Including a player of the week award.
If there was ever a question about what kind of season Purdue volleyball was going to have one only needed to look at the sideline and see that sure enough Dave Shondell is still on the sideline. Purdue came into the season ranked 8th in the AVCA rankings. So expectations were high going into the season and then Purdue just went and started out the season 3-0. No surprise here really.
They opened up the season with a 3-1 victory over Kansas State in Holloway in front of the Block Party. If you’ve never had the opportunity to attend a match in Holloway I cannot recommend it enough. It was pure happenstance that I got assigned to work on volleyball when I was an undergrad volunteer for the Athletics Department but I immediately fell in love with the team. The athleticism and skill are unparalleled. You likely saw it on display in the Olympics when Annie Drews helped lead Team USA to a silver medal.
After taking down Kansas State as part of the Stacey Clark Classic, Purdue took down UMBC (former March Madness darling) in a 3-0 result. Purdue then finished up the tournament with a 3-0 victory over UC Davis.
One of the stars of this Purdue team is Eva Hudson who was rewarded with a Big Ten Player of the Week award.
#B1GVolleyball Weekly Awards
Player of the Week: @PurdueVB‘s Eva Hudson
Defensive Player of the Week: @HuskerVB‘s Rebekah Allick
Setter of the Week: @HuskerVB‘s Bergen Reilly
Freshman of the Week: @PennStateVBALL‘s Izzy Starckhttps://t.co/JHiveGlDn4 pic.twitter.com/5kXHH2JuW2
— Big Ten Volleyball (@B1GVolleyball) September 2, 2024
How will did Eva Hudson play? I’ll let the Big Ten release tell you.
Led the Big Ten offensively in opening week with 46 kills and 50.5 points during a 3-0 week for the Boilermakers. Hudson was a key factor in Purdue leading the Big Ten in kills/set and a .337 hitting percentage throughout week one
Averaged 4.60 kills/set, hitting over .430 in back-to-back matches. Hudson hit .500 or better in each of the final two sets vs. UC Davis, totaling 12 kills during that span
Posted a double-double in Purdue’s season-opener with 16 kills and 12 digs. Tied a career-high with five blocks vs. Kansas State. Had a 15-kill, nine dig effort vs. UC Davis and hit .467 vs. UMBC with 15 kills and one error on 30 swings
Earns the fifth Player of the Week honor of her career
Last Purdue Player of the Week: Eva Hudson (Nov. 20, 2023)
Coming up next, Purdue will face University of California in Utah on September 6th. Unfortunately, this one isn’t televised in any way. You’ll next be able to watch the Boilermakers on September 6th against Utah on ESPN+.