she's always communicating and I
think we work well together."
It may have been a challenge
being thrust into a prominent role
in one of the nation's toughest
conferences, but that was exactly the type of challenge Adelaja
looked for during the recruiting
process.
"Playing Big Ten volleyball was
a huge draw for me," said Adelaja, a Baton Rouge, La., native.
"League-wise, it's one of the best,
if not the best, in the country. I
knew that if I was going to go far
away from home, I wanted to go to
a great volleyball school in a great
conference.
"I knew when I was looking at
Tom Campbell
Senior Carly Cramer and the Boilermakers started the Big
Ten season slowly, but three consecutive victories in mid-October had them rallying toward a big finish.
Purdue, I loved the atmosphere, and I loved the team.
I knew this was where I wanted to be."
But getting to the Big Ten isn't enough to Adelaja.
It has simply opened the door for her to reach other
goals she has set.
"I have really high goals for what this team can accomplish," Adelaja said. "I knew as soon as I committed
that I wanted to make a Final Four. I know that's what
Dave wants for this program. I want to reach a national
championship and nothing less is acceptable."
The freshman's lofty standards come as no surprise
to Shondell.
"She's a fierce competitor. She's the type of person
who won't back down and she is always looking for the
biggest challenge she can find," Shondell said. "Faye's
not afraid of anything." j
Tom Campbell
Dave Shondell loves Adelaja's fearless approach to the
game, something that has helped her rise faster than expected this season.
f
IllustrateD volume 24, issue 2
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