The first three teams in the top 10 of the preseason AVCA poll are Kentucky, UCLA, and Purdue. After losing a significant portion of its core, Purdue probably experienced a significant decline. At Big Ten media days, Purdue head coach Dave Shondell mentioned this. Given the players they lost, he was aware that many people could be writing them off or abandoning them to begin the season. But he has a tremendous team of athletes in the gym, including those players who are now seasoned veterans headed by Emma Ellis, as well as a potent bunch of freshmen and names we may not yet be familiar with.
