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VOLUME 26, ISSUE 1 67 can serve as a jolt. "We were kind of bopping along: Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, Sweet Sixteen. Everybody was pretty happy with that," Shondell said in early August, as the Boilermakers got set for their training camp. "Then you don't make the Tournament, and then you really get a chance to re-eval- uate where you are and what you're doing and how your coaches are performing and how your players are per- forming, what you're doing in every aspect. "… I think that we will learn from that and there will be a different tone in the gym than last year." Shondell didn't make sweeping changes, nor need to, with nine NCAA Tournament appearances in the last 11 seasons, including seven Sweet 16s and two Elite Eights. But in hindsight, perhaps signs were there that the Boil- ermakers were in trouble last season, cruising but with a rudder jammed in position to slow them down. Val Nichol and KiKi Jones, Purdue's two seniors last season and its captains, were struggling to steer. "They were met with some resistance with a large core of young players," Shondell said. "I don't think that they meant to be difficult. It was just a challenge when you have two seniors and very young, highly talented players. "The lesson is that we have to have stronger leader- ship, tougher leadership, more disciplined leadership. Our younger players need to realize that they are the younger players here, and (have the thought that) 'I'm going to shut up and listen, and I'm going to do a better job of giving respect to the people the deserve it.' " In the offseason, the Boilermakers worked to bring the group — fractured is too strong a description, but sepa- rated might work — together to form a stronger bond. Instead of having one organized "captain's practice" a week in the summer, Purdue offered several, giving play- ers more opportunity to get in the gym. And once a week, they got together for dinner; some occasions were short, depending on schedule, maybe just 45 minutes, but oth- ers lasted longer, up to three hours of off-the-court bond- ing. It wasn't forced, senior Annie Drews says, but it was needed. "I think we were guilty last year of making a more sep- arated culture," the preseason All-Big Ten outside hitter said. "You knew this person was friends with these peo- ple. No one would say they weren't friends, but when it's all said and done, when we were free to go home, we all gravitated in different directions. "I think my goal for this team is that — we don't need to have organized (team-building) things where we talk about our feelings and where we put our phones away. I think that that's great, but I think that we will get enough of that led by our coaches. I think it'd be more beneficial if I could call person A, B and C, who don't usually run around in the same group, and we could all grab dinner, and it wouldn't be uncomfortable. It would be just as nor- mal. "… That's how I hope the culture will change." If Purdue can do that, it's certainly got enough talent to make a quick rebound. Led by Drews, a Big Ten Play- er-of-the-Year candidate, the Boilermakers have a big, physical, explosive front line that is one of the best in the conference. And their back line, which was largely under-experienced last season, returns critical elements that should help Purdue be a better ball-control unit. It'll need to settle on a setter, either sophomore Ashley Evans or classmate Lydia Dimke, although both could factor in this season. "I think that we will learn from (our faults) and there will be a different tone in the gym than last year." Coach Dave Shondell