Full List of 2014 AVCA All-America Selections
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker volleyball program added two more All-America honorees to its ranks as senior setter/outside hitter Val Nichol and junior outside hitter Annie Drews received Honorable Mention accolades from the American Volleyball Coaches Association on Wednesday.
The honor is the second of Nichol's career, following a third team selection in 2013, and the first for Drews. The Purdue program has boasted at least one All-America honoree each of the last five years and nine since 2005.
Nichol capped her career by bringing home Honorable Mention All-America honors following a senior season which saw her record 10 double-doubles and two triple-doubles while averaging 10.08 assists, 1.24 kills, 2.29 digs and 0.67 blocks per set to go with a team-best 25 aces. The All-Big Ten and Honorable Mention All-Northeast Region selection led the Boilers to a .250 or better hitting effort 17 times, including 12 .300-plus efforts and two .400-plus efforts. The setter/hitter ranked seventh in the Big Ten in assist per set, and was honored with Big Ten Setter of the Week accolades on Sept. 1. The Normal, Ill., native led the Boilers in kills three times, in blocks five times and in digs four times, while posting double-digit kills twice, double-digit digs 12 times and five or more blocks on four occasions. An efficient option, she hit at a .250 or better clip 20 times, including .400 or better 11 times and .500 or better five times. With the triple doubles against Iowa and Rutgers, Nichol boosted her career total to four triple-threat efforts, a program best.
Nichol becomes the sixth two-time All-America honoree in Purdue volleyball history, along with Annette Bauer (1983, 1984), Marianne Smith (1984, 1985), Debbie McDonald (1987, 1988, 1989), Stephanie Lynch (2006, 2007, 2008) and Ariel Turner (2011, 2012).
Drews posted a team-best 3.92 kills and 4.30 points per set in 2014, including a rally-scoring era record 33 kills against Western Kentucky, which made her the first Purdue player with 30 or more kills since 2000. The Elkhart, Ind., native ranked 59th nationally and second among Big Ten players in kills per set, while ranking third among conference players in points per set. She posted 22 double-digit kill efforts, including 20 or more six times. Drews paced the Boilermakers in kills 21 times, while boasting a .257 hitting efficiency. She hit at a .250 or better clip 16 times, while managing a .300 or better effort 13 times, a .400-plus efficiency eight times and one .500 plus effort. The All-Big Ten selection also added 0.52 blocks per set, including five or more blocks in five matches, and 11 aces. As a Boilermaker, Drews has tallied double-digit kills 39 times, while totaling 855 career kills.
The Boilermakers posted a 22-10 record in 2014, including a fifth place Big Ten finish. The team will celebrate the season at its annual banquet, January 23.
Purdue AVCA All-Americans under Dave Shondell