Monday, July 22, 2019

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The GNAC doubled the number of teams recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) for academic excellence with eight teams receiving the organization’s Team Academic Award.

The eight GNAC teams were among 141 NCAA Division II squads and a record 1,125 high schools and colleges to receive the award, which rewards teams that displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining a 3.30 cumulative grade point average. The conference saw four teams honored in 2018.

Alaska, Central Washington, Concordia, Northwest Nazarene, Saint Martin’s, Seattle Pacific, Western Oregon and Western Washington were the eight GNAC teams recognized.

In addition, Northwest Nazarene and Saint Martin’s were named to the AVCA Team Academic Honor Roll for having one of the top-25 GPAs among Division II teams. The Nighthawks had the highest GPA of all GNAC teams in the tabulation for the conference’s Academic All-Sports Awards with a 3.71 GPA. Saint Martin’s was second with a 3.69 GPA.

Of the 11 GNAC volleyball programs, all of them finished with a team GPA over 3.10 and all but one boasted a 3.20 GPA.

The AVCA honorees included both GNAC teams that advanced to the NCAA postseason. Western Washington became the first GNAC team to finish with a 20-0 conference record and proceeded to win the NCAA West Region at Carver Gym in a five-set victory over Cal State San Bernardino. The Vikings advanced to the NCAA Division II national final, losing in five sets to Tampa. Western Washington finished with a 30-4 overall record.

Central Washington finished second in the GNAC standings with a 16-4 record and went 23-6 overall. Making the NCAA Division II West Regional for the seventh consecutive season, the Wildcats finally snapped a long losing streak in postseason play with a five-set win over Cal State LA in quarterfinals.