Monday, July 24, 2017

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Three Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball programs have been singled out for academic excellence by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).

Central Washington, Northwest Nazarene and Seattle Pacific were among 118 NCAA Division II women’s volleyball teams recognized with the AVCA Team Academic Excellence Award. The program honors AVCA member schools that maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.30 among all rostered players. Selected programs must have been nominated by AVCA member coaches.

Central Washington finished second among GNAC volleyball programs in 2016-17 with a 3.45 team grade point average. One of five teams from the GNAC to advance to the 2016 NCAA Division II West Regional, the Wildcats finished the season with a 17-12 overall record and a 13-7 GNAC mark. Central Washington had six players named to the GNAC All-Academic Volleyball Team with senior Kiah Jones finishing with the top individual volleyball GPA in the conference at 3.94.

Northwest Nazarene finished the season with a 22-7 overall record and tied for fourth in the GNAC standings with Central Washington at 13-7, capping the season with the program’s first-ever NCAA Division II playoff victory. The Crusaders had three players selected to the GNAC All-Academic Team.

Seattle Pacific finished 2016 with an 11-17 overall record and tied for seventh in the GNAC standings at 7-13. The Falcons landed five student-athletes on the GNAC All-Academic Team.

Now in its 25th year, the AVCA Team Academic Award program honored a record 822 college and high school volleyball programs from across the country in 2016-17.