Jayhawks Win Seventh-Straight AVCA Team Academic Award

July 20, 2012

2011-2012 AVCA Team Academic Award Recipients (Complete List)

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) named the Kansas volleyball team among the 533 teams to earn the AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2011-2012 season on Friday.

In what has become a growing trend, the total number of teams awarded again broke the previous year’s total of 481 and sets a new all-time high for collective academic honor. The Jayhawks are one of three Big 12 teams (Iowa State and Kansas State) to be recognized.

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.

“An award like this shows an entire team’s effort and dedication to performing well in the classroom, not just on the court,” head coach Ray Bechard said. “To continue to reach that standard year-in, year-out, is very satisfying to see. They don’t buckle down and get the grades when they have to – they stay focused and get it done every day. Combine that with also being equally committed in the gym and that’s something a coach is very proud of.”

This spring, the Jayhawks contributed four 4.0s and four more finished the spring with a 3.5 mark or better to lead KU in team GPA for the third-consecutive semester. Graduated senior Allison Mayfield, who broke KU’s single-season kills record this fall before using her fifth year of eligibility to join the track team, posted a perfect 4.0 as did fellow graduated senior Nicole Tate. Juniors-to-be Marianne Beal and Kara Wehrs also turned in flawless 4.0 semesters.