Purcell, Ruff named December Student-Athletes of the Month

(Nashua, N.H.) The Rivier University Department of Athletics has announced that senior Deanna Purcell (Hudson, N.H.) and freshman Andre Ruff (Lowell, Mass.) have been selected as the Rivier University Student-Athletes of the Month for December 2014.

The senior captain of the Women's squad, Purcell paced the team's offensive attack that averaged 84.3 points per game. In the team's lone triumph of the month, a 101-51 decision at Fisher College, Purcell finished just three assists shy of a triple-double. She scored 22 points, collected 10 rebounds and had 7 assists.

Purcell also dished out 9 assists in an 85-72 setback to Westfield State while totaling 16 points and 8 rebounds. The University's All-Time Scoring Leader was electric in the 88-80 loss to Framingham State back on 12/2 as she had 21 points and 6 rebounds.

This is the first time this season that Purcell has been selected as the Female Student-Athlete of the Month. In her career, she has been awarded this honor a total of four times.

Ruff, the first year guard, led the Raider offense to a 1-2 record in the month of December. He scored a career high 33 points in a 71-61 Great Northeast Athletic Conference victory over Emmanuel College back on 12/2. He shot 11-for-17 from the floor with four three pointers and a perfect 7-for-7 at the line while collecting five rebounds.

He followed that stellar performance with a pair of double-digit point games at the Ed Hockenburry Classic on 12/6 & 12/7. Ruff recorded a career high with 8 assists in the 88-75 loss to Maine-Augusta.

This is the second time that Ruff has been selected as the Male Student-Athlete of the Month in his young career as he also earned the honor in November 2014.

Previous Student-Athletes of the Month Selections:

September 2014 – Molly McCormack, Volleyball (Female) & Danny Connolly, Soccer (Male)

October 2014 – Makenzie Flagg, Field Hockey (Female) & Gary Archambault, Soccer (Male)

November 2014 – Emily O'Reilly, Volleyball (Female) & Andre Ruff, Basketball (Male)