Nov. 15, 2004

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Heather Watts accomplished a feat that no other University of Memphis athlete has as she became the first Tiger athlete ever to earn five conference weekly awards in a single season. Watts shares Co-Setter of the Week honors with Marquette's Sarah Vernon Conference USA announced Monday.

Watts takes home her fifth league honor after earning the League's first-ever Setter of the Week award back on Sept. 7 and then claiming back-to-back honors on Sept. 20 and 27. On Nov. 1 she joined Anfernee Hardaway as the only two Tigers to receive four Conference weekly honors in a single season. Watts leads the league with 1,688 assists. She is now just 104 assists shy of breaking the C-USA record of 1,792 assists, which she set in 2003.

In what was perhaps the best weekend of her career, Watts posted an impressive 141 assists in the eight games. She averaged 17.62 assists in the two matches against TCU and Houston. The five-time C-USA Setter of the Week posted a school-record 81 assists against TCU and followed that performance with 60 assists in the Tigers' match against Houston. Watts' 81 assists against the Horned Frogs was the most assists by a setter this year, while her 60 against Houston was the most in a three-game match for both Memphis and the conference. Watts recorded her 18th and 19th double-doubles of the season with 16 digs against TCU and 11 versus the Cougars, stretching her streak to five consecutive double-doubles.

Memphis (25-9; 9-4 C-USA) fell to TCU Thurs., in a five-game battle, but responded by sweeping Houston on Senior Night, Saturday. The Tigers ended the regular season ranked fifth in C-USA standings. As the No. 5 seed in the upcoming C-USA Tournament, Memphis will face 12th seeded DePaul on Fri., Nov. 19 in the tournament's opening round. Match time is set for 3 p.m. EST.