WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (PURDUE SPORTS) – Four Boilermakers accounted for five American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Northeast All-Region honors as Chloe Chicoine named Northeast Region Freshman of the Year in addition to Raven Colvin, Eva Hudson and Chicoine selected for All-Region and Maddie Schermerhorn receiving Honorable Mention accolades.
It is the second consecutive year a Boilermaker was named regional freshman of the year. Meanwhile, it is the second time in program history (and second straight year) multiple underclassmen have been honored. it is the third time in the last four years the Boilermakers have had at least four honorees receive all-region team nods.
The four have added their name in at least one Purdue’s record books for season top-10 or career top-10 categories this season alone:
Hudson, the fastest Boilermaker to reach 1,000 career kills in rally-scoring era history, is playing her best volleyball. After receiving unanimous First Team All-Big Ten honors a week ago, the sophomore continues to improve, having set career-highs in kills (30 vs. #3 Wisconsin), a career-high .556 hitting % in the NCAA First Round vs. Fairfield and 27 kills in the NCAA Second Round vs. No. 6 seed Marquette. Hudson has totaled 548 kills this season, leading all Big Ten players and ranks third in points . During 2023 NCAA tournament, she is averaging 6.14 kills per set, .234 digs per set and a .360 hitting %.
Chicoine leads all Big Ten freshmen in kills per set and total points and is one of three newcomers to record as many points this year (523). The First Team All-Big Ten and unanimous Big Ten All-Freshman Team honoree produces in the biggest matches of the season, seen with her .359 attack % vs. #2 Nebraska (18-4-39), a Big Ten season-high 20 kills on a .405 clip at #11 Penn State and a career-high 23 digs vs. #3 Wisconsin. Meanwhile, her 27 kills vs. Penn State were the most by a Purdue freshman in recent history. Chicoine has tallied 11 double-doubles in her first year and racked up 33 errorless sets. Moreover, she leads the team in service aces and ranks among the top servers in the Big Ten.
Colvin, a First Team All-Big Ten selection, was voted to First Team after leading the league during the regular season with 157 total blocks. Despite her junior status, Raven Colvin owns 403 block assists, which ranks as T-4th in the Purdue career top-10 list. Additionally, if her career were to end today, she would tie the rally-scoring era record and rank second in Purdue history with 1.34 career blocks per set. Colvin has hit .400% or better on six occasions, including .519% at Minnesota, and registered 15 matches with at least six total blocks this season. The Boilermaker had her best offensive performance of Big Ten play when she went nearly errorless with 14 kills and one error on 22 swings (.591%) while also totaling a season-high 11 blocks vs. Indiana.
Schermerhorn, the Big Ten leader with 4.54 digs per set this season, was selected Second Team All-Big Ten following a career-best 516 total digs during the regular season. The Boilermaker posted 13 20-plus dig matches throughout 2023, including a season-high 27 digs vs. #16 Penn State to complete Purdue’s series sweep over the Nittany Lions and 25 digs vs. No. 6 Seed Marquette in the NCAA Second Round. Maddie Schermerhorn is set to finish her collegiate career as one the best defensive specialists in program history, currently ranking 5th in Purdue history in career digs (1,455) and 5th in digs per set in single-season history (4.54).
The awards are announced as the No. 3 seed/No. 12 ranked Purdue volleyball squad prepares for the NCAA Regional Semifinals vs. No. 2 seed Oregon in Madison, Wisconsin on Thursday.
All-America awards will be released Wednesday, December 13.
