July 21, 2003
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Andrea Hillsey and Chris Fleeger were named Purdue's Athletes of the Year for the 2002-03 seasons.
Hillsey, a sophomore second baseman for the Boilermaker softball team, became the first All-American in Purdue softball history, receiving first team honors as the top second baseman in the country from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. She also was honored for her academics with Verizon Academic All-America third team accolades.
En route to the national honors, Hillsey was named first team All-Mideast Region and first team All-Big Ten, as well as the team's Most Valuable Player and Best Offensive Player. Academically, she received first team All-District V and Academic All-Big Ten honors before making the national ballot.
The White Lake, Mich., native led the Big Ten Conference and ranked 11th in the nation with a .454 batting average. She set school season records in five offensive categories in 2003. In addition to the batting average record, Hillsey set new marks in runs (49), walks (40), slugging percentage (.681) and on-base percentage (.563). Her 74 hits were just one off the season record of 75 set by Jenny Schoen in 1997. Hillsey led the conference in walks and on-base percentage, while also swiping 19 bases and posting a .981 fielding percentage at second base.
The sophomore, who was one of the top 25 finalists for USA Softball's National Player of the Year, also was invited to the USA Softball National Team tryouts in June. Hillsey becomes the first softball player to receive Purdue's Female Athlete of the Year honor.
Fleeger, a sophomore on the Purdue wrestling team, won the 125-pound Big Ten title en route to a runner-up finish at the 2003 NCAA Championships, which garnered him his second straight All-America honor. The Trout Run, Pa., native posted a 32-1 record for a .970 winnings percentage, the second best recorded by a Boilermaker in program history.
Fleeger dominated opponents, winning nine matches by pin, including eight in the opening period. He went undefeated in the Big Ten, registering a 16-0 record, while compiling an 18-1 mark against ranked opponents and NCAA qualifiers, including a 12-1 record against wrestlers ranked in the top 10. Fleeger won six matches by technical fall and six by major decision. His 16 career falls rank 11th in school history, while his career winning percentage of .930 (66-5) is second all-time.
The Male Athlete of the Month in both November and January, the sophomore also garnered Big Ten Wrestler of the Week accolades on Jan. 17. Fleeger, who became the ninth Boilermaker to earn back-to-back All-America honors, is the second wrestler to be named Purdue Male Athlete of the Year. He follows Charles Jones, who was so honored in 1992. The Athlete of the Year awards are sponsored by WLFI-TV and Twin City Dodge-Chrysler.