WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Boilermakers tied a program-high with five All-Region awards by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). For the second consecutive year, Hayley Bush, Grace Cleveland, Caitlyn Newton and Jena Otec collectively earned first team honors. Meanwhile, head coach Dave Shondell was named Northeast Region Coach of the Year.
Not only is it the second time in program history that four were named to the first team, along with 2020, but it is the first AVCA All-Region Coach of the Year selection for Shondell.
A two-time All-Big Ten First Team honoree and All-Region selection in back-to-back seasons, Bush posted 15 double-doubles, 10.22 assists per set and 2.48 digs per set this season. Playing in all but one set this season, the Union, Kentucky, native went errorless on the attack in 26 matches on her way to a .353 efficiency. Additionally, her senior campaign saw career-highs in attack % (1.00, twice), total blocks (five vs. Nebraska, 11/27) and attacks (14 at Illinois, 10/6). Throughout the season, Bush has risen through the ranks in the Purdue record books and is No. 2 in digs (1,015), as the second Boilermaker ever to eclipse 1,000 in a career, and No. 3 in career assists (4,907).
Cleveland earned her third career All-Region First Team award after she was selected to the All-Big Ten First Team for a third time last week. She 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 has hit over .400 on nine occasions, including five times over .500. The Bloomington, Illinois, native has recorded three or fewer errors in 22 matches this year, and two or fewer on 13 occasions. 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 total blocks (349.5) and No. 3 in blocks per set (2.99). She is third all-time at Purdue with 463 total blocks and 419 block assists.
Newton returned for her fifth year and is now a three-time All-Region and All-Big Ten honoree. Playing the best volleyball of her collegiate career this season, the Terre Haute, Indiana, product owns a .211 attack %, up from her .169 efficiency last year that 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 seven double-doubles and hit double-digit kills in all but five matches. Moreover, she owns at least 15 kills in 17 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. 4 with 1,667 career kills. She is one of just four Boilermakers to register more than 4,000 attempts in their career.
Recognized for the second year in a row on the All-Region Team, Otec's accolade also comes after she collected All-Big Ten distinction for a second consecutive season last week. The fifth-year libero is averaging 4.57 digs per set, nearly identical to her 4.56 mark last year, and she has 5.35 digs per set against ranked foes. Otec set a career best with 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 11 occasions this season and finished the regular-season third in the league with 4.55 digs per set. Otec has cemented her name as one of the best in program history, ranking third all-time with 1,807 career digs and sixth with 160 career aces. Her career dig totals also is No. 1 among active Big Ten players.
Shondell's accolade comes after he earned his second career Big Ten Coach of the Year award a week ago. He has led the Boilermakers to another record-setting campaign, as the team boasts a 25-6 record ahead of an NCAA Tournament matchup against BYU on Thursday. Purdue was 15-5 in the Big Ten and earned its most wins in league play since 2011. Seven of the team's 25 wins have come 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 consecutive 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.
Up next, Bush, Cleveland, Newton, Otec and the sixth-seeded Boilermakers play 11-seed and No. 5 nationally-ranked (AVCA coaches' poll) BYU in the NCAA Regional Semifinal on Thursday, December 9. The matchup is set for 11 a.m. ET in Pittsburgh on ESPNU. In its seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament, Purdue has advanced to the Regional semifinal for a third year in a row, a feat it has accomplished just twice before, from 2010-13 and 1981-83.
Not only is it the second time in program history that four were named to the first team, along with 2020, but it is the first AVCA All-Region Coach of the Year selection for Shondell.
A two-time All-Big Ten First Team honoree and All-Region selection in back-to-back seasons, Bush posted 15 double-doubles, 10.22 assists per set and 2.48 digs per set this season. Playing in all but one set this season, the Union, Kentucky, native went errorless on the attack in 26 matches on her way to a .353 efficiency. Additionally, her senior campaign saw career-highs in attack % (1.00, twice), total blocks (five vs. Nebraska, 11/27) and attacks (14 at Illinois, 10/6). Throughout the season, Bush has risen through the ranks in the Purdue record books and is No. 2 in digs (1,015), as the second Boilermaker ever to eclipse 1,000 in a career, and No. 3 in career assists (4,907).
Cleveland earned her third career All-Region First Team award after she was selected to the All-Big Ten First Team for a third time last week. She 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 has hit over .400 on nine occasions, including five times over .500. The Bloomington, Illinois, native has recorded three or fewer errors in 22 matches this year, and two or fewer on 13 occasions. 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 total blocks (349.5) and No. 3 in blocks per set (2.99). She is third all-time at Purdue with 463 total blocks and 419 block assists.
Newton returned for her fifth year and is now a three-time All-Region and All-Big Ten honoree. Playing the best volleyball of her collegiate career this season, the Terre Haute, Indiana, product owns a .211 attack %, up from her .169 efficiency last year that 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 seven double-doubles and hit double-digit kills in all but five matches. Moreover, she owns at least 15 kills in 17 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. 4 with 1,667 career kills. She is one of just four Boilermakers to register more than 4,000 attempts in their career.
Recognized for the second year in a row on the All-Region Team, Otec's accolade also comes after she collected All-Big Ten distinction for a second consecutive season last week. The fifth-year libero is averaging 4.57 digs per set, nearly identical to her 4.56 mark last year, and she has 5.35 digs per set against ranked foes. Otec set a career best with 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 11 occasions this season and finished the regular-season third in the league with 4.55 digs per set. Otec has cemented her name as one of the best in program history, ranking third all-time with 1,807 career digs and sixth with 160 career aces. Her career dig totals also is No. 1 among active Big Ten players.
Shondell's accolade comes after he earned his second career Big Ten Coach of the Year award a week ago. He has led the Boilermakers to another record-setting campaign, as the team boasts a 25-6 record ahead of an NCAA Tournament matchup against BYU on Thursday. Purdue was 15-5 in the Big Ten and earned its most wins in league play since 2011. Seven of the team's 25 wins have come 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 consecutive 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.
Up next, Bush, Cleveland, Newton, Otec and the sixth-seeded Boilermakers play 11-seed and No. 5 nationally-ranked (AVCA coaches' poll) BYU in the NCAA Regional Semifinal on Thursday, December 9. The matchup is set for 11 a.m. ET in Pittsburgh on ESPNU. In its seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament, Purdue has advanced to the Regional semifinal for a third year in a row, a feat it has accomplished just twice before, from 2010-13 and 1981-83.