WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Returning All-Americans Grace Cleveland (third-team) and Caitlyn Newton (honorable mention) were named to the 2020-21 Preseason All-Big Ten team.
The duo is part of a 14-member honorary team, voted upon by Big Ten head coaches.
Additionally, the conference released the preseason poll, which tabbed Purdue to finish fifth in the Big Ten.
The Boilermakers, ranked No. 13 in the nation heading into the 2020-21 season, are set to open with a pair of matches at No. 1 nationally ranked and Big Ten favorite, Wisconsin.
2020-21 BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL
1. WISCONSIN
2. Minnesota
3. Nebraska
4. Penn State
5. Purdue
6. Michigan
7. Ohio State
8. Illinois
9. Michigan State
10. Northwestern
11. Indiana
12. Maryland
13. Iowa
14. Rutgers
Grace Cleveland / 2019 / as a sophomore:
Caitlyn Newton / 2019 / as a junior:
The duo is part of a 14-member honorary team, voted upon by Big Ten head coaches.
Additionally, the conference released the preseason poll, which tabbed Purdue to finish fifth in the Big Ten.
The Boilermakers, ranked No. 13 in the nation heading into the 2020-21 season, are set to open with a pair of matches at No. 1 nationally ranked and Big Ten favorite, Wisconsin.
2020-21 BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL
1. WISCONSIN
2. Minnesota
3. Nebraska
4. Penn State
5. Purdue
6. Michigan
7. Ohio State
8. Illinois
9. Michigan State
10. Northwestern
11. Indiana
12. Maryland
13. Iowa
14. Rutgers
Grace Cleveland / 2019 / as a sophomore:
- AVCA third-team All-American
- Unanimous All-Big Ten first-team selection
- AVCA All-Northeast Region First-Team
- Volleyball Mag All-America third team
- Named to the U.S. Collegiate National Team – Anaheim roster in March 2020
- Big Ten Player of the Week twice (9/23 and 10/28)
- Made 15 starts and played in all 32 matches
- Saw action in all122 sets
- Was one of eight Big Ten student-athletes to record at least 43 aces, including a league-best 33 through Big Ten play
- Tallied 22 matches with double-digit kills, 10 contests with five or more block sand 10 matches with at least two aces
- Checked in at No. 12 in the Big Ten and No. 2 among Boilermakers with 132 total blocks
- Ranked No. 14 in the Big Ten with 3.22 kills per set.
- Produced 394 kills, second-most on the team
- Tallied 505.5 points (4.14 per set), good for second on the Boilermaker roster
- Recorded a .270 hitting clip with 394 kills on 1005 attempts
- One of two Boilermakers to tally over 500 attempts on the season (joins Newton, 1,222)
- Added eight assists on the year
- Third on the team with 1.08 blocks per set
- Secured a team-best 127 block assists
- Notched 139 digs for 1.14 digs per set on the season
Caitlyn Newton / 2019 / as a junior:
- AVCA All-America Honorable Mention
- AVCA All-Northeast Region first-team
- All-Big Ten second team
- Volleyball Mag All-America honorable mention
- Selected for the U.S. Collegiate National Team as an outside hitter in March of 2020
- Ranked No. 4 in the Big Ten with 3.91 kills per set
- Led the Boilermakers in kills (445), kills per set (3.90)
- Newton's 529.5 points checked in at No. 3 in the Big Ten and T-No. 42 in the nation, while her 4.65 points per set secure her No. 43 in the nation.
- Produced double-digit kills in 26 matches, including five matches with at least 20 kills
- Recorded a season-high 26 kills in the victory versus No. 22 Louisville (Sept. 13)
- Earned a double-double versus Iowa (10/25) with 17 kills and 11 digs
- Secure over a .300 hitting clip in eight outings
- Registered a season-high eight total blocks in the victory at No. 22 Michigan (Nov. 27)
- Contributed 17 kills and five total blocks in the victory over No. 5 Nebraska (Oct. 26)
- Finished second on the team with 15 solo blocks
- Accumulated 165 digs during the season
- Recorded 41 aces, checking in as the sixth-most in the Big Ten
- Produced a season-best .500 hitting clip with 12 kills on 20 attempts versus Ball State (9/3)