April 9, 2005

The University of Memphis volleyball team celebrated its 27-10 season and the careers to two Tiger seniors at its year-end banquet in the Fogelman Executive Center on the University of Memphis campus, Saturday night.

Captains for the 2004 season, senior Heather Watts and sophomore Melissa Nance, were each honored, while sophomore Jennie Toronto received the team spirit award. Junior middle Fehi Tuivai, who worked her way into the Tigers' starting line-up in her second season in Memphis after transferring from Eastern Washington, earned the Team Most Improved Award. Liberos Emily Steckel and Christen Clayton rounded out the team awards, receiving the Coaches' Award after backstopping the Tiger offense to another record-breaking season.

Also honored were seniors Tiara Gilkey and Heather Watts. Gilkey finished her Tiger career as a two-time all-conference honoree, earning second team honors in 2004. She capped her career with over 1400 kills and is in the career top 10 in kills, attempts and digs. The senior from St. Louis, Mo. was a two-time C-USA Player of the Week honoree her senior season and was an integral part of Memphis' first-ever C-USA Tournament Championship team in 2003. She and Watts were each named to the C-USA All-Tournament team as juniors.

Watts caps one of the most award-filled careers in Memphis history. She finished her four-year career second in career assists and digs and over her four year career as a starter, Memphis averaged a record of 25-10. She was a two-time Academic All-American, an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, a Coca-Cola Community All-American and was awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship worth $7,500 back in March. The current president of the University of Memphis Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Watts is currently spearheading a fundraising drive in the athletic department for goods and food stuffs to donate to the Ronald McDonald house.