Veldman, who was also was named to the All-Conference First Team for the second straight year, took Player of the Year for the first time. She won Rookie of the Year honors last season, and was named Preseason All-Conference on Aug. 18.
The outside hitter proved herself as a force on the attack, leading with 303 kills, and leading the league with 4.09 kills/set. She earned Offensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 11. Veldman is the first Duke since 2018 to surpass 300 kills in a season.
On defense, Veldman collected 170 digs (2.30/set), and racked up 32 blocks. Her consistency on offense and defense earned Veldman six double-doubles during the season.
Veldman currently holds a 3.81 GPA and is currently majoring in business management. Last year, she was named to the Conference Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll in fall 2020 and spring 2021, making the Dean’s List in the fall and the President’s List in the spring. The 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-America Team for NCAA Division I will be announced on Dec. 15.
Veldman’s performance helped lead the Dukes to a 17-7 (.708) overall record, and a second-place conference finish at 11-5. The Dukes finished with a winning percentage of .700 or better for the fifth consecutive season.
