LEXINGTON, Ky. – Academic success is a staple of all University of Evansville athletic programs and the Aces volleyball team has been no different and was recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) for their efforts.
 
Evansville’s squad produced a GPA of 3.618 last season to become one of 533 teams in the country (102 at the Division I level) to be recognized by the association.
 
The grand total of 533 breaks last year’s record of 481 to set an all-time high for the award.  Initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, the AVCA honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that have accumulated at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade point average on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 on a 5.0 scale.
 
Head coach Mike Swan and his team place a great emphasis on academics and that is shown by this being the eighth year out of the last nine that the team has received recognition for their academic efforts.
 
“I am very proud of the continued success our volleyball players achieve academically,” Swan said.  “They are always motivated to do their best and for us to have an cumulative GPA over 3.6 is a tribute to their hard work.  Four of our athletes had a 4.0 GPA this past semester...quite an achievement for them and our entire squad.”
 
Evansville’s top academic performer was Ashley Ring.  As a freshman, the exercise science major posted a cumulative GPA of 3.971, including a 4.0 in the spring semester.  Just behind her was Rachel TenHoor whose sophomore seasonsaw her wrap up the year with a 3.936 GPA, including a perfect 4.0 in the spring semester.
 
Ellen Sawin, who wrapped up her senior season last year, was the third Aces to finish the year with a 3.90 or higher, tallying a 3.917 to finish up her career at UE.
 
The Team Academic Award has become one of the AVCA’s fastest growing awards programs, seeing an impressive surge in teams honored over the past several years. Since the 2000-2001 season, the number of recipients has increased every single year but one, while amassing an overall 200% increase over the span of the last decade.  Since the award’s inception in 1993, the award has risen by an astounding 760%. NCAA Division I recorded their highest-ever total number of recipients, honoring 102 programs while Division III easily surpassed last year’s record of 57 winners with 67 this year.  Division III also set a new record with 90 winners and the high school division increased their all-time high of 192 recipients to 220.  Finally, the NCAA men broke new ground landing a record seven schools on this year’s AVCA Team Academic Award list.
 
BREAKDOWN BY CLASSIFICATION
Division                                    Number of recipients        Percent Breakdown*
NCAA Division I Women                        102                             19.14%
NCAA Division II Women                        67                              12.57%
NCAA Division III Women                       90                              16.89%
NAIA Women                                          33                               6.19%   
Two-Year College Women                        13                               2.44%
NCCAA Women                                        1                               0.19%
NCAA Collegiate Men                                7                               1.31%
High School (Girls and Boys)                   220                               41.28%
     High School Girls                                198               
     High School Boys                                22   
 
* Percentage is based on each category’s breakdown of the total 2011-2012 Team Academic recipients.
 
 
To view the total recipient list, click HERE
 
 
TOTAL RECIPIENT HISTORY
2011-12: 533
2010-11: 481
2009-10: 450
2008-09: 409
2007-08: 354
2006-07: 308
2005-06: 287
2004-05: 276
2003-04: 305
2002-03: 205
2001-02: 178
2000-01: 130
1999-00: 140
1998-99: 149
1997-98: 132
1996-97: 134
1995-96: 116
1994-95: 83
1993-94: 98
1992-93: 62