LEXINGTON, Kentucky – The Marist volleyball program has received the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award for the 15th consecutive season, and also earned a spot on the AVCA's Team Academic Honor Roll, the organization announced on Monday afternoon.
 
The Team Academic 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.
 
Marist is one of eight Division I teams to have earned the academic award for 15 consecutive seasons. The 15 consecutive years is tied for the sixth-largest streak in the country. The Red Foxes are one of nine MAAC programs to receive the Team Academic Award, while their 15 total awards are the most for a MAAC program.
 
In total, a record 243 Division I programs garnered honors, over 50 percent of the NCAA membership.
 
Additionally, the top 20 percent of team GPAs from each division are designated as Team Academic Honor Roll schools, representing the highest scholarly achievement in the sport of volleyball. Marist is one of four MAAC schools to place on the Team Academic Honor Roll.
 
The accolades follow another strong season in the classroom for the volleyball program:

• In the spring semester, the team recorded a 3.899 team GPA, the highest in the athletic department.
• In the fall, the team was top three in Athletics with a 3.807 mark.
• Ten Red Foxes were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team, tied for the conference lead.
• Class of 2021 graduate Courtney Kasperski was honored at the Honors Program Medal Ceremony for her senior thesis, titled "The Participation Trophy Debate" under faculty mentor Alyssa Gates.
• Rising senior Skylar Harrison was named MAAC Student-Athlete of the Week back in November in recognition of her career athletic, academic, and community service achievements.
• In September, Chidera Udeh, '21 was a Marist CSAE Student-Athlete of the Month.

 
About AVCA
 
The AVCA, with its headquarters in Lexington, Ky., is managed by Associations International. The mission of the AVCA is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy and professional development. With a membership of over 7,000 and counting, the AVCA provides a professional network for those individuals and companies dedicated to enhancing and promoting the sport. Members include collegiate, high school, club, youth and Olympic coaches, as well as volleyball club directors. The AVCA provides education to volleyball coaches, recognition of elite players and coaches, promotion of volleyball competitions throughout the world, and networking opportunities for volleyball products and services providers. The association celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2021.