Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
Purdue
Women's Soccer looks to stay unbeaten in Thursday tilt with Purdue
9/2/2026 6:53:00 PM | Women's Soccer
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee women's soccer team will conclude its three-match homestand on Thursday night when it hosts Big Ten adversary Purdue at 7 p.m.
The Blue Raiders (4-0-2) will look to continue their best start to a season in program history, but will have to overcome the Boilermakers (5-0-1), whose 31 goal-tally through six games ranks the highest of any program in the country.
Quick Kicks
- Middle Tennessee Soccer will enter Thursday with a 4-0-2 record, its best start in program history.
- The matchup with Purdue marks only the second-ever against a Big Ten school after MTSU fell 0-2 to Indiana on Sept. 4, 2015.
- The Blue Raiders will aim for their seventh win against a major conference foe and first since Sept. 12, 2021, when they traveled to Vanderbilt and secured a 2-1 decision.
- Middle Tennessee's defense has only conceded in one match in 2026, becoming one of six Division I programs to achieve five shutouts through six matches.
- MTSU's defensive line has produced three assists through its first six matches, all coming from players who have never registered one in their careers prior (Mya Stenehjem, Jess Gray, Scottie Newton).
- 56% of MTSU's offensive production has come from players new to the squad, most notably freshman forward Ania Denham, who leads the way for the Blue and White with three goals and one assist
- Junior goalkeeper Demi Gronauer received CUSA Goalkeeper of the Week honors on Aug. 25 for her two clean sheets against UT Martin and West Georgia, the second individual honor of her career and the second for an MTSU player this season.
- Sophomore defender Scottie Newton took home CUSA Defender of the Week honors on Aug. 18 after playing 174 minutes and helping her team notch two clean sheets and face the fewest shots by any CUSA team (13) through its first two matches.
- Sophomore defender/midfielder Charli Dunn was recently called up to represent the New Zealand U-20 National Team at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Poland from Sept. 5-27, where she will begin with group stage matches against Italy, the United States, and Japan.
Series History
The Blue Raiders and Boilermakers will meet for the first time in program history on Thursday night.
Scouting the Boilermakers
Purdue makes the trip to Murfreesboro following a 6-10-3 (3-7-1 Big Ten) tab a season ago along with a 14th-place finish in the 2025 Big Ten standings.
The Boilermakers' 2025 season ended on a high note with a 2-0 victory at Minnesota.
Purdue Soccer was picked to finish 13th in the 2026 Big Ten Women's Soccer Preseason Poll.
The Boilermakers have the most potent offense in the country, scoring 31 goals through six games.
Junior transfer Jaiden Anderson leads the way, as she tops the Big Ten scoring charts and is tied for fourth in the nation with seven goals.
The Boilermakers are led by third-year head coach Richard Moodie, who has won more games in his time in charge than in the three-year period before him, and is only the third head coach in Purdue Soccer history.
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with MTSU Soccer on Instagram (@mt_wsoccer), X (@MT_Soccer), and Facebook (Middle Tennessee Soccer).
