Andrea Drews

On March 2020, Drews was rumoured to play the 2020-2021 season in Brazil with the team Minas Tênis Clube. On April 2020, JT Marvelous renewed Drews' contract for the 2020-2021 Japan V.League Division 1 (V1) and is set to defend its title after outbidding Minas for Drews' contract. The decision to stay in Japan also came after USA head coach Karch Kiraly advised Drews to opt for the shorter and more organized league to give more time in preparation for Tokyo 2021.

On 7 April 2020, Fédération Internationale de Volleyball recognized Drews as the FIVB Player of the Week following a series of features of the world's elite volleyball players. She followed week 1 awardee Yuji Nishida.

In 2019, Drews took her scoring prowess to JT Marvelous to play in the Japan V.League Division 1 (V1), replacing Serbia women's national volleyball team outside hitter Brankica Mihajlovic. Due to prior commitments with the USA national team (participation in the 2019 Women's NORCECA Volleyball Continental Championship), she missed the first two games against Toyota Auto Body Queenseis (0-3) and Kurobe AquaFairies (3-2). In her first game with her team on 19 Oct, she registered 32 points against Ageo Medics via 29 kills on 57 swings (50.9% hitting efficiency), 2 stuff blocks and 1 service ace. Against the previous year's runner-ups Toray Arrows (women's volleyball team), Drews hammered in 29 points on 23 of 55 attacking (41.82% hitting efficiency), 4 stuff blocks and 2 service aces to lead the Marvelous to its 3rd straight win. Against the PFU Bluecats on 26 Oct, Drews lead the team in a straight sets victory with 15 kills on 34 swings (44.1% hitting efficiency), 1 stuff block and 1 service ace. Drews scored 29 points in their 5-set loss to Toray Arrows (women's volleyball team) on 2 November from 26 kills on 71 swings (36.6% hitting efficiency), 2 stuff blocks and 1 service ace. JT bounced back the following day after beating PFU Bluecats on 3 Nov behind Drews' 33 points - 29 kills on 49 swings (59.2% hitting efficiency) and 4 stuff blocks. On 9 Nov, JT edged out Ageo Medics in a 4-set win with Drews scoring 26 points from 21 kills on 40 swings (52.5% hitting efficiency), 3 stuff blocks and 2 service aces. JT came up with a big win against then-spotless Toyota Auto Body Queenseis as Drews put up 21 kills on 47 swings (44.68% hitting efficiency), 2 stuff blocks and 3 service aces. On 16 Nov, Drews contributed a humble 9 points in a 3-set win against Kurobe AquaFairies with 8 kills on 18 swings (44.4% hitting efficiency) and 1 stuff block.

In the semifinal match-up against Ageo Medics, Drews lead all scorers with 23 points mounted on 21 kills on 39 swings and 2 service aces. The win granted JT Marvelous a ticket to the finals. In the final match against Okayama Seagulls, Drews lead all scorers after tallying 36 points - 33 kills on 67 swings (49.3% hitting efficiency), 2 stuff blocks and 1 service ace. Eventually, JT Marvelous emerged as the Champions of the 2019-20 Japan V.League Division 1 (V1). Drews culminated her season run with 509-60-1018 attacking rate (50% hitting efficiency, 0.440 clip), 45 stuff blocks (0.50 blocks/set) and 32 service aces (0.36 aces/set). For her impressive performance throughout the tournament, Drews was merited as the Best Opposite and Most Valuable Player.

“When you only have two (opposites), you’re getting a ton, a ton of touches,” Drews said. “There are some benefits to being in the home group when the team is traveling because you get so many reps. I think being so new to this system I really wanted to take advantage of those reps and see if I could get a lot better.”

“Wow, Annie. I don’t know how many points she had, but she was huge. Everyone was huge. What a great team win, fall down 2-0 against one of the greatest teams in the world, Brazil. Jordan Larson came in and gave us a great lift, Tori Dixon also. It was a total team win, 14-person plus here, all the other people in our program including the 14 battling in Peru. Total team effort. So much to be proud of. We got better as the match went along. We improved our blocking lineups, had a nice passing lineup in there. Lauren Carlini doing a really nice job of running our offense and distributing.”

