Blinn College volleyball player Jayde Shelton (San Diego, Calif.) was named to the NJCAA all-tournament team for her impressive performance at the NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championship in West Plains, Mo.
The seventh-ranked Buccaneers went 3-1 in the tournament and placed fifth in the nation. Shelton led the Buccaneers with 78 kills and a .379 hitting percentage in 16 sets. She posted a .507 hitting percentage in the final two matches of the tournament against No. 4 Utah State University Eastern and No. 2 Odessa College.
“It is a great accomplishment, but I wouldn’t be able to be so successful without my coaches and my teammates,” Shelton said. “It was exhilarating to see so many phenomenal players in one gym, and my favorite thing was being able to play new teams and spend quality time with my teammates. Without our determination and work ethic throughout the tournament, we wouldn’t be fifth in the nation.”
Shelton led the Buccaneers and finished the season second in the nation with 442 kills, fourth in the nation with 4.46 kills per set, and eighth in the nation with a .378 hitting percentage. She was second on the team with 102 total blocks.
“I am really happy for Jayde. I think every time we stepped on the floor she was the best player for both teams,” head coach Terry Gamble said. “We played four matches and to hit over .500 in two of the four matches, and get the most sets on our team, is impressive and hard to do at any level. The one thing about Jayde is when it is crunch time, she plays well, and that is what great players do.”
Shelton was named the Region XIV Volleyball Player of the Year after leading the Buccaneers to a conference championship with a 12-1 conference record and second place in the regional tournament to move on to nationals.
The Buccaneers finished the season with a 27-3 record.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
