Three PBC Volleyball Teams Receive Academic Honor

LEXINGTON, KY – Three Peach Belt Conference volleyball teams were honored with the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award on Friday.  Francis Marion, Montevallo and USC Aiken were among the 67 NCAA Division II teams to receive the academic honor following the 2011-12 academic year.  Only 12.57 percent of all NCAA DII volleyball team were recognized by the association for their accomplishments 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.

USC Aiken as a team in the 2011-12 athletic year finished with a 3.415 team GPA. The Pacers had 12 of their 17 student-athletes with a GPA of 3.2 or higher this past year.  USC Aiken led the PBC with four student-athletes on the 2011 volleyball All-Academic team. The 2011 USC Aiken volleyball team concluded the regular season ranked 10th in the final NCAA Division II Southeast Region Poll with a 15-16 record. USC Aiken closed its year tied for third in the Peach Belt Conference with a record of 7-7.

Francis Marion placed three players on the PBC All-Academic team with another three named honorable mention.   12 volleyball players were named to the PBC Presidential Honor Roll including Gold Scholars Amanda Mitchell and Danielle Parker.

Montevallo as a team in the 2011-12 athletic year finished with a 3.505 team GPA.  Senior setter Anna Garrison was named the Peach Belt’s female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.  She was also placed on the volleyball All-Academic team and one of 13 volleyball players named to the PBC Presidential Honor Roll.

The 2012 volleyball season begins on Aug. 31 with conference play beginning on Sept. 25.  The 2012 PBC Tournament will be played Nov. 16-18 at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Fla.

To see the complete list of AVCA award winners, please click here.