Purdue sports report: Decision looming for WBB transfer target, 2025-26 conference opponents and more
Former Boilermakers coaching at the high school ranks and Big Ten softball tournament comes to Purdue
Welcome to another unorganized collection of various things:
• Katie Gearlds’ roster for the 2025-26 season sits at 10. Is there an addition coming? Purdue remains a strong possibility for Hila Karsh, a 5-foot-8 Israeli combo guard who has played for her country’s National Team since 2023.
Karsh is also considering Duke and UCLA but isn’t expected to announce her decision until next week, at the earliest. The Bruins did receive a commitment from Gianna Kneepkens, a point guard who is transferring from Utah, last week.
Karsh plays for Hapoel Rishon Le-Zion, a professional women’s basketball club. Karsh’s team finished its season on Sunday, losing to Maccabi Bnot Ashdod in the best-of-5 series, 3-2.
She’s averaging 9.3 points through 29 games, shooting 52.7% from the field (49 of 93) and 33.1% from 3-point range (50 of 151) in 26.2 minutes.
Karsh averaged 11 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in last year’s FIBA U20 Eurobasket. In 2023, Karsh averaged 14.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in the FIBA U20 European Championships. She averaged 12.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in the 2022 FIBA U18 European Championships.
Karsh would give the Boilermakers more versatility on the perimeter with multiple players who can handle point guard duties. Finding an experienced point guard who can run the offense and is a scoring threat was a top priority in the offseason. Karsh would have four years of eligibility, and it’s her experience against high-level European players that makes her an appealing prospect. Karsh will turn 21 on June 30.
One of Purdue’s incoming transfers, Taylor Feldman (Northern Arizona), brings point guard credentials to the program.
• How many more players will Gearlds add if Karsh joins the program? The Boilermakers would have four spots available. Although the portal window is closed, graduate transfers can submit their names. The coaching staff has increased its interest in looking for international players.
• The question that will likely never be answered: How much of the program’s revenue-sharing allotment has Gearlds used on next year’s team?
• Purdue’s 2025-26 Big Ten opponents have been released for the 18-game schedule:
Home: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, Washington, Oregon
Away: Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin, UCLA, USC
Home/Away: Indiana
The key is the order of the games and where the trip to UCLA and USC falls on the calendar. The Boilermakers had a daunting schedule in the first half of the conference season, contributing to the 0-10 start. Will Purdue catch a break in the sequence of games, or does it matter since it has to play everyone?
• Former Boilermaker Jayla Smith announced she’ll transfer to Missouri. Smith appeared in the first two games of the season but didn’t see action after that. Smith didn’t appear injured and accompanied the team on road games until the end of the season. The graduate of Lawrence North was named Indiana’s Miss Basketball in 2021. Smith struggled throughout her career to find consistent playing time.
One of Missouri’s new assistants under coach Kellie Harper is Michael Scruggs. He spent four seasons with the Boilermakers and was on the staff during the early part of Smith’s career.
• Former Boilermaker point guard Fahkara (Malone) Hawkins has been named head coach at Indianapolis North Central. Malone joins North Central after serving as Oakland City University’s head coach since 2020. Malone has also worked at the University of Indianapolis, Butler, and Evansville.
• More coaching movement. Ella Collier, who played last season for the Boilermakers after transferring from Marian University, has been named head coach at Danville. Collier attended Danville and is the program’s all-time leading scorer.
• One of the Big Ten’s top players from last season, Serah Williams, is leaving Wisconsin and will transfer to UConn.
FROM THE ICYMI FILE
• Purdue Athletics raised $9.5 million during the school’s Day of Giving last week. According to a press release, the athletic department received 3,232 gifts. The university generated $105.1 million from more than 36,000 gifts.
• The women’s golf team starts the final round of the Lubbock Regional in Texas one shot from fifth place and a spot in the NCAA Championships. Purdue needs to finish in the top five to advance. Momo Sugiyama is tied for eighth after rounds of 76 and 72.
• Purdue is hosting the Big Ten softball tournament starting Wednesday at Bittinger Stadium:
WEDNESDAY
No. 11 Penn State vs. No. 6 Iowa, 11 a.m.
No. 10 Indiana vs. No. 7 Washington, 1:30 p.m.
No. 9 Wisconsin vs. No. 8 Michigan, 4:30 p.m.
No. 12 Purdue vs. No. 5 Northwestern, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY
No. 3 Nebraska vs. Penn State-Iowa winner, 11 a.m.
No. 2 UCLA vs. Indiana-Washington, 1:30 p.m.
No. 1 Oregon vs. Wisconsin-Michigan winner, 4:30 p.m.
No. 4 Ohio State vs. Purdue-Northwestern winner, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY
Semifinals, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
Championship, 4 p.m.
TV: BTN
• The baseball team remains in the hunt for a spot in the Big Ten tournament with six conference games left. The Boilermakers are in 14th place, one game behind Michigan State and Northwestern. The Spartans and the Wildcats are tied for 12th. The top 12 teams advance to the league tournament in Omaha. Purdue plays at Indiana this weekend and hosts Nebraska to finish the regular season on May 15-17.