Drews was lined-up for another round of NT duties at the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup in Japan from September 14–29. Drews started at opposite for most of the time but also shared lineups with Karsta Lowe. In their first match against Kenya, Drews hit 12 attacks on 22 swings (54.45% hitting efficiency) and added 2 aces to top-score at 14 points. Drews hit 10 attacks on 23 swings (43.47% hitting efficiency), had a stuff block and an ace in their 3-0 win against the Netherlands. USA bagged another impressive straight sets victory against Brazil with Drews having 12 attacks on 27 swings (44.44% hitting efficiency) and 2 stuff blocks for 14 points. In their 3-set loss against eventual gold medalists China, Drews, used sparingly, contributed 6 kills on 12 swings (50% hitting efficiency). In their bounce-back win against Dominican Republic, Drews posted an impressive 23 points in 3 sets mounted from 18 attacks on 29 swings (62.07% hitting efficiency), 3 stuff blocks and 2 aces. USA gutted out a 5-set outing against Russia anchored on Drew's 20 attacks on 46 swings (43.48% hitting efficiency), 1 stuff block and 1 ace.

"We couldn’t put pressure on their service and the United States in the first two sets, but especially the second, played really strong and their attackers were almost unstoppable, most especially their incredible opposite Andrew Drews. You got Boskovic and Egonu and now I think she's the one to watch."

For the final round of 2019 national team duty, Drews was lined-up for the 2019 Women's NORCECA Volleyball Continental Championship held in San Juan, Puerto Rico from 8–13 October. Drews was inserted as a starter during the second and third set of their pool play match against Mexico. USA eventually won the match in straight sets as she added eight kills on 14 swings and a block for nine points. During the finals, Drews came in as a substitute on the second set for teammate Karsta Lowe in the opposite position. She totalled 12 kills on 33 attacks (35.94% hitting efficiency) and chipped in 6 digs. USA eventually settled for silver for the tournament.

After a breakout year with the USA WNVT, Drews was selected as the 2019 USA Volleyball Female Indoor Player of the Year. She sparked the U.S. Women's National Team to three tournament podium finishes (one gold, two silvers) in events she competed during 2019, all while being selected to two FIVB tournament dream teams. Drews tallied a Team USA-high 388 points in 2019 with a 4.56 scoring average per set, second most among players with at least one start. For the season, Drews started 23 matches and played in 85 sets compiling 3.94 kills, 0.35 blocks and 0.27 aces per set. She converted 46.3 percent of her attacks into points with a .317 hitting efficiency. Her defense improved throughout 2019 with 107 digs for a 1.26 dig average.

“I am beyond grateful to represent USA Volleyball and for all of the opportunities I got to experience in 2019 with our team,” Drews said. “We have so many talented players and impactful women in our program and I’m just honored to continue to learn and grow alongside some of the best. Thank you to our team and staff for all of the work put in to make 2019 a successful year for USA Volleyball.”

Drews claimed the most valuable player honor at the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and was selected as Best Opposite on the 2019 FIVB World Cup Dream Team. She averaged 4.70 points per set during the VNL, starting 12 of the 19 matches. She held a .315 hitting efficiency while converting 47.6 percent of her attacks into points. She averaged 4.08 kills, 0.34 blocks and 0.28 aces per set during the VNL. Drews started nine of the 11 World Cup matches and converted 45.3 percent of her attacks into points with a .324 hitting efficiency. She averaged 3.92 kills, 0.38 blocks and 0.31 aces per set for a 4.62 scoring average.

During the 2018-2019 pro season, she signed with Kameroglu Beylikdüzü Voleybol Ihtisas and played at the Turkish Volleyball League. She played the play-off quarterfinals and finished as the third-best scorer in the regular season with 384 points. She helped the club reach its best finish in the league since its inception.

In 2018, Drews joined the U.S. team in the inaugural 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League where they eventually won gold against Turkey (25-17, 22-25, 28-26, 15-25, 7-15).

In the 2017-18 championship she played in the Italian A1 Series in the newly promoted SAB Volley Legnano, ending her contract with the team in December 2017. In January 2018 she signed a contract with another Italian team: Casalmaggiore.

Drews entered the USA senior national volleyball team for the first time in 2017, having been handpicked by Karch Kiraly, widely regarded as one of the best coaches in professional volleyball, who returned as the head coach of the team that year after Rio Olympic Games in 2016. Kiraly brought Drews into Team USA's summer-long camp in Anaheim, California. When Drews joined the team, she was already behind many of the players who had been in the Team USA gym since May 1 as the Puerto Rican league playoffs went through mid-May. Drews debuted for the United States national team later that year. Used primarily as the opposite in the double-sub with just two match starts, Drews led Team USA in scoring in three (against Columbia, Mexico and Argentina) of its first five matches in its gold medal run at the 2017 Women's Pan-American Volleyball Cup in June.

