The Purdue Boilermakers are looking to end their rough patch and how! Ahead of their Sweet 16 match against the no. 3 seeded Oregon, one Purdue volleyball star bagged a prestigious award and the Boilermakers look comfy in their shoes. Ending their regular season by obliterating Michigan State, the Boilermakers are now eyeing a good run in the NCAA championship.

Amidst their dream run, Boilermaker Chloe Chicoine has been crowned the Freshman of the Year. During the clash against Michigan State, Purdue’s Eva Hudson made history by reaching the fastest 1,000 kills this season. And yet, it looks like the Boilermakers have more steam in their engine before giving in to exhaustion.

Purdue Boilermakers player bags special honor

In their latest post on X, formerly Twitter, the official Purdue Boilermakers account has shared news of the accolades of Chicoine, one of their star players. For the second time in a row, a Boilermaker has been touted as the Northeast Region Freshman of the Year, and pride is running high at the Purdue campus. “Second straight year a Boilermaker is voted Northeast Region Freshman of the Year!“, reads the social media post.

Among five awards bestowed by the AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association), the Boilermakers accounted for four of them. Along with being named the Northeast Regional Freshman of the Year, Chloe Chicoine has also been selected as part of the All-Region. She will share the honor with comrades Eva Hudson and Raven Colvin.

Last year, Hudson was the one who claimed the Northeast Region Freshman of the Year title. This time, Chicoine has registered the highest number of kills among all Big 10 freshmen and has also been named in the Big Ten All-Freshman team as well. And now, with the Boilermakers making the prestigious list second time in a row, Purdue will look to dominate their Sweet 16 matches with absolution.

Boilermakers looking focused on their NCAA dream

For their first match at this year’s NCAA championship, the Purdue Boilermakers cut through Fairfield Stags to advance to the second round. They registered a clean sweep in their first match of the post-season and then went ahead to extinguish the hopes of the Marquette Golden Eagles with a double deuce.

Read more: As the Dust Settles Down After Two Rounds of Playoffs, Here Are the Top 16 NCAA Volleyball Championship Candidates

However, Purdue will have to buckle up and go all in, as the Sweet 16 rounds will face the Boilermakers against some true giants. Powerhouses like the Texas Longhorns, Wisconsin Badgers, and the No. 1-seeded Nebraska Huskers will give the Boilermakers a run for their money. With the recent Northeast region glory with them, the Boilermakers will look to maintain their momentum in the NCAA tournament.

Watch this story: A Women’s Volleyball Game in Nebraska Gives Both WWE & AEW a Harsh Reality Check