Ellie Ruprich

AWARDS/HONORS

• SEC Freshman of the Week (10/19/20, 2/8/21)
• SEC Defensive Player of the Week (9/12/22, 9/4/23)
• 2020-21 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll
• 2021, 2022, 2023 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
• 2022, 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team
• 2023 SEC Community Service Team

2023 (SENIOR)

• Ranked second on the team with 104 total blocks, making her the second woman in the rally scoring era to post 100 or more total blocks in three consecutive seasons.
• Led the team in blocks 12 times and finished with five or more blocks in eight games.
• Helped the team defeat Towson in four sets, hitting .500 with eight kills in four sets (8/26).
• Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after piling up 25 total blocks over wins against Clemson, Miami and Troy (8/30-9/3).
• Reached 400 career blocks against Arkansas (10/27), totaling five solo blocks in four sets – the most by a Gamecock in a four-setter since 1986.
• Claimed the rally scoring era record for career solo blocks (96) against LSU (11/12).

2022 (JUNIOR)

• Finished with her best season yet as a two-way player, with career-high numbers on offense (141 kills, .326 hitting percentage) and defense (130 total blocks.)
• Her block total is the third highest in the rally scoring era, her 1.27 blocks per set average is the highest in the era and is tied for the ninth highest by a Gamecock in program history.
• Had 82 of her blocks in SEC play, marking the third year in a row with 80 or more total blocks in conference matches alone.
• Reached the 200-block milestone for her career in the Omaha win, reaching it in just 52 career games (8/26).
• Led the team with nine kills on a .615 hitting percentage against Winthrop (8/27).
• Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after totaling 16 blocks in six sets against Cincinnati, also adding 13 kills.
• Reached 250 career blocks in the win vs. Florida (9/25).
• Had 11 kills and seven blocks vs. Missouri (10/1).
• Helped the team defeat Ole Miss thanks to eight blocks, five kills and three digs (11/6). Went over 300 career blocks in the win, becoming the sixth Gamecock since 2003 to reach the milestone.

2021 (SOPHOMORE)

• Continued to build her resume as a standout defender, compiling 112 total blocks (27), a total that ranked eighth in the SEC.
• Her 27 solo blocks are the most by a Gamecock in a single season since Belita Salters in 2007.
• Through only 51 career matches, she already ranks sixth in program history with 42 career solo blocks.
• Stepped up big in SEC play, averaging 1.42 kills and 1.29 blocks per set in 18 matches.
• Her 20 solo blocks against SEC opponents are the most by any Gamecock since joining the conference in 1991.
• Hit .312 with nine kills and added two solo blocks in the team’s opening-day win over No. 18 Washington State (8/27).
• Hit .357 with seven kills with four solo blocks, matching the program’s rally-scoring era record for solo blocks in a four-set match (10/8).
• Finished with a career-high 12 blocks in five sets at Ole Miss, five of which were solo stuffs (10/29).
• Hit .462 with six kills and three blocks at Florida (11/20).

2020-21 (FRESHMAN)

• Played in all 22 matches and missed just two sets total in her debut season.
• Led the team with 84 total blocks (15 solo), which ranked fourth in the SEC and led all conference freshmen. Among all NCAA schools, she ranked fourth among freshmen in total blocks.
• Over two matches at Georgia to open the fall, she led the team with 19 total blocks and added 16 kills over the team’s seven sets against the Bulldogs, earning her SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
• In her collegiate debut, she had a hand in nine of the team’s 14 total blocks over three sets in a sweep of the Bulldogs, also adding six kills with just one attacking error. The nine blocks tied her with Belita Salters (vs. Auburn, 10/21/2007) for most total blocks in a three-set match in the rally-scoring era (since 2001).
• She then achieved an impressive milestone early in her career in the rematch with Georgia, bagging her first collegiate double-double behind 10 kills and 10 total blocks (three solo) in just four sets. It was the highest block total for a four-set match since 2016 for South Carolina and Ruprich is now one of just six Gamecocks to reach double-digit blocks in a match of any length dating back to 2008.
• Recorded nine more blocks in a three-set sweep of Tennessee on the road (11/7).
• Helped the team upset No. 4 Florida, thanks to seven kills and eight blocks (two solo) against the Gators (11/12).
• Won SEC Freshman of the Week after finishing with 20 kills and a .529 hitting percentage in a series vs. Miss. St. (2/4-5).
• Scored 12 points in an upset of No. 25 Missouri (2/27). Had six kills, three aces and six total blocks.

HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB

• A multi-sport standout athlete, Ruprich earned four letters each in volleyball, basketball and lacrosse. Not only did she compete in the three sports, but she was also an all-league honoree and made all-state for lacrosse and basketball and all-region for volleyball.
• Named a 2019 AAU All-American and AVCA All-Region team member.
• She helped her Legacy Volleyball Club 18s team to the prestigious NIT Triple Crown title in February 2020 before the season was cut short, but had previously helped the team make the top five at AAU and USAV nationals in previous years.

PERSONAL

• Daughter of Bob and Jen Ruprich.
• Has three brothers, Cal, Drew and Eric.
• Plans to major in business management.