WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Two High School All-Americans will be joining the Boilermaker volleyball team in 2015 as Alexa Smith and Blake Mohler have signed letters of intent to play for Purdue.
"Alexa Smith, a top 10 recruit player according to PrepVolleyball.com who also has played on the USA Junior National Team, has tremendous experience and is a great complete player. Blake Mohler, who is ranked No. 17, is just an explosive athlete with untapped potential," head coach Dave Shondell said. "It is really an exciting day to know that we are going to have to two terrific athletes who are ranked among the Top 17 in the country, that are coachable, trainable, have great energy, are fun to be around and are also phenomenal people, as additions in our program."
Smith, a 6-1 outside hitter from Monument, Colo., was listed at No. 7 on Prep Volleyball's list of Senior Aces and also was named as a first team Under Armour High School All-America honoree in November before leading her team to the 4A state title. A member of the USA Volleyball Junior National Team in 2014, Smith earned a gold medal at the NORCECA Continental U20 Championships in Guatemala in 2014 with current Boilermaker Danielle Cuttino. The three-time all-state honoree also was a member of the USA Girls' Youth National Team in 2012 and 2013, earning a silver medal at the FIVB U-18 World Championships in Thailand in 2013. Prep Volleyball's National Junior Player of the Year in 2013-14 led her team to the first of two 4A state championships and earned MaxPreps All-America honors, CHSAA 4A Player of the Year and first team all-state accolades and academic all-state first team honors. As a junior, she also garnered her second consecutive Pikes Peak Athletic Conference Most Outstanding Player, all-conference first team and all-area first team honors while guiding Lewis Palmer High School to the league and regional championships. A Gazette peak Perfromer and Denver Post Student-Athlete of the Week, Smith posted 469 kills, most in 4A, a .433 hitting percentage and 236 digs. The Prep Volleyball Soph 79 selection and finalist for top sophomore school player of the year was named the Tribune Volleyball Player of the Year, to the Rocky Mountain All-Region team and Max Preps and Denver Post All-Colorado teams. As a rookie, she earned Prep Volleyball High School All-American Honorable Mention and was named to the all-area first team, all-conference first team and 4A Colorado Springs Metro League first team and was the lone freshman to receive first team all-state 4A honors. The most outstanding player and a Gazette Standout performer on the basketball court as a sophomore led her team in rebounds and blocks as a rookie starter. The daughter of Jason and Purdue alumna Livia Smith ranks first academically in class standing and is a national honor society member. Alexa plays club volleyball for the Colorado Juniors, which finished fifth at the USAV Nationals in 2013.
"Alexa is a really fast jumper and has a great arm," Shondell said. "She has a cannon for an arm. She has always played up an age bracket or two and competed against players older than her around the world. I think she is going to bring great experience into our program. She is going to be one of the great six rotation players coming into college volleyball next year. She is equipped to play every position, to pass serve, to play defense, to serve tough, to block and to attack and do whatever we need her to do. I think she is going to do wonderful things for Purdue."
Prep Volleyball's John Tawa had this to say about Smith:
"A do-everything player committed to Purdue, Smith is one of the most polished and experienced players in the nation. Fast off the floor, she combines a terrific hitting arm with elite ball-control skills. Smith burst onto the scene by amassing 545 kills as a freshman and she's been making headlines in Colorado ever since. The 2013 PrepVolleyball.com National Junior of the Year has had 47 kills in a match and is on pace to become the state's career kill leader before her time at Lewis-Palmer is done. A member of the 2014 USA Junior National Team, Smith is proof that you don't need to jump out of the gym to be a top recruit. Smith moves with extreme grace and athletic precision and her ball control ability makes her an ideal L2. Calm at all moments, Smith gets most excited by a great block. She is a great teammate, selfless and humble, who inspires others by her play on the court. Smith prides herself on her prodigious collection of athletic shoes. No one can fill those shoes better than she."
Mohler, a 6-2 middle blocker from Ocean Springs, Miss., was recently named to the Under Armour High School All-America second team and as Prep Volleyball's No. 17 Senior Ace. As a senior, Mohler averaged 4.9 kills per set while hitting at a .453 clip, adding 1.2 blocks per set and serving up 91 aces. She owns the Ocean Springs' school record in kills (580) and solo blocks (100) and earned AVCA High School Player of the Week accolades, while also being nominated for Mississippi's Gatorade Player of the Year honor. A two-time Class III Region 4 all-star team selection and Sun Herald All-South Mississippi team honoree, Mohler was so honored as a sophomore and junior. One of Prep Volleyball's Top Juniors, she garnered Sun Herald Co-Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Player honors as a member of the South All-Star team and also set the school record for the high jump on the track. As a sophomore, Mohler earned all-state tournament team after leading her team to another south state title. As a rookie, she was named the most improved player on Ocean Springs' south state champion volleyball team. The four-sport athlete played on the golf and basketball teams her first two seasons and was a high jump and triple jump competitor on the track as a junior. The daughter of Guy "Bitty" and Kathy Mohler is a four-year honor roll member and was Ocean Springs' scholar athlete of the month in November 2013. Blake plays club volleyball for the Mobile Storm.
"Blake is a very powerful player who hits the ball a ton and I think she has the ability to be one of the very best we have had here at Purdue," Shondell said. "She is a middle that also has the ability to play on the outside pins. It will be fun to watch her develop, because she is somebody that I think is just going to blow up when she comes to Purdue. She is somebody that is going to be a lot of fun to have in our gym and we are certainly looking forward to having Blake get here in the fall."
Prep Volleyball's John Tawa had this to say about Mohler:
"One of the most physical athletes in this class, Mohler emerged as one of the top middle recruits in America during the summer before her junior campaign then showed off her massive improvement arc by tripling her kill production for Ocean Springs HS from the season before. A great find along the bayou of Mississippi, Mohler is a natural leader and a driven athlete who also excels on the hardwood. As a volleyballer, she possesses the unique ability to elevate well off of one or two feet. A late starter in the sport, her two biggest strengths are probably her powerful arm and dynamic speed off the floor. Capable of playing in the middle or on the right side, Mohler has a huge upside that Purdue University hopes to exploit."