WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The 2014 volleyball team celebrated its two outgoing seniors and a season which featured the program's 800th victory, two wins over Top 25 foes and a fifth place Big Ten finish, at its annual postseason banquet on Friday. The event, which marked the end of the careers for setter/outside hitter Val Nichol and middle blocker KiKi Jones, also saw the team hand out its annual awards and look to the future.
Nichol was honored for her AVCA All-America honorable mention accolade as well as her All-Big Ten selection. The Normal, Ill., native, who was also an AVCA third team All-America, All-Region and All-Big Ten selection in 2013, averaged 10.08 assists, 2.29 digs, 1.25 kills and 0.67 blocks per set, while serving up a team-best 25 aces. She registered a pair of triple doubles (against Iowa and Rutgers), moving her career total to four, the most in Purdue history, while also adding 10 assist/dig double-doubles. The Sept. 1 Big Ten Setter of the Week led Purdue in kills three times, blocks five times and digs four times. Nichol posted double-digit dig tallies 12 times and double-digit kills twice. The Academic All-Big Ten selection helped the team to a .250 or better hitting percentage in 17 matches, while hitting over the .250 mark 20 times as an individual.
Jones became Purdue's all-time hitting percentage leader, wrapping her career with a .367 mark, while also earning the No. 2 spot in block assists (454) and No. 5 slot in total blocks (510). The Fishers, Ind., native led Purdue with a .353 hitting effort in 2014, a tally which ranked seventh on the school's season hitting percentage listing, seventh among Big Ten players and 64th nationally. Jones also averaged 1.93 kills and 1.00 blocks per set, leading the team in stuffs 16 times. Purdue's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree put down double-digit kills five times and hit at a .250 or better clip 20 times. The three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection also was named to the Preseason All-Big Ten team.
Junior outside hitter Annie Drews was recognized for her Honorable Mention All-America, All-Region and All-Big Ten selection. The Elkhart, Ind., native averaged a team-best 3.92 kills and 4.30 points per set, ranking second and third respectively among Big Ten players and 59th and 72nd nationally. Drews racked up double-digit kill tallies 22 times, including 20 or more on six occasions. She put down 33 kills against Western Kentucky to become the first Purdue player with 30 kills since 2000. The junior led Purdue in kills 21 times, while hitting at a .250 or better clip 16 times.
Middle blocker Danielle Cuttino was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team after averaging 1.71 kills per set, hitting at a .291 clip and putting up a team-best 1.01 blocks per set. The Indianapolis, Ind., native led the team in blocks 10 times and kills once, while posting double-digit kill totals five times and five or more blocks in eight matches. The rookie hit at a .300 or better clip 13 times.
In addition to the individual accolades that were recognized, team honors, including the Red Mackey Award and the Carol Dewey Mental Attitude Award, were distributed. The Carol Dewey award is bestowed on the individual voted by her teammates as the player who best exemplifies the positive image represented by Purdue Volleyball. The Red Mackey Award, established in 1971, is named for former Purdue Athletic Director Guy "Red" Mackey, who served Purdue from 1942 to 1971. The inspiration for the award bearing his name stemmed from his leadership, loyalty, integrity and concern for others. The award criterion includes competitive spirit and a positive attitude, loyalty and self-discipline, hard work for the best interest of the team, and a willingness to help others.
Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Faye Adelaja was honored with the Carol Dewey Award. Adelaja averaged 1.97 kills per set, while hitting at a .344 clip, a tally which ranked 10th on the Purdue season listing, and adding 0.77 blocks per set. The Baton Rouge, La., native registered double-digit kills three times, while putting up five or more blocks in three matches. She led the team in kills four times and in blocks on seven occasions, while hitting .250 or better in 13 matches. Redshirt junior middle blocker Kaisley Fisher garnered the Red Mackey Award. Fisher saw action in six matches, earning the start against Rutgers. The Plainfield, Ill., native managed nine kills in 11 sets of play, tallying at least one kill in five of her six matches. She put down nine kills in 16 swings with just one error for a .500 hitting percentage.
The team honored four players with Sue Jurkonis Strength Awards, which are given out annually in honor of former Boilermaker Sue Jurkonis who played volleyball for Purdue form 1994 to 1996. Jurkonis was an avid weight lifter and one of the Boilermakers' strongest athletes before losing her two-year battle with brain cancer in 1998. Junior libero Amanda Neill was named as the strongest upperclassman, while Fisher garnered the Most Improved Upperclassman award. Redshirt freshman setter/outside hitter Ashley Evans earned the strongest freshman nod, while Cuttino was named as the most improved freshman.
Neill led the team with 3.66 digs per set, while also adding 0.94 assists per set and 19 aces. The Academic All-Big Ten selection and the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 17 also made good on 95 percent of her serve-reception chances. The Lafayette, Ind., native posted double-digit digs in 22 matches, while leading the team 24 times.
Evans averaged 2.34 digs per set, second most on the team, while adding 1.19 kills per set, 40 assists and 18 aces. She recorded two double-doubles, posting double-digit digs in 12 matches and double-digit kills twice. The Liberty Township, Ohio, native, made good on 97 percent of her 731 serve-reception chances as the team's primary passer. The Academic All-Big Ten honoree led the team in digs four times and blocks twice, while hitting .250 or better in 12 matches.
The Boilermakers also honored the academic accomplishments of the student-athletes. Jones and Drews received the Helen B. Schleman Award from the Reamer Club for being the junior or senior with the highest GPA on the team over the last two semesters.
Five players received Academic All-Big Ten accolades. Adelaja, Evans, Jones, Neill and Nichol made up the group. Student-athletes must be in at least their second academic year and carry a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 to be eligible for the honors.
Purdue recorded its 800th program victory against Michigan on Sept. 26 and defeated No. 14 San Diego and No. 22 Ohio State during the season, extending the program's streak of topping at least two ranked foes to 12 seasons. The Boilermakers were ranked in the Top 25 throughout the regular season and ranked third among vote-getters outside of the Top 25 in the final poll.
The thirteen returning players, along with freshman Brooke Peters who joined the team in January, are back into the gym to prepare for their spring campaign, which will include four competition dates.
April 2 - home tournament
April 9 - at Butler
April 18 - at The Academy in Indianapolis
April 25 - home vs. Indiana