Volleyball Honored with AVCA Team Academic Award
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Mitchell College women's volleyball team earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the third consecutive year, as announced recently by the organization.
The Mariners were one of more than 1,400 collegiate and high school volleyball programs honored with the award, which recognizes programs that display excellence in the classroom by maintaining a year-long cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.30 (4.0 scale) during the 2024-25 academic year.
"I couldn't be prouder of our team for earning the 2024–2025 AVCA Team Academic Award," said Mitchell Head Volleyball Coach, Tim Gaiser. "This recognition reflects the incredible dedication our student-athletes show both on the court and in the classroom. Their commitment to excellence in every aspect of their college experience continues to elevate our program and inspire our campus community."
The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year was first captured by Mitchell in 2022-23. This past year, the Mariners held a team GPA of 3.55 during their second season in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC).
"It is very exciting to see that the record-setting, on-court successes during the 2024-25 season have extended to the classroom," says AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon. "The fact that more programs earned the Team Academic Award than ever before is evidence of how committed our coaches are when it comes to helping their players reach their goals as both students and athletes."
About the American Volleyball Coaches Association
The mission of the AVCA is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy, and professional development. The AVCA, located in Lexington, Ky., is managed by Associations International. With a membership of over 10,000 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 professional development for volleyball coaches, recognition of elite players and coaches, promotion of volleyball competitions throughout the world, and networking opportunities for volleyball products and services providers.
