Nov. 14, 2007
HUNTINGTON, W.V. -
Conference USA announced its 2007 all-conference first and second teams and postseason award winners for volleyball today, as selected by the conference's head coaches and four Tigers earned postseason accolades. Senior middle blocker Shelby Burton was named to the All-C-USA First Team, while senior outside Ashley Liford and junior setter Laura Côté were tabbed Second Team performers. Freshman libero Christine Bach joined Liford as the Tigers two All-Academic honorees. The awards are announced one day before the start of the 13th Annual C-USA Volleyball Championship, which is scheduled for Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 15-18, at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, W.Va., on the campus of Marshall University.
In her first collegiate campaign, Bach led Memphis' defense with 456 digs. That mark is third on the Tiger's single-season ledger, and just 10 digs shy of the second slot. Bach has served up 30 aces. She highlighted her rookie year by making a Memphis record 35 digs in a 3-1 win over SMU. That outing broke a nine-year record of 33 digs set by
Rosie Glenn on September 25, 1998.
Burton, who earns First Team honors for the second straight year, will go down in Memphis volleyball history as the most efficient hitter to ever wear a Tiger uniform with a .371 career attack percentage. She leads the team with a .388 attack percentage, 37 aces and 165 total blocks. The senior's .388 average is third on Memphis' all-time single season list. Burton is second on the team, behind Liford with 433 kills (3.58 kpg). One of Memphis' all-time best middle blockers, Burton ranks second all-time at Memphis with 394 block assists, while ranking third with 488 total blocks.
Côté earns Second Team recognition a year after being tabbed a First Team selection in 2006. The junior setter currently ranks third on Memphis' all-time assist list and 8th in the league's annuals. This season, she
leads the Tigers and is third in the league with 12.55 assists per game. However, her 1,519 assists on the season is the most by any setter. She's produced nine double-doubles this season and is one of three C-USA setters with more than 4,000 career assists.
Liford has had a standout final campaign, hammering down a career-high
and team-best 464 kills. She is among the top C-USA hitters with a 3.83 kills per game average. Her 17 double-doubles is tops on the squad. A native of San Antonio, Liford ranks third all-time at Memphis with 1,536 career kills. Liford's All-Academic selection was her second consecutive.
Bach, Burton, Côté, Liford and the rest of the No. 5 seeded Tigers will wrap up the C-USA Championships opening day of competition on Thursday evening with its third match of the year against No. 12 UCF. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. EST.
2007 C-USA VOLLEYBALL AWARDS
All-Conference First Team
Kelley Wernert, Sr., OH, East Carolina
Justine Farmer, Jr., OH, Houston
Kelly-Anne Billingy, Sr., OH, Marshall
Stephanie Cahill, Sr., OH, Marshall
Shelby Burton, Sr., OH, Memphis
Sara Radosevic, Jr., OH, Tulane
Ksenija Vlaskovic, So., OH, Tulane
Bridget Wells, Jr., RS, Tulane
Fabiola Nepomuceno, Sr., OH, Tulsa
Julia Silva, Sr., S, Tulsa
Nevena Stefanov, Jr., S, UAB
All-Conference Second Team
Elizabeth Fleming, Fr., S, Marshall
Jalicia Ross, Jr., MB, Marshall
Laura Côté, Jr., S, Memphis
Ashley Liford, Sr., OH, Memphis
Natalie Bogan, So., MB, Rice
Jessica Holderness, Jr., OH, Rice
Candice Davis, So., L, SMU
Jen Linder, Jr., MB, Tulane
Jenn Miller, So., L, Tulane
Casey Dent, Jr., MB/OH, UAB
Fernanda Domingos, Sr., OH, UAB
All-Freshman Team
Elizabeth Fleming, S, Marshall
Hannah Sullivan, OH, Houston
Caroline Gill, MB, Rice
Tracey Lam, L, Rice
Kathryn Wilkerson, OH, SMU
Hanna Stout, MH, Tulsa
Newcomer of the Year
Lilly Domingos, UAB
Freshman of the Year
Elizabeth Fleming, Marshall
Libero of the Year
Jenn Miller, Tulane
Setter of the Year
Julia Silva, Tulsa
Player of the Year
Kelly-Anne Billingy, Marshall
Co-Coach of the Year
Mitch Jacobs, Marshall
Liz Kritza, Tulane
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