The Valparaiso University volleyball program received the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2010-2011 academic year, as announced by the AVCA this week.  It marks the seventh time in the last eight seasons that the Crusaders have earned the award.

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 92 Division I programs to be so honored this season.

The Crusaders continued to be proficient in the classroom while also maintaining their on-court success during the 2010-2011 season.  On the court last year, Valpo won 27 matches, tying for the second-most wins in a single season in program history, and advanced to the Horizon League championship match.  The Crusaders have now won at least 20 matches in each of the last nine seasons, including all seven years they have earned the AVCA Team Academic Award, and own a 179-60 (.749) record in the seven years in which the program has earned the academic honor from the AVCA.

Valparaiso was one of just three Horizon League institutions to be honored by the AVCA, as the Crusaders were joined by Green Bay and Milwaukee as award recipients.