.
Shondell, speaking to Schutte afterwards, was asked about the freshman, who had taken more swings on Tuesday night than anybody else in the building.
"She has grown beyond expectations this early. I mean, she's playing like a third-year outside hitter."
Anderson Went From Just OK to This
Shondell gave a verdict on his senior setter's opening night rather than a compliment about this one, and the box score from Tuesday is what cashes it.
"The first match against Creighton, I thought Taylor was just OK. But tonight, she was the Taylor that we need."
Against Texas A&M, Taylor Anderson set 36 assists, hit five kills on seven attacks without an error and finished with seven total blocks. A setter who blocks seven times is working both ends of the net.
Purdue hit .388 as a team and blocked 11 balls in three sets against the side that won the national title in December.
Shondell Has 101 Wins Over Ranked Teams
Tuesday was Shondell's 101st win over a ranked opponent, according to Purdue, and his 15th over a ranked team since 2021. It was also the second year running that Purdue has beaten the reigning national champion inside Mackey Arena.
Number 514 is available on Wednesday night, when Purdue plays Georgia at home at 7 p.m. Eastern on Big Ten Network.
Purdue head coach Dave Shondell told Dustin Schutte of Sports Illustrated this afterwards.
"Somebody asked me about Gene Keady, who was an icon — he's an icon, I just happened to win a few more games along the way. But to be in the same category as Gene Keady is just unbelievable."
He is wrong about the second half of that. One number separates the two names now, and it belongs to the volleyball coach.
