LEXINGTON, Ky. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced that 533 teams have earned the AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2011-2012 season.  This number once again breaks the previous year's total of 481 and sets a new all-time high for this award. 

The Bethany College volleyball team has won this award four consecutive years (2008-2011). The team grade point average in 2011 was 3.65.  Members of the 2011 team included Samantha Andersen, Waterville, Kan., Tateme Babi, Bennett, Colo., Shelby Broeckelman, Beloit, Kan., Ashley Burch, Strasburg, Colo., Bryanna Cool, Glasco, Kan., Dwila Covey, Wichita, Kan., Kaitlyn Davis, Hill City, Kan., Cortni Decker, Washington, Kan., Lisa Faimon, Stratton, Neb., Alexa Gerber, Walsh, Colo., Jennifer Grzegorzewski, Bayonne, N.J.,  Blake Hosey, Centennial, Colo., Megan Kennedy, Hill City, Kan., Shelby Koncel, Taylor, Neb., Aly Marin, St. Francis, Kan., Kristin Mihalcin, Arvada, Colo., Allison O'Neil, Scott City, Kan., Dani Pounds, Sylvan Grove, Kan., Theresa Read, Centennial, Colo.,  Taci Richard, Wichita, Kan., Megan Schottler, Lyons, Kan., Lacie Shoemaker, Munden, Kan., Rebekah Stoddard, Wichita, Kan.,

Bethany is one of 32 NAIA colleges to receive this award.  Three other KCAC colleges also received this award. To view the total recipient list, click here.

"This is a great honor for our team and I am very proud of these women," says Head Volleyball Coach Nathalea Stephenson. "Our team takes pride in this award and I think it goes to show that these young ladies are well-rounded athletes that take pride not only in playing volleyball but in the classroom."

The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed 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.

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%.

The AVCA, with its headquarters in Lexington, Ky., is managed by Associations International.  The mission of the AVCA is to develop and grow the sport of volleyball; with a membership of over 5,000 and counting, the AVCA provides a professional network for those individuals and companies dedicated to enhancing and developing the sport. Members are comprised of national and international coaches, collegiate, high school, club, youth and Olympic coaches, as well as club directors. Other members include former players, officials, media members and other friends of volleyball. As a group, the AVCA is committed to the development, growth, advancement and publicity of volleyball throughout the world.  Further information is available at www.avca.org.