COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Former Purdue standout and Olympic hopeful Annie Drews was selected as the 2019 USA Volleyball Female Indoor Player of the Year after guiding the U.S. Women's National Team to three tournament podium finishes (one gold, two silvers) in 2019, all while being selected to two FIVB tournament dream teams.
Drews scored a Team USA-high 388 points in 2019 with a 4.56 scoring average per set, second most among players with at least one start. For the season, Drews started 23 matches and played in 85 sets compiling 3.94 kills, 0.35 blocks and 0.27 aces per set. She converted 46.3 percent of her attacks into points with a .317 hitting efficiency. Her defense improved throughout 2019 with 107 digs for a 1.26 dig average.
"I am beyond grateful to represent USA Volleyball and for all of the opportunities I got to experience in 2019 with our team," Drews said. "We have so many talented players and impactful women in our program and I'm just honored to continue to learn and grow alongside some of the best. Thank you to our team and staff for all of the work put in to make 2019 a successful year for USA Volleyball."
Drews claimed the most valuable player honor at the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and was selected as Best Opposite on the 2019 FIVB World Cup Dream Team. She averaged 4.70 points per set during the VNL, starting 12 of the 19 matches. She held a .315 hitting efficiency while converting 47.6 percent of her attacks into points. She averaged 4.08 kills, 0.34 blocks and 0.28 aces per set during the VNL. Drews started nine of the 11 World Cup matches and converted 45.3 percent of her attacks into points with a .324 hitting efficiency. She averaged 3.92 kills, 0.38 blocks and 0.31 aces per set for a 4.62 scoring average.
U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said Drews stepped up her game and became a force on offense for Team USA.
"We laid out challenges at the opposite position this season, and Annie answered them all, with the new attitude and new presence she brought for 2019," Kiraly said. "As a result, she helped lead us to a FIVB Volleyball Nations League gold medal with her MVP performance, and to one of USA's best-ever offensive performances during a silver-medal finish at the FIVB World Cup. Her hunger to improve and her termination factor added new dimensions to our offense, and that elevated the play of everyone around her."
While Drews has appreciated the postseason honor, she has quickly turned her attention to wanting more and to improve upon 2019.
"When I found out I would be the USA Volleyball Female Indoor Player of the Year, I celebrated for about 10 minutes before I started thinking about the Olympics and the ways that I, and we, will need to fight to improve to make 2020 our best year yet," Drews said. "While the memories and accolades of 2019 will be special memories in my career, I'm far from satisfied and am excited to see how I can improve and help USA Volleyball improve on our Tokyo 2020 journey. The work continues."
Overall, the U.S. ranked second in the world by the FIVB, finished 2019 with a 44-7 record in tournament play with five podium finishes. Team USA captured gold at the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Pan American Cup and NORCECA Champions Cup, while claiming silver at the FIVB World Cup and the NORCECA Continental Championship. The U.S. also qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games by winning its Tokyo Qualification Tournament pool on home soil.
Drews scored a Team USA-high 388 points in 2019 with a 4.56 scoring average per set, second most among players with at least one start. For the season, Drews started 23 matches and played in 85 sets compiling 3.94 kills, 0.35 blocks and 0.27 aces per set. She converted 46.3 percent of her attacks into points with a .317 hitting efficiency. Her defense improved throughout 2019 with 107 digs for a 1.26 dig average.
"I am beyond grateful to represent USA Volleyball and for all of the opportunities I got to experience in 2019 with our team," Drews said. "We have so many talented players and impactful women in our program and I'm just honored to continue to learn and grow alongside some of the best. Thank you to our team and staff for all of the work put in to make 2019 a successful year for USA Volleyball."
Congrats to Annie Drews on being selected USA Volleyball Female Indoor Player of the Year.
— USA Volleyball (@usavolleyball) December 9, 2019
Award Details | https://t.co/FEQPLe3sVN pic.twitter.com/MnJbeMAPnw
Drews claimed the most valuable player honor at the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and was selected as Best Opposite on the 2019 FIVB World Cup Dream Team. She averaged 4.70 points per set during the VNL, starting 12 of the 19 matches. She held a .315 hitting efficiency while converting 47.6 percent of her attacks into points. She averaged 4.08 kills, 0.34 blocks and 0.28 aces per set during the VNL. Drews started nine of the 11 World Cup matches and converted 45.3 percent of her attacks into points with a .324 hitting efficiency. She averaged 3.92 kills, 0.38 blocks and 0.31 aces per set for a 4.62 scoring average.
U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said Drews stepped up her game and became a force on offense for Team USA.
"We laid out challenges at the opposite position this season, and Annie answered them all, with the new attitude and new presence she brought for 2019," Kiraly said. "As a result, she helped lead us to a FIVB Volleyball Nations League gold medal with her MVP performance, and to one of USA's best-ever offensive performances during a silver-medal finish at the FIVB World Cup. Her hunger to improve and her termination factor added new dimensions to our offense, and that elevated the play of everyone around her."
While Drews has appreciated the postseason honor, she has quickly turned her attention to wanting more and to improve upon 2019.
"When I found out I would be the USA Volleyball Female Indoor Player of the Year, I celebrated for about 10 minutes before I started thinking about the Olympics and the ways that I, and we, will need to fight to improve to make 2020 our best year yet," Drews said. "While the memories and accolades of 2019 will be special memories in my career, I'm far from satisfied and am excited to see how I can improve and help USA Volleyball improve on our Tokyo 2020 journey. The work continues."
Overall, the U.S. ranked second in the world by the FIVB, finished 2019 with a 44-7 record in tournament play with five podium finishes. Team USA captured gold at the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Pan American Cup and NORCECA Champions Cup, while claiming silver at the FIVB World Cup and the NORCECA Continental Championship. The U.S. also qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games by winning its Tokyo Qualification Tournament pool on home soil.