Feb. 15, 2006

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Junior outside hitter Shonda Cole from the South Carolina volleyball team has been named to the 2006 USA Women’s National A2 Team. Cole was one of just 12 players from around the country selected to the squad.

Players were chosen based on their respective performances at the National Team Tryout in the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., from Jan. 13-15. Cole was a part of the 32-member USA Women’s National Training Team last summer.

“Shonda has future national team potential,” head coach Nancy Somera said. “Obviously, it’s a great opportunity for her to develop as a player and receive additional high-level volleyball training and competition during the summer.”

Cole garnered honorable mention All-South Region accolades from the American Volleyball Coaches Association in 2005 while leading the Gamecocks in attack percentage (.281), kills and kills per game (4.18). She was also named second-team All-SEC for the second consecutive year.

The Kings Mountain, N.C., native finished the 2005 season with 414 kills, becoming only the fourth Gamecock to reach 400 kills in a single year. Cole currently ranks 10th among USC’s all-time leaders in career kills with 1,072. She placed third in the SEC in kills per game last season for all matches and eighth in the same category for conference matches only. Cole reached double figures in kills in all but three matches in 2005, including six 20-kill matches. She also recorded a career-high 16 digs against LSU.

The National A2 Team will train in New Orleans over May 22-26 and then compete in the Women’s Open Division of the USA Volleyball Adult Open Championships at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center from May 27-30.