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Gold and Black Illustrated Volume 28, Digital 5

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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 28, ISSUE 5 57 by any means. Bush, who had been ranked No. 73 in PrepVolleyball.com's list of Senior Aces in the 2016 Class, learned quickly that the minimum wasn't go- ing to be enough. So even as Bush waited her turn, she worked to try to improve. "When I got here, I realized that you actually have to fight for a role here," she said. "If you want to be a starting player, you have to compete, you have to show how you want to be on the floor. I think from high school to now, I've definitely gotten a lot more competitive and developed as a person and player. College has made me become more competitive." Bush found film study helpful. During down time, she says, she'll pull up her VolleyMetrics account, al- lowing her to watch highlights of other setters, like those in the Big Ten and SEC. She watches a lot of Evans, the Boilermakers' starter the last four sea- sons. The two talk frequently too, with Bush seeking answers to help her improve as quickly as possible. "I want to be one of the best," Bush said. "Since I was little, I worked to be the best I could be, in any sport. I have always wanted to be the best at what I do. So every day when I come in, I think about that. … Every day I try to get better, it's what I've been working for since I was little." Shondell likes what he's seen so far. Bush, he thinks, could be "the best defensive setter we've ever had," although at 5-foot-10 (rather than Evans' 6-2), she's unlikely to be as effective as a blocker near the net. Bush is still working to develop chemistry with her teammates, learning precisely where each hitter wants the ball and how to consistently deliver it to them. But that will come. Purdue Athletics Coach Dave Shondell likes that Bush picks up lessons quickly, needing to be told only once before making corrections.

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