May 25, 2018

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Ashley Evans' dream of playing volleyball professionally in Spain became a reality Friday afternoon as she signed her first professional contract with Voleibol Logroño for the 2018 club season. She is currently one-of-four Purdue alumna set to compete professionally in 2018 along with Azariah Stahl, Annie Drews and Val Nichol.

"To my family, coaches, teammates and every aspect of Purdue, in both academics and athletics - thank you for believing in me and helping me achieve my dream of playing volleyball professionally," said Evans. "I am so excited for this new adventure, and I can't wait to see what the future holds! Off to Logroño, Spain!"

Evans enjoyed her best season as a Boilermaker as a senior, setting the offense to a program all-time best .301 hitting percentage in order to earn all-america honors from the AVCA, PrepVolleyball.com and VolleyMag.com. The two-time Big Ten Setter of the Week in 2017 also earned AVCA All-Northeast Region recognition following a year in which she registered 1,343 assists to earn a 11.48 assists per set average. She also tallied 110 kills, a .366 hitting percentage, 30 service aces, 264 digs, a 2.26 digs per set average and 50 blocks.

The Mechanical Engineering major also became the third four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection in the history of the program while also earning her third nod as an Academic All-American. She is the only three-time Academic All-American in Purdue Athletics history, as well as the first three-time honoree in Big Ten volleyball history. There have only been 21 Division-I volleyball student-athletes and 47 Big Ten student-athletes who have been recognized as a three-time Academic All-American in the history of the NCAA.

"I am thrilled for Ashley as she signs her first professional contract to play in a country she has dreamed of living in," said head coach Dave Shondell. "Few college athletes are as deserving of such a wonderful opportunity. With so many career options to choose from, I'm pleased that Ashley continues to have a genuine passion for the sport of volleyball."

The Liberty Township, Ohio, native graduates with 4,124 assists, 1,087 digs, 454 kills, 99 service aces and 199 blocks in her career as a Boilermaker. Evans is the only Boilermaker to ever register 4,000 assists and 1,000 digs, the seventh to earn 4,000 assists and the 18th to eclipse 1,000 digs. Her 4,124 career assists rank sixth all-time and she only served as Purdue's setter for three of the four seasons she wore the Old Gold and Black. In 2014 as a redshirt freshman, she served primarily as a defensive specialist and a right side hitter.