Volleyball | 7/13/2023 1:39:00 PM

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 13, 2023)— The pursuit of excellence for Texas Woman's volleyball stands as a daily mission for the student-athletes and the coaches. The pursuit of excellence through character, growth and sacrifice applies to a team-wide calling on the court, in the classroom and across life.

For the 16th year in a row, the Pioneers have achieved excellence in the classroom and have been honored with the 2023 United States Marine Corps (USMC) and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award.

The award, which was first awarded in the 1992-93 academic year, "honors volleyball teams that maintain a year-long grade-point average (GPA) of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale or 4.1 on a 5.0 scale."

The Pioneers have maintained a 3.3 team GPA or higher since 2007. Most recently, the Pioneers boasted a 3.566 Fall 2022 GPA and a 3.676 Spring 2023 GPA during the previous academic year.

"I am so proud of our student-athletes who live out excellence in every way," TWU Head Coach Jeff Huebner said. "Sixteen years in a row is a huge accomplishment and speaks to the foundation of academic excellence in our department and our program. We are grateful to work and play for a University which allows us to achieve in all avenues. Additionally, this award is a reflection of the investment that Madison Seaver has made in our student-athletes. Her commitment to their off-court development is a huge win for all of our programs at TWU and cannot be understated."

The Pioneers joined a record-setting 1,333 collegiate and high school volleyball teams to receive this award—the most programs honored for their academic achievements in award history. TWU represented one of 155 Division II programs honored and one of 10 LSC programs to earn the award.

"I am so proud of our team for earning the USMC/AVCA Academic Award for the 16th year in a row," TWU Assistant Coach Luiza Andrade said. "Our athletes continue to prove their commitment to being their best versions, not only on the court but also in the classroom. It's an honor for me to work with such responsible, determined and driven student-athletes. They make my job easy by taking care of business and taking pride in their school work."

This award shows TWU's continued commitment to pursuing excellence in all they do, a fact TWU Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations Madison Seaver, who oversees academic services for the Pioneers, said.

"We are so proud of the volleyball team for reaching this accomplishment," Seaver said. "This award is a testament to the team's work ethic and dedication in the classroom, and we are thrilled for them to be a consistent recipient of this award over the years."

The 2023 honorees can be viewed here.