WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Senior middle blocker Jael Johnson was selected Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week after guiding Purdue (10-1) to victories vs. No. 3 Ohio State (3-2) and at Indiana (3-0).
Not only did Johnson lead the team with 13.0 total blocks on the weekend, she set career-highs along the way. In the five-set win over No. 3 Ohio State to open Big Ten play, Johnson registered a career-high six digs to go alongside seven block assists, which matched a career-best. Then, two days later, she came one shy of matching her career-best with six block assists at Indiana.
The Mooresville, Indiana native helped to hold Ohio State and Indiana to a combined .140 hitting efficiency, the second-lowest in the league in the opening week of Big Ten play. The defensive performance included holding Indiana to a .009 attack % on Sunday to retain the Monon Spike traveling trophy.
Johnson paired her defensive performance with 11 kills (1.38 per set), including eight kills and a .385 hitting clip against the Buckeyes.
The honor marked the first Defensive award and second overall Big Ten weekly honor of Johnson's career (previously: Player of the Week, 2/1/2021). Johnson was joined by Maryland's Rainelle Jones for this week's defensive recognition.
Johnson and the Boilermakers, which just set a program-record with their No. 4 national ranking, will be back in action this weekend. First, No. 4 Purdue will take on Illinois on Friday at 7 p.m. ET followed by Rutgers on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. Both matches can be streamed on B1G+.
Purdue in the Big Ten Weekly Awards:
Sept. 6 Hayley Bush, Setter of the Week
Not only did Johnson lead the team with 13.0 total blocks on the weekend, she set career-highs along the way. In the five-set win over No. 3 Ohio State to open Big Ten play, Johnson registered a career-high six digs to go alongside seven block assists, which matched a career-best. Then, two days later, she came one shy of matching her career-best with six block assists at Indiana.
The Mooresville, Indiana native helped to hold Ohio State and Indiana to a combined .140 hitting efficiency, the second-lowest in the league in the opening week of Big Ten play. The defensive performance included holding Indiana to a .009 attack % on Sunday to retain the Monon Spike traveling trophy.
Johnson paired her defensive performance with 11 kills (1.38 per set), including eight kills and a .385 hitting clip against the Buckeyes.
The honor marked the first Defensive award and second overall Big Ten weekly honor of Johnson's career (previously: Player of the Week, 2/1/2021). Johnson was joined by Maryland's Rainelle Jones for this week's defensive recognition.
Johnson and the Boilermakers, which just set a program-record with their No. 4 national ranking, will be back in action this weekend. First, No. 4 Purdue will take on Illinois on Friday at 7 p.m. ET followed by Rutgers on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. Both matches can be streamed on B1G+.
Purdue in the Big Ten Weekly Awards:
Sept. 6 Hayley Bush, Setter of the Week