MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – On July 20, 2012, the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced that Penn State Harrisburg's women's volleyball team had earned the organization's Team Academic Award for the third consecutive year; a feat even more impressive considering only 19 percent of NCAA Division III programs earned the award this season.
The AVCA began rewarding schools with the prestigious honor following the 1992-93 academic year. The award honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that display excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale.
"Many coaches tell us they take more pride in and hear more positive feedback about winning the AVCA Team Academic Award than anything else they do all year," said AVCA Executive Director Kathy DeBoer.
"While it is undeniable that the sport we coach is zero-sum on the scoreboard, it is a tool for empowerment on other fronts. The 533 coaches whose teams won this academic award understand the value of both playing to win and winning through play. A well-deserved congratulations to each team and coach."