LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 20, 2020) - The United State Marine Corps (USMC) and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced today that 1,313 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. This is the fifth straight season that the Golden Eagles have earned the award.
"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.
In terms of USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award winners by subgroup, girls high school led the way with 461 recipients. In all three NCAA Women's Divisions, over 50% of the membership won the award, led by 68% in DI, 57% in DII and 53% in DIII. In the emerging sport of beach volleyball, 49% of teams won the award and in the fastest growing sector of Collegiate Men, 38 schools were honored, doubling the number from the previous year.
The AVCA is proud to recognize six 2019 National Championship winners that also excelled in the classroom: Stanford University (NCAA Division I), Cal State San Bernardino (NCAA Division II), Johns Hopkins University (NCAA DIII), Marian University (NAIA Women), Scottsdale (NJCAA DII), and Bob Jones University (NCCAA DII).
Additionally, schools that reached their Dig Pink® fundraising goals through the Side-Out Foundation will continue to be honored. Dig Pink® is a nationwide movement to provide meaningful and impactful experiences for athletes while inspiring and empowering them to come together in support of the stage IV breast cancer community. Each year, hundreds of teams across the country (and some overseas) participate in the Dig Pink® Rally.
You can find 2019-20's full list of USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award recipients by clicking here.
You can find the Team Academic All-Time Record Book by clicking here.
Click here for award history and more stats from the 2019-2020 USMC/AVCA Team Academic Awards.
