Crusaders Earn Sixth Consecutive AVCA Academic Award
Friday, July 24, 2009
Crusaders Earn Sixth Consecutive AVCA Academic Award
The Crusaders earned the AVCA Team Academic Award for the sixth straight year, it was announced Friday. (Ray Acevedo)
The Valparaiso University volleyball program received the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2008-09 school year, it was announced Friday.  This marks the sixth straight year that the Crusaders have received the honor from the AVCA.

The honor is given to college and high school teams that displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale. The nominating head coaches must be AVCA members. Valpo was one of 71 Division I programs to be so honored this season.

The Crusaders continued to excel on the court as well as in the classroom last year, winning 25 matches, including a 13-match winning streak, finishing in second place in the Horizon League and defeating five NCAA Tournament teams.  Over the six years that Valpo has captured the AVCA Team Academic Award, the team has a cumulative record of 152-52 (.745) and has made three trips to the NCAA Tournament.

Valpo was one of just two Horizon League institutions to be honored by the AVCA, as the Crusaders were joined by Green Bay as award recipients.