Monique Marie Matthews (née Burkland, born August 11, 1989) is an American Paralympic volleyballist.

Monique Matthews
Personal information
Full name
  • Monique Marie Burkland
  • Monique Marie Matthews
NationalityAmerican
Born (1989-08-11) August 11, 1989 (age 35)
Reno, Nevada, U.S
HometownArdmore, Oklahoma, U.S.
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Medal record
Women's sitting volleyball
Representing  United States
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Team
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris Team
Silver medal – second place 2012 London Team
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2010 Edmond, Oklahoma Team
Parapan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2015 Toronto, Canada Team
Parapan American Zonal Championship
Gold medal – first place 2011 São Paulo, Brazil Team
ECVD Continental Cup
Gold medal – first place 2011 Yevpatoria, Ukraine Team
Volleyball Masters
Gold medal – first place 2012 Leersum, Netherlands Team

Early life

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Burkland was born in Reno, Nevada. She graduated from Plainview High School in 2008 where she used to be all-state softball player. There, she also did track and basketball. While being employed on a summer job, she lost her leg in a forklift accident. Since then, she has joined the USA sitting volleyball team and trains at the University of Central Oklahoma.[1] On May 2, 2016, she married her boyfriend of almost five years Landon Matthews in Oklahoma City.[2]

Career

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She started competing for Paralympic Games in 2010 where she won a silver medal for her participation at World Organization Volleyball for Disabled. In 2011 and 2012 respectively she won three gold medals at ECVD Continental Cup which was held in Yevpatoria, Ukraine, Parapan American Zonal Championship of São Paulo, Brazil and Volleyball Masters. She won a silver medal at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.[1]

She was a member of the USA Paralympic women's volleyball team which won the gold medal at the 2015 Parapan American Games in Toronto,[3][4][5] at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro,[6][7] and at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Monique Burkland". Team USA. United States Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  2. ^ Zeigler, Cyd (August 18, 2021). "Paralympian Monique Matthews' husband is transitioning, and they can use your help". Outsports.com.
  3. ^ Bill Kauffman (August 14, 2015). "U.S. Women's Sitting Team Golden at Parapan". Team USA. Archived from the original on October 4, 2015. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  4. ^ "Sitting Volleyball - Event Overview - Women: Ranks and Medals". 2015 Parapan American Games. Archived from the original on October 4, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  5. ^ "Sitting Volleyball - Event Overview - Women: Athletes". 2015 Parapan American Games. Archived from the original on October 4, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  6. ^ "Volleyball at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games". Paralympic.org. Archived from the original on April 24, 2019.
  7. ^ Patterson, Karen (September 17, 2016). "Team USA Wins Its First Women's Sitting Volleyball Paralympic Title". TeamUSA.org. Archived from the original on September 21, 2016.
  8. ^ "Sitting Volleyball: MATTHEWS Monique". Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
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