Washington University Volleyball Receives AVCA Team Academic Award for 2010 Season

AVCA RELEASE

St. Louis, Mo., July 25, 2011 – The Washington University in St. Louis volleyball team has received the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2010-11 season, as announced by the association. The Bears are one of a program-record 481 teams to be recognized for their academic excellence.

The program honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade point average. Washington University boasted a team grade point average of 3.59 during the last school year.

A total of 88 NCAA Division III institutions received the award for the past 2010-11 school year, which equates to roughly 18.5 percent of the nation’s eligible programs. Washington U. was one of five University Athletic Association (UAA) schools to earn the AVCA academic team honor, joining Carnegie Mellon University, Case Western Reserve University, Emory University and the University of Rochester.

Washington University finished the 2010 season with a 35-4 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Division III semifinals before falling to Emory, 3-1, on Nov. 20. It marked the second-straight trip to the national semifinals for Washington University, which has captured a Division III record 10 national championships, the last of which came in 2009.

Washington U. opens the 2011 season on Thursday, Sept. 1, when it hosts Culver-Stockton College and Harris-Stowe State University in a dual match doubleheader at the WU Field House beginning at 5:15 p.m.