WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Big Ten Conference announced its 2023 Preseason All-Big Ten honorees, highlighted by Purdue volleyball's Eva Hudson, who was a unanimous All-Big Ten selection.
The award, voted on by the league's head coaches, consisted of 15 players. Hudson was one of only three student-athletes to receive unanimous honors and the only underclassman.
Alongside the awards, the Boilermakers were picked to finish fifth in the Big Ten standings.
Recently, Hudson was also named Purdue's Female Athlete of the Year alongside men's basketball's Zach Edey after coming off a freshman campaign in which she led the Big Ten in points (570.5) and kills (503). Not only is she the first freshman in program history to receive an All-America Honorable Mention nod.
The most decorated freshman in Purdue volleyball history was also named Midwest Region Freshman of the Year, All-Big Ten First Team, Big Ten Freshman of the Year and unanimous Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
Hudson's status as the most accomplished freshman Purdue has ever seen is not confined West Lafayette – in fact, she is one of the most accomplished freshmen the Big Ten has produced, having earned more Big Ten Player of the Week awards than any newcomer before her, all in addition to her six Freshman of the Week accolades.
She is Purdue volleyball's first newcomer to make an All-Big Ten or honorable mention list since 2005.
Hudson is one of four Boilermakers to post at least 1,420 attacks in a single season and one of five Boilermakers to register 515 kills this century. Meanwhile, she is the only one to accomplish the feats during her first year.
The Fort Wayne, Indiana native produced at least 15 kills in 21 matches this season and recorded a hitting % of .300 or better 11 times, including six at a hitting clip of .400% and above. She averaged 4.78 points per set, 4.22 kills per set and 2.04 digs per set while tallying seven double-doubles over the campaign. Nationally, Hudson ranked eighth in total attacks (1,420), 14th in total points (583) and 16th in total kills (515).
Purdue's season is set to begin Friday, August 25 at home vs. Duke at 7 p.m. ET. Single game tickets will go on sale to the public on Wednesday, August 2.