PURDUE ADDS WAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR CAITLYN HARPER
Harper will have two years of eligibility after transferring from Cal Baptist.
Release
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women’s basketball team welcomed its first transfer of the Katie Gearlds era as reigning Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year Caitlyn Harper announced her commitment to the Boilermakers. Harper spent the last four years at Cal Baptist and will have two years of eligibility remaining when she arrives in West Lafayette this summer.
“We’re excited to have Caitlyn join our program,” Gearlds said. “Her experience and versatility will allow her to make an immediate impact as we take the next step for our program. We had a great visit, and we instantly knew she would be a great fit for our family. I’m thrilled to watch her suit up for Purdue.”
Harper guided the Lancers to an 83-37 record over four seasons, including a regular season and tournament championship in the WAC in 2020-21. She made 47 starts in 93 appearances in Riverside, Calif., averaging 13.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 assists per game. A career 52.5% shooter, Harper has posted a field goal clip over 50% in three of her four campaigns, including a 58.8% shooting percentage inside the arc.
The 6-foot-1 forward is one of 10 players in the last four years to average over 14 points a game and shoot over 50% from the field in at least three seasons.
The Hartland, Wisc., native led the WAC in scoring behind 17.8 points per game off a 53% clip from the field in 2021-22 to earn WAC Player of the Year and First Team All-WAC honors. She tallied 29 games in double figures, including 12 outings of 20 points or more. Harper was one of nine players in the nation to average over 17 points, five rebounds, one steal, one block and one assist per game last season.
Harper’s 2020-21 campaign saw her net Second Team All-WAC, WAC Tournament MVP and WNIT All-Region laurels. She averaged a team-high 14.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.3 blocks per game with a 38.6% clip from behind the arc. She took Cal Baptist to the WAC title behind 13.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in the tournament.
A two-time Academic All-WAC honoree, Harper was named Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-America this year, becoming the first women’s basketball player at Cal Baptist to earn the honor since its jump to Division I. Harper earned the national honor after posting a 4.0 GPA as an accounting major.
Harper’s Lancers played in the WNIT three times, where she averaged 19.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game and shot 59.7% from the field over five games.
During her prep career at Arrowhead High School, Harper led the Warhawks to back-to-back Classic 8 Conference titles and garnered first team all-conference honors as a junior and senior, including league player of the year honors in 2018. She was also named AP All-State, Waukesha Freeman Player of the Year and the Wisconsin Sports Network Senior Post Player of the Year in 2018.
The addition of Harper bolsters a Purdue lineup that saw Cassidy Hardin announce her return earlier this month. Harper will set foot on campus this summer along with a trio of incoming freshmen in Addison Potts, Lilly Stoddard and Ainhoa Holzer.
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