WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue earned a program-best six All-Big Ten awards, headlined by the Big Ten Coach of the Year, Purdue also received three All-Big Ten First Team accolades, a Second Team honoree and an All-Freshman team nod, announced by the conference office.
Head coach Dave Shondell was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the second time of his career (last: 2011), while Hayley Bush, Grace Cleveland and Caitlyn Newton received their second straight first team accolades. Meanwhile, Jena Otec was selected as a second team honoree, marking the second straight year the graduate student has been recognized in the league's postseason awards (last: 2020 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and first team nod). Rounding out the selections was Raven Colvin, who was chosen for the All-Freshman team, marking the second straight year a Boilermaker newcomer has been honored.
Under Shondell's guidance, Purdue posted a 23-6, 15-5 Big Ten record, its most wins in Big Ten play since 2011. Among the victories, seven came against ranked opponents, a program-best. Additionally, Shondell has led the team to its highest national ranking ever, after reaching No. 4 in the nation earlier this season. Moreover, the Boilermakers have spent 21 straight weeks among the AVCA top-15, dating back to the 2020-21 season. In 2021 alone, Purdue has spent 14 of the season's 15 weeks ranked among the top-10. The success has culminated in Shondell's 13th 20-win season, as well as his 400th win at Purdue, becoming just the ninth head coach in Big Ten history to achieve the feat.
Setter Bush earned her second consecutive All-Big Ten First Team honor after posting 14 double-doubles this season, 10.19 assists per set and 2.52 digs per set. Playing in all but one set this season, the Union, Kentucky, native went errorless on the attack in 25 matches on her way to a .351 efficiency. Additionally, her senior campaign saw career-highs in attack % (1.00, twice), total blocks (five vs. Nebraska, 11/7) and attacks (14 at Illinois, 10/6). Throughout the season, Bush has risen through the ranks in Purdue's history to achieve the third-most assists (4,822) and is on track to become just the second Boilermaker setter to reach 1,000 digs, which will come with her first of the NCAA tournament.
Earning her second straight first team honor, Cleveland went errorless twice, including 18 kills and no errors on 32 swings against Indiana in the final week of conference play (11/26). This season, the senior hit over .400 on eight occasions, including five times over .500. The Bloomington, Illinois, native recorded three or fewer errors in 20 matches this year, including nine straight to open the 2021 campaign. Not only did she set a career-high 10 blocks vs. Illinois (10/1) and at No. 7 Ohio State (10/15), Cleveland also set a best with 11 digs vs. No. 15 Penn State (10/17) and tied the program's 5th-highest hitting % in a four-set match with her 13 kills, 1 error and 16 attempts at Rutgers (11/7). As one of the team's best blockers, Cleveland has helped Purdue rank No. 2 in the nation in blocks per set (2.99) and is now third all-time at Purdue with 411 block assists and sixth in total blocks (454).
Newton returned for her fifth year to play the best volleyball of her collegiate career. This season, the Terre Haute, Indiana, product owns a .209 attack %, up from her .169 efficiency last year, which earned her AVCA All-America Third Team and All-Big Ten First Team honors in 2020. While averaging 3.93 kills per set this season and ranking third in the Big Ten with 4.56 points per set, Newton posted six double-doubles and hit double-digit kills in all but five matches this season. Moreover, she owns at least 15 kills in 16 matches, with three matches totaling 20-plus kills. Newton has entered the top-10 in program history this season and has since risen to No. 5 with 1,636 career kills. She is one of just four Boilermakers to register more than 4,000 attempts in their career.
Receiving All-Big Ten Second Team honors is Otec. Otec averaged 4.6 digs per set for the second straight season, and averaged 5.35 digs per set against ranked opponents this season. Otec set a career-best 33 digs in the win vs. Michigan, the most by a Boilermaker in 12 years and one of just five to ever post as many in a match. Not only did Otec surpass 30 digs twice this season, the Crystal City, Missouri native recorded at least 20 digs on 10 occasions this season and finished the regular-season third in the league with 4.55 digs per set this season. Otec has cemented her name as one of the best in program history, ranking third all-time with 1,768 digs and sixth with 159 career aces.
Newcomer Raven Colvin was an All-Freshman Team selection after posting 2.41 points per set, including 1.23 blocks per set and a .331 attack efficiency. The middle blocker went errorless in two matches this season, including a perfect 5-0-5 vs. Jacksonville St. and a .900 attack % (9-0-10) in the following match vs. Purdue Fort Wayne. Just the third freshman since 2009 to post double-digit blocks in a match (joining Taylor Trammell and Anna Drewry), Colvin notched 11 total blocks (1-10) in the victory vs. No. 3 Wisconsin on Halloween.
The Boilermakers were selected as the sixth seed in the NCAA tournament, and are set to host the first and second rounds in the friendly confines of Holloway Gymnasium. Purdue is slated to take on Illinois State at 7 p.m. ET tomorrow, which will be streamed on ESPN+.
