Purdue women's basketball notebook: Recruiting weekend, 2025 target sets visit, Poole update, Big Ten preseason polls and more
Both 2025 commitments are scheduled to be on campus this weekend, top prospect to visit next month, official practices underway and number of the day
RECRUITING WEEKEND
Two recruiting visitors - both 2025 commitments - are scheduled to take official visits during homecoming weekend when the Boilermakers host Nebraska.
Brownsburg’s Avery Gordon and South Bend Washington’s Kira Reynolds have been committed for nearly a year. Both play inside, although Reynolds’ skill set is more versatile, and she can play facing the basket.
The 6-foot-6 Gordon enjoyed a terrific summer and has established herself as a legitimate option down low, giving the Boilermakers another solid post player to go with current freshmen Lana McCarthy and Kendall Puryear.
ANOTHER 2025 VISITOR
Not this weekend, but in October.
Katie Gearlds and her staff are expected to host Kaelyn Carroll, a 6-2 wing from Tabor Academy in Massachusetts, for an official visit. Carroll recently moved up to No. 18 nationally by ESPN and is the highest-ranked player in New England.
Carroll visited Kentucky in September and has more than 40 scholarship offers. Gearlds was scheduled to attend one of Carroll’s practices this week.
Carroll will be on campus when the football team hosts Oregon on Oct. 18. The next day, it’s Fan Day for both basketball programs, the volleyball team plays Indiana at Mackey Arena, and it’s also the athletic department’s Hall of Fame weekend where Gearlds is among the inductees.
Purdue remains in the mix for Madison Parrish, a 2025 combo guard from Ohio. Parrish took an official visit during the Indiana State football game. The program expects to host 2025 target Keona Douwstra, a 5-9 combo guard from The Netherlands, in late October.
2026 TARGET
Gearlds also watched 2026 prospect Emily McDonald, who attends Long Island Lutheran, this week. Purdue was the first high-major scholarship offer McDonald received and has developed a good relationship with Gearlds.
Purdue has offered one of Carroll’s LUHI teammates - 2026 prospect Sanai Green.
OFFICIAL PRACTICES UNDERWAY
Notes/observations from the first practice.
• When you compare Wednesday’s practice to the summer’s first workout in June, he’s what stood out: McCarthy and Puryear can list the weight room as their permanent address.
The pair came in with a physical presence but have made strides in that area. Their upper bodies are filled out more, and it’s a noticeable difference since seeing them three months ago.
They’ve finished through contact during team drills and scrimmages in the summer against their teammates. What does it mean when McCarthy and Puryear start playing against other teams, especially in the Big Ten? That’s the question.
CHAD KROCKOVER’S PHOTO GALLERY
• Freshman Jordyn Poole (stress fracture) continues to improve but hasn’t been cleared to practice. Gearlds said, “things are trending in the right direction.”
Poole hasn’t practiced much in the summer and didn’t play on the overseas trip.
“I know she’s on the Alter G (Treadmill), the last thing you do before you get on the court,” Gearlds said. “She didn’t have any pain or anything. Hopefully, we can get her on the court sooner rather than later. Initially, we thought maybe we wouldn’t have her at all this year.”
Gearlds said Poole is engaged during practice sessions, even if she’s not on the floor.
“Jordy’s been great,” Gearlds said. “She’s a sponge on the sideline, consistently asking Abby (Downard), our (graduate assistant) who played the point for me (Marian University), ‘why does she want this?’
Sophomore McKenna Layden is limited and didn’t participate in practice Wednesday.
BIG TEN PRESEASON POLLS
The league’s media day is Wednesday in Rosemont, Ill., and the conference has announced its preseason selections as voted on by the coaches and the media.
Purdue wasn’t included in the top five in either poll, and no Boilermaker made the preseason All-Big Ten teams. Although the media voted No. 1 through No. 18, the conference released only the top five.
2024-25 Coaches Big Ten Preseason Rankings
USC
UCLA
Ohio State
Maryland
Indiana
2024-25 Coaches Preseason All-Big Ten Team*
Makira Cook, 5th-Yr., G, Illinois
Hannah Stuelke, Jr., F, Iowa
Lucy Olsen, Gr., G, Iowa
Shyanne Sellers, Sr., G, Maryland
Alexis Markowski, Sr., C/F, Nebraska
Cotie McMahon, Jr., F, Ohio State
LAUREN BETTS, JR., C, UCLA
Kiki Rice, Jr., G, UCLA
JUJU WATKINS, SO., G, USC
Kiki Iriafen, Gr., F, USC
Serah Williams, Jr., F, Wisconsin
*Additional player due to tie in voting
2024-25 Coaches Preseason Player of the Year
JUJU WATKINS, SO., G, USC
2024-25 Media Big Ten Preseason Rankings
USC
UCLA
Ohio State
Maryland
Indiana
2024-25 Media Preseason All-Big Ten Team
Hannah Stuelke, Jr., F, Iowa
Lucy Olsen, Gr., G, Iowa
Shyanne Sellers, Sr., G, Maryland
Alexis Markowski, Sr., C/F, Nebraska
Cotie McMahon, Jr., F, Ohio State
Lauren Betts, Jr., C, UCLA
Kiki Rice, Jr., G, UCLA
JUJU WATKINS, SO., G, USC
Kiki Iriafen, Gr., F, USC
Serah Williams, Jr., F, Wisconsin
2024-25 Media Preseason Player of the Year
JuJu Watkins, So., G, USC
ELSEWHERE AROUND THE BIG TEN
For the second straight year, Iowa has sold out its season ticket allotment. The school announced that all 15,000 season tickets are spoken for even after the departure of Caitlin Clark.
The Hawkeyes have a new head coach - Jan Jensen, a long-time assistant under former head coach Lisa Bluder, who retired following last season.
NUMBER OF THE DAY
1,209,270: Total attendance at games featuring Clark in her final season at Iowa and her rookie season with the Indiana Fever. I put this together because I was curious and thought I would share.
Mike--
Seems like there is a lot of interest in recruits from the east coast, but retaining those players hasn't been all that successful. Thoughts?
Bernie Kroll