To my entire Purdue family:
Only two words can truthfully summarize everything that I wish to say to my family, coaches, teammates, and fans ââ'¬" thank you. It is incredibly difficult to wrap 4.5 years of love, commitment, sacrifice, joy, success and defeat into a one-page letter as there are too many stories to tell, people to thank and memories to reflect on. I still remember the day like it was yesterday ââ'¬" the day I called Coach to say I wanted to be a Boilermaker. Fast forward 6.5 years later, and here I am, an official Purdue volleyball alum ââ'¬" a moment I thought would never come.
"They say life isn't measured by how many breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away" ââ'¬" and the past 4.5 years have justified this saying time after time again. Purdue is so much more than a world-renowned school ââ'¬" we are a family that bleeds Black and Gold through and through…a family that supports one another through the thick and thin. To my coaches ââ'¬" thank you for pushing me and challenging me to reach new heights I never thought possible. To my teammates ââ'¬" thank you for being sisters and remarkable women who have sacrificed for the love of one another. To our fans ââ'¬" thank you for the endless and unwavering support that we feel across the nation. And most importantly, to my family ââ'¬" for traveling the country with us and sharing every single moment of this unforgettable journey with me. It would not have been the same without you, and I love you all more than you will ever know.
Purdue is my home. Purdue is my family, and Purdue will always have a piece of my heart. Forever grateful and forever true ââ'¬" thank you, Purdue, for 4.5 of the best years of my life. One chapter may have closed, but another door will soon open. The best is still yet to come.
Boiler Up, Hammer Down, and Hail Purdue.
Much Love,
Ashley Evans, #5
