University of Tennessee Athletics
Burdick Named CoSIDA Academic All-Dist. 3
February 07, 2015 | Women's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Cierra Burdick, a 6-foot-2 senior forward on the Tennessee women's basketball team who owns a 3.86 GPA in communication studies, has been named a CoSIDA Academic All-District 3 first-team selection, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced.
Burdick, a graduate of Butler High School in Charlotte, N.C., is a first-time recipient of CoSIDA honors and is UT's first recipient of academic all-district acclaim since Taber Spani made the squad in 2011-12 and 2012-13.
A member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll the past three seasons, Burdick projects to pick up her fourth such honor this season. In addition to her CoSIDA All-District 3 acclaim, Burdick now is a candidate for Academic All-America recognition as well. Glory Johnson was the last Lady Vol CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2012.
The academic kudos from CoSIDA came on the heels of Burdick being named Monday as the SEC Player of the Week for the second time this season as well as being selected the College Sports Madness National and SEC Player of the Week for the first time in her career. Burdick doubled her normal offensive output by averaging 20.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per contest as UT extended its league-best winning streak to 16 in a row over SEC opponents with victories over #10 Kentucky and #18 Mississippi State last week.
For the season, Burdick is averaging 10.4 points and 6.6 rebounds and is shooting 45% from the field, 50% on three pointers and 80% on free throws. She stands 95 away from joining the 1,000-point club at Tennessee and could help the Lady Vols have four players reach that milestone in the same season for the first time.
Burdick and Tennessee (19-3, 9-0 SEC) resume league action in Gainesville on Sunday vs. Florida (11-11, 3-6 SEC). Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.
