ELON – Elon women's basketball head coach Charlotte Smith announced staff updates ahead of the 2026-27 season on Thursday, highlighted by the return of former Phoenix standout Shay Burnett as Director of Player Development and Video/Assistant Coach, and the promotion of Shelbie Davenport to Assistant Coach.
 
"We are excited to have our two-time champion and all-conference point guard back at Elon," Smith said. "Shay has been an integral part of our program's success as a player and will definitely assist in elevating Elon women's basketball once again. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience coaching young girls and boys, and we are thrilled to have her back home.
 
"Shelbie has made an indelible mark on the program and earned the admiration and respect of the greater Elon community," Smith added. "She has worked tirelessly not only to become an outstanding coach, but also to build meaningful connections throughout the Elon community. Her commitment to student-athletes, colleagues, alumni and fans has helped strengthen the culture and visibility of our program both on and off the court."
 
Burnett's first collegiate coaching role comes after one of the most accomplished playing careers in program history from 2014-18. Davenport's promotion follows three seasons as the team's Director of Player Development and Video.
 
Burnett, a native of Graham, North Carolina, earned All-CAA First Team honors in three consecutive seasons from 2015-16 through 2017-18 and was named the 2017-18 CAA Preseason Player of the Year. She was also selected to the CAA All-Rookie Team in 2014-15.
 
"Coming back to Elon means everything to me because this university helped shape me into the person, leader and competitor I am today," Burnett said. "Some of the best moments of my life happened here, and I'm incredibly blessed, honored and grateful for Coach Smith and her staff giving me the opportunity to return and pour back into a program that has given me so much. I'm looking forward to building meaningful relationships with our players, helping them grow on and off the court, and contributing to the culture that makes Elon women's basketball so special."
 
Burnett is one of six players in program history to record 1,000 points, 500 assists and 400 rebounds in a career. She also posted the first two triple-doubles in program history during her senior campaign and helped lead the Phoenix to back-to-back CAA Championships and NCAA Tournament berths in 2017 and 2018. Burnett was the 2018 CAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
 
Following graduation, Burnett won gold with the United States at the FISU America Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in July 2018. She later played professionally overseas, including stops in Sweden, Finland, Ireland and Mexico.
 
Burnett has owned, coached and managed the BBA Nets, a local travel basketball organization out of Graham, while also serving as an Exceptional Children's (EC) Teacher at Woodlawn Middle School (Mebane) and The Hawbridge School (Saxapahaw). She helped coach the Woodlawn Middle School girls' basketball team to a 21-7 record over two years and assisted with the Southern Alamance High School girls' basketball team for the 2025-26 season.
 
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