Arguably one of the best volleyball players in USI history, Shannon Wells was named the 2003 Richard F. Scharf Paragon Award winner. She led the USI volleyball team to the 2002 GLVC Women's Volleyball Tournament Championship, three-straight GLVC Green Division championships, the 2000 GLVC regular season title, three-straight 20-win seasons and a berth in the 2002 NCAA Division II Tournament, advancing to the Great Lakes Regional Semifinals. She led USI to an 87-35 overall record and a 41-22 mark in the GLVC through four seasons. Additionally, she was named the 2002 GLVC Player of the Year and was voted the GLVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for volleyball in 2001 and 2002 while also a four-time GLVC All-Academic selection. Wells was a three-time first-team All-GLVC selection and the third player in USI history to be named AVCA All-Region. Furthermore, she garnered a selection to the Daktronics All-Great Lakes Region team three times and was named a third-team Verizon Academic All-District in 2002. Statistically, Wells remains USI's all-time leader in career service aces (319) and kills (1,866) while third all-time in career digs (1,353). She also was the fastest player in USI history to reach 1,000 career kills, leading the GLVC two-straight seasons in total kills (553 and 554) while setting a USI single-season record for digs (458) and service aces (125). Wells twice earned GLVC All-Academic honors in basketball and was named the USI Female Student-Athlete of the Year in 2003.