Purdue’s late-August checklist kept growing this week, with football, basketball and volleyball all producing headlines as the regular seasons inch closer.
On the high school front, several future Boilermakers got their first taste of Friday-night action in Indiana. The biggest splash came from Lawrence North running back Izayveon Moore, who piled up 67 rushing yards on 14 carries against Brownsburg and also broke loose for a 96-yard kickoff return touchdown.
Moore had originally committed to Miami (Ohio) before flipping to Purdue in June. He’s gone over 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first three high school seasons and is aiming to do it again.
Andrean linebacker and fullback Ethan Reyna also made his presence felt against Merrillville, turning in a physical scoring run that drew plenty of attention.
Purdue’s frontcourt situation remains a major storyline for Matt Painter, and that brought Enzo Shahrvin back into the conversation. While the Boilermakers are still waiting on an NCAA eligibility ruling for the French big man, Painter told Jon Rothstein on the Inside College Basketball Now podcast that Shahrvin could end up being one of the most important additions on the roster.
"I think we have good physicality in our backcourt, but I don't think we have enough physicality in the frontcourt," he said. "So, getting him eligible, I think, is really going to help our team, especially from a defensive rebounding standpoint."
That rebounding issue is shaping up as Purdue’s biggest concern heading into the 2026-27 season, and Painter made clear Shahrvin’s size and toughness could help address it.
Meanwhile, one of the names drawing the most buzz in fall camp is freshman offensive lineman Brock Brownfield. The New Palestine native has impressed not only the coaching staff but also his teammates, who have already seen how he fits in up front.
"That man is a dog," offensive lineman Nuku Mafi said. "He's surprised me a lot since we started in the spring.
He's been technically sound, very coachable, too. It makes my job a lot easier."
Brownfield has worked with Purdue’s first-team offensive line on several reps, and there’s a real chance he earns a starting spot this fall.
Elsewhere in the Purdue orbit, Ethan Morton picked up a quick promotion in his coaching career. After one season as Illinois State’s director of basketball operations, he was elevated to assistant coach ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Morton spent two years into his professional path before landing the new role, and he’ll be back at Mackey Arena on Nov. 9 when Purdue hosts Illinois State. He played for the Boilermakers from 2020-24 before using his final year of eligibility at Colorado State.
Purdue volleyball also wrapped up its exhibition slate in convincing fashion. The Boilermakers beat Butler 4-0 in their final tune-up before the regular season begins Friday, Aug.
- Purdue had already swept Ball State in its other exhibition match, giving the team a clean preseason run ahead of a top-15 showdown with No.
13 Creighton in Sioux Falls.
Kenna Wollard, a preseason National Player of the Year candidate, did not play against Butler. Purdue Boilermakers On SI reached out about her absence, but no specifics were provided about the senior outside hitter.
The Boilermakers open the 2026 season ranked No. 9 in the country.
In Other News...
Barry Odoms Purdue Faces Its First Real Preseason Gut Check
Barry Odoms second fall camp at Purdue is drawing a little extra attention this weekend, with the Big Ten Network scheduled to roll onto campus and take a closer look at where the Boilermakers stand before the opener. The visit will bring interviews with Odom, offensive coordinator Josh Henson, defensive coordinator Kevin Kane and several players, giving a broader snapshot of a program that is still trying to steady itself after a 2-10 season.
For Purdue, the timing matters. The Boilermakers are less than a month from opening against Indiana State on September 4, and this camp serves as one of the first real checkpoints on whether the early work under Odom is moving the program out of the long Big Ten skid that has weighed it down. A network stop does not change the record, but it does add a little more public pressure and a little more visibility to a team that needs both progress and proof. [Read more 🡒]
Purdue Volleyball Wants Mackey Packed For A Huge Early Statement
Purdue volleyball is opening its 2026 home season with a big spotlight and a bigger venue, moving its first two matches to Mackey Arena on Sept. 1 and 2 as part of the Big Ten-SEC Challenge. The Boilermakers will face Texas A&M and Georgia in those early-season games, and students will get in free as the program tries to turn the building into a true home-court boost right out of the gate.
Dave Shondell is clearly hoping the Purdue crowd shows up early, especially with a roster that already has three players on the Preseason National Player of the Year Watch List. The setting gives the Boilermakers a chance to make an immediate statement before the schedule settles in, and Mackeys first volleyball weekend of the fall should offer a good read on just how much momentum this group can build with the home fans behind it. [Read more 🡒]