Head coach Dave Shondell was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the second time of his career (last: 2011), while Hayley Bush, Grace Cleveland and Caitlyn Newton received their second straight first team accolades. Meanwhile, Jena Otec was selected as a second team honoree, marking the second straight year the graduate student has been recognized in the league's postseason awards (last: 2020 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and first team nod). Rounding out the selections was Raven Colvin, who was chosen for the All-Freshman team, marking the second straight year a Boilermaker newcomer has been honored.
Under Shondell's guidance, Purdue posted a 23-6, 15-5 Big Ten record, its most wins in Big Ten play since 2011. Among the victories, seven came against ranked opponents, a program-best. Additionally, Shondell has led the team to its highest national ranking ever, after reaching No. 4 in the nation earlier this season. Moreover, the Boilermakers have spent 21 straight weeks among the AVCA top-15, dating back to the 2020-21 season. In 2021 alone, Purdue has spent 14 of the season's 15 weeks ranked among the top-10. The success has culminated in Shondell's 13th 20-win season, as well as his 400th win at Purdue, becoming just the ninth head coach in Big Ten history to achieve the feat.
Setter Bush earned her second consecutive All-Big Ten First Team honor after posting 14 double-doubles this season, 10.19 assists per set and 2.52 digs per set. Playing in all but one set this season, the Union, Kentucky, native went errorless on the attack in 25 matches on her way to a .351 efficiency. Additionally, her senior campaign saw career-highs in attack % (1.00, twice), total blocks (five vs. Nebraska, 11/7) and attacks (14 at Illinois, 10/6). Throughout the season, Bush has risen through the ranks in Purdue's history to achieve the third-most assists (4,822) and is on track to become just the second Boilermaker setter to reach 1,000 digs, which will come with her first of the NCAA tournament.
Earning her second straight first team honor, Cleveland went errorless twice, including 18 kills and no errors on 32 swings against Indiana in the final week of conference play (11/26). This season, the senior hit over .400 on eight occasions, including five times over .500. The Bloomington, Illinois, native recorded three or fewer errors in 20 matches this year, including nine straight to open the 2021 campaign. Not only did she set a career-high 10 blocks vs. Illinois (10/1) and at No. 7 Ohio State (10/15), Cleveland also set a best with 11 digs vs. No. 15 Penn State (10/17) and tied the program's 5th-highest hitting % in a four-set match with her 13 kills, 1 error and 16 attempts at Rutgers (11/7). As one of the team's best blockers, Cleveland has helped Purdue rank No. 2 in the nation in blocks per set (2.99) and is now third all-time at Purdue with 411 block assists and sixth in total blocks (454).
Newton returned for her fifth year to play the best volleyball of her collegiate career. This season, the Terre Haute, Indiana, product owns a .209 attack %, up from her .169 efficiency last year, which earned her AVCA All-America Third Team and All-Big Ten First Team honors in 2020. While averaging 3.93 kills per set this season and ranking third in the Big Ten with 4.56 points per set, Newton posted six double-doubles and hit double-digit kills in all but five matches this season. Moreover, she owns at least 15 kills in 16 matches, with three matches totaling 20-plus kills. Newton has entered the top-10 in program history this season and has since risen to No. 5 with 1,636 career kills. She is one of just four Boilermakers to register more than 4,000 attempts in their career.
Receiving All-Big Ten Second Team honors is Otec. Otec averaged 4.6 digs per set for the second straight season, and averaged 5.35 digs per set against ranked opponents this season. Otec set a career-best 33 digs in the win vs. Michigan, the most by a Boilermaker in 12 years and one of just five to ever post as many in a match. Not only did Otec surpass 30 digs twice this season, the Crystal City, Missouri native recorded at least 20 digs on 10 occasions this season and finished the regular-season third in the league with 4.55 digs per set this season. Otec has cemented her name as one of the best in program history, ranking third all-time with 1,768 digs and sixth with 159 career aces.
Newcomer Raven Colvin was an All-Freshman Team selection after posting 2.41 points per set, including 1.23 blocks per set and a .331 attack efficiency. The middle blocker went errorless in two matches this season, including a perfect 5-0-5 vs. Jacksonville St. and a .900 attack % (9-0-10) in the following match vs. Purdue Fort Wayne. Just the third freshman since 2009 to post double-digit blocks in a match (joining Taylor Trammell and Anna Drewry), Colvin notched 11 total blocks (1-10) in the victory vs. No. 3 Wisconsin on Halloween.
The Boilermakers were selected as the sixth seed in the NCAA tournament, and are set to host the first and second rounds in the friendly confines of Holloway Gymnasium. Purdue is slated to take on Illinois State at 7 p.m. ET tomorrow, which will be streamed on ESPN+.