Dec. 13, 2006

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Junior middle blocker Shelby Burton (San Antonio, Texas) and sophomore setter Laura Côté (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) made Memphis volleyball history as the Tigers' 1-2 punch earned American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America honors as announced by AVCA on Wednesday. Burton and Côté were two of six Conference USA players to earn AVCA All-America accolades. This marks the first time in Memphis volleyball history that multiple players have been recognized in the AVCA All-America awards. Former setter Heather Watts is the lone other Tiger to earn such honors, being named an AVCA All-America performer in 2004.

Burton led Conference USA in blocks per game at 1.30 and was second in hitting percentage at .413. Even more impressive were her numbers in the national rankings. The San Antonio, Texas native ranked fifth in the country in hitting (.413) and 24th nationally in service aces with 73. This honor is the fourth postseason award for Burton, who was noted as an AVCA All-Region member on Dec. 6, after being named a C-USA First Team and C-USA All-tournament performer. A two-time C-USA Offensive Player of the Week award winner, Burton is currently the programs all-time leading hitter, with a .362 career hitting percentage. The 6-2 middle finished the season with a team-high 513 kills and 168 total blocks.

Côté combines this honor with a plethora of postseason recognition. The Tiger setter set the league's record for assists by a sophomore with 1,692 en route to leading Memphis to an appearance in the C-USA Championship match. Côté was tabbed to the AVCA All-Midwest Region squad with Burton and also joined her teammate on the C-USA First Team All-Conference and C-USA all-tournament teams. A two-time C-USA Setter of the Week selection, Côté led the league and currently ranks 28th in the nation with a 13.02 assists per game average. An ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District 4 Third Team honoree, Côté ranks third all-time at Memphis and 17th in Conference USA with 3,143 career assists.

The potent Tiger duo led Memphis to a 27-8 finish and its second appearance in the C-USA Championship match ever. The 27 wins is the third time in four years that head coach Carrie Yerty's squads have posted over 25 wins. The Tigers finished the year ranked nationally in service aces and hitting percentage.

The following is a list of the 2006 AVCA All-America honorable mention recipients:

AVCA All-America Honorable MentionSM
Jeannette Abbott (Clemson, OH, So.)
Ashley Adams (Middle Tennessee, OH, So.)
Allison Anderson (Boston College, DS/Lib, Sr.)
Diana Andreyko (Pittsburgh, OH, Jr.)
Megan Argabright (Western Kentucky, MB, So.)
Faye Barhorst (Dayton, MB, Sr.)
Kelly-Anne Billingy (Marshall, OH, Jr.)
Elizabeth Bishop (Cornell, OH, Sr.)
Sarah Blum (Tennessee, MB, Sr.)
Erin Boeve (Iowa State, MB, Jr.)
Ivana Bozic (UAB, OH, So.)
Abbey Breit (Jacksonville State, OH, Jr.)
Katie Bruzdzinski (Michigan, OH, Jr.)
Shelby Burton (Memphis, MB, Jr.)
Anna Cmaylo (Santa Clara, MB, Jr.)
Shonda Cole (South Carolina, OH, Sr.)
Laura Côté (Memphis, S/H, So.)
Alexis Crimes (Long Beach State, MB, Jr.)
Elizabeth Curley (Hofstra, MB, Sr.)
Carrie DeMange (Duke, MB, Jr.)
Brittney Dolgner (Wisconsin, OH, Fr.)
Katie Esbrook (Virginia Tech, MB, Sr.)
Leanne Felsing (UW-Milwaukee, S/H, Jr.)
Stephanie Figgers (Stephen F. Austin, DS/Lib, Sr.)
Chelsea Goodman (BYU, OH, Jr.)
Ali Hausfeld (Duke, S, Jr.)
Cheryl Hegemann (UW-Milwaukee, MB, Sr.)
Danielle Hepburn (Clemson, MB, So.)
Destinee Hooker (Texas, OH, Fr.)
Hui Ping Huang (St. John's, OH, So.)
Crystal Hudson (Alabama, MB, Jr.)
Tealle Hunkus (Duke, OH, Sr.)
Emily Kirkwood (Virginia, S, Sr.)
Tatyana Kolesnikova (Louisville, OH, So.)
Denitza Koleva (Arkansas, OH, Sr.)
Viola Leszczynska (St. John's, S/H, Jr.)
Stephanie Lynch (Purdue, MB, So.)
Sarah Mason (Hawai'i, OH, Sr.)
Kate McCullagh (Northern Illinois, MB, Sr.)
Tatyana Menshikova (Saint Louis, OH, Sr.)
Jamie Mueller (Marquette, OH, Sr.)
Jessie Nevitt (Cincinnati, MB, So.)
Colleen Nilson (Belmont, S, Jr.)
Heather Norris (Murray State, DS/Lib, So.)
Katherine Oakes (Virginia, MB, Jr.)
Kim Oguh (New Mexico State, MB, Jr.)
Malama Peniata (Minnesota, DS/Lib, Sr.)
Sara Radosevic (Tulane, OH, So.)
Daniela Romero (LSU, S, Sr.)
Yarimar Rosa (Florida International, OH, Fr.)
Juliana Sanders (Hawai'i, MB, Jr.)
Joanna Schmitt (Oklahoma, OH, Sr.)
Julia Silva (Tulsa, S, Jr.)
Amber Simpson (New Mexico State, MB, So.)
Ambria Springer (Illinois-Chicago, MB, Sr.)
Ulrike Stegemann (Georgia Tech, RS/Opp, Jr.)
Yuliya Stoyanova (Tennessee, OH, Jr.)
Rubena Sukaj (American, OH, So.)
Makini Thompson (Florida State, OH, Jr.)
Kimberley Todd (Marquette, OH, Jr.)
Emillie Toone (Utah, MB, Jr.)
Jessica Vander Kooi (Missouri, OH, Sr.)
Olivia Waldowski (UC Santa Barbara, MB, Sr.)
Emily Withers (Jacksonville State, S, Sr.)
Ana Yartseva-Stewart (Louisville, MB, Sr.)
C-USA players in italics