WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Graduate student Caitlyn Newton completes her collegiate campaign with the highest honor of her career, a Second Team All-America nod, announced today by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).
Also receiving nods were setter Hayley Bush, opposite Grace Cleveland and libero Jena Otec, who were named All-America Honorable Mention following their All-Northeast Region honors.
Newton, who was an AVCA Third Team All-America selection last season and Honorable Mention the year prior (2019), played in every match this season. Ranking third in the Big Ten with 4.58 points per set, the six-rotation outside hitter averaged 3.94 kills per set and 1.81 digs per set while hitting double-digit kills in all but four matches.
Playing the best volleyball of her career, Newton's efficiency led to a .204 attack %, up from last season's .169 clip which helped to land her AVCA Third Team honors in 2020. Moreover, not only did she enter the 2021 season just outside the Purdue career top-10 lists, but rose the ranks and will close out her career ranked fourth all-time with 1,703 kills while becoming just the third Boilermaker in program history to register at least 1,421 attempts in a single season.
Bush, one of the most dynamic setters in the nation, ranked 11th in the nation with 1,278 assists this season and became just the second setter in program history to reach 1,000 digs (joins Ashley Evans, 2014-17). The Union, Kentucky, native set career match-highs in blocks (6 vs. No. 5 BYU), attack % (1.00 twice, last at Northwestern) and attacks (matched 14, last: at Illinois). Moreover, the setter more than doubled her efficiency in blocks, totaling seven block solos and 57 assists (64 total blocks), despite totaling 28 in 2020. Bush closed out her redshirt senior season with 4,900 assists, third all-time in program history for her second consecutive year named an All-America Honorable Mention.
Cleveland, who was named an All-Big Ten First Team honoree this season was an AVCA First Team All-American in 2020. Cleveland went errorless not once but twice during the regular season and posted just one error in Purdue's five set comeback victory vs. Dayton in the NCAA Second Round (17 kills, 1 error, 34 swings for a .471 attack %). Not only has the Bloomington, Illinois, native hit over.400 nine times this year and five times above .500, but recorded three or fewer errors in 22 matches. Cleveland closes out her senior campaign with 127 block assists, tying her own record book mark, set in 2019, as the 10th-most in a single Purdue season (also joined by Fay Adelaja, 2013). Meanwhile, Cleveland's 423 career block assists are third-most by a Boilermaker and her 469 total blocks are sixth in Purdue history.
The two-time AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honoree Otec returned for a fifth year to average 4.59 digs per set and 578 total digs, career-highs and third-most in school history for a single season in each respective category. Notching two 30-dig performances this fall, Otec set a career-high 33 digs in the victory vs. Michigan – the most by a Power Five player in a match during the regular season and the most by a Boilermaker in 12 years. Only five have ever posted as many in a match while wearing the Old Gold & Black. Moreover, Otec, a 2021 All-Big Ten Second team selection, closes her Purdue career ranked second all-time with 1,850 digs.
All four Boilermakers were integral parts of Purdue's historic season which saw 26 wins, the most since 2011 and its fifth NCAA Regional Finals appearance. Along the way, these Boilermakers guided Purdue to five victories over top-8 opponents, including a 4-1 record against top-5 opponents. In total, Purdue set program-highs in victories over top-25 programs, including seven during the regular season, its highest AVCA coaches poll ranking (No. 4 on Sept. 27) and achieved 21 straight weeks ranked among the top-15, a program-best.
Also receiving nods were setter Hayley Bush, opposite Grace Cleveland and libero Jena Otec, who were named All-America Honorable Mention following their All-Northeast Region honors.
Newton, who was an AVCA Third Team All-America selection last season and Honorable Mention the year prior (2019), played in every match this season. Ranking third in the Big Ten with 4.58 points per set, the six-rotation outside hitter averaged 3.94 kills per set and 1.81 digs per set while hitting double-digit kills in all but four matches.
Playing the best volleyball of her career, Newton's efficiency led to a .204 attack %, up from last season's .169 clip which helped to land her AVCA Third Team honors in 2020. Moreover, not only did she enter the 2021 season just outside the Purdue career top-10 lists, but rose the ranks and will close out her career ranked fourth all-time with 1,703 kills while becoming just the third Boilermaker in program history to register at least 1,421 attempts in a single season.
Bush, one of the most dynamic setters in the nation, ranked 11th in the nation with 1,278 assists this season and became just the second setter in program history to reach 1,000 digs (joins Ashley Evans, 2014-17). The Union, Kentucky, native set career match-highs in blocks (6 vs. No. 5 BYU), attack % (1.00 twice, last at Northwestern) and attacks (matched 14, last: at Illinois). Moreover, the setter more than doubled her efficiency in blocks, totaling seven block solos and 57 assists (64 total blocks), despite totaling 28 in 2020. Bush closed out her redshirt senior season with 4,900 assists, third all-time in program history for her second consecutive year named an All-America Honorable Mention.
Cleveland, who was named an All-Big Ten First Team honoree this season was an AVCA First Team All-American in 2020. Cleveland went errorless not once but twice during the regular season and posted just one error in Purdue's five set comeback victory vs. Dayton in the NCAA Second Round (17 kills, 1 error, 34 swings for a .471 attack %). Not only has the Bloomington, Illinois, native hit over.400 nine times this year and five times above .500, but recorded three or fewer errors in 22 matches. Cleveland closes out her senior campaign with 127 block assists, tying her own record book mark, set in 2019, as the 10th-most in a single Purdue season (also joined by Fay Adelaja, 2013). Meanwhile, Cleveland's 423 career block assists are third-most by a Boilermaker and her 469 total blocks are sixth in Purdue history.
The two-time AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honoree Otec returned for a fifth year to average 4.59 digs per set and 578 total digs, career-highs and third-most in school history for a single season in each respective category. Notching two 30-dig performances this fall, Otec set a career-high 33 digs in the victory vs. Michigan – the most by a Power Five player in a match during the regular season and the most by a Boilermaker in 12 years. Only five have ever posted as many in a match while wearing the Old Gold & Black. Moreover, Otec, a 2021 All-Big Ten Second team selection, closes her Purdue career ranked second all-time with 1,850 digs.
All four Boilermakers were integral parts of Purdue's historic season which saw 26 wins, the most since 2011 and its fifth NCAA Regional Finals appearance. Along the way, these Boilermakers guided Purdue to five victories over top-8 opponents, including a 4-1 record against top-5 opponents. In total, Purdue set program-highs in victories over top-25 programs, including seven during the regular season, its highest AVCA coaches poll ranking (No. 4 on Sept. 27) and achieved 21 straight weeks ranked among the top-15, a program-best.