Drews led Team USA past fourth-ranked Brazil with a 21-point performance to open the 2017 USA Volleyball Cup in Anaheim on a Sunday evening. Drews powered down 16 kills on 38 swings against Brazil while adding four blocks and an ace over the course of the four sets, with final set a bonus set after the Americans won the first three sets 25-21, 25-14, 29-27. However, in the official three sets of the match, Drews was her most dominant having 14 kills on 26 attacks with just three errors to go with three blocks and an ace. And she was able to have such a break-out match on American soil with her family in the stands watching.

Kiraly left Drews in Anaheim for the first rounds of the 2017 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix. Drews took advantage of being one of only two opposites in the two- and three-hour sessions in the gym back in Orange County.

The extra work paid off with a spot on the U.S. roster for the 2017 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix finals round. Although the U.S. did not win either of its Finals Round matches against Serbia and Italy, Drews came off the bench in both contests to provide a huge spark. Drews was the U.S.’ top scorer (16 points: 15 kills in 39 swings for a 38.46% hitting efficiency; and 1 ace) in a 3-1 loss to Italy. She racked up with 10 points (10/26 for a 38.46% hitting efficiency) in USA's faltered comeback attempt from being down 2 sets to none against Serbia. USA finished 5th at the final staging of the World Grand Prix, tied with Netherlands.

Drews returned for duty as she joined the U.S. team for the 2017 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Grand Champions Cup. She started at opposite for all matches and top-scored in 2 occasions - 22 points vs. Japan and 12 points vs. Brazil. In its win over Korea, 25-22, 25-20, 25-16, Drews contributed 11 points on eight kills, two blocks and an ace. She helped USA claim the bronze medal for the tournament.

Drews was the league's 17th Best Scorer (105 attacks, 9 blocks, and 9 aces) and 3rd Best Attacker (105-29-225 for a 46.67% hitting efficiency). Her performance merited the team and her a silver medal finish and a Best Opposite award.

Drews graduated from Purdue University in Hospitality and Tourism Management in 2015. She is currently in a relationship with Tanner Schumacher.

In 2015, she began her professional career at 2016 Liga de Voleibol Superior Femenino where was finished runner-up with Indias de Mayagüez. She was named as part of the all-star team at the end of the tournament.

Drews received Honorable Mention at the AVCA All-American in 2014. Moreover, Drews was selected AVCA Second-Team All-America in 2015 as a senior at Purdue University. She graduated from Purdue University in Hospitality and Tourism Management in 2015.

She was a member of the U.S. Women's National A2 Program (now known as U.S. Collegiate National Team) in 2013.

On 2–4 August, Drews competed with USA in the 2019 FIVB Women's Volleyball Intercontinental Olympic Qualifications Tournament (IOQT) in CenturyLink Center, Shreveport-Bossier City, United States. After matches against Kazakhstan (3-0), Bulgaria (3-2) and Argentina (3-0), USA qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020. As a result of their second-place finish in the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup, USA's FIVB World Rankings points lead them to become the 2nd best team in the world as of October 2019. This puts them at Pool B during the Olympic Games in 2020.

Andrea began her sportive career in school tournaments. After emerging as one of the nation's top prep players at Penn High, she headed to Purdue University's women volleyball team, with which she took part in the Division I NCAA from 2012 to 2015. “The monster of the Big Ten,” Purdue coach Dave Shondell called Drews. She was an All-America outside hitter.

Andrea started playing indoor club volleyball in 2008 with Network Juniors and concluded her youth club career with Northern Indiana Volleyball Academy. She was a two-time volleyball state champion at Penn High School in Mishiwaka, Indiana, where she was selected an AVCA High School American as a senior.

Andrea Carrie "Annie" Drews (born December 25, 1993) is an American volleyball player who plays Opposite for the United States women's national volleyball team. She has played professional club volleyball in Puerto Rico, Italy, and Turkey. Drews was elected as the Most Valuable Player of the 2019 FIVB Women's Volleyball Nations League in Nanjing, China, where USA won the gold medal and the Best Opposite of the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup as part of the silver medal squad. She currently plays for Japan V.League Division 1 (V1) team JT Marvelous in the 2019-2020 season.

Drews returned for another round of duty for the U.S. team in the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League. During the preliminary rounds, she led the Best Attackers race with a 205-68-426 attacking card, good for 48.12% hitting efficiency. After advancing to the final round, Drews once again ranked first in the Best Attackers chart with a 69-18-132 attacking card, good for 52.27 hitting efficiency. She was the 2nd Best Scorer with 69 attacks, 4 blocks and 4 aces for 77 points, behind top scorer Liu Yanhan's (China) 79 points.