WEST LAFAYETTE − It was an incredible sports year for Purdue athletics in 2022-23.
There were no shortage of storylines. We'll attempt to whittle numerous stories from 18 sports into a list of 10 (actually 11).
Below is the list, in no particular order, of the top stories from Boilermakers sports in 2022-23.
Snoeberger's ace
A rough second round at the NCAA Regional was detrimental to Purdue’s men’s golf team advancing to the NCAA championships, but former Seeger High School standout Peyton Snoeberger was a highlight of an otherwise bad round for the Boilermakers.
The Purdue senior recorded a hole-in-one on the 202-yard par-3 No. 5 at The Cliffs at Keowee Falls in Salem, South Carolina.
Pin heard round the world
Spencer Lee was deemed nearly unbeatable. The Iowa senior was attempting to win a fourth straight NCAA championship and appeared on his way entering the 125-pound semifinals. Lee led Purdue sophom*ore Matt Ramos 7-4 until Ramos managed an escape with 42 seconds remaining in the final round and then registered a takedown to tie the score at 7.
With one second left, Ramos got Lee’s shoulders to the mat for a shocking pinfall victory that ended Lee’s nation-leading 58-match win streak. Ramos finished second in his weight class and Parker Filius placed seventh at 141 pounds, giving Purdue two All-Americans in the same season for the first time since 2006.
Big Ten's best
While the season ended with a thud, Purdue’s men’s basketball team proved itself the very best in the Big Ten Conference, winning the regular season championship, three games ahead of the pack. The Boilermakers doubled down by winning the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago’s United Center, defeating Penn State in the title game.
Of course the season ended prematurely. On the same night Ramos shocked the wrestling world, Purdue’s men’s basketball team was on the wrong end of a monumental NCAA tournament moment. The No. 1 seed Boilermakers fell to No. 16 FDU in the round of 64 at Columbus, Ohio. It was the second time in NCAA tournament history a No. 16 seed beat a No. 1.
Not just tall
More:Five years ago, Purdue's Zach Edey chose basketball, but what if he hadn't?
Fans wondered how Purdue’s men’s basketball program might fare with Zach Edey having to play extended minutes. Quite well, actually. The 7-foot-4 center had a season for the ages, becoming the first player in NCAA history since blocks became an official NCAA stat to record 750 points, 400 rebounds, 70 blocks and 50 assists.
Edey won every National Player of the Year honor in addition to Big Ten regular season Player of the Year, Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player and the Big Ten’s Male Athlete of the Year. Edey is Purdue’s third men’s basketball National Player of the Year, joining John Wooden and Glenn Robinson. Maybe more thrilling than all of that to Purdue fans is that Edey decided to return to Purdue for his senior season.
More:Zach Edey returned to Purdue to 'win basketball games and have a lot of fun'
The road back
Not long ago, it was commonplace for Purdue’s women’s basketball team to be in the NCAA tournament. And not long before that, it was normal for the Boilermakers to play deep into the postseason as a traditional power in the sport. But since 2017, Purdue had been on the outside looking in for the NCAA tournament. Second-year head coach and former Purdue sharpshooter Katie Gearlds needed her program to find its way back into that field in an attempt to move the program forward.
More:Even in defeat, 'bunch of fighters' elevate Purdue women's basketball program
Though it was just for one game, a heartbreaking first-round loss to St. John’s, that was accomplished. Purdue finished 19-11, earning a No. 11 seed in the NCAA tournament, after catapulting its NCAA hopes with road wins at No. 22 Illinois and No. 2 Ohio State in late January.
Praise for Purdue
Everyone knows about the big Canadian Zach Edey. But what about fellow countryman Praise Aniamaka? The native of Surrey, British Columbia won the Big Ten championship in the triple jump. Aniamaka didn’t stop there, though. Entering the NCAA Championships as the No. 16 overall seed, he jumped 16.10 meters to place ninth and earn All-American honors.
Dugout shift
After seven seasons with Boo De Oliveira as its softball coach, Purdue made a change following a 23-30 season. Magali Frezzotti was tabbed as the next Boilermaker coach, succeeding De Oliveira, who went 150-202 in her tenure. Frezzotti, a Purdue assistant the past two seasons, becomes the Boilermakers’ fifth head coach.
Eva-lution
Purdue’s volleyball program was expected – by outsiders at least – to take a dip last fall. Coach Dave Shondell and staff knew then what many didn’t. The Boilermakers scooped up an unheralded rookie who was about to light up the Big Ten.
More:Purdue's Eva Hudson was college volleyball's best kept secret, not anymore
Eva Hudson was the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year, in addition to Midwest Region Freshman of the Year, an All-Big Ten selection and an All-American honorable mention in her rookie season while winning three Big Ten Player of the Week honors. She’d go on to team with incoming Purdue freshman Chloe Chicoine to help Team USA win a gold medal at the U21 Pan American games.
Ross' retirement
Dan Ross spent nearly a lifetime in Purdue’s swimming and diving program. For 46 years, Ross was associated with the Boilermakers, the last 38 as the men’s head coach. During that time, Ross’ swimmers and divers accumulated 34 individual Big Ten titles, 13 NCAA diving titles, five Purdue Males Athletes of the Year recipients, one US Open national champion and Ross was a three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year. Ross, hired as head coach prior to the 1985-86 season, announced he’ll retire. He leaves as the second-longest tenured head coach in Purdue athletics history.
Alex Jerden was tabbed as Ross' successor.
“Dan has dedicated his life’s work to Purdue University and used his platform, first as an assistant coach, then through a remarkable 38-year head coaching tenure, to positively impact the lives of countless student-athletes, coaches and staff members,” Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski said in a release.
A new era
The Jeff Brohm era of Purdue football will be fondly remembered. Brohm helped bring the Boilermakers back to prominence, and as a departing gift took Purdue to its first Big Ten Championship game after the Boilers claimed the Big Ten West division.
After accepting an invitation to play LSU in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, Brohm announced his departure to become head coach at his alma mater Louisville.
Purdue found Brohm’s successor in Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, a first-time head coach who brought a different kind of swagger and energy to the program, then surrounded himself with a staff of like-minded coaches, including defensive coordinator Kevin Kane and offensive coordinator Graham Harrell.
Remembering Doug Boersma
A needed addition to the list (though it makes for a top 10 list with 11 entries) is the sudden passing of Doug Boersma on June 21.
Boersma, a 1997 Purdue graduate, returned to West Lafayette in 2012 as director of sports medicine and was senior associate athletics director for performance and sports medicine. He helped usher in young athletic trainers and left an indelible impact on the people and programs he worked with.
Boersma oversaw 18 sports programs, focusing on medical treatment and rehab as well as strength and conditioning, nutrition and sports psychology. He was recognized for his craft in 2020 with the Indiana Athletic Trainers Association’s Professional Excellence Award.
Purdue held a celebration of life for Boersma on July 6 in Holloway Gymnasium.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
