Purdue VB Trio Earns All-America Honors
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) has chosen to honor three Boilermakers with All-America selections. Danielle Cuttino, Sherridan Atkinson and Ashley Evans all earned their first AVCA All-America accolades for their efforts in the 2017 season.
The selections mark the first time in program history that Purdue had three student-athletes earn All-America honors in the same season. It’s the fourth time the Boilermakers have had multiple student-athletes selected as Annie Drews and Val Nichol were both earned nods in 2014. Purdue now has 17 All-Americans accounting for a total of 37 honors All-America honors. Of its 17 All-Americans, 12 have been coached by head coach Dave Shondell. Shondell’s All-Americans are credited with 22 of the 37 accolades.
Purdue will raise another banner in Holloway Gymnasium as Cuttino joins Ariel Turner , Stephanie Lynch and Marianne Smith as the four First Team All-Americans in program history. The Indianapolis, Indiana, native has earned All-America honors each of the last three seasons with this year’s selection being her first to the first team. Cuttino led the Big Ten her senior season with a 4.09 kills per set average and posted the best kills per set average (4.17) and kill total (300) in conference play as well.
Atkinson earned her first All-America honor with a third team selection in just her second year with the program. Prior to transferring to her arrival at Purdue, she had played just five sets in two years of collegiate volleyball. Since her arrival, she has earned the reputation as one of the most dominant right side hitters in the sport. This year she set career best totals in every statistical category, earning 394 kills and a 3.40 kills per set average on 855 swings to earn a .322 hitting percentage, along with 23 aces, 108 digs and 86 blocks over the course of 116 sets.
Evans becomes the fourth Boilermaker in program history to earn All-America and Academic All-America honors in the same season. The redshirt senior setter was selected as an honorable mention following a season in which she set one of the most efficient offenses in the nation. she set the Boilermakers to a .301 hitting percentage on the season to rank ninth in the nation. Coming off of her first All-Big Ten campaign, Evans became the first Boilermaker in program history to earn 4,000 assists and 1,000 digs in her career. She ranked third in the Big Ten this season with an 11.48 assists per set average while hitting .366 with 110 kills and averaging 2.26 digs per set with 264 digs. She also aced opponents 30 times on the season and earned 50 blocks.
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