Chelsea Burkle, a senior nursing major, was named UMSL’s first volleyball All-American.

Senior outside hitter Chelsea Burkle of the University of Missouri–St. Louis volleyball team has been named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America Honorable Mention Team.

She becomes the first player in program history to earn All-America honors.

Burkle, a nursing major who was named a First Team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference and First Team AVCA All-Midwest Region selection earlier this season, was the UMSL Tritons’ top offensive player in 2013. She led UMSL with 3.47 kills per set, while also averaging 2.73 digs and 0.60 blocks per set to go with a team-best 26 service aces.

Her 410 kills this season were the seventh best single season total in program history and she closed out her career ranking eighth all-time in career kills with 975. She also ranks fifth all-time with 2,876 career kill attempts.

In GLVC-only matches, Burkle ranked third in the league with 3.59 kills per set. She was one of five GLVC players named an All-American. Meghan Binkerd (Indianapolis) and Kim Vertin (Lewis) were both second team selections, while Brittany Anglemeyer (Indianapolis) and Morgan Rietzke (Rockhurst) were third team honorees. Rietzke was also tabbed as the AVCA Division II Freshman of the Year.

UMSL finished the 2013 campaign with a 17-15 record, including a 10-8 mark in the GLVC.