All eight UAA volleyball programs earned American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) honors for the 2019-20 academic year.
USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award Recipients
Team Academic All-Time Record Book
The United State Marine Corps (USMC) and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced today that 1,315 teams have earned the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2019-2020 season, topping last year’s record by almost 200 teams. 232 programs received Team Academic honors for the first time in 2020.
“Coaches have the most influence during difficult times,” said AVCA Executive Director Kathy DeBoer. “Keeping student-athletes focused on their academic success when their volleyball identity was suddenly gone is leadership worth celebrating!”
The award, initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors volleyball teams that maintain a year-long grade-point average of 3.30 on a 4.0 scale or 4.10 on a 5.0 scale.
UAA Honorees
Brandeis: The Judges, led by Alesia Bennett, were recognized by the AVCA for the seventh time overall, including each of the past four seasons.
Carnegie Mellon: This marked the fourth consecutive year the Tartans have received the AVCA award. Under the direction of first-year head coach Anne Bock, the Tartans finished the year with a team GPA of 3.81.
Case Western Reserve University: The Spartans earned the AVCA award for a UAA-best 13th consecutive year. Under the leadership of head coach Karen Farrell, the Spartans posted a 2019-20 team grade point average of 3.78.
Emory University: The Eagles extended their UAA-high AVCA academic streak to 19 years, all under the direction of head coach Jenny McDowell. Emory was honored for the 11th consecutive season.
NYU: With Andrew Brown at the helm, NYU ranked among the top 20% of all schools with its 3.68 overall GPA. The Violets garned their fourth consecutive AVCA award and 13th overall.
University of Chicago: The Maroons, led by Sharon Dingman, received AVCA academic honors for the fourth year in a row. Chicago was the top-ranked team in NCAA Division III during the season.
University of Rochester: The Yellowjackets received AVCA team honors for the sixth consecutive season. Under the tutelage of Ladi Iya, Rochester has been honored eight times in the past nine years.
Washington University: The Bears were honored by the AVCA for the 15th time in program history. WashU extended their current string to five seasons, all with Vanessa Walby at the helm.
About the United States Marine Corps
Service in the Marine Corps is a noble path and demanding journey reserved for those with the
willingness to engage and the determination to exceed all mental, moral and physical requirements to become Marines.
The Marine Corps engages in national partnerships that provide valuable opportunities to spread public awareness of the Marine Corps' purpose by connecting the brand to those communities it serves. The relationships established between the Corps and our nation's athletic communities ensure our message of aspirational service resonates with coaches, athletes and their influencers.
The 2020 United States Marine Corp partnership with AVCA has been developed to engage with key publics that are integral to meeting recruiting objectives. The United States Marine Corps looks forward to building enduring relationships with the AVCA member community and lending our support to those coaches and athletic facilitators who help young Americans win battles every day.
About AVCA
The AVCA, with its headquarters in Lexington, Ky., is managed by Associations International. The mission of the AVCA is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy and professional development. With a membership of over 8,000 and counting, the AVCA provides a professional network for those individuals and companies dedicated to enhancing and promoting the sport. Members include collegiate, high school, club, youth and Olympic coaches, as well as volleyball club directors. The AVCA provides education to volleyball coaches, recognition of elite players and coaches, promotion of volleyball competitions throughout the world, and networking opportunities for volleyball products and services providers. Further information is available at www.avca.org.