ELON, N.C. – Former Elon University women's basketball standout Shay Burnett has signed a professional contract to continue her basketball career with Norrköping Dolphins in Norrköping, Sweden. Burnett's addition was announced by the team Saturday, Aug. 4.
 
"I'm beyond excited to start this new journey in Sweden," Burnett said. "I would like to thank Charlotte Smith for being my mentor and pushing me to achieve my ultimate goal since Day 1 at Elon. I want to thank my family for always supporting me and being there through everything, and I'm so excited to say I am officially a member of the Norrköping Dolphins women's basketball team!"
 
Burnett will make her way to Sweden later this month to join the team. Norrköping is located about 100 miles south of Sweden's capital of Stockholm.
 
"I am beyond proud of Shay," Smith said of Burnett's signing. "She is an awesome player but an even better person and I am blessed to have coached her. We wish her all the best in Sweden!"
 
A 2018 Elon graduate with a degree in Sport and Event Management, Burnett finished her career with the Phoenix with three First Team All-CAA honors while guiding the squad to back-to-back CAA Tournament titles – the first two in Elon's Division I history. Burnett averaged team-bests with 13.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game and finished her career with 1,567 points, the fourth-most in program history. During her senior campaign, the Graham, N.C., native recorded the first two triple-doubles in program history with the second coming March 1, 2018 – the final college basketball game in Alumni Gym – against William & Mary when she scored 13 points, had 14 assists and 10 rebounds. Named the CAA's Preseason Player of the Year, Burnett went on to earn CAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player after averaging 10.7 points, 5.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds in the three contests.
 
After the 2017-18 campaign, Burnett participated in the WNBA Combine in Columbus, Ohio. Just last month, Burnett represented the United States at the FISU America Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil, helping the team to a perfect 4-0 record on the way to beating Brazil in the final game of the round-robin tournament to win the gold medal.

Burnett is the first women's basketball student-athlete to sign a professional contract since Ali Ford '13 signed to play for Hamar of the Iceland-Dominos League in Hveragerdi, Iceland, in January 2016. 
 
Norrköping Dolphins plays in the Basketligan, the highest league in Sweden. Its home games are played at the Stadium Arena, seating 4,500 at capacity. The club was established in May 1963 as Hageby Basketklubb, but changed its name to Norrköping Dolphins in 